Fly ash is almost a requirement of burning pellets.. I have a buddy with a Baby and a 3500.

The more air, the better (to a point)!! You dontnwantna lazy flame with pellets, you want live and active. Corn requires less air and builds a clinker (depends on stove).

My 10-CPM is set up like the 3500 (stirrer) and it Loves air for pellets. Fly ash is an indication that the pot is being cleaned by combustion air. Rather than ash fall through the pot and clog the intake.

As for the "Other Forum", yes. I have MANY Detailed posts over there. It being Pellet related, is where I spend my time.

I try not to talk about this Forum over there and will try and do the same here.

WNYcorn wrote:


The entire back wall of the Fahrenheit is "hollow". This is part of the heat exchange/exhaust path. You need a small flexible brush and/or compressed air works well.

If you read the manual, the combustion blower and its manifold should be removed yearly. Also, there is a clean out cover (on left side, if facing front of furnace) remove the 4 bolts and this is an exhaust channel that takes the gases from the firebox (2 tubes behind ash pan lead to this channel) to the exhaust manifold.

This Manifold I speak of, is now outdated and the new units produced use a different model (High Flow model). This manifold and a new Sail Switch (acts as a vacuum switch/ this switch is located just inside the intake of your furnace) have really improved my airflow. Almost double the airflow. My flame is very ferocious and active. Firebox is completely white and has light ash throughout.

Lots of little things that need checked on them. The large hopper causes the interior gasket (under the main body) to separate. Also, the lid is less than desirable, at sealing the hopper. The ash pan gasket isn't thick enough and door is pretty sloppy. I spent all last year doing upgrades and I heat just over 3,000 sq with mine. On a 30* day, I run it on level 1 (manual) with draft at 5 and auger at 5 for Max heat on the lowest setting. When it's below 25* I run it on the stat at Level 3, but the most part of the day it's on level 1 (idling). Around 10* outside and it's on 3 for quite some time.

Any more questions don't hesitate to ask...

What board does your 50F have? (What version)?

Also, when was the last time the unit was Cleaned really good (Combustion blower removed, clean out plate removed, area behind back plate (the entire Backside of firebox is Hollow and acts as an air chamber. From the top of the heat exchange area, to below the 2 exhaust ports behind ash pan)??

What color is the inside of the firebox? Grey/white? Or more black?

I get well over 170°-180° air temps about 10" above my plenum outlet on level 5 and about 130°-140° on level 3. I run mine on a stat with level 3 as the Heating level. My level 1 burn trims are at 5 and 5 so that I get max heat, even when its idling.

I have a 2,180 sq ft house and the Fahrenheit is in the Basement (an 800 sq ft area). So my Fahrenheit is heating roughly 3,000sq to 71°-73°. I have a wood stove about 20' away, but its not Needed to maintain temps. I use it to reduce my pellet consumption (2 ton last year, but it was Mild).

A good cleaning and possibly some mods (there are newer High flow parts. Such as a Sail switch for the intake, a High flow Manifold for the Exhaust, etc). I bought the sail switch and manifold and it really opened the furnace up.

There are a few mods that I did for better airflow, but clean the unit and check the gaskets for tightness first (open ash pan and firebox door ajd place a dollar bill between door and gasket surface area, then close door and see if dollar pulls out easily. If there is little resistance, then tighten door latch or replace gasket. Also, a gasket can be applied to the burnpot to tighten it up (its a Loose mess) the hopper gasket (under the body of stove, inside of hopper top). If your flame has tall sides, but lower in the middle? Or looks like a heart? Then the hopper gasket may be bad? Or the auger flight/drop tube may be leaking? The tall sides are because air is leaking through the auger drop chute and not.going through the pot.

Any little burn pot bypass will prevent air from going through the pot....

Anyways. Lots of things can rob (or block) air. The more air, the hotter a flame will be. Combustion needs Oxygen. And pellet stoves run a fine line between running great and not. Run the air to fuel ratio a little to one side or the other, and all goes haywire!!

My Fahrenheit has the latest control board and has a Pot Change option (for user to do it manually, whenever you want).

But the Furnace auto cleans based on Fuel table selection. On Premium pellet (#10) mine auto cleans about every 10 hrs. The lower the fuel selection, the quicker the auto clean (High moisture Corn would be pretty frequently)

Awesome stove and an awesome deal you got on it!

Glad it all worked out for ya