Pellet: 25-PDVC Problem starting

[NJR]

I've been reading a thread that states"
E-2/E-1 right at start is actually a vacuum loss failure, the E-2 shows first due to the stove being in startup when the failure occurs so its "fail to start" due to "vacuum loss" treat it as a straight "E-1" in troubleshooting.
1. does the exhaust blower start if yes, check vac hose from switch to exhaust chamber, trim off any damaged portion to fix leak. if this doesnt get it , check wires from switch to board for connection and proper placement , wires should be on the "c" and the "no" positions with the "nc" empty , hose should be on the "-" port (the gray one) and the black port should be empty.
if no on the exhaust blower starting, then the exhaust blower not starting is the issue"

I get an E2- I did step 1 , found crack in hose and trimmed it. exhaust blower does start. But, I don't know where "c, no, nc,-" are located. I checked for all the wire connections. They seem good to me.

It appears that the augers work. But, the top auger does not drop many pellets into the bottom auger. I can feel it tunr by touching the back of the motor. But it's very litte with long intervals between. The top auger motor seems to have a little more play than the bottom auger. If top auger bearings are bad how could I be sure of it?

The bottom auger stops at one point and if the fire starts it goes out for lack of pellets. The room blower does not go on. Maybe because it doesn't burn long enough? But, I pulled the stove plug and applied direct electricity to the room blower and it functions well. Any ideas what I should do next?

 

[Chrisnow86]

Always start the stove on high...

 

[SmokeyTheBear]

Is this a new stove?

When and how (detailed please) was it last completely cleaned from just before the air intake to just after the vent termination?

Our good freind ash in the right places will prevent proper fuel flow and insulate the thermocouple from seeing a fire (heat) in the stove. If this is during start up it only has so long or the controller shuts the stove down.

 

[NJR]

Not a new stove. I bought it used 2 years ago.

I cleaned it about 2 weeks ago after this problem started. (Stove has not started since then). I cleaned exhaust pipes outside. Then disconnected the pipe on the inside that goes to the exhaust fan, and vacuumed it out. I took out both augers and vacuumed in there. Cleaned the burn pot above and below the plate and all around the inside. Removed the large metal panel that leans out from the top and vacuumed back there. I think that's the heat exchange? Took a small plastic coated wire (from bread bag) and pushed it in around the ignitor and it seemed no ashes were around the ignitor. I emptied the hopper before I pulled the top auger and vacuumed there. Also, vacuumed and brushed dust inside the back were the wires and hoses and fans are.

I disconnected 2 vacuum hoses from both ends and made sure they were clear inside. The 3rd hose that goes from the electrical board to beside the place were the ignitor is. (I think it may be where the sensor is?) But I could not reach with one hand to pull it out from there. I figure it must be O.K. as I did not feel any cracks and since it wouldn't pull out, it must not leak.

What have I missed? I've had the stove for 2 years. But, don't really know that much about repairing it. Could the board be bad. If the board were bad, would it still light up and turn on the exhaust fan and augers?

Thanks for your help. Using up my fuel oil while I try to figure this out.

 

[Chrisnow86]

Do you know if the top auger is spinning? And does the igniter glow red when in start up?

 

[CladMaster]

Disconnect the stove from the mains power.

The vac switch above the room blower, remove the two wires, find a paper clip and connect the two wires with it, make sure that they do not touch the stoves bodywork or it will blow a fuse.

Plug stove back into the mains outlet, place pellets in hopper, turn on stove with hopper lid closed and see if stove runs and feeds pellets and a fire starts, if it does, check the rubber tube for cracks. If the tube looks fine, the vac switch is suspect, replace it.

 

[NJR]

Thanks Minister of Fire. I did what you suggested. Also, got a clamp for the vac hose where it connects to the switch, don't think there was one there since I got it.. Pushed the "On" button...it drops pellets into the burn pot, just enough to fill it up. And, the pellets ignite and burn until the original "first" burn pot full of pellets is burned up. All this time the room blower does not turn on. And, this time instead of an E 2, it goes directly to SD. So, what's the verdict? New vac switch or what?

Thanks again for your help.

(I'm slow at replying because I don't always have time or feel like messing with the stove in the evenings.)

 

[CladMaster]

Went to Shut Down mode ! No room blower ! Hmmm ! Stove did not get a POF (Proof Of Fire) to stay on, need to find out why, so ......

Start the stove again with the vac switch bypassed as above in my last post, leave the heat and blower at 5 for each as soon as you turn the stove on. Make sure the hopper has fuel and the lid is closed.

If the stove fails to stay on and goes to SD mode again, I'd look at the feed auger motor (top one for the hopper), it might need replacing, gears in the box might be shot.

 

[NJR]

When you say "feed auger motor (top one for the hopper), it might need replacing, gears in the box might be shot." Could it be the bearings? Or, is it definitely the auger motor? I just don't want to buy something I don't really need.

 

[CladMaster]

When you say "feed auger motor (top one for the hopper), it might need replacing, gears in the box might be shot." Could it be the bearings? Or, is it definitely the auger motor? I just don't want to buy something I don't really need.

The only way to find out is to check it all over, grease the bearing (there is a grease nipple on the side of it, use a grease gun), then run the stove as I said above in my last post to see if the stove stays on for more than 45 mins. If the stove goes into SD mode due to the lack of fuel / POF, you got to check out the auger motor and it's gears.

 

[NJR]

O.K. I started it on 5,5 with the vac switch by passed. This time the burn pot filled about half ways, not full. And, it burned up most of it. It is still burning fuse left on the bottom. But, I got the E 2 again.
I'm thinking I could disconnect the top auger wires and apply direct electricity to it with the hopper empty so I can see if the auger will move. Earlier, I tried feeling for the auger movement with the pellets in there. But, I could not feel it moving. A few times I felt the auger motor turning by touching the back of the motor. But it was very brief and I didn't know if the auger turned at the same time.

 

[NJR]

I just looked at the stove. It was off, no fire. No more pellets fed in. And the board message changed to E 0. I'll have to check what that is.

 

[Harvey Schneider]

Always start the stove on high...

The PDVC always starts at 5/5 and goes to the user settings after POF.

• You should be able to see pellets pushing out into the firepot during startup.
  
• Newer PDVC's have a lid switch in the hopper that inhibits the top auger if the lid is open.
• The upper auger normally turns intermittently, that is how feed rate is controlled.
• If the hoses have been off the vac switches are you sure that you put them back on the correct port? Are the wires connected to the common ("C") and normally open ("NO") contacts on the vac switch? The switch closes when vacuum is present.
• If there is a substantial air leak (door seals, firepot gasket, etc) the vac switch will inhibit fuel feed.
  
• A thermocouple, screwed to the back of the firebox is used to verify POF. If it is loose it will cause a fault.

 

[NJR]

I did see pellets going into the fire box during startup.

Well, I applied direct electricity to the top auger and I could see it turning in the hopper. But, when i held the auger with my thumb and finger or just applied some pressure with 1 finger, it would stop dead. I could not feel any resistance at all. That's not right, is it? Then, could it be the bearings?

I just connected the wires as you instructed. That is the way they were before I did the bypass procedure. The hose from the bottom behind the fire box is connected to the vac switch toward the front of the stove. Looking at it from the back the wires are in the middle of the switch circlular thing and the hose is in front and above it. There is a hose connection behind the wires. But there is no hose there. Also, the switch right next to the vac switch, which is nearest the back of the stove has a hose connected toward the back of the stove, with the hose connection nearest the front of the stove having no hose connected.

 

[SmokeyTheBear]

Not right at all you need a new auger motor from the sounds of that.

 

[CladMaster]

The gearbox is shot, you need a new auger motor.

 

[Harvey Schneider]

Are you sure the coupling is tight?

 

[NJR]

What coupling? Where is it located?

 

[SmokeyTheBear]

What coupling? Where is it located?

Auger motor to auger.

 

[Dr.Faustus]

there is a set screw that holds the auger motor to the auger. it screws down on to a flat spot on the auger end. when the auger motor turns, that part is what grasps the auger and turns the auger along with the motor. if that screw worked itself loose, it will spin with no pressure but as soon as there is a load on it, it will stop turning. I had this happen to me twice.