Pellet Customers: refer to the below tips for reminders and answers to our most frequently asked start-up questions when preparing your pellet stove for the winter season. OR, contact Enchanted Fireside to talk with one of our experienced team members.
At the beginning of the season, the pellet feed path (the auger tube) should be clean and empty. After you have filled the hopper with pellets, you will need to allow the stove to refill the auger before pellets will begin to drop into the firepot.
NOTE: The Quadrafire advanced Energy Mt. Vernon and Edge fireplace will automatically refill the auger throughout the first 45 minutes of startup.
For the Original Energy stoves and inserts including the Castile, Santa Fe and Classic Bay, press the reset button approximately once per minute – usually up to 5 times, just as you did when the stove was brand-new – until you see pellets drop into the firepot. The screw will turn a few rotations each time, ultimately refilling the auger tube. After the initial flame appears in the firepot, you may need to press the reset button one more time to achieve a standard flame height.
NOTE: the auger screw (feed screw) will not turn unless there are at least two pounds of pellets in the hopper.
Feed Rate
Your next batch of pellets may burn differently than your last batch from last year’s season. So, for your safety, our policy is to set the feed rate to the factory setting (in the middle of the range) during our cleaning service. Once the feeding of pellets is re-established and the stove is running on High, the flame should rise to 4’-6” above the top of the firepot. If not, it may be necessary to adjust the pellet feed rate.
TO DO SO…
On Advanced Energy stoves, make adjustments via small increments to the “Flame Height” setting on the Wall control.
On Original Energy stoves, to allow more pellets into the firepot on each feed, increase the feed rate by loosening the thumb screw on the feed rate adjustment rod inside the hopper. Raise the rod only about ¼” with each adjustment, and retighten the thumbscrew each time. Observe the flame height after approximately 15 minutes with the new adjustment and adjust again in another ¼” increment until you see a flame that is 4”6” over the firepot.
Other signs that you may need to increase the feed rate include:
- The convection fan cycles on and off at fairly regular intervals;
- The stove does not seem to produce the usual heat;
- You need to press reset every time the unit tries to fire up to keep the fire burning.
We also have answers to many questions under Frequently Asked Questions.
And, your Owner’s Manual is always your most valuable source of information on the safe operation and maintenance of your pellet stove or insert. If you need another copy of the owner’s manual, please call us and we will be happy to provide you one.
Enjoy your fire features this winter!
