So my St. Croix isnt staying on...

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Clay H

Feeling the Heat
Sep 9, 2009
306
Central Oklahoma
The stove was working fine when we last used it and this year I did a test run and it came on for maybe 30 seconds and then turned off. I hit the power button and it came back on then went off again in about 30 seconds. Is there a sensor somewhere that I should check? A reset switch? This makes no sense to me since it was working fine last march.
Any help would be greatly appreciated.
 
not that I am an expert - far from it, but when our St. Croix did this at first we could get it to get going by cleaning out the vent. after a few times of that we realized (thanks to this forum) that our exhaust motor was going so that is why it kept shutting off
 
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The vacuum switch isn't closing, this can be because of a number of things the most common one being ash in the works (including all barbs and the hose that goes between the vacuum switch and the stove.

Another one is that the exhaust (combustion blower) doesn't spin up (they can get stuck over the course of the summer for a number of reasons) with the stove off and unplugged you can free the blower up by moving the cooling fan on it back and forth and then spinning it.

ETA: The St. Croix stoves also have a very hard area to get cleaned of ash that if blocked will cause what you are seeing.
 
Ok, I was hoping it was related to just needing a good cleaning. I will pull the shroud off and get back there with a flashlight, vacuum and mirror and hope I can find the issue. Thanks!
Can you tell me where this "hard area to get cleaned" is? and were is the vacuum switch?
 
Ok, I was hoping it was related to just needing a good cleaning. I will pull the shroud off and get back there with a flashlight, vacuum and mirror and hope I can find the issue. Thanks!
Can you tell me where this "hard area to get cleaned" is? and were is the vacuum switch?


Off hand no but if you go looking for a post using search with St. Croix hard to clean you might find the diagram of the hard to clean area.

Just look for a hose and follow it in both directions for the vacuum switch. It will go to the switch on one end and a part of the stove's air flow system on the other.
 
thats what my stove was doing when my exhaust motor went. took it out and cleaned it well and oiled it up to get me by untill new motor came in
 
Your symptoms are as Smokey says, typical of the vacuum switch not being satisfied. Assuming that the exhaust blower is working:

On my Afton Bay, there is an area on each side of the burn pot to be cleaned. There are little sheet metal doors in the rear wall, and the area behind each must be cleared out. The rear wall has another wall behind it to make a passage for exhaust gasses, and that area must be cleaned, too.
Also, at the top rear, where the top of the firebox meets the back, that passage must be cleaned. The rake packs some ash against the back wall sometimes, and that can block airflow.
My vacuum switch tube connects to a port behind the left side of the firebox. I've checked the area several times, and never a hint of ash in there; it's a good design. However, the tubing must be in good shape at both ends. If you want to confirm the diagnosis, just jumper the two wires on the vacuum switch and see if the stove runs. I'll stress that you NOT leave it like that to run the stove - it's an important safety feature.

The manual sort of mentions these areas, but fails to provide details, or how important they are.
I am taking the leap of assuming your York is made similarly to my Afton Bay.

Also, something may have made a nest in your vent piping during the summer. It happens.
 
The problem with air flow issues is just about anything can be the actual cause and until you do a proper cleaning you'll never be certain if another part beginning to go is part of the problem.
 
The stove was working fine when we last used it and this year I did a test run and it came on for maybe 30 seconds and then turned off. I hit the power button and it came back on then went off again in about 30 seconds. Is there a sensor somewhere that I should check? A reset switch? This makes no sense to me since it was working fine last march.
Any help would be greatly appreciated.
 
St Croix stoves have some hidden places that need to be cleaned. There should be one dime sized hole on each side of the pot. The easy way is to use a old flex choke cable and insert it in a drill and push the other end into the two holes I mentioned. Then turn it on so the cable twists around knocking the build up off the hidden places. I have pictures of a St Croix cut in half in which you can easily see the passages that need to be cleaned but I need a E-mail address to send them to you.
 
Rona, I would love a photo of the st croix cut in half. I did not know about these holes you are talking about. Please send to [email protected]. thank you!
 
Well problem solved. I pulled the vent cap off to use my leaf vac on it and discovered the rodent scren was rusted and falling apart with a hole in it large enough for a sparrow to get in and build a nest. I sucked it out good and she works fine now...lol. Simple fix. I need to fabricate another rodent screen before spring or plug it with something after this season is over.
 
That'll cause a air flow issue alright, just like squirrels and mice packing a combustion blower full of Owen's pink insulation or acorns. Now you know why I plug my vent and OAK over the non burning months.
 
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