About 2 mons ago my stove would just shut down, I would let it cool down and it would start back up. Checked the snap disks, loose wires things like that. Well tonight it shut down again, no problem (I thought) cooled down this time it would not drop any pellets. The fans came on call light came on, but no pellets dropping. Jumpered the snap disks, vac switch nothing. Thought maybe the auger was bad, pulled it out and tested it, it turns. Question is now what do I try?
Quadrafire Castle Problem
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Lake Girl
Moderator
Still on warranty? Any error codes show up?
When was the last time it was thoroughly cleaned (internal exhaust pathways, combustion blower, venting)? Make sure you have necessary gaskets... Figure you have done this since you're troubleshooting snap discs and vac switch but I wanted to make sure...
Have you tried to unplug to reset? Checked all your connections, door and hopper switches, reset the high limit snap disc? Does it have the optical sensor like the Mt Vernon? (can't find manual on -line) Does the combustion blower seem to be running properly ? Not sure if the control boards have specific issues...
Hopefully someone will chime in with specific info on the Castile...
Welcome to the forum and let us know what you find.
When was the last time it was thoroughly cleaned (internal exhaust pathways, combustion blower, venting)? Make sure you have necessary gaskets... Figure you have done this since you're troubleshooting snap discs and vac switch but I wanted to make sure...
Have you tried to unplug to reset? Checked all your connections, door and hopper switches, reset the high limit snap disc? Does it have the optical sensor like the Mt Vernon? (can't find manual on -line) Does the combustion blower seem to be running properly ? Not sure if the control boards have specific issues...
Hopefully someone will chime in with specific info on the Castile...
Welcome to the forum and let us know what you find.
Vacuum issue, maybe?
Anything that impairs the positive pressure of your firebox could cause a vacuum problem, and thus no pellet feed. Are your door seals leaking air? (do a dollar bill test around the door seal). Even though it sounds like your auger tested out OK, are you sure your auger is turning the correct way to feed pellets vs turning in reverse?
You said you jumpered the vac switch, did you blow out the vacuum tube from the vac switch end to make sure it's not plugged up w/ sawdust?
Assuming those all check out, it likely could be your control box circuit board - my Castile did the same thing as it was starting to go bad, then finally died. I think frequent power outages and power grid 'brown outs' ultimately did my OE control box in.
Do you have the old style gray box or the newer clear control box ? The original OE gray control boxes tended to be quirky w/ false start ups and other issues, though some Quad owners are still running their original box.
Quad control boxes have a habit of electrical contact corrosion, causing poor circuit board connection contact - did you try removing and re-installing your box ? Unplug the stove before you do it ! I was lucky when my control box went south, my local Quad dealer let me try his floor model box to troubleshoot my stove.
Good luck, post back on what you find, and yes, welcome to the forum !!
Anything that impairs the positive pressure of your firebox could cause a vacuum problem, and thus no pellet feed. Are your door seals leaking air? (do a dollar bill test around the door seal). Even though it sounds like your auger tested out OK, are you sure your auger is turning the correct way to feed pellets vs turning in reverse?
You said you jumpered the vac switch, did you blow out the vacuum tube from the vac switch end to make sure it's not plugged up w/ sawdust?
Assuming those all check out, it likely could be your control box circuit board - my Castile did the same thing as it was starting to go bad, then finally died. I think frequent power outages and power grid 'brown outs' ultimately did my OE control box in.
Do you have the old style gray box or the newer clear control box ? The original OE gray control boxes tended to be quirky w/ false start ups and other issues, though some Quad owners are still running their original box.
Quad control boxes have a habit of electrical contact corrosion, causing poor circuit board connection contact - did you try removing and re-installing your box ? Unplug the stove before you do it ! I was lucky when my control box went south, my local Quad dealer let me try his floor model box to troubleshoot my stove.
Good luck, post back on what you find, and yes, welcome to the forum !!
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It has been pulled apart an cleaned out very well, cleaned out exhaust blower also. Auger is running in correct direction. The control box is the newer clear box, this is the forth one for this stove. Correct lights come on when turned on. Talked to a stove tech and he told me certain years the wiring harness was a problem including the year my stove was built. Aug/2006. I went over the harness with a fine tooth comb, no shorts redid all the connections. About ready to toss it out the door!
What was causing it to shutdown for the past two months? Did it shut completely off, or just stop feeding pellets, or?
If everything is working now except for the pellet feed: measure for voltage at the auger motor, then the snap disk #2, then the vac switch, tracing it back to the box if necesssary. Does your stove have the hopper switch?
If everything is working now except for the pellet feed: measure for voltage at the auger motor, then the snap disk #2, then the vac switch, tracing it back to the box if necesssary. Does your stove have the hopper switch?
cedarman
New Member
- Jan 13, 2013
- 7
what colour is your thermocouple light on the control box if it's amber the thermocouple is bad
have you tried to run the stove in diagnostic mode?
I had the same problem last yr on my cb1200 stove just turned off and wouldn't restart changed the tc no problems since
have you tried to run the stove in diagnostic mode?
I had the same problem last yr on my cb1200 stove just turned off and wouldn't restart changed the tc no problems since
It seems to just stop feeding pellets, all fans are still running. I'll have to try to measure power at the anger plug, and snap disk was changed on a hunch (also jumpered) New vac switch last year, still works when vac is applied. No hopper switch. No amber light on control box, what happens with the stove in diagnostic mode? Never tried it.
My ancient box doesn't have it, but my understanding is: unplug the stove, set the "configuration" switch to position 0, and jumper the vac switch & snap disk. When you plug in the stove, the control box will drive each motor for a few seconds in sequence. Do you have the instruction sheet for the control box replacement?.
tjnamtiw
Minister of Fire
Your FOURTH control box??????? That should be a clue, I think! What symptoms lead to replacement of the first three?
Have you tried the cheap fix for the auger motor running backwards when loaded? That is an inline capacitor that costs about $16. You said that it's turning the right direction but how do you know this? I can't see mine turning when the stove is running unless the hopper is empty. Then there is no load on the auger so it WILL turn the right way. If it occasionally turns backwards, you won't get enough pellets and the stove will shut down.
If it won't drop any pellets, then you should be checking the things mentioned above such as voltage to the motor. Measure from one terminal to ground and then the other terminal to ground. If you have indeed jumpered the two leads to the vacuum switch together, you should see 110 volts at them measured to ground. Then you should see 110 at one of the auger leads and zero at the other TO GROUND. And also 110 across the two leads. Get back to us with the results.
Have you tried the cheap fix for the auger motor running backwards when loaded? That is an inline capacitor that costs about $16. You said that it's turning the right direction but how do you know this? I can't see mine turning when the stove is running unless the hopper is empty. Then there is no load on the auger so it WILL turn the right way. If it occasionally turns backwards, you won't get enough pellets and the stove will shut down.
If it won't drop any pellets, then you should be checking the things mentioned above such as voltage to the motor. Measure from one terminal to ground and then the other terminal to ground. If you have indeed jumpered the two leads to the vacuum switch together, you should see 110 volts at them measured to ground. Then you should see 110 at one of the auger leads and zero at the other TO GROUND. And also 110 across the two leads. Get back to us with the results.
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