Austroflamm Integra still no go

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Frank Nuhfer

New Member
Nov 19, 2013
67
Maryland
My insert still doesn't work. I have cleaned everything. The auger safety switch is stuck in the closed position so it is working, although not safe. I removed the auger motor and it turns. I removed the auger and replaced the lower bushing. Put it all back together and poured in some pellets. I watched the auger motor turn for a couple of minutes, then it stops. I know the auger is not stuck. I know it's not the motor. I know it's not the auger. I know it's not the auger bushing. The combustion motor is blowing air. The convection motor runs. It just does not feed the pellets into the burn pot. It's like the computer says to not turn the auger. It's Saturday, and I'm hoping someone has some words of wisdom.
 
Does the stove dump pellets into the burn pot before it stops turning?

Does the stove light the pellets in the burn pot?

If it does both of these then it is time to check the proof of fire system, failure of the stove to sense it has a fire will shut the stove down.

If the vacuum system doesn't sense somewhat of a proper vacuum the stove will also shut down.
 
Does the stove dump pellets into the burn pot before it stops turning?
No, the auger was completely empty and so I expected it would take some time to get pellets into the burn pot. I poured a handful of pellets into the burn pot to prime the system. I expected the auger motor to start dropping pellets into the burn pot, but it stopped turning before any pellets made it to the top.

Does the stove light the pellets in the burn pot?
Yes the pellets that I threw into the burn pot were lit by the stove. I also opened the door quickly and put a second handful of pellets into the burn pot to keep it going as I waited for the 1st pellet to drop, which never happened.

If it does both of these then it is time to check the proof of fire system, failure of the stove to sense it has a fire will shut the stove down.

If the vacuum system doesn't sense somewhat of a proper vacuum the stove will also shut down.


My stove takes about 21 minutes to fire up. The combustor motor started blowing air when I turned it on. The convection motor fired up at the completion of the start up cycle. Then it started shutting down because the pellets had gone out by this time.
 
Here is a copy of the technical manual. Sorry the system won't allow me to upload it due to its size.




It sounds like the stove's low temperature limit switch is bad or dirty, it should be located somewhere in the exhaust system at or just after the combustion blower. It is also possible the connection is loose. Depending upon the eprom in the stove there are a couple of different times in the start up that that switch is tested, if it hasn't closed by those times the stove will shutdown.
 
Here is a copy of the technical manual. Sorry the system won't allow me to upload it due to its size.



It sounds like the stove's low temperature limit switch is bad or dirty, it should be located somewhere in the exhaust system at or just after the combustion blower. It is also possible the connection is loose. Depending upon the eprom in the stove there are a couple of different times in the start up that that switch is tested, if it hasn't closed by those times the stove will shutdown.
Is the low temperature testable? Is it an normally open or normally closed switch. I was told somewhere to clean it, so I took a wet paper towel and wiped the soot off it. I can easily remove it, but how do I test it?
 
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Is the low temperature testable? Is it an normally open or normally closed switch. I was told somewhere to clean it, so I took a wet paper towel and wiped the soot off it. I can easily remove it, but how do I test it?

OK, I removed the low limit switch and it looks fine. I googled it and found it is a normally open switch that closes at 120 degrees. I put an ohm meter on it and it is open. Took hair dryer to it and it closed. I can't say at 120 degrees, but didn't take long. I then put my thumb on the SS tip and it cooled down, and the switch opened. So in my opinion, it probably is ok. Any thing else I should check?
 
There is no reset button.
Have you checked your air sensor for dirt and crud on it?
The manual say if combustion motor and convection fan turn on but auger starts only briefly and then shuts down check air sensor.
To test unplug stove remove low limit switch wires and join together plug in stove both comb and convection will start, then turn on auger on control panel, if auger starts then stops the air sensor may be at fault.
 
feed button? start button?

My stove, once you push the "on" button, it goes through an automatic start procedure that takes about 21 minutes.
It went through the whole procedure, but the auger wasn't feeding any pellets into the burn pot. I was opening the door and putting a hand full of pellets into the burn pot to keep it going but it was useless as the auger never got going enough to keep it going.
 
There is no reset button.
Have you checked your air sensor for dirt and crud on it?/quote] Not yet, but will do that next when I reinstall the low limit switch.

The manual says if combustion motor and convection fan turn on but auger starts only briefly and then shuts down, check air sensor. To test, unplug stove, remove low limit switch wires and join together, plug in stove, both comb and convection will start, then turn on auger on control panel, if auger starts then stops the air sensor may be at fault.

You then say to turn auger on using the control panel, but you don't say how to turn the auger on. How do you turn the auger on using the control panel, other than turning the stove on?
 

Just pulled the air sensor, and it had a small amount of dust on the leading edge, but was not really dirty. I cleaned and reinstalled it.
 
About the only switch not pulled is the high temp switch. My back is sore, my eyes are blury, and my wine is attracting fruit flies. I'll get back tomorrow. Mark thanks for everything so far.
 
Frank, it would be helpful to know if this is an Integra v.1 (with the dial temp setting) or the newer v.2 with a digital controller board. There is no vacuum sensor on the V1 model, and I'm pretty sure there isn't one on the newer model, so Smokey's advice is a bit off base on that account.

Let's start with basics. Are you sure there isn't a blockage in the chute? Try sticking a wire coat hanger up there and wiggle it around a bit to see if anything is stuck. If nothing comes down, we can at least rule that out. It also sounds like it might be possible you just didn't wait long enough or had enough pellets in the auger to get all the way to the top, and the stove cooled and shut down before they got to the burn pot. This motor runs pretty slowly.

How full is your hopper? It might be helpful if you empty the hopper enough to confirm visually that the auger is turning from inside and that it's picking up the pellets. You might have the collar set screw incorrectly positioned on the shaft, and the motor is spinning on the shaft, but not turning the auger, or just barely enough without a load to spin, but not enough under torque to move pellets properly. Be sure you're hitting the flat spot on the auger screw. If you have a clear chute and you have confirmed the hopper is turning, remove the leads from the auger motor and power the motor directly. Let it run a while. It takes a bit of time for the auger to get loaded up with pellets and convey them to the top of the chute.

Check the Auger and Combustion Fan potentiometer settings. Presuming you have a V1 Integra, there is a hole in the face of the user board allowing access to the combustion fan, the pot on the rear of that board is for the auger. Factory settings are at 12:00 (straight up and down). Using a very small blade electronics or eyeglass screwdriver, set them to vertical.

Let us know if any of this is helping.
 
doesn't it work from temperature readings?

It processes the probe data and really isn't just a temperature sensor and sticking an ohm meter on an IC for which you don't have the specifications for can damage it.

If the auger is turning then the pellets should be slowly getting up to the drop chute unless something is preventing that, and after several attempts the auger should get loaded. If the motor is running but the auger doesn't turn then the pellets aren't going to go anywhere.

Opening the door and putting additional pellets in also might cause the air sensor to shut the stove or the auger off as long as the door is open.

That air sensor does need to be clean and properly seated in order for the stove to work.

The manual gives the startup sequence in fairly good detail.

Make sure that the auger motor and the auger are actually attached to each other sometimes couplings are loose and the auger doesn't always turn in step with the motor. It is also possible that the auger motor is stalling.
 
Frank, it would be helpful to know if this is an Integra v.1 (with the dial temp setting) or the newer v.2 with a digital controller board. There is no vacuum sensor on the V1 model, and I'm pretty sure there isn't one on the newer model, so Smokey's advice is a bit off base on that account.

Let's start with basics. Are you sure there isn't a blockage in the chute? Try sticking a wire coat hanger up there and wiggle it around a bit to see if anything is stuck. If nothing comes down, we can at least rule that out. It also sounds like it might be possible you just didn't wait long enough or had enough pellets in the auger to get all the way to the top, and the stove cooled and shut down before they got to the burn pot. This motor runs pretty slowly.

How full is your hopper? It might be helpful if you empty the hopper enough to confirm visually that the auger is turning from inside and that it's picking up the pellets. You might have the collar set screw incorrectly positioned on the shaft, and the motor is spinning on the shaft, but not turning the auger, or just barely enough without a load to spin, but not enough under torque to move pellets properly. Be sure you're hitting the flat spot on the auger screw. If you have a clear chute and you have confirmed the hopper is turning, remove the leads from the auger motor and power the motor directly. Let it run a while. It takes a bit of time for the auger to get loaded up with pellets and convey them to the top of the chute.

Check the Auger and Combustion Fan potentiometer settings. Presuming you have a V1 Integra, there is a hole in the face of the user board allowing access to the combustion fan, the pot on the rear of that board is for the auger. Factory settings are at 12:00 (straight up and down). Using a very small blade electronics or eyeglass screwdriver, set them to vertical.

Let us know if any of this is helping.


Actually there is a vacuum (air pressure sensor in that stove), it is part of the function of the air sensor.
 
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