enviro, every setting but high

How old is the stove? It could be the combustion blower, Is it noisey?

Here is what I got from the manual.

Light # 2 on Heat output bar flashing
(The Vacuum Switch contacts have opened for more than 15 sec.)
Pinch, break or blockage in vacuum hose - check hose for pinch points or damage, replace or re-route as required. Blow out vacuum hose
Blocked hose barb on exhaust channel - use a paper clip to clean out hose barb or remove the vacuum hose from the vacuum switch and blow into the hose to remove blockage.
Blocked exhaust / venting system - have stove and venting cleaned and inspected.
Severe negative pressure in area where unit is installed - check the operation by opening a window, does this solve the problem? If it does, install fresh air intake to unit or room. Venting system may require vertical section to move termination into a low pressure zone.
Vacuum switch failure - bypass the vacuum switch, if this corrects the problem check for above problems before replacing the vacuum switch.
Damage to gray wires between circuit board and vacuum switch - inspect wires and connectors
Combustion blower failure - the combustion blower is not turning fast enough to generate the proper vacuum in the exhaust channel. Visual check; is the blower motor turning? Check the exhaust blower voltage across the blower wires (>=114V on #5 setting and >= 82V on #1 setting). – Replace the circuit board if the Voltage reading is less than 82V. with a line voltage >114V AC.
Check vacuum levels in the exhaust channel by bypassing the vacuum switch, then remove the Vacuum hose from Vacuum Switch. Check exhaust vacuum readings by placing the open end of the Vacuum Hose on a Magnahelic Gauge. (readings must be above .10” W.C. on low fire).
If the motor fails to reach a 0.10” W.C. readings, then replace the combustion blowerTo reset Circuit Board after a trouble code - push the ON/OFF button

gyingling said:

The stove was manufactured in 03. It hadn't been subject to extreme service and was located in a family room. Do you think it is possible that the stove could run fine on every setting but high and still be an issue with the combustion blower. Also, to bypass the vacuum switch do you just unplug the hose or remove the wires? I am having a mental block

Click to expand...

Yes, It could hit the thermal fuse in the blower and shut down on high, But be fine at other speeds.

To by pass the vac switch you need to remove the wires and jumper them together. I make a small jumper wire like this(see attachment). Jump the wires together and don't let them touch the case. Be sure to unplug the stove before doing anything back there! Careful here if the blower quites the control will still feed pellets so watch it carefully. If the blower stops shut it down. Personally I would do it again with the switch left hooked up. Just watch the motor. If its stopping you will know it. If it doesn't it could be a bad switch but I would still check the voltage on the blower draw. It should be line voltage on high. If its lower check the amp draw, If its higher than the label replace the blower!

Keep us posted.
jay

There are other things that can cause a vacuum trip besides the obvious hose, blower, vacuum switch.

Bad gaskets on the door or ash pan can also cause a vacuum trip, including one that might not show up until the unit goes into full burn.

If the combustion blower or exhaust system is full of ash the same result can occur.

SmokeyTheBear said:

There are other things that can cause a vacuum trip besides the obvious hose, blower, vacuum switch.

Bad gaskets on the door or ash pan can also cause a vacuum trip, including one that might not show up until the unit goes into full burn.

If the combustion blower or exhaust system is full of ash the same result can occur.

Click to expand...

Thanks smokey, I assumed the stove was tidy cleaned as its the start of the season!

I have seen this 3 times last year with windsors.
run the stove hot and the combustion blower fails.
you can run the stove on high and watch and listen. when you hear the blower cut off look to be sure.
jumping the vacuum switch will help diagnose for the all the systems will not shut down.

hearthtools said:

I have seen this 3 times last year with windsors.
run the stove hot and the combustion blower fails.
you can run the stove on high and watch and listen. when you hear the blower cut off look to be sure.
jumping the vacuum switch will help diagnose for the all the systems will not shut down.

Click to expand...

Hi Rod,

I had the exact issue with an Empress last season. I was helping a friend diagnose his issue. It was doing the pretty much the same thing as this Windsor. Have you seen this with the Empress?

j-takeman said:

hearthtools said:

I have seen this 3 times last year with windsors.
run the stove hot and the combustion blower fails.
you can run the stove on high and watch and listen. when you hear the blower cut off look to be sure.
jumping the vacuum switch will help diagnose for the all the systems will not shut down.

Click to expand...

Hi Rod,

I had the exact issue with an Empress last season. I was helping a friend diagnose his issue. It was doing the pretty much the same thing as this Windsor. Have you seen this with the Empress?

Click to expand...

yes for they are about the same stove

hearthtools said:

I have seen this 3 times last year with windsors.
run the stove hot and the combustion blower fails.
you can run the stove on high and watch and listen. when you hear the blower cut off look to be sure.
jumping the vacuum switch will help diagnose for the all the systems will not shut down.

Click to expand...

Did you ever figure it out? I saw this also....it was not the vac switch. My RPM's from bench testing the motor actually decreased from setting 4 to setting 5, so I just assumed the motor couldn't handle line voltage and I replaced it. I still have the motor up here over my head....thinking I'm going to crack it open and replace the bearing possibly.

smwilliamson said:

hearthtools said:

I have seen this 3 times last year with windsors.
run the stove hot and the combustion blower fails.
you can run the stove on high and watch and listen. when you hear the blower cut off look to be sure.
jumping the vacuum switch will help diagnose for the all the systems will not shut down.

Click to expand...

Did you ever figure it out? I saw this also....it was not the vac switch. My RPM's from bench testing the motor actually decreased from setting 4 to setting 5, so I just assumed the motor couldn't handle line voltage and I replaced it. I still have the motor up here over my head....thinking I'm going to crack it open and replace the bearing possibly.

Click to expand...

it is just the set thermo protection of the motor. it will cut the motor off when it reaches a high temp.

Did cleaning the thermo fan out help out or cleaning the convection cage? These things are designed to run on high.

My bet is the stove is shutting down due to a blocked exhaust....but that's just me.

krooser said:

My bet is the stove is shutting down due to a blocked exhaust....but that's just me.

Click to expand...

Then it would shut down on lower speeds (heat settings) too but it only cuts off on the highest setting. Pressure switches operate on a low end tolerances.

Many years ago, this was an issue with Windsors. It had to do with where the vaccum hose barb attached to stove (stove, not pressure switch), the exhaust current would blow debris into the hose causing the switch to trip. Later models moved where the hose attached. There is a free (or atleast it used to be free) kit available that included a relatively easy to install piece that sheilded where the hose attached and a number of other "enhancements". I would contact Enviro, give them the serial number of the stove, and see if this unit was one of the affected ones.

smwilliamson said:

krooser said:

My bet is the stove is shutting down due to a blocked exhaust....but that's just me.

Click to expand...

Then it would shut down on lower speeds (heat settings) too but it only cuts off on the highest setting. Pressure switches operate on a low end tolerances.

Click to expand...

Not always the case when some combustion blowers thermal trip the actual indicated failure is normally a vacuum error, ash build up can cause a blowers thermal to trip when in high burn but not on lower burn settings.

The same thing also can happen when the vent system gets really dirty, or there is enough back pressure to heat up things (by interfering with the stove being able to exhaust its hot combustion gases) but not cause the vacuum switch to trip until the blower quits due to thermal shut off, again more a high burn rate situation than low.

Likewise a simple combustion fan failure also indicates as a vacuum trip, this is normally a problem on all burn settings.