Need a little help with Whitfield Advantage IIT please

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PA_Clinker

PA_Clinker

Member
Mar 13, 2011
230
Northeast PA
The stove is a 1992 or '93 I believe. It's my mom's stove and has been used at a summer/seasonal home since around '93. I did the leaf blower cleanout and pulled what seemed like an awful lot of soot, since it's only a 3' horizontal vent.

The problem that she's having is that the auger will not feed pellets. Both blowers come on, but the auger will not feed period. I bypassed the pressure switch and the limit switch on the combustion blower with no luck. The auger feed is controlled by a rotary switch on the board, which feels abnormally "tight" to me. I hate to see her spend $300 for a new board, if that's not the cause of her problem. So I wanted to ask here if there's anything else I should/can check that could possibly be preventing power to the auger motor before going for a replacement board.

Thanks.
 
PA_Clinker said:
The stove is a 1992 or '93 I believe. It's my mom's stove and has been used at a summer/seasonal home since around '93. I did the leaf blower cleanout and pulled what seemed like an awful lot of soot, since it's only a 3' horizontal vent.

The problem that she's having is that the auger will not feed pellets. Both blowers come on, but the auger will not feed period. I bypassed the pressure switch and the limit switch on the combustion blower with no luck. The auger feed is controlled by a rotary switch on the board, which feels abnormally "tight" to me. I hate to see her spend $300 for a new board, if that's not the cause of her problem. So I wanted to ask here if there's anything else I should/can check that could possibly be preventing power to the auger motor before going for a replacement board.

Thanks.
Click to expand...

Do you have the manual for that stove, check it to see if it has a manual reset high limit that might be tripped.
 
The Advantage II T owners-/installation manual can be downloaded for free here at the Whitfield /Lennox homepage:

http://www.whitfield.com/resources/...vantage_II_Installation_Operation_775096M.pdf

On page 34 is the wiring diagram and it we can see that there are two high limit switches. Normally one is placed between the convection blower and the hopper and the other is placed behind the burnpot. If they are not the resettable type, as mentioned by Smokey, you'll have to test them with an ohmmeter or simply jump them one at a time.

But, remember to unplug the stove first of all. 120 V/60 Hz can be dangerous.

Good luck and keep us posted.
 
Thanks guys. I'm going to take a run over there today and go through it once more.
 
Stovensen said:
But, remember to unplug the stove first of all. 120 V/60 Hz can be dangerous.
Click to expand...

Yep, been jolted once...or was it twice? %-P
 
Ahhh, "CRS"...Yup, can't remember sh*t...but, here is what I found;

1) Jumped the pressure switch...nuthin'.

2) Jumped the limit switch on the convection blower...nuthin'.

3) jumped the limit switch on the combustion blower...nuthin'.

I pulled the auger motor and stuck the frayed lead wires into the nearest AC outlet (don't say it, I know) motor turns.

So, I'm thinking that maybe a new control board is in order?
 
You are missing a high limit switch .... download and read page 34 of the pdf that Stovensen provided a link to.
 
Are there any fuses in this thing? Most have one fuse for everything, I know, but just maybe...
 
one fuse for the whole board
there is the on off switch for the auger it is what usually goes
new board ,like a new stove better heat than their newer ones
can send it away to a rebuilt person
 
SmokeyTheBear said:
You are missing a high limit switch .... download and read page 34 of the pdf that Stovensen provided a link to.
Click to expand...

Standing in front of the unit; I opened the left panel and jumped the pressure switch, and the limit switch mounted on the combustion fan/hot air exhaust fan. Then, opened the right panel and jumped the switch mounted on the convection fan, still no power to the auger motor. Then, I poked around inside with a pitiful flashlight she had in a desk drawer, but could not see any other switches nor any wires running to a potential break.

BUT, I see what you're saying. Thanks, I'll take another look tomorrow in daylight. It's there in the diagram, just not seein' it in person.
 
If you need a board, try the link I provided below.
I have a 1990 Whitfield Adv. ll , I had my board rebuilt by him
for around 100.00 last year. It is working great!
Hope this helps

[email protected]
 
wert said:
If you need a board, try the link I provided below.
I have a 1990 Whitfield Adv. ll , I had my board rebuilt by him
for around 100.00 last year. It is working great!
Hope this helps

[email protected]
Click to expand...

Thanks Much!
 
Okay, I got back over there today and found the missing "link". Unfortunately I didn't have the removed auger motor and control board on me.

The switch I missed previously is mounted on the fresh air intake. Could someone knowledgable please take a look at pg. 34 of the manual (wiring diagram) and tell me if that limit switch would/could interrupt power to the auger motor?

Thanks a lot,
Mike
 
The high limit switch and the pressure switch are in series with the auger motor, so yes.

ETA: it might be a manual reset, too. If so, it will have a little button on it that you push to reset it.
 
Thanks! I didn't see a reset button, but I'll go back tomorrow and try one last time. I'll bypass that last switch before accusing the control board for the problem.
 
PA_Clinker said:
Thanks! I didn't see a reset button, but I'll go back tomorrow and try one last time. I'll bypass that last switch before accusing the control board for the problem.
Click to expand...

The high limit switches (both of them) and the pressure switch all have to be closed for the auger to get power.
 
Okay, Thanks much! I just might have to bring some extra wire to make sure I can jump every switch, one last time. ;) But I really hope that it's that switch on the fresh air intake. Crossing my fingers...
 
Today I went back and jumped that last switch on the fresh air intake, but still no power to the auger motor. Is it safe to say it's the board at this point?
 
PA_Clinker said:
Today I went back and jumped that last switch on the fresh air intake, but still no power to the auger motor. Is it safe to say it's the board at this point?
Click to expand...

It could be a loose connection at the control board, but it is begining to look like something on the board might be a problem.
 
Early versions of the II-T also had a power current sensor (That isn't the right name but I am sick and my brain is foggy) that was eventually removed sometime before serial WH40000. It's job was to sense if power wasn't coming from the combustion blower indicating it had failed and interrupt the Auger motor. Check the serial number of the stove and if it is below 40,000 check for that power sensing relay (Hah, remembered the name) and just pull it completely out of the loop if you need. Also before you go replacing the board have you checked the motor itself? Try pulling it out and running current through it if you haven't.
 
Thanks again guys. The motor is definitely good. Stuck the stripped bare wires into a nearby outlet and voila, she turns. I'll have to check the serial number. Is that relay mounted right on the control board?
 
I am honestly not certain about it. I only really remember it because someone called looking for one last week at work and I dug around and found an old technical bulletin from Whitfield about how to pull it out of loop to premanently bypass it. I don't think it is right next to the motherboard but if it is a power sensing relay that interrupts the auger if current isn't coming from the combustion motor then it would need to be wired between those two parts.
 
Just a quick note to thank everyone for their help. This forum is an invaluable resource for those of us with pellet burning appliances. Advice is not normally cheap nevermind FREE, as it is here. I finally exhausted all possible issues and decided to go for a board rebuild by "control board repairman" David Boyce, and could not be any happier. It's ALIVE!
 
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