Heater Problems

[HarryG]

Does anyone know of a place that can inspect a heater in the Brainerd area? It works ok, but it does not put out as much heat as it used to. If I hold down the thermocoupler button, it puts out more heat. I don't want to take any chances with the heater.

Thanks

HarryG

[Surface Tension]

I'm guessing you have a sunflower style heater.

You can buy a replacement thermocouple. Also the orifice itself might be plugged. Its location is next to the air mixture hole. You'll have to remove the thermocouple connection where it attaches to the block. Then you'll be able to turn and disconnect the stem assembly and expose the orifice. Its the brass piece with a tiny hole. Use a small dia wire to clean it, don't force anything or you'll enlarge the orfice.

[efgh]

If your heater stays lite it isn;t the T.C., probley the orfice is a little pluged. If you had it hooked to a 10 or 20 lb. tank there is oil in the L.P. that plug the orfice, thats why buddy heaters recomend using a filter on there stove if hooked to a bigger tank. The orfice can be cleaned using carboarater cleaner, then back blowing, the small end where the L.P. comes out to the big end. hope this helps.

[HarryG]

It is not a sunflower heater. It is a strikemaster heater for my drop down house. It does not put out the heat it should. I will check to make sure it is not plugged up.

[minneman]

my experiance with the SM 20000 btu model (rectangle box).. I bought this because someone stole my heater of simmalar size near the end of the season one year.

I thought the same about the heat output, no way was it 20000 btu's on high. initialy I had it burning in the fish house sitting in my driveway pryer to puting it out the next day. after an hour or 2 of letting it burn on high, I entered the house expecting it to be hot in a 6x8' house w/overkill heater, what I found was it was warm and the fumes would burn your eyes. (possible paint fumes burning off)

put the house out again and while using it I had to call the 800# about the fumes and heat issue. the guy on the line was helpful and curtious but after doing all his suggestions I was in no better shape. after 2 more calls to him, the fumes were so bad I had to call from outside the house. all he could come up with is that it was still the paint fumes. I put up with it for the rest of the season.

the next season, same issues warrenty gone...I threw it away!

If I were you, Id take it back if you can and look for another brand.

[Surface Tension]

minneman, I bought the same heater for a perm shack. I returned it for much the same reasons you describe. The exhaust was so noxious that I knew something was wrong. Granted these are vented but there shouldn't be exhaust as wicked as this thing was. This stove also has an open bottom to draw in combustion air so the stove is not a sealed deal. There was no way I felt safe with the way this stove burned. I'd recommend returning the stove.