Houston..We Have a Problem. Low Output

Ed.A · Post by **Ed.A** » Tue. Nov. 12, 2013 8:06 pm

5yr old Channing III. Just fired up 1st time this season. Always cleaned and prepped, greased and ready to go.

Now we all know the factory reostat hopper control is suspect and not necessarily #1 to #5 with everyone's stove being the same. Like I said, this is a 5yr old stove, I know my settings. I cannot get it over 350* deg's @ the box, now there was a time (as recently as last season) that cranked up to #5 my output was close to 600* deg's with no unburned in the pan.

I have unburned in the pan with half the heat.

Caveat:, I've never pulled the grate. I only clear the holes and vacuum the grate to suck out the fines. Is this my issue??

Funny, my 1994 StokerII fired up and hit it's marks in 2hrs...god I love that old beast.

blrman07 · Post by **blrman07** » Tue. Nov. 12, 2013 9:20 pm

Air flow is the suspect in this case. I would verify that the area under the grate is clean and free flowing. Check that and let us know.

Rev. Larry

Ed.A · Post by **Ed.A** » Tue. Nov. 12, 2013 9:26 pm

blrman07 wrote:Air flow is the suspect in this case. I would verify that the area under the grate is clean and free flowing. Check that and let us know.

Rev. Larry

Supposedly in the 50's this weekend.... I will shut it down and check it out

Horace · Post by **Horace** » Wed. Nov. 13, 2013 10:24 am

Is your coal source the same this year as in years' past? In other words, is this a new supply of coal that could be different from what you burned last year?

If so, I agree that it could be fines/airflow problem.

btrowe1 · Post by **btrowe1** » Thu. Nov. 14, 2013 8:36 pm

I think you"ll be surprised when you pull the grate and find lots of fines under it. be sure the grate is reset properly. and Most IMPORTANT Rule #1, don't fill the hopper full when relighting to check..

Ed.A · Post by **Ed.A** » Sat. Nov. 16, 2013 2:24 pm

Welp it was fines built up alright. Instead of pulling the grate I had a can of compressed air ( computer keyboard cleaner basically) and the needle tip inserted near the base and then progressed up the ramp. Then hooked my shop-vac back up and sucked up any residuals that didn't get sucked out the 1st time.

Turned on the blower and noticeably free flowing air.

Filled the hopper back up, lit it off. It's still very warm here (like 55f*) but on setting #2 the firebox is @ 200f* and it hit that point fast.

By monday we're supposed to be back to normal Nov. temps. I'm feeling more than confident the issue was fixed.

Although my Stoker II was fine I went ahead and did that one too.

Pocono Pete · Post by **Pocono Pete** » Sat. Nov. 16, 2013 4:55 pm

Ed, I have a channing III and was having a problem with fines under the grate. If you search on this forum "channing III convection blower" there is a post by ashburnham 55 on Mon. Feb.22,2010, if you read the part about removing the grate he tells a way to clean the fines without removing the grate. You can remove the combustion motor housing and get to the area through a 2"x2" opening. This way worked great for me and I have been doing it this way ever since. The only thing I would add is when you replace the motor housing don't over tighten the bolt.

Ed.A · Post by **Ed.A** » Sat. Nov. 16, 2013 8:45 pm

Pocono Pete wrote:Ed, I have a channing III and was having a problem with fines under the grate. If you search on this forum "channing III convection blower" there is a post by ashburnham 55 on Mon. Feb.22,2010, if you read the part about removing the grate he tells a way to clean the fines without removing the grate. You can remove the combustion motor housing and get to the area through a 2"x2" opening. This way worked great for me and I have been doing it this way ever since. The only thing I would add is when you replace the motor housing don't over tighten the bolt.

Thanks Pete!