Hampton Gci60 - Heat Level Problem

[goldja2003]

So I recently had a problem which was resolved when the tech that came out found a drill bit stuck in the hopper. Now the pellet stove works but changing the heat levels seems to have no impact. It seems like no matter what setting it’s on the output is level one (lowest). Initially when this happened it wouldn’t change unless you went to level 5 and then it kicked all the way on. Not it stays at the lowest level. Both the fan speed and pellet output are low.

Any ideas?

Thanks in advance.

 

[Bill L]

Are you using a thermostat? Manual mode or hi/lo?

 

[goldja2003]

Are you using a thermostat? Manual mode or hi/lo?

No thermostat and using manual mode.

 

[goldja2003]

Any ideas?

 

[Ssyko]

No thermostat and using manual mode.

Very well could be your control board. If it doesn’t change when you press the button. Is the stove on a surge protector?

 

[goldja2003]

The lights on the control board change, but the heat/fan don’t seem to have any difference. And yes, it is on a surge protector.

 

[zrock]

Sure when the tech came he did not bump something and put it in auto mode for a thermostat

 

[goldja2003]

Switch is on manual. I read that sometimes the lid can hit the switch into auto when closing but I’ve checked and this doesn’t appear to be the case.

 

[Ssyko]

I still think your board is corrupt. A component in the circuit has failed or the programming on the PIC/PROM has been corrupted. If the auger is working and never changes its timing, that is the board. Fan control is also accomplished buy the board programming.

 

[goldja2003]

Could that be either board or just the daughter? Heard there is a problem where the wiring harness is poorly placed and gets chewed up by the motor. Going to pull it apart tomorrow and check that out.

 

[Ssyko]

It would be the motherboard. Daughter board is just the user interface ( control buttons) but for the price i would replace both.

Is yours like this one on the left

 

[goldja2003]

Yes, that’s it. So I pulled out the pellet stove to check all of the connections and everything looks fine. Gave it another cleaning and same issue. Barely any heat output even on the highest setting.

 

[goldja2003]

Any suggestions on where to get the boards?

 

[Ssyko]

I would like to check one more thing before you spend $500+ On boards. With the stove running can you time the auger on 1 3 5 heat settings? How many seconds it is on and how many seconds it is off for each setting. I know this may not be possable due it being an insert. Also take a mirror and look up the drop tube and see if there is an obstruction.

 

[goldja2003]

Really appreciate the help. I don’t see anything in the tube. Hard to get a great view but looks clear.

Changed the heat levels and it seems like the auger runs the same in every case. There is a very short release of pellets every 15-17 seconds or so and that’s it. The fan also doesn’t seem to change speeds at all. Tried to adjust the combustion fan trim and feed trim settings which also seem to have no impact.

 

[goldja2003]

Does this seem like it would be the motherboard?

 

[Ssyko]

Ea heat setting should be diff as long as it is out of start up mode, usually 12-15 min after you hit start it will sense fire or temp and go into the run side of the programming. After that any time you change the heat settings they should vary. So if you hit start and fire goes for 15-20 min and you change the heat setting and it doesn’t do anything different its the board

 

[goldja2003]

That’s what happens. The fire starts out ok and then after the start up it gets very low and changing the heat settings does nothing.

Any idea where I would get replacement boards? Seems easy enough to install.

 

[ohbix]

If you do not have a thermostat connected to the board, check that a jumper wire is in place on the board's thermostat block. W/out a jumper, stove will run at level 1.

 

[goldja2003]

Pretty sure it didn’t have a jumper wire before and worked ok. Don’t have a thermostat but guess I could make a wire. Just jump the two unattached thermostat wires together to close the loop?

 

[Ssyko]

Should be a wire between the 2 screws on the blue connector. Yellow circle

 

[Bill L]

It does have the symptoms of being in hi/lo mode with no call for heat. You said you checked the hopper lid switch issue, but make sure you “lift” the lid when you open it back up. I had that problem, and it both pushed the switch to hi/lo when I closed it, and pulled it back to manual when I opened it and everything looked normal. I also thought these stoves did not need a jumper wire, but not sure

 

[goldja2003]

Should be a wire between the 2 screws on the blue connector. Yellow circle
View attachment 240367

There are two red wires but they are not connected to anything or each other. I’m pretty sure that these were never connected.

Another thing I noticed is that the high limit switch seems broken. The button doesn’t have an give when you push it. Not sure how to fully remove it to check it out.

 

[goldja2003]

It does have the symptoms of being in hi/lo mode with no call for heat. You said you checked the hopper lid switch issue, but make sure you “lift” the lid when you open it back up. I had that problem, and it both pushed the switch to hi/lo when I closed it, and pulled it back to manual when I opened it and everything looked normal. I also thought these stoves did not need a jumper wire, but not sure

I tried that but didn’t seem like it moved. Will try again to see.

 

[Ssyko]

High limit is in it’s “set” state if the button is not out, if the stove overheats it will trip that swtch like a circuit breaker. Then you would be able to push it in.
I did not know this stove changes modes on its own when you open the hopper lid. If that is true the hopper switch could very well be an issue.
It shouldn’t need a jumper if it is set to manual. But to check and see if it is stuck, connecting the red wires for the tstat should allow you to change heat settings and verification of the board functioning properly.then we can figure out why the switch is doing it