Enviro Empress FPI #4 Flash Code

[healeymp]

Hello All,

I purchased a house that came with an Enviro Empress Fireplace Insert. While running it in manual mode, I noticed that the #4 light has started to flash intermittently. There also appears to be an audible click when the flashing starts and when it stops.

I've downloaded all of the manuals that I could find for this stove, but I can only find information on the #2 & #3 flash codes. The #2 flash code indicates that the high hopper temperature limit has been reached and the #3 flash code indicates that the low exhaust temperature limit has be reached. I can't find any information on the #4 flash code.

Does anyone on this forum know what an intermittent #4 flash code indicates on an Enviro Empress FPI?

Thank you!

 

[bostonfan49]

Hello All,

I purchased a house that came with an Enviro Empress Fireplace Insert. While running it in manual mode, I noticed that the #4 light has started to flash intermittently. There also appears to be an audible click when the flashing starts and when it stops.

I've downloaded all of the manuals that I could find for this stove, but I can only find information on the #2 & #3 flash codes. The #2 flash code indicates that the high hopper temperature limit has been reached and the #3 flash code indicates that the low exhaust temperature limit has be reached. I can't find any information on the #4 flash code.

Does anyone on this forum know what an intermittent #4 flash code indicates on an Enviro Empress FPI?

Thank you!

Morning..... Your High Temp 200degree limit switch has been tripped which shuts down your stove. Sorry for short answer...have to run to do my Meals on Wheels
Another Enviro owner should jump in momentarily.
Bill

 

[bostonfan49]

Morning..... Your High Temp 200degree limit switch has been tripped which shuts down your stove. Sorry for short answer...have to run to do my Meals on Wheels
Another Enviro owner should jump in momentarily.
Bill

....There should be a Red "Re-Set" button located on the inside of the hopper wall on the right side...at least on my m55, yours might be in a diff location.....got to run, good luck. Bill

 

[healeymp]

Morning..... Your High Temp 200degree limit switch has been tripped which shuts down your stove. Sorry for short answer...have to run to do my Meals on Wheels
Another Enviro owner should jump in momentarily.
Bill

....There should be a Red "Re-Set" button located on the inside of the hopper wall on the right side...at least on my m55, yours might be in a diff location.....got to run, good luck. Bill

Hello Bill,

Thanks for the reply. I don't think that the #4 flash code indicates the high temp limit switch on my Empress FPI. As I wrote in the original post, the manual says that the #2 (not the #4) flash code indicates that the high hopper temperature limit has been reached. Also, if the high temp limit switch had been tripped, then the stove would shut down and would not allow a restart until the switch was manually reset. My stove is running fine right now, except for the fact that the #4 light flashes intermittently, and I hear a click when the flashing starts and when it stops.

 

[Lake Girl]

It sounds like you need to replace your High limit snap disc. #4 flash is high limit open. How high a feed rate setting were you using when getting the flash codes? Hope you cleaned all the internal exhaust passages really well and lubricated both exhaust and room blower motors.

You can go to the enviro website and down load the manual C-12145 Pellet service manual that runs through generic routine maintainance and board operations. A really good resource!

 

[healeymp]

It sounds like you need to replace your High limit snap disc. #4 flash is high limit open. How high a feed rate setting were you using when getting the flash codes? Hope you cleaned all the internal exhaust passages really well and lubricated both exhaust and room blower motors.

You can go to the enviro website and down load the manual C-12145 Pellet service manual that runs through generic routine maintainance and board operations. A really good resource!

Hello Lake Girl,

Thanks for the reply. As I mentioned in my reply to Bill above, my manual shows that a #2 flash code indicates the high temp limit switch on my Empress FPI, not a #4 flash code. Also, I thought that if the high temp limit switch had been tripped then the stove would shut down and would not allow a restart until the switch was manually reset. My stove is running fine, but with the #4 light flashing intermittently.

 

[Lake Girl]

If it is not the high limit switch, there is a third snap disc on that stove. The convection blower snap 160* disc may be what is causing issues. Is there enough liner to pull the stove to work on it and run it? You will likely have to jumper the snap to rule it out/in as to your problem.

Have you removed the blower to ensure there is no pet hair or massive amounts of dust bunnies in the impeller? Blown out the motor windings? Bearings could be catching and causing pauses in the blower as well.

Keep us posted

Edit: 3-in-1 electric motor oil to lub the fan!

 

[Lake Girl]

Looking at the 2006 manual for the empress insert, the wiring diagram shows the convection fan 160* snap disc. Not sure if it is used on the currently produced inserts.

PS The convection blower snap appears to be gone on the most recent versions!

 

[johneh]

Is it possible that what you are seeing is the auger light
flashing on / off and the click noise is the auger tuning on ?
The light turns on when feeding and off when not feeding

 

[Tech Guru]

One thing not mentioned here is that any of the flashing codes which indicate lockout are all present after the stove has shut down unexpectedly. By your original post, I can't tell if the unit is shutting down and needs to be restarted or not. Does your unit shut down, and settle into the #4 code (until reset)? Or is it just flashing intermittently when you're running it in the level 4 setting?

 

[stovelark]

Ok flashing 4 will occur after over temp, stove will shut off and flash 4. You might be seeing the intermittent "strobe flash" on some Empress insert control boards. Don't know what causes that. Flashing 2 is a loss of vacuum sense, flashing 3 is a proof of fire issue, did not feed enough pellets to get ignition, stove runs out of fuel, etc. Hi temp switch on an empress is behind the surround on right side, believe it has gray wires going to it, vacuum switch has orange wires, proof of fire has brown wire. If the unit is running and you get that strobe effect, doesn't normally seem to affect anything, other than its annoying a bit. If you have an actual flashing 4 and shutdown, clean the convection blower, check that its running, etc..

 

[healeymp]

Lake Girl,
My Empress FPI was manufactured in October 2009, so I think it does not have a 160 degree sensor.

Johneh,
My stove has the Daughter Generation II control board, which does not have an auger light.

Tech Guru,
The unit runs fine, the #4 light flashes intermittently. The stove does not shut down. Also, the #4 light flashes regardless of which heat setting the stove is in.

Stovelark,
I believe I am getting what you described as the intermittent "strobe flash".

 

[Reburn]

Hello All,

I purchased a house that came with an Enviro Empress Fireplace Insert. While running it in manual mode, I noticed that the #4 light has started to flash intermittently. There also appears to be an audible click when the flashing starts and when it stops.

I've downloaded all of the manuals that I could find for this stove, but I can only find information on the #2 & #3 flash codes. The #2 flash code indicates that the high hopper temperature limit has been reached and the #3 flash code indicates that the low exhaust temperature limit has be reached. I can't find any information on the #4 flash code.

Does anyone on this forum know what an intermittent #4 flash code indicates on an Enviro Empress FPI?

Thank you!

#4 flash is your vacuum sensor. If you have low vacuum within the firebox this sensor opens which will cause the unit to briefly enter a shutdown where the fans spool up except that the instant they do your vacuum sensor is closing and normal operation resumes. give the stove a good cleaning (behind the panels too) and if needed slightly increase the draft by moving the slider damper slightly to the right. This is the only stove that reverses the #2 and #4 flash codes for Enviro and that is why there was some confusion in the thread.

 

[healeymp]

#4 flash is your vacuum sensor. If you have low vacuum within the firebox this sensor opens which will cause the unit to briefly enter a shutdown where the fans spool up except that the instant they do your vacuum sensor is closing and normal operation resumes. give the stove a good cleaning (behind the panels too) and if needed slightly increase the draft by moving the slider damper slightly to the right. This is the only stove that reverses the #2 and #4 flash codes for Enviro and that is why there was some confusion in the thread.

Reburn,
I recently decreased the draft setting in order to keep the stove from burning itself out on the LOW setting, so what you're saying makes sense. I'll do what you suggest and then update the thread.
Thanks!

 

[Lake Girl]

Would be nice if they mentioned the change of flash codes in the manual!

 

[stovelark]

Never heard of the code changes either, I have seen the orange and gray wires reversed on the vac sw and the hi temp sensor. That too would reverse the number flashed. (Believe vac sw has orange, hi temp is gray) I might be mistaken- don't claim to know everything about Enviro...... or any other stove either ha.

 

[phil san]

2008 FPI. Updated motherboard. #4 flash started late last year. Tonight first burn of season (after total take apart and cleaning) Burn on #2 with damper fairly wide open, lowest feed rate. Seemed temps were too warm, then #4 started flashing and a shutdown. New Combustion blower working fine, new vac switch, new snap disk on comb motor and hopper. Now once the stove cooled and finally shut off, I can restart without going behind the panel and pressing the reset.
End of season last year when this started and couldn't run the stove above #3. Chimney is clean with All new blowers

 

[stovelark]

Ok Phil, again l would say the 4 flashing was the overtemp switch and replacing it cured your problem. One thing too, if an Empress insert is overheating and shutting off, clean the convection blower, its responsible for displacing the heat off the heat exchanger and into your house.... I've seen many people want to replace the switch, but had dirty convection blowers too...

 

[phil san]

Well, been up since 5AM. Jumped the high temp switch - same. Looks like it is the dam motherboard #50-2088 which I upgraded about 4 years ago as the old one had factory defects.
Board will toggle between 1-5 heat settings and activate fans and auger, but it remains on a #1 blower setting with a #5 pellet feed. Blower speeds do not adjust. So I'm burning too hot a fire in conjunction with both blowers on low. Also the combustion blower and feed trim settings do not work. Fuses (5)checked fine and swapped an old circuit cable in. Same issue. $447 bucks again. Comb blower is clean and NO blockage.

 

[Lake Girl]

Just found an old thread with title ENVIRO 50-2088 EMPRESS MILAN CIRCUIT BOARD repair that discusses a board repair ... relay replaced. YMMV!

 

[phil san]

Hey thanks. Saw that but I'm not qualified enough to start checking parts on a printed circuit board. Plus need asap.
Just hugs me why they fail. I'd get a Harmon but to late in season to start prepping for an install and all that goes with it.

 

[Lake Girl]

Computer tech locally may be able to assist. There are board repair services if you get a new board, get the old repaired as backup.