Whitfield Advantage II-T: Repair or Replace?

New to the forum, and first post is a request for help (isn't that true on all forums? )

We just bought a house with a Whitfield Advantage II-T insert in it. We had a local company perform a cleaning and checkup on it and the draft air damper is solidly stuck. I've (literally) tried a hammer and crowbar to get it to move. It will wiggle a bit, but I can't get it to budge.

It looks like the blower assembly would have to be removed to get to the guts of the damper to try to break it free. Other than the damper, the stove works but soots up really bad depending on heat/fan.

Is this "easily" fixable if I bring it outside and tear it apart? We are also looking at a Englander Timber Ridge 55-TRPEPI as a drop-in replacement. The existing fireplace only has an exhaust vent, though. Can the Timber Ridge (or any other stove) use ambient air for intake?

Thanks!

 

You want to get in touch with Snowy Rivers. She's running 2 Whits and may be able to help. She's a pretty savvy lady.

As for combustion air, the Englanders require outside air. There are some members that don't use OAKS, but you are sucking in all the air you heated and blowing it outside if you don't.

 

Welcome to FHC.
Snowy Rivers is the guru on Whitfield's. Hope she chimes in soon.
Bringing the stove outside would be easier to clean and work on it
And where is NOVA?

 

First of all, welcome to the forum!

As Subby says above, Snowy Rivers is the resident Whitfield expert, so give her a shout. If the Whit isn't fixable, and you do want to pursue the Englanders, here's a place that sells the units that Englander re-furbs......they come w/ original fact. warranty, and free shipping. I've bought from them, as have others on the forum, and they are great to do business with. Plus, Englander's cust. service is second to none, and we have an Englander service expert on the forum too.

55-TRPEPI - PELLET BURNING INSERT - 2,000 sq. ft. (F2)

 

NOVA is local for Northern Virginia.

 

Thanks for the link! The savings in refurb may offset the cost in getting outside air via the chimney.

 

GAWD...MY EARS WERE BURNING

Get the unit outside and tear the thing apart.

Sooting up the windows is a sign that the thing is plugged up with ash.

Start by getting the door open and the two sheet metal covers off that hold the fire brick in place (one on each side)

Remove the fire brick carefully (sides and center)

You need to tip the panels toward the door a little and then rotate the top slightly to the center and then the panel will come out.

The center panel is similar in the it must be rotated to remove it.

The are two primary ash baffles... one on each side (a channel like area that the brick covers.

These filll with ash from the top and then fill up .

There is a slot in the baffle near the top that allows the gases to go in to the next baffle area.

Clean the primary area and then look carefully in the channel area and you will see 2 screws (one top and one bottom) that hold the baffle in.

Remove the screws then wiggle the baffle toward the center of the stove and carefully tip and remove (similar maneuver to the bricks)

Repeat on the other side.

The inner baffles are a bitch to get back in.

Like a Chinese puzzle.

Clean the areas well.

Open the RH side door after unscrewing the draft rod.

Remove the exhaust fan from the housing (will need new gasket)

Carefully clean the fan blades and housing.

Use a bottle brush and clean the passage from the fan to the center of the stove and then the side passages from the front area on each side to the center.

Vacuum well.

Get clean and reassemble the unit.

Likely the center and back passages are clogged with ash.

Good luck

Snowy

 

Thanks, Snowy Rivers, you appear to be very POP-U-Lar!

I've got a few other things on my plate right now, but I'll try clean and adjust before replace. Your directions are quite clear and detailed.... I'm sure I can mess it up, somehow.

 

If you have issues just drop me a pm or post in the forum.

PICS ARE ALWAYS A BIG HELP TOO.

 

Hello
I also work on Whitfields. Snowy advice on Whitfields is the best, she has rebuilt a few more than I have! In the past couple of months I have come across 2 Whits with rusted frozen damper rods during my cleanings. One was rusted almost shut and not letting in enough air for the fire to burn properly and sooting up the windows. I always fix the damper no matter how long it takes. What I do is spray it with PB Blaster penatrating oil and wiggle, tap, wiggle, tap, tap until it is free! Then wipe it off and spray Dry Moly on the curtain part that slides in so it will not stick in the future! You have to be careful not to whack the wooden handle too hard because you can split the wood and it will break off.
Good Luck
I also use the CRC Dry Moly on the exhaust blower impeller blades after the annual cleaning to keep the ash from sticking too hard.

 

Follow-up:
We are going to order the earlier suggested Englander insert. Having tried/failed to get the damper to budge multiple times, plus unknown condition of remaining parts, plus the Whitfield using ambient air, (plus, plus, plus), I'm just going to do a full reset on it.

The Whitfield will go to recycling/landfill, unless there is local interest in picking it up. I'll put it up on Craiglist and see if somebody wants a project.

Thanks for the suggestions and feedback.

 

Welcome to the Show Rojhan

I was wondering will this be your 1st pellet stove ?? You said the Whit came with the house .

 

First pellet stove, 2nd house with a fireplace. First house we converted from wood to gas insert.

I grew up in the desert. This whole "cold" thing is relatively new.

The heat pump runs nearly continuously when the outside temperature gets to freezing or below, so looking for a supplemental heat source so it doesn't have to work so hard.

 

We all started as newbies , plenty of real smart folks here willing to help you anyway they can . So if you got ?? just ask and some one will be able to help .

Pellets are are Great option , I was a long time wood stove burner , once I switched to pellets I'll never go back . They are a little bit of work , you have to keep them clean , which is no big deal .

 

Nice choice. The Englanders are easy to operate. I had one of their re-furbs and never had any issues that couldn't be easily figured out myself, with the help here, or from mike holton at Englander. Mike is on the forum occasionally, and Englanders Tech Support is great. I highly recommend getting the included OAK kit installed for optimum burn.

Keep us informed when you receive it , and we LOVE pics, especially of new installs.

 

Both Englander and AM/FM were amazingly responsive (I vetted AM/FM through Englander). New insert has been ordered.

A question for anybody familiar with the outside air kit; it looks like it's designed to be through-wall. How does that work in a chimney/fireplace?

 

Hello
I installed an Englander 25-EPI in a fireplace in Portsmouth NH about 4 years ago and for the outside air we ran a 3" aluminum liner with an aluminum cap right up the same flue as the exhaust liner. Then we put 100% Fire Proof Roxul insulation on the Damper Shelf and around the 2 liners to seal up the fireplace chimney tight as a drum so there is absolutely Zero heat loss up the chimney from the warm pellet stove. This adds a lot of effeciency to the fireplace!! As an example, I have a customer in Bedford MA that had an Insert with just a flue liner. This past fall we added the fresh air liner and because the house was all electric and the local Electric Company charts her electric usage we found that she used exactly 8.7% less energy this past long and very cold winter compared with the mild winter we had the year before!!! That tells me there is approx 10% energy savings when comparing winters that are more equal!!! So addding the Roxul and Fresh air liner Pat's for itself in no time at all!!!!
Just my 2 cents.
You can PM me with your email if you wish info on parts.

 

The Englander/Timber-Ridge should be here tomorrow. Amazingly fast processing by AM/FM (and also quick communication from Englander). Stove is scheduled for install on July 10. The local shop recommended an Enviro Empress, but we just couldn't see the >$3,000 stove just for supplemental heat when the winters aren't very bad here.

With the factory-second Englander, we are saving close to $2,000 on overall cost, even with some extra material and labor needed to run outside air up through the existing chimney.

 

That buys a LOT of pellets. Can't wait to see the pics of the install.

BTW, since this is your 1st pellet stove, I highly recommend getting a bag of pellets somewhere and before the install crew shows up, doing the test burn outside to burn off any oils.....no stinking-up the house. You don't need any pipe, just read the break-in instructions. AFAIR, it's heat setting 5 for about 2 hours.

OH, and BTW, the insert exhaust is shown on P. 23 of the manual....the OAK goes up the chimney right next to the liner.