Weekly Maintenance
•Shut down the heater as directed in the operating instructions. Allow the heater to cool to room temperature. Re- move the small
•Remove the ash pan and dump the ash into a metal container.
•Cleaning of the exhaust system will depend upon the ash and debris content of your fuel. If your fuel has a high ash content and/or significant debris in it, your exhaust system will require weekly cleaning. Cleaner fuels will allow for monthly cleaning of the exhaust system. Remove the exhaust pipe from the back of your heater and remove any ash that may have collected in the pipes. Replace the pipes to the heater and seal with high temperature seal tape. If you have installed proper clean out tees you will not have to take the chimney sections apart.
Spring Cleaning
When the heating season is over make sure that you clean out all of the fuel in the hopper, firebox area, ash pan and firepot area. Corn and any ash can accumulate moisture over the summer months causing the unit to rust and the fuel to mold. Corn left in the unit will attract mice and can cause internal wiring and insulation damage.
When the unit is cleaned out, take the venting apart, clean out the fly ash, rinse the venting out with a water hose and let dry, take the draft fan off and clean, clean out all areas such as back heat exchanger and lubricate the auger, auger tube, firepot area, agitator shaft and bearings and hopper area with a light oil (something like Pam cooking oil works great to coat the inside of the unit and the moving parts). Clean the glass, doors and outer cabinet so that you are ready for the next heating season. Use of a wet/dry vacuum makes all cleaning easier.
AUTOMATIC SAFETY FEATURES
WARNING
These automatic safety features must not be bypassed
Power Outage
•During a power outage, the heater will shut down. It will not automatically restart when the power returns, unless the heater is still above the proper operating temperature and a flame still exist in the burnpot.
Overheating
•A high temperature switch will automatically shut down the heater if it overheats. The heater will need to be manually relit. Allow 45 minutes before relighting.
Hopper Safety Switch and Pressure Switch
• If the hopper lid is open, or if the front viewing door is not closed properly, the auger will not operate.
FUEL ADDITIVE
Chicken Scratch for my Corn Burner?
Yes - Crazy as it may sound, ground Oyster Shells, (calcium carbonate) same as fed to chickens, is the ideal additive to promote clean burning, especially when the Corn Fuel is extra high in starch. And it’s available at your local Feed and Seed.
The “average” mixture is 1/2 pound of Oyster Shells (about 2 handfuls) to 60 pound of Corn, a full hopper. IF the “fin- gers” on your agitator (stirrer or rouser) have a noticeable buildup of “clinkers” or stubborn deposits, you have either a high starch fuel OR are burning with too much air for proper combustion and are reaching the “fusion” temperature of the Potassium and/or Starch in the Corn. You need Oyster Shells - and maybe more than a couple handfuls.
If you notice a heavy accumulation of “whitish powder” in your burn pot, reduce the amount of Oyster Shell Additive.
Remember, using this additive- as necessary - promotes efficiency (higher heat output), reduces maintenance, clinkers and ash content.
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