Mt Vernon AE is very loud

mconnor121 said:

Hi All,

I've been lurking around this board for a bit now. It seems like you folks know your way around a pellet stove. Anyways, my situation is that I recently purchased a home with a Mt. Vernon AE stove previously installed. Thus far, it seems to work pretty well.

However, there are a few issues I've noticed. When the blower comes on to pump the heat into the room the fan is exceptionally loud! The fan setting on the right side of the stove is at low. I have to turn my volume on my TV very high just to kind of hear the conversations. Fortunately, Netflix has the option of subtitles which I've actually used a few times... Also, the previous owner does not have the AE thermostat. Instead its just a Honeywell thermostat. That could be the issue with my loud stove.

Finally, how in the world should I figure out what kind of pellets to use? We have some that the previous owners left. They're called La Crete Pellet. We've got maybe 15 bags left of those before I need to purchase new ones. Any and all recommendations are welcome!

Thanks!

Click to expand...

If i had to guess, I'd say your Mt Vernon is the design before the AE (based on running a standard thermostat.) AE stoves are very quiet units compared to the previous version.

If you have tube heat exchanger design its pre AE.

Exhaust or convection fan bearings may be bad causing lots if noise.

mconnor121 said:

Thanks for that info. What's the best way to figure out if it is pre AE?

Click to expand...

I think AE was built 2007 and later but there may be overlap for both stoves in 2006/7 time frame.

Open cast iron gate door and do you see heat exchanger tubes above burn chamber? If so its not the AE model. The AE has a large cast iron baffle inside burn chamber with cast iron nub type heat exchanger behind it. Many other differences but check build date and look for aluminum exchanger tubes.

mconnor121 said:

Darn. I see the tubes so I'm assuming its the older model. Regardless I need to figure out what is going on. The stove keep shutting down after being on for about 15 minutes. I've cleaned it however I haven't opened it up to clean the insides as well yet.

The frustrating part now is that all the internet searches pull back the AE and not my stove! Oh well.

Click to expand...

For what its worth your older model Mt Vernon is much simpler and a whole lot less to go wrong. You should do a thorough cleaning both outside and inside plus the exh pipes. The exh pipe could be plugged with ash or simply a bird nest and it will overheat because the exh can't get out. I would suggest finding a manual or going to the Quad website as you should be able to down-load a manual. The exh noise could be bad bearings but if it has sat all summer it could be plugged with ash, There is a fellow named Kap who is a tech person for a Quad dealer and he probably could help with some tips. But generally speaking the first suggestion is a thorough cleaning of the stove and exh pipe is in order.

The fans on the old style Mt. Vernon are going to be a little noisy any way, there doesn't have to be something wrong with the stove for that. Shutting down after 15 minutes on the other hand is something that needs to be checked. Do as Rona said and clean the exhaust path. This includes the stove and exhaust pipe. you should be able to download a owners manual on Quads website. If not, I can send you mine and you can make a copy and return it. Once stove is cleaned, you need to pay close attention to the stove and make sure of what is happening when it is shutting down. The more info we have, the better we can help. kap

Hi, I've owned the same stove for a while. I'll stay out of the conversation about it shutting down and let Kap help you on that part. The bearings on the convection blower get louder the longer the have not been oiled. You shouldn't have to turn your TV way up on account of running your stove unless you tend to listen to TV at a very low level. It takes a little bit of time to get oil into the bearings, which are sealed, but it can be done. Your other option would be to replace the whole blower setup which runs around $200.

If your handy and want to try oiling the bearings first say so and I'll describe what I do to get the stove quited down.

Since you are new to your stove I thought I'd throw out that the stove needs to be started on high or number 4 on the rotary switch. This makes sure your getting the proper amount of pellets into the burnpot for the stove to start and keep running. If your trying to start the stove on lower settings it may be your problem. You can also throw a decent sized handfull of pellets into the burnpot and then start it on 2 setting. Once the convection blower is running you can turn the stove to whatever setting you wish. It can take 15 minutes for the stoves tempature to get high enough to keep running, at least it could for mine.

All of this is out the window if the stove is dirty especially the exhaust pathways and the vacumne port, tubing and related vacumne switch which I don't believe is covered in the owners manual.

mconnor121 said:

Thanks everyone! I'm going to try to clean the stove this weekend. Fortunately its not too cold quite yet. Fortunately, I have the owners manual. I'm going to follow the directions and clean it.

Kap, I'll keep an eye on the shutting down part. Here's a rundown of what I know thus far:
- I start the stove up, pellets drop in.
-A minute or so later the stove ignites
-Normally, more pellets drop into the burn pot but now those pellets don't drop
-The red light on the backside of the stove is on and calling for heat.
-If I hit the reset button, it starts back up
-If I just move the Tstat higher, nothing happens
-If i move the Tstat all the way down and up again it starts back up (and subsequently shuts down again.)

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Hitting the reset button starts the stove over. Just turning up the tstat will do nothing. If you turn tstat down and then back up, it is starting the stove over. kap

mconnor121 said:

Hi All,

I've been lurking around this board for a bit now. It seems like you folks know your way around a pellet stove. Anyways, my situation is that I recently purchased a home with a Mt. Vernon AE stove previously installed. Thus far, it seems to work pretty well.

However, there are a few issues I've noticed. When the blower comes on to pump the heat into the room the fan is exceptionally loud! The fan setting on the right side of the stove is at low. I have to turn my volume on my TV very high just to kind of hear the conversations. Fortunately, Netflix has the option of subtitles which I've actually used a few times... Also, the previous owner does not have the AE thermostat. Instead its just a Honeywell thermostat. That could be the issue with my loud stove.

Finally, how in the world should I figure out what kind of pellets to use? We have some that the previous owners left. They're called La Crete Pellet. We've got maybe 15 bags left of those before I need to purchase new ones. Any and all recommendations are welcome!

Thanks!

Click to expand...

Download the owners manual here:

http://www.quadrafire.com/Owner-Resources/Install-and-Owners-Manuals.aspx


Go to page 17. It explains how to set you stove in quiet mode from the wall thermostat. Here is the excerpt from the manual.

g. Convection Blower Speed
CONV BLOWER SPEED allows you to adjust the blower
speed to your individual preference. Press the UP/DOWN
buttons to select your blower speed. The message in the
center will change between NORMAL and QUIET.
NORMAL allows the convection blower to reach maximum
RPM at 135 degrees and QUIET at 165 degrees.

gblaue said:

Download the owners manual here:

http://www.quadrafire.com/Owner-Resources/Install-and-Owners-Manuals.aspx


Go to page 17. It explains how to set you stove in quiet mode from the wall thermostat. Here is the excerpt from the manual.

g. Convection Blower Speed
CONV BLOWER SPEED allows you to adjust the blower
speed to your individual preference. Press the UP/DOWN
buttons to select your blower speed. The message in the
center will change between NORMAL and QUIET.
NORMAL allows the convection blower to reach maximum
RPM at 135 degrees and QUIET at 165 degrees.

Click to expand...

He has an old style Mt Vernon, not the AE as he posted. kap

Bkins said:

Hi, I've owned the same stove for a while. I'll stay out of the conversation about it shutting down and let Kap help you on that part. The bearings on the convection blower get louder the longer the have not been oiled. You shouldn't have to turn your TV way up on account of running your stove unless you tend to listen to TV at a very low level. It takes a little bit of time to get oil into the bearings, which are sealed, but it can be done. Your other option would be to replace the whole blower setup which runs around $200.

If your handy and want to try oiling the bearings first say so and I'll describe what I do to get the stove quited down.

Click to expand...

__How would I go about oiling the bearings on the MT. Vernon AE convection motor? And if necessary, how easy to change them?
Thank you,
Matt

Bearings on the AE are sealed, and cannot be changed out. Best thing to do is pull fan and clean it real good. You can pop it in half to get at things. You could use a syringe with oil in it, and try to secrete some in bearing area. kapl

Bkins said:

Hi, I've owned the same stove for a while. I'll stay out of the conversation about it shutting down and let Kap help you on that part. The bearings on the convection blower get louder the longer the have not been oiled. You shouldn't have to turn your TV way up on account of running your stove unless you tend to listen to TV at a very low level. It takes a little bit of time to get oil into the bearings, which are sealed, but it can be done. Your other option would be to replace the whole blower setup which runs around $200.

If your handy and want to try oiling the bearings first say so and I'll describe what I do to get the stove quited down.

Click to expand...

Bkins said:

Hi, I've owned the same stove for a while. I'll stay out of the conversation about it shutting down and let Kap help you on that part. The bearings on the convection blower get louder the longer the have not been oiled. You shouldn't have to turn your TV way up on account of running your stove unless you tend to listen to TV at a very low level. It takes a little bit of time to get oil into the bearings, which are sealed, but it can be done. Your other option would be to replace the whole blower setup which runs around $200.

If your handy and want to try oiling the bearings first say so and I'll describe what I do to get the stove quited down.

Click to expand...

kappel15 said:

Bearings on the AE are sealed, and cannot be changed out. Best thing to do is pull fan and clean it real good. You can pop it in half to get at things. You could use a syringe with oil in it, and try to secrete some in bearing area. kapl

Click to expand...

thanks, I have already taken apart (in two) and cleaned.....next step will be to change fan out before next season...thanks again.

Sorry, I didn't see this until this AM.

I take the whole blower assembly, at the bottom rear of the stove, off and take it to where I can work on it. Two wires and 4 screws need to be removed to get the assembly off the stove. I then blow everything off with compressed air and use a smaller paint brush to help loosen what is on the squirrel cages. Then I start the oiling process. I say process because for me it takes 2 days, or so, to get some oil into the sealed bearings. I bought a plastic oil bottle with a pull out spout from Home Depot many years ago that seems to work well for this oiling job. I've since seen the oil container at HD so they still sell it. If I remember correctly it had turbine oil in it. Anyway I turn the blower assembly on its end and put flood the bearings I can get to with oil and let it sit for a few hours. Doesn't hurt to turn the shaft during this time. Do the same for the other sides and it should help a good bunch with the running of the blower and the noise. The first time I did mine I was surprised at the noise reduction. Brand new stove. It's somewhat hard to get the blower assembly back on the stove, in my opinion. My stove still has the original everything in it, including the igniter, so in my eyes these stoves are built to last.

I believe Kap has helped address the stove not continuing to run so you should be up and running.