Hi. I have been having trouble with the auger not working for over a month. The stove is clean. I have tried all of the suggestions in the owners manual. Jumped all of the switches, tested the auger to make sure it turns with direct power, checked the flue and cleaned ash trap. I even replaced the dial-a-fire potentiameter, replaced the auger timing control module, replaced the vacuum pressure switch (the new one is different than the old one) and replaced the exhaust blower. Nothing. I am at a loss. There are no more suggestions in the owners manual. Please help!! Thanks
Auger not working - Enviro EF3
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SmokeyTheBear
Minister of Fire
Does the auger turn fine when directly powered and while still installed in the stove without any pellets?
Make sure you run it long enough to make several complete revolutions, watch it, and tell us what it does while turning.
If it turns freely then make certain the auger is securely fastened to the motor (they sometimes become loose and the motor will turn but the auger doesn't).
Put a few handfuls of pellets in the stove and see if the auger now spins under load.
If things spin under load, disconnect the direct power setup, reconnect the auger motor to the stoves auger power leads. Attach a voltmeter set to read at least 240 volts. Put more pellets in the hooper close the lid and attempt starting the stove, tell us what the meter reads.
Auger systems also require the proper power, this is can be routed through a couple of safeties, such as a high limit switch, hooper lid switch, and or door switch and controlled by a vacuum switch.
Each stove and controller handles this in a different manner with a different configuration.
I don't have the wiring diagram for your stove open right now.
Make sure you run it long enough to make several complete revolutions, watch it, and tell us what it does while turning.
If it turns freely then make certain the auger is securely fastened to the motor (they sometimes become loose and the motor will turn but the auger doesn't).
Put a few handfuls of pellets in the stove and see if the auger now spins under load.
If things spin under load, disconnect the direct power setup, reconnect the auger motor to the stoves auger power leads. Attach a voltmeter set to read at least 240 volts. Put more pellets in the hooper close the lid and attempt starting the stove, tell us what the meter reads.
Auger systems also require the proper power, this is can be routed through a couple of safeties, such as a high limit switch, hooper lid switch, and or door switch and controlled by a vacuum switch.
Each stove and controller handles this in a different manner with a different configuration.
I don't have the wiring diagram for your stove open right now.
I attached direct power the auger motor in it rotated freely with pellets in the hopper. I attached the pins on multimeter to slots on the wire leads that connect to auger motor. When I turned on the stove it read 17-18 volts. The only time I could get auger to turn at all w/o direct power is when I jumped the vacuum switch and the auger rotated half turn.
SmokeyTheBear
Minister of Fire
Ok, that tells me that the vacuum switch is saying not enough vacuum and that half turn is likely the priming charge for the burn pot and if the auger is full of pellets is enough to get a fire lit.
I also don't have any information on the timings for the version of the controller you have.
But right off the bat the vacuum switch isn't closing.
Your combustion blower should start when you turn the stove on, does it?
I also don't have any information on the timings for the version of the controller you have.
But right off the bat the vacuum switch isn't closing.
Your combustion blower should start when you turn the stove on, does it?
The combustion blower is on separate control and must turned on separately from the control that determines auger speed/burn rate. The exhaust blower turns automatically when the stove is started.
SmokeyTheBear
Minister of Fire
You have two blowers on that unit correct?
One that puts heated air into the room (convection (room, distribution) blower (fan), turns on once the stove reaches a certain temperature).
and
One that starts up when you turn the stove on (combustion (exhaust) blower (fan)). This blower draws air through the stove to enable the pellets to burn (or be lit).
One that puts heated air into the room (convection (room, distribution) blower (fan), turns on once the stove reaches a certain temperature).
and
One that starts up when you turn the stove on (combustion (exhaust) blower (fan)). This blower draws air through the stove to enable the pellets to burn (or be lit).
there's a chance, if the motor works with pressure switch bypassed, that you have....
a- hose on wrong barb of pressure switch, or wrong switch
b- crack in hose to pressure switch
c- combustion blower failing to reach correct speed to create correct vacuum
d- stove gremlins
there are other possibilities of course.
a- hose on wrong barb of pressure switch, or wrong switch
b- crack in hose to pressure switch
c- combustion blower failing to reach correct speed to create correct vacuum
d- stove gremlins
there are other possibilities of course.
SmokeyTheBear
Minister of Fire
The combustion/exhaust fan is controlled by the lower knob on your dial a fire and needs to be set half way up to generate enough vacuum to close the vacuum switch and light a fire.
Attach a volt meter to the combustion blower and tell us what it reads when you attempt starting the stove.
Attach a volt meter to the combustion blower and tell us what it reads when you attempt starting the stove.
I attached the pins of the multimeter to the leads that connect to the exhaust blower it read 122.9 volts.
Yes, there are two blowers, one that controls the air flow across the heat exchangers and another that controls the exhaust. The exhaust blower turns on automatically when the stove is started and I cannot control its speed.
The vacuum hose is not cracked and it is on the correct barb. I do not know why the vacuum switch is different. I ordered one for my stove model and what I received is different from the original. The new one is made by Cleveland Controls and has only one hose barb.
I installed a new combustion/exhaust blower yesterday, so I doubt that is the problem.
Yes, there are two blowers, one that controls the air flow across the heat exchangers and another that controls the exhaust. The exhaust blower turns on automatically when the stove is started and I cannot control its speed.
The vacuum hose is not cracked and it is on the correct barb. I do not know why the vacuum switch is different. I ordered one for my stove model and what I received is different from the original. The new one is made by Cleveland Controls and has only one hose barb.
I installed a new combustion/exhaust blower yesterday, so I doubt that is the problem.
hmmm, the original may have had 3 wire connectoers on the top where the new one only has 2, and that would be ok. you could check the pressure switch for continuity when the combustion blower engages, at least that would tell you if there is sufficient pressure for that switch to work correctly.
jtakeman
Minister of Fire
Thats the only thing I hate about the dial-a-fire controls. A bit of a pain to debug. I suspect the start up timer module.
SmokeyTheBear
Minister of Fire
Don't go jumpering that vacuum switch out just yet.
Remove the wires from it and attach your meter to the terminals on the vacuum switch set the meter to an ohm scale
Then jumper the two wires that went to the vacuum switch together, attempt starting the stove and tell us what you get for a reading.
ETA: My internet provider seems to be having some issues so it has been difficult getting to things today.
Remove the wires from it and attach your meter to the terminals on the vacuum switch set the meter to an ohm scale
Then jumper the two wires that went to the vacuum switch together, attempt starting the stove and tell us what you get for a reading.
ETA: My internet provider seems to be having some issues so it has been difficult getting to things today.
SmokeyTheBear
Minister of Fire
If it says greater than 5 ohms I want the numbers off of the switch. Time to cross reference some things.
SmokeyTheBear
Minister of Fire
Delta,
e. - vacuum switch is a true pressure switch and closes only when the firebox is pressurized.
f. - stove bears far worse than stove gremlins.
e. - vacuum switch is a true pressure switch and closes only when the firebox is pressurized.
f. - stove bears far worse than stove gremlins.
When the new vacuum switch did not fix the problem I hooked up the original Honeywell switch. At least I can return the new one and get a refund. I may want to re-visit that if it appears that the original vacuum switch is bad. I attempted to measure the ohms going to the switch. I disconnected the 2 blue wires that lead into it and put a jumper across them, then I inserted the probes from the multimeter into the connector on the wires (also connected to jumper). I turned the stove on and the reading started at 3.1 ohms and the went down to zero and stayed at zero. I don't know if that is what I am suppose to do.
Next I put a jumper b/n the blue wire from the vacuum switch and then put the probes of the meter on the blade terminals on the actual switch, turned the stove on and got no reading. There was no power going to the switch at that point.
Next I put a jumper b/n the blue wire from the vacuum switch and then put the probes of the meter on the blade terminals on the actual switch, turned the stove on and got no reading. There was no power going to the switch at that point.
SmokeyTheBear
Minister of Fire
When you do a measurement using the Ohm scale you only connect the meter to the vacuum switch that other wires you jump together.
If there is enough vacuum in the firebox after the combustion blower starts the contacts in that switch should close and the meter reading should be zero. Before you start the stove it should be infinite or whatever the meter uses to indicate its maximum resistance value. At no time while doing this do you connect that meter to any other wires.
If the meter shows zero the switch is closing (this is exactly the same as jumping the wires together.
All this test will tell us is that the switch closing and staying closed during the start up.
If there is enough vacuum in the firebox after the combustion blower starts the contacts in that switch should close and the meter reading should be zero. Before you start the stove it should be infinite or whatever the meter uses to indicate its maximum resistance value. At no time while doing this do you connect that meter to any other wires.
If the meter shows zero the switch is closing (this is exactly the same as jumping the wires together.
All this test will tell us is that the switch closing and staying closed during the start up.
One other thing that may be interesting, or not, is that the pellets in the burn pot will ignite if I leave the stove on for a couple of minutes.
SmokeyTheBear
Minister of Fire
When I am performing all of these tests the stove is disconnected from the flue line, in other words the combustion/blower is blowing into the room, not the flue. The system is not closed. There is not enough room to access the parts in the back of the stove, particularly the auger, with it the stove connected to the flue. However, before I posted about this yesterday the whole stove/flue system was connected. The reason why I mention this is I do not know how the blower exhausting into the room instead of the flue affects vacuum.
When I jumped the vacuum switch and put the probes from the meter on the terminals on the switch I got no reading, not zero. It read something like 0.L.
When I jumped the vacuum switch and put the probes from the meter on the terminals on the switch I got no reading, not zero. It read something like 0.L.
SmokeyTheBear
Minister of Fire
Stop what you are doing,
Never exhaust a stove into a room ever, not even for a test.
A short length of venting can allow the stove to remain connected to the flue.
In fact we need it connected to a flue.
What the difference to the vacuum switch is between being connected or not is like night and day.
A plugged flue or termination cap will prevent the switch from closing.
Now what is the meter make and model number so I can look up 0. L is saying.
Never exhaust a stove into a room ever, not even for a test.
A short length of venting can allow the stove to remain connected to the flue.
In fact we need it connected to a flue.
What the difference to the vacuum switch is between being connected or not is like night and day.
A plugged flue or termination cap will prevent the switch from closing.
Now what is the meter make and model number so I can look up 0. L is saying.
I did not feel too bad about venting the stove into the room since it is totally clean. Not even a hint of soot came out of the exhaust.
I have hooked the stove back up the flue and still got a 0.L reading. The meter is an Ideal 61-312. I also have a Klein MM-200 and it reads 0.L as well. Could this indicate a flue blockage? The flue has a cap with a kind of wire frame so the only thing that could fit down it is a bug. There have been a lot of stink bugs and they look for places to hide. When I cleaned the trap at the T on the flue connector there were a bunch of dead stink bugs. I have a 16 ft chimney and I ran a 12 ft stick down from the top and my 8 ft shop vac hose from the bottom. I am pretty sure there were no obstructions.
I have hooked the stove back up the flue and still got a 0.L reading. The meter is an Ideal 61-312. I also have a Klein MM-200 and it reads 0.L as well. Could this indicate a flue blockage? The flue has a cap with a kind of wire frame so the only thing that could fit down it is a bug. There have been a lot of stink bugs and they look for places to hide. When I cleaned the trap at the T on the flue connector there were a bunch of dead stink bugs. I have a 16 ft chimney and I ran a 12 ft stick down from the top and my 8 ft shop vac hose from the bottom. I am pretty sure there were no obstructions.
SmokeyTheBear
Minister of Fire
Venting the exhaust into a room is putting carbon monoxide into the room not a smart thing to do at all.
Now if you place one of the test probes against the other one with the meter set to read Ohms what does it read?
That is what a closed vacuum switch should read and open one should read what the meter does if the test probes are not touching.
Now if you place one of the test probes against the other one with the meter set to read Ohms what does it read?
That is what a closed vacuum switch should read and open one should read what the meter does if the test probes are not touching.
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