How to Install photo eye in Whitfield Optima 3 Pellet Stove Insert

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Tom E. H.

New Member
Jan 4, 2016
4
Silver City, NM
Hello Everyone
I'm new to the forum and simply want some help to install a new photo eye in my stove. I believe that the photo eye is attached to a metal plate on the inside of the pellet chute, and I could use some advice as to how to remove and replace it. (The only thing I have read is to follow the yellow wires from my electronic control panel.) I also need some help in locating and replacing (if necessary) the filter for the photo eye. My understanding is that this "filter" is a plastic piece that is located down at the bottom of the chute somewhere. I realize that this post is nothing too exciting for those of you who probably enjoy complex problems, but I would appreciate any advice that you might share. Thanks! Tom
 
This post was very helpful to me as I am just learning about my stove. To clean the photo eye filter, does it need removed from the unit? If it has to come out, do you remove it from the same access point as the eye itself? I couldn't see how to get it out. Cleaned the eye but that was all I did. The illustration looks like my 30-2 but I just wasn't clear on how to pull the filter out. Hard to see in there. Thanks in advance for your help!
 
wvhillperson said:
This post was very helpful to me as I am just learning about my stove. To clean the photo eye filter, does it need removed from the unit? If it has to come out, do you remove it from the same access point as the eye itself? I couldn't see how to get it out. Cleaned the eye but that was all I did. The illustration looks like my 30-2 but I just wasn't clear on how to pull the filter out. Hard to see in there. Thanks in advance for your help!
Click to expand...
Hi,
I've been meaning to reply and hopefully help someone else. I still have the same question that you have. Nevertheless, I'll give it a shot. I had no instrument to test the photo eye and had already ordered the part. Therefore, I followed the helpful information provided by "Lake Girl" and removed and replaced the photo eye. Like you, I didn't know how to clean the filter, etc. I simply carefully removed the 3 nuts (which thankfully have washers ATTACHED to them) and took off the cover. The eye is attached to that cover and is easily replaced. All I could do to clean down below (where I assume the filter is located) was to use a small soft brush. My can of compressed air would not fit in there to give it a shot of air to remove dust. I'd still like to know how to clean the thing. The outcome, however, is that the new eye seems to be working; and the stove is functioning well. (Of course, I don't really know whether the eye I replaced was bad or not or whether I just cleaned out a bit of dust and the thing works!) The old eye LOOKS perfectly ok to me, but who knows!

Anyhow, good luck. Perhaps "Lake Girl" can give us more info! Tom
 
If you have not bought the eye I would get a snap disc and install it on the exhaust fan housing. Most stoves even have the port there already. Easier, cheaper and way less problematic.
 
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I haven't bought an eye yet. So far, after cleaning the old eye and the area where it inserted, the stove seems to be running well (an hour or so anyway). But I also blew out the tube from the vacuum switch (a suggestion from a Facebook group).

So I am not sure yet that my problem is solved. When I had the eye out I felt like I should be cleaning the bottom side of the filter in addition to the surface facing the photo eye. I think I could feel the 2 nuts/washers holding it in place but I don't think I could remove and replace them without losing one or both.

If the eye/filter seem like a huge headache I would definitely be interested in an alternative. At this point I have no idea what a snap disc is or how to go about wiring one, but it sounds like it makes sense.

Thanks for your time in helping a novice! I'll keep you posted.
 
You have a snap disc for controlling the room fan if that helps. Should be a picture of them in your manual in the parts description diagram too.
 
A pressure switch with a rubber tube running from it to the back side of the burn pot area. I pulled out the whole insert and on the left side of the stove found the switch, pulled the small rubber hose loose from it and blew (manually haha) through it, back toward the stove. I guess the theory is that the other end tends to clog with ash. I am not sure how that switch fits into the scheme of things. Stove not staying running now. Tomorrow I'll try getting the eye filter out and/or installing a new eye.
 
Also known as a pressure switch... there is a tube on a barb on the exhaust blower housing that connects to this switch. Disconnect from the pressure switch end to blow it out. You can disconnect at the exhaust housing to clean out that barb too.
 
Sometimes the stove will warm up and lose the seals on the door and shutdown. Its showing its age? Door gaskets are very easy replacement project.
I can never remember the models that have vacuum switch or the pressure switch. Wheres out Dane friend?
 
Bioburner said:
Sometimes the stove will warm up and lose the seals on the door and shutdown. Its showing its age? Door gaskets are very easy replacement project.
I can never remember the models that have vacuum switch or the pressure switch. Wheres out Dane friend?
Click to expand...

The regular Quest has a vacuum switch and the rather unusual cable controlled damper. The Quest Plus, however, has a pressure switch like most of the other Whitfield/Lennox pellet stoves.
The Prodigy stove of the first generation was natural draft, so an air safety switch gives no meaning in that stove.

The manuals for the stoves in question in this thread are very detailed and thorough. I just checked, and on pages 30-31 in the Optima manual there's a description on how to clean the photo eye filter without removing it ( with canned compressed air from the drop chute ). Fines of sawdust should be the main cause of blocking the light and a blow of air will easily remove the fine dust.
The procedure is similar for the Profile and can be found on pages 26-27 in the Profile manual.

Links to the manuals:
https://www.dropbox.com/s/63gz3e1wr...Advantage_Optima_Installation_775097.pdf?dl=0

https://www.dropbox.com/s/4tl8rmizg...ofile_Installation_Operation_775023M.pdf?dl=0

With a little luck the cleaning of the filter and lens will revive the Proof of Fire function. If not, then it is possible to retro fit the stove with the more common low limit snap disk. Forum member Don2222 made a very detailed and thorough thread on how to do this. Link to Don's thread:
https://www.hearth.com/talk/threads...ery-anyone-try-this-see-pics-it-works.132882/

Good luck and take care. Keep us posted.
 
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