Castile Insert (circa 2005)

[smwilliamson]

Has never run correctly according to the homeowner. The problem is that it shuts off after about 6 hrs, whether the room is to temp or not. The machine absolutely will not run on low for longer than 40 minutes.

1. I installed a clean out T and completely cleaned the entire appliance. It started up quicker and ran better.
2. Adjusted the hopper feed rate to the auger, it was almost shut, it's not about half way open. I had it all of the way open but too much pellet was dropping and knocking the fire out of the fire box.
3. All snap discs, vacuum hose, vacuum gauge are clean and operating correctly.
4. Thermocouple seems to function as it should.
5. It cannot be a thermostat issue if the room never gets to temp, right?

One note...the stove was bought new and has no more than a ton burned in it. Its a very sharp nice looking stove.

The appliance will burn for 3-4 days if you leave it on high or medium, but if goes on low....done.

I suspect it may be a pellet issue so I loaded a bag of Barefoots; customer called this morning to say the fire went out overnight. I doubt that he ever made it to room temp....

Good thing he is around the corner from me cause this stove just has me perplexed. I read another thread about the same stove having the same symptoms...but I cannot find it, any help is appreciated.

 

[Czech]

Is it possible the thermocouple over the pot is not staying to temp on the low setting? Is the cover made up all the way so the couple is touching the end inside?

 

[Jack Morrissey]

Are theyre any codes blinking on the control box after it shuts off???

 

[tjnamtiw]

My guess, since I have tested my Castile and Sante Fe vacuum switches while on 'LOW', is that the exhaust fan is really, really marginally creating enough vacuum to keep the switch pulled in. One good puff of wind outside and the vacuum switch opens up and shuts off the feed. OR there is enough restriction in the exhaust path to kill the marginal negative pressure. Finally, if there are leaks into the 'burn area' such as a poor sealing door gasket, a large gap on the cleanout gate at the bottom of the burn pot, or a lot of ash on the exhaust blower fins. It could also be that the exhaust pipe has too many bends or other restrictions to prevent sufficient air flow. I know that on LOW, it is pretty touchy.

 

[smwilliamson]

Prevailing winds....ah yes.. We live in farm country of MA and his house has no trees an dI did notice that the vent seemed a bit "high" out of the chimney...but the entire chimney height is only 10 feet. I wonder if that is the issue?

To the earlier post about status lights...no, no yellow blinking for thermocouple.

 

[smwilliamson]

Is it possible the thermocouple over the pot is not staying to temp on the low setting? Is the cover made up all the way so the couple is touching the end inside?

It only needs to be @ 200F yes for proof of fire? Even coals would do that.

 

[smwilliamson]

Thermocouple is clean and inserted to the end, positioned on bracket and overhanging about 1". I even bent it down slightly thinking that may be the problem. I seem to think that it is an air issue. Like too much air. The stove was having issues with not enought combustion air and I installed an OAK through the clean out to the basement. That solved the high-low rise in flame on the upper setting.

 

[fluemasterjr]

the castile needs to read 600f to operate. at 200f the light in the control box will turn green to feed more pellets in start up but once the f/p temp drops bellow 600f the unit will go into shut down.

 

[cornstoves]

What is the control box set on? There is two settings one more fuel, one less fuel.
Have you tried adjusting the fuel feed setting in the hopper?
When the stoves goes out - what does it look like? Unburnt pellets in the firepot, all burnt up?

 

[smwilliamson]

What is the control box set on? There is two settings one more fuel, one less fuel.
Have you tried adjusting the fuel feed setting in the hopper?
When the stoves goes out - what does it look like? Unburnt pellets in the firepot, all burnt up?

The pellets are all gone after shut down. Aside from the pellet feed slide rule within the hopper I cannot regulate the burn on low setting. I just installed an OAK to regulate the outside air; one problem solved (high low flame) but wish there was an air damper. It may be a thermocouple issue or perhaps a back draft due to prevailing wind. Going over to monitor again tomorrow on low setting.

 

[smwilliamson]

My guess, since I have tested my Castile and Sante Fe vacuum switches while on 'LOW', is that the exhaust fan is really, really marginally creating enough vacuum to keep the switch pulled in. One good puff of wind outside and the vacuum switch opens up and shuts off the feed. OR there is enough restriction in the exhaust path to kill the marginal negative pressure. Finally, if there are leaks into the 'burn area' such as a poor sealing door gasket, a large gap on the cleanout gate at the bottom of the burn pot, or a lot of ash on the exhaust blower fins. It could also be that the exhaust pipe has too many bends or other restrictions to prevent sufficient air flow. I know that on LOW, it is pretty touchy.

What do you think about a 3" liner up 13 Feet?

 

[tjnamtiw]

the castile needs to read 600f to operate. at 200f the light in the control box will turn green to feed more pellets in start up but once the f/p temp drops bellow 600f the unit will go into shut down.

No, I don't think this is true. The red light at 600 tells the igniter to shut off. Many times on low my Castile is showing the green light because it has dropped below 600. It keeps going.

What could be the problem here is that the feed rate is set too low OR the homeowner has changed pellet suppliers and not readjusted the feedrate. I changed pellets and went from completely closed on the gate to completely open. The pellet length got extremely long on these new ones. Did the homeowner ever adjust the flame height on HIGH as instructed in the manual? It should be half way to the top baffle on average. Make an adjustment and wait about 1/2 hour before making another change. Don't be in a hurry or you will just be chasing your tail.

It's an insert, so the path is straight up and out. 13' is no problem. I have 17' of 3" flexible liner and have plenty of draft. Once the fire is going, the rising heat causes additional draft beyond the draft created by the exhaust fan. That should keep it going on LOW. Without that additional draft from the heat, my vacuum switch will open on LOW, which would shut off the feed. That's why I'm wondering if he has the feed rate set too low for the pellets he's using and not getting that extra draft you need to keep the vacuum switch closed.

Have you blown out the tubing going from the vacuum switch to the feed tube? Take it off at the vacuum switch and blow into the hose with compressed air. Don't blow TOWARDS the vacuum switch! I know it's a beech to get at the switch. :i(

 

[cornstoves]

13 foot of liner is just fine. I believe its over 20 ft. you need to go to 4". I still think its the hopper adjustment as well. However, we did have a Santa Fe at one time that we could not figure out, turned out to be the glass was put in at the factory upside down, meaning the airwash was on the top when it should have been on the bottom or vice versa. They have made some changes to the Castile concerning the airwash, you may want to call tech with the serial number and they can tell you which way its supposed to be. If the stove was made in 2005 and it hasn't run right since they bought it and it's only had a ton of pellets ran through it, why are they waiting till the warranty has run out to do anything about it???

 

[tjnamtiw]

13 foot of liner is just fine. I believe its over 20 ft. you need to go to 4". I still think its the hopper adjustment as well. However, we did have a Santa Fe at one time that we could not figure out, turned out to be the glass was put in at the factory upside down, meaning the airwash was on the top when it should have been on the bottom or vice versa. They have made some changes to the Castile concerning the airwash, you may want to call tech with the serial number and they can tell you which way its supposed to be. If the stove was made in 2005 and it hasn't run right since they bought it and it's only had a ton of pellets ran through it, why are they waiting till the warranty has run out to do anything about it???

That last question is a very good one Find out if they have any service worth a flip now. Quad changed their airwash from the top (I believe) to the bottom. My Castile is on the top (glass gets dirty fast) and my Sante Fe has it on the bottom (glass stays cleaner longer). Both were made in April of '06 so it must have been right at the changeover. Both of mine work on LOW as long as I feed then enough pellets and keep the draft going. The vacuum, as I mentioned, is marginal.

 

[tjnamtiw]

Hey, smwill, I noticed that you said you installed a cleanout T on the insert, so you don't have the exhaust going straight up out of the fan? You turned the exhaust out the back and then a 90 degree up at the tee? That adds some theoretical length to the piping but still OK.