Bixby Energy MaxFire User Manual page 3

Trouble Shooting the Flame
You must first determine if the flame is rich or lean to aid in trouble shooting the problem.
Besides trim pot adjustments, other things to look for are:
Feed wheel has lifted off the back plate do to a buildup of fines or other material that may get
under the feed wheel. This will cause a rich flame.
To remove the feed wheel, remove the four screws, springs and spacers and clean the area
under the feed wheel.
Set the feed wheel tension if necessary. See "115_Setting the Feeder Wheel Tension."
Check the upper burn plate gasket for air leaks. This is best done with an ash buildup on the
upper burn plate. If you can see the upper burn plate any where around the perimeter, an air leak
could be possible. Air will blow the ash away from the perimeter of the upper burn plate thus
showing you the position of an air leak. This will cause a rich burn.
Check the firebox door for a tight fit. Adjust the pawl on the door handle as necessary for a tight
fit. Inspect the gasket around the door damage or any signs of leakage.
It could be possible that there is an exhaust leak. An exhaust leak will cause the burn to be rich.
To eliminate that the venting is the cause, pull the ask drawer out 5 or 6 inches. Allow the stove to
run this way for 3 or 4 minutes. This will allow air from inside the house to be the combustion air
for the flame. Observe the flame during this time. The height of the flame is not important. If the
flame becomes brighter and livelier, you most likely have venting problems. If there is no change
in the flame, the venting system is most likely O.K. An exhaust leak comes from any exhaust
leaking from the center 3 inch vent pipe into the larger 5 inch fresh combustion air vent pipe.
Exhaust may also be drawn back into the stove at the termination cap do to the wind or the
deterioration of the termination cap.
Make sure the stove is clean by checking the following items:
The exhaust manifold at the bottom of the convection tubes. This area is about 3-1/2 inches deep
at the bottom and behind the convection tubes. If it fills up it will cause the flame to run rich.
There are 109 holes in the lower paddle. These must be open to affect a good flame.
The convection tube cover plates must be installed properly. Correct if necessary.
The bottom of the fuel deflector should be centered on the burn pot.