No call light, no fan, no nuthin on Quadra Fire Classic Bay 1200i

We have a 4 yr old Classic Bay Insert. Recent full, end-of-season cleanings was by our dealer two springs ago and the same by me last spring. When turn on now we get no response whatsoever; no call light, no fans. When unplug/plug in power get no fan. Fuse is ok and batteries are ok, both were checked. Pulled Insert out and checked motors/fans etc for obstructions. Manual and QF phone support say to reset snap disk #3. Took off housing inside hopper and found that snap disk #3 is not flipped. I can't push it in any further as it is already tight against its seating, so I am assuming that it can't, in fact, be "reset." Correct? Stove was left plugged in all summer. However, NE Ohio had severe drought season with virtually no elect storms. No other electronics in house have been fried. Reading previous discussions here and elsewhere suggests that the control box may be next possible culprit to check. But I have no idea how to proceed next save for calling the dealer out. I know little about electrical components and am complete newbie at trying to diagnose and check electrical or control panel-type stuff. Any help would be greatly appreciated, but please keep in mind my inexperience when providing instructions. Detailed descriptions would be most helpful. Thanks a lot!

When they say 'reset', they are talking about a little button between the two terminals on the snap disk that needs to be pushed in. And PLEASE unplug the stove before sticking your finger in there! Did you check your outlet by plugging something else in it? Jumping across the terminals would be the next thing I would do, as begreen suggests. Pull both wires off of the snap disk, clamp them together with an alligator clip, tape up securely so there are no shorts, and THEN plug the stove back in. Any fans?

Then, the next question is, do you have a multimeter to measure voltages and resistance?

Thanks to you and bgreen for helpful responses. Yes, I already confirmed the outlet is good by plugging something else into it. Yes, the stove has been unplugged as I have worked on it. Thanks for reminder. Yes, I located the snap disk #3, the small plastic button between the two terminals, and tried to push it in, but as reported it will not push in any further, i.e., it is already sitting tight against it seat.
I have not tried jumping across the two terminals. The two grey wires that attach to the terminals have plastic housings on them. So, in order to connect them after having unplugged them from the snap disk #3 would I have to take the plastic housing off, strip the insulation off the wires to expose bare wires and the alligator clip together? Or, could one tape them together as is and then insert one side of an alligator clip into each end?
No, I don't have have a mulitmeter. Never used one, either.

Thanks for the reply. No I have not tried that. I have a portable thermostat that runs on batteries. Checked the batteries and are ok. Has lights and registers temps. Turns on and off ok. Also, I can bypass it by turning the stove on/off with the switch that is connected directly tot he stove, so it does not seem like i need to jumper the thermostat connection, correct? Also, I'm sorry to say I don't know how to do that, exactly. thanks.

There are no lights lit on the control box when I plug the stove back in. OK, I see the thermostat screws. So, to jump them i do what, exactly? And when I do jump them, the stove should be unplugged? And the on/off switch on the black box that connects to the thermostat terminal should be set to what, on, off, remote? Sorry to ask so elemental questions.

There is no switch on the outlet the insert is plugged into. I had already plugged another item into that outlet to test it and it works. But I have now plugged the insert into another outlet with extend cord and no response. I have checked the fuse in the insert multiple times; it is good, the wire is not broken in it and there is no burning on the glass of it. Thanks for your help!

Was your stove hooked to an outlet over the Summer? Was it plugged into a Surge protector?

Checking for power downstream is gonna have to happen. If you dont have a multi-meter or never used one, then calling a Pro may be necessary.

I would still jumper the Snap disc and/or the T-stat connection on the stove.

Take a small piece of wire (6"-10" long) and strip the ends and put appropriate ends on the wire. I wouldn't strip the wire back, that will be counter productive. As your gonna have to put it back on?

The t-stat box could have gone bad. I had a Smart Stat II and it was junk after about 2 seasons. Fried from the inside. So if this is the Quadrafire remote (Smart Batt II or Smart Stat II) then get a piece of wire (no special ends needed) and remove the receiver off the back of the stove, and install the wire behind the screws you loosened to remove receiver. Tighten and stove should call for heat.

Yeah, if the jumper on those doesn't work. It aint looking good?

Surge protector is a small price to pay for a Big investment.

Look up Tripp Lite here at the Top (search). Lots of us here run the ISOBLOK or ULTRABLOK. They make a good protector for a fair price. Under $30 and its all you'll need.

Also check the fuse with a meter.....even if the filement is intact it could be disconnected at either end and not totally visable

Jumping between the two snap disk connectors with a short wire or straightened paper clip (be sure to insulate it all!) should show if you have power or not. The exhaust blower should come on when plugged in no matter what the setting on the thermostat, I do believe.

Since your stove is out of warrantee, it wouldn't hurt to take off the control box (after unplugging stove) and open it up. There is a 3/4 amp fuse on the circuit board. If Ok, plug it back in. You can cook the circuit board if you remove the control box with the stove plugged in. That's why I put the warning in there.

Is there a store or a friend nearby with the same stove? If so, you could swap out the control box (if the jumper above doesn't solve the problem) just to see if it works on their stove. It won't hurt their stove.

He doesn't have a meter and doesn't know how to use one. Of course, this is a GREAT excuse to buy another 'man tool'... I look for such excuses all the time. You can never have too many tools. For this job, even a simple multimeter from Harbor Freight or WalMart will do.

Thanks to everyone for the suggestions! I disconnected the thermostat wires from their terminals and then connected a short piece of wire to the same two screws in the thermostat terminal, left the thermostat box disconnected, plugged the stove back in, and turned the stove on, and got nothing. I am presuming that was all correct. So, as I understand it, what is next is to do something similar with the snap disc #3 terminals. Here though I am not sure how to proceed. The grey wires that go to the snap disk have plastic female ends on them that fit over the respective metal posts next to the snap disk. How exactly do I jumper this? Detailed instructions would be most helpful. Thanks again for the help, and sorry to have to ask such elemental questions.

Were the snap disc wires plugged in, when you jumped the t-stat?

If the blower started when the stat was jumped, it should have had a Call light on?

Did the call light come on?

Good question; thanks. Yes, I did have the snap disc wires plugged in when the thermostat was jumped. I just jumped the thermostat again and checked for call light or any light in the control box. Nothing. No fan either. So, as I understand it, what is next is to do something similar with the snap disc #3 terminals. Here though I am not sure how to proceed. The grey wires that go to the snap disk have plastic female ends on them that fit over the respective metal posts next to the snap disk. How exactly do I jumper this? Detailed instructions would be most helpful.Thanks again for advice.

Your gonna need the respective female ends to attach to a jumper wire. There are other ways, but this is the best way, IMO.

OK, thanks, but still not sure how to proceed, exactly. This is new territory for me. Am I connecting the two grey wires that have female plastic ends to each other by means of a jumper wire running between them. And then I plug insert back in and turn it on, with them disconnected from the snap disc terminals? Is that it? And then that tells us if the snap disk is shot? Thanks again.

Yes... All your doing is taking the snap disc out of the equation. By connecting those 2 wires together. You make the stove think, that the snap disc is reset.

Thats what bypassing any switch is about. Whether its the vacuum switch, snap disc, t-stat, etc. You make the stove think it has contact.

OK, thanks again. I'll give it a shot.

OK, I jumped the two grey wires going to snap disk 3 with a short piece of wire. Simply stuffed a stripped end into each of plastic female ends. Plugged stove in, turned on. Nothing. No fan, no lights. So it seems it must be the control the box as we have eliminated the snap disk, the thermostat, and the fuse?

Yep, it sure looks that way. Can you reply to my last post about swapping control boxes and checking INTERNAL fuse? If you had a meter, I could also tell you what terminals to check for voltage with the control box removed.

Also, are you SURE that it is snap disk #3 that you are fooling with?????

Yes, I am sure that I have identified snap disk #3 correctly. Found photos online for new ones for purchase and look exactly the same. Also located exactly where supposed to be. I suppose I have nothing to lose now by opening up the control box and checking that internal fuse, too. Thanks. I'll also check with a neighbor tomorrow or Tues who may have a meter. The idea of swapping control boxes is something I can float with the dealer this week if they have one.