I have a Whitfield Optima 2. It shuts down in about 10 minutes. I've tried removing the photo eye and cleaning it and the lens and it still shuts down, but if I leave it (the photo eye) out and shine a light on it the stove stays lit. There are no obstructions when I re-install it. Will a new photo eye work better? Or what else do I need to check? I've tried to remove the lens on the stove to clean the underside, but am unable to loosen the nuts. Any help is greatly appreciated.
Stove shuts down unless photo eye is removed and lit with lamp
- Thread starter Lo SRising
- Start date
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SmokeyTheBear
Minister of Fire
Can you get to the lens with a brush?
If so put a thin piece of cloth around the brush and use that to clean the lens.
Have you looked through the lens with a strong light shining up into the drop chute?
If so what did you see?
If so put a thin piece of cloth around the brush and use that to clean the lens.
Have you looked through the lens with a strong light shining up into the drop chute?
If so what did you see?
Lo SRising said:
You can modify the stove and put back the original thermal sensor that Whitfields used to have. Then you would never have that problem again!
Buy a 110 Deg F ceramic low limit switch and mount it to the exhaust housing, there may be a plate covering the hole used in the older design. Connect the wires from the eye to the switch and you are done!
More info on Whitfield stove with a Limit switch (not photo eye stoves)
http://www.hearthtools.com/parts/lowlimit.htm
Yes, I have shined a light up the chute. And I have also tried to clean it from that direction with a cloth covered wire. And it didn't seem to do anything. The lens is amber colored with a mild smoke colored halo. Is there a way to remove the photo chamber from the chute to clean it that way?
Don, Thank you for the modification suggestion. I am reluctant to tear the stove apart again, but am anxious to get this going. I installed a couple of switches last year and they were very difficult to get at. Can you tell me why the photo eye works when its out of the housing, and not when its buttoned up?
heat seeker
Minister of Fire
The lens may be cloudy enough to block some light, or the eye is getting weak. Make sure the connections to the eye are good, a little corrosion/dust/dirt might make a bad connection.
I like the idea of a switch replacement.
I like the idea of a switch replacement.
heat seeker said:
While searching for the low limit switch I found a Photoeye Filter replacement (http://a1stoves.com/photoeye-filter-optima-series-p-2551.html?cPath=8_212_220). Seems ideal if they can tell me how to get it out. I've tried but can't get any leverage on the nuts. I left them a message, so hope they will offer suggestions. The switch is like $46.00, plus shipping, and I'm not really confident about installing it. I would really prefer buying a new eye if that would solve the problem.
smwilliamson
The Stove Guy
Don2222 said:
Almost. Though you can use a thermal disc. you would want to use a F140-20 switch for a surface mount or a F160-40 inset mount. I've had issues F110-20 discs where a whitfield stove will takes hours and hours to shut down. If you are thinking of using your stove in-line with a thermostat this could present a problem. It should also be mentioned that modifying any UL listed stove does present some kind of risk.
smwilliamson
The Stove Guy
Shop for your photo eye on Amazon.com
http://www.amazon.com/Honeywell-130...y-controls/dp/B0006UPLQ2/ref=pd_bxgy_hi_img_c
The cadmium solenoid usually never fails, replace the eye itself. You should measure about 5v through the eye itself.
http://www.amazon.com/Honeywell-130...y-controls/dp/B0006UPLQ2/ref=pd_bxgy_hi_img_c
The cadmium solenoid usually never fails, replace the eye itself. You should measure about 5v through the eye itself.
smwilliamson
The Stove Guy
Lo SRising said:
UV light is not passing through the amber glass because the glass is etched from the years of heat.
SmokeyTheBear
Minister of Fire
Get the correct socket size for those nuts and take that puppy out.
It is either well crudded up or it is etched you'll know once you can get to it to clean it. I'd hedge my bets by getting a new filter. The flashlight has verified the photo eye as being good.
You can do the modification that Don suggested using the snap discs that Scott is suggesting just remember Scott's warning.
It is either well crudded up or it is etched you'll know once you can get to it to clean it. I'd hedge my bets by getting a new filter. The flashlight has verified the photo eye as being good.
You can do the modification that Don suggested using the snap discs that Scott is suggesting just remember Scott's warning.
smwilliamson said:Shop for your photo eye on Amazon.com
http://www.amazon.com/Honeywell-130...y-controls/dp/B0006UPLQ2/ref=pd_bxgy_hi_img_c
The cadmium solenoid usually never fails, replace the eye itself. You should measure about 5v through the eye itself.
You are a genius!! At $20 that's the best solution yet. Thank you, again and again. If it doesn't work, I will at least have a spare. I also ordered a small socket set to get at the filter.
MSmith66
Feeling the Heat
SmokeyTheBear said:
IT'S WORKING
!! I received the new socket set yesterday, found the right sized socket, and removed the nuts as you said. It was metric. The glass was really cruddy on the underside. Now that it has been cleaned and replaced it has been running nonstop for over 12 hours. I have it on a programmable thermostat and it functioned perfectly. Thank you all for your generous advice.- Status
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