ASH AND CLINKERS …. CONTINUED
CLINKERS are those solid, glassy or porous accumulations that may result from burning some types of wood pellets. Clinkers are formed in the bottom of the burn grate and if left undisturbed will accumulate and shut off the combustion air. As clinkers grow and shut off combustion air the fire becomes orange/brown and lazy. Pellets may build up in the burn grate. The firebox and window becomes sooty. Exhaust gases may become smoky.
Cheap Charlie heaters come complete with the “Super Grate” burn grate. This grate reduces the amount of clinkers formed by lower quality pellets. If ashes are quickly blown out of the grate they cannot easily stay in one spot, heat up to the melting point and fuse into a clinker. Clinkers form when pellets are of such poor quality their ashes contain minerals that easily melt under high firebox temperatures, are not blown out of the grate, and stay there until larger and larger clinkers are produced.
Since wood and the methods of handling wood used in making pellets can vary from plant to plant and year to year some clinkering must always be expected. Stove owners without an “SUPER” grate must remove clinkers manually, some times several times a day. Stove owners using an “SUPER” grate and quality pellets may experience days or even weeks of burning without the need to remove any clinkers from the grate.
FINES
FINES in pellets are pieces of sawdust that were not properly formed or are the results of pellets breaking down from handling, transporting and/or storage. Fines adversely affect the operations and heat production of a pellet shop and home heater and greatly increase the requirements for daily and periodic cleaning. Fines cause pellets to feed slower thus reducing the amount of heat produced at any given heat control setting.
NOTE: It is much easier to remove fines from pellets before they are placed in the stove than it is to service your stove for a plugged hopper, jammed auger and plugged exhaust system. Pellets with excessive sawdust may be screened to remove most of the fines. Pellet screeners may be built or purchased from most pellet stove Dealers.
PFI PELLET STANDARDS
The Pellet Fuel Institute, standards for residential quality pellets are:
Length | 1.5 inches, maximum. |
Diameter | .235 to .350 inches, (approx. 1/4" to 3/8"). |
Fines: | .2# maximum per 40# bag. |
Salts: | .005 % by weight, maximum. |
Ash Content: |
|
- Premium Quality | .75% by weight, maximum, (.3# per 40# of pellets.) |
- Standard Quality | 2.5% by weight, maximum, (1# per 40# of pellets.) |
Check with your Authorized Cheap Charlie Dealer on the quality of pellets in your local area and for information on what can be expected from the various local brands.
NOTE: Since Dansons Group Inc. or Canadian Comfort Industries has no control over the quality of pellets that you use, we assume no liability caused by the quality of wood pellets used.
Copyright 2004 | 25 | Cheap Charlie Owner’s Manual |
Canadian Comfort Industries | www.dansons.com | Dansons Group Inc. |
