TSC stove...King I believe...need help

Guys this is a heads up for those that use and know about these Tractor supply pellet stoves. I think it’s a King.

You guys get ready. I’m going to need some help later this evening for one of these stoves. It’s only two years old and wasn’t even used an entire season. I think there are issues with adjust start up feed control, feed control in general causing smoke build up in the house. I suspect that means there is a chimney pipe issue as well being that there are three elbows in the installation and not much height. That is all I know at this time until later.

I will provide model number, year, and the problem, etc., later in this evening.

My uncle just traded for this stove and it is installed in his house, but he is in recovery from a double knee replacement and may get to come home this evening. I will be able to get all pertinent information at that time.

Right now I’m just lining you guys up for some help then because pellet stoves are not my wheelhouse. I burn hand fed stove, a wood/coal unit, and have zero experience with a pellet stove.

More information to come of potential issues.

 

We just helped him get in the house after his surgery. What a chore. Double knee surgery.

Did happen to see the manual and as you can see, I snapped a picture. Did not read any of it.

Apparently upon start up the feed rate puts far too many pellets in the pot and it’s smoking the house up. He said it runs pellets in the pot for about one minute and it needs to be about 16 seconds he said. He doesn’t know if there is an adjustment and if there is he doesn’t know how to adjust it and neither do I.

He has attempted to seal all the joints in stove pipe but isn’t finished yet.

Keep in mind he did not have time to read the manual before surgery and I only seen the manual long enough to take a picture. Also made no attempt to look at the control board either. I didn’t have time before I had to leave.

 

Pellets are new, bagged and on a pallet on a covered porch and covered with plastic.

I wouldn’t think there was an obstruction in the stove pipe because it’s the same pipe his smaller stove was hooked to. This was an even trade...smaller stove for a bigger stove...and his smaller stove worked fine.

I think there is an additional 90degree elbow - 3 of them now and maybe 4’-6’ of vertical venting.

Stove looks brand new for a two year old stove. Was too big for previous owner.

 

The entire EVL is used up by the 3 90 degree elbows you say are in the venting please provide a picture or drawing of the venting.

 

Won’t have a picture until tomorrow.
Elbow out of the back of the stove and up about two feet into another 90 to horizontal about two feet, then a third elbow and up about 3 feet maybe four (guessing) to the top.

Define EVL, please.

EDIT:
Trying to have pictures sent to me.

 

He said with the older and smaller pellet stove there were only two elbows. I have no idea. I never seen it.

With this stove he said smoke was coming out of the seems on the adjustable elbows. I assume this was until the pipe got warm, but he said it smoked them out twice.

I think that he only has about 3’-4’ of pipe above that horizontal to the top of the chimney. He said 4, but it looked closer to 3 ft to me. I have no idea how much chimney a pellet stove needs, but I suspect he needs an additional 4’-8’ at least, maybe more.

What he has now isn’t even as high as the ceilings in the house...and it’s a two story house with high ceilings, so the chimney isn’t even half as high as the house.


He said he doesn’t mind having to add chimney length, it was just take him deciding how he wants to attach it to the house. I think he would rather keep it short for that reason if possible.

EDIT:
Looks like a couple two or three safety hazards there.

 

Yeah...I keep forgetting it is forced draft. Told you pellet stoves wasn’t my wheelhouse.

The way he described it at first...and I’m waiting in clarification now...is at start up it was feeding way too many pellets at once.

I think he was wondering how to change the auger and blower speeds in auto mode. Something to do with changing codes or something. Again, I’m waiting on clarification. Bare with me...he’s still groggy from surgery and working through a lot of knee pain as well. He’ll feel better in a week or so.

 

Agree it would be better for your Uncle to wait until he is feeling better before reviewing, troubleshooting, or operating the stove. He should check out Page 6 - "Maximum Venting Distance", in particular.

Hope the feedback helps.

 

Ok...
So he’s telling me there are only problems at start-up. Apparently he was able to turn the auger down to .99lbs/hr during normal running operations and it’s fine.

The issue is during start-up. He apparently needs the codes 1-12 (book tells him there are codes but apparently not what each does or something like that) to reset how long the auger runs to initially fill the burn pot. Apparently it ran for one minute on start-up and it over fills the pot. He wants to change the start up auger run time to around 15 seconds if possible so the burn pot doesn’t over fill...which is what filled the house with smoke.

If anyone knows how to reset the codes for the auger runtime length at start-up it will be greatly appreciated.

 

Understand, however his recovery will be long and I’ll probably take this time to learn a little about the stove, the issue, and the fix for myself. If I can get it running for him tomorrow I’m sure his wife can fill the stove for him as needed. I’ll be checking in him periodically anyway.

 

Page 11...under "auger delay" ... can't post a link to the manual for some reason...just search "King 5502 manual" it comes right up

Edit, here's a cut of it...

• AUGER DELAY The “Auger Delay” button can be used to pause rotation of the Auger for approximately 1 minute. This can be cancelled by pressing the “ON” button. The “Auger Delay” is normally used only during the start up cycle to slow the fuel delivery down during the initial ignition.

 

Disclaimer: don't own the USCC stove, have only helped a neighbor in the past w/ one:

You could try:

USSC Troubleshooting

Post #2, usstove tech manual 5500M & ...

Post #4, value C15 .

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I hope your Uncle's recovery goes well.

Just FYI, this is a 'different class' stove vs. the smaller stove he was previously burning: venting, adequate floor protection, clean-out access, etc. should all be scrutinized and reviewed.

It may be the difference between operating a "Baby Ben" vs. a "Big Ben", stove: in wood-burning speak.

Hopefully you can help your Uncle out w/ the differences, and details. 'Cause this stove can be ran as a 'heat monster', capable of chewing thru 6 lbs. of pellets per hour - where many / most pellet stoves are in the 1.5 to 2.0 lb/hr range. Just saying this stove is no joke, and the manual should be followed for install.

I hope the info helps.

 

If he still has smoke coming out the elbows (not uncommon), get some hi-temp silicone tape at a BBS. Wrap those suckers up tightly along the bends. Also wrap up where the connection is to the stove just to be sure. Silicone tape makes it easy to remove if needed, then re-apply, unlike the tin tape (which sometimes crispifies after time and then has to be removed and replaced).

If that is carpet behind the stove and under the elbow (I can't tell), it needs to be covered with a fireproof material. If you have extra floor tiles hidden away, those will do just fine, just make sure to overlap them. I believe the curtains are technically okay because most pellet stove pipe has a 3" or less distance needed to combustibles and the pictures make it look like that distance is is covered. That being said, I wouldn't do that myself - I got metal blinds to cover the window that is kitty-corner to the back of my stove and not even close to the exhaust, just to be safe in case of the appliance overfires (just me being paranoid).

While your dad is laid up, I highly encourage him to read the manual and make sure the clearances to the back of the stove is good. Also he should look up the pipe manufacturer's recommendations for distance to combustibles.

 

High temp foil vent tape.
Clean the pipe with a towel damp with alcohol to remove any oil/grease
Wrap every joint with the foil tape.....

Some pellet pipe will leak at the joints a bit

The extra bends tend to increase the internal pressure of the pipe.....Once the pipe is warm the flow should be better.....

If a taller outside pipe can be added it will help the draft.

The extra bends are not helping at all.

Here is a piccy of our vent.
Always had a slight hint of smoke smell....Wrapped the vent joints with the foil tape....All good to go

 

X3 on some type of tape (high temp foil or silicone) on the joints if the issue is primarily on startup. Not a totally uncommon issue.

Pellet stoves (like any wood combustible) can produce a lot of smoke before ignition, and this shows up on slightly leaking joints. As you know, the draft is forced by a blower so the more 90 deg joints the more the blower has to push to get to the end of the pipe and also higher probability of getting through a joint of less resistance.

If too many pellets in the burn pot, that high smoke time may be extended with a longer smoldering time prior to ignition. Generally once the pellets ignite, the smoke drops considerably. This is why only smoke at startup is happening.

If your dad isnt getting smoke smell any other time, wrapping the joints and lessening the pellets on startup to proper levels should be all that is needed.

 

Hoytman , here's a chart showing how the EVL is calculated. If it's in excess of 15, he should be running 4" pipe.

 

Shhh, don't you all talk the same thing in different ways.