Ashley AP5660L tripping breaker

[Mikegyver]

My Ashley AP5660L pellet stove is tripping the breaker seconds after powering on. I have tried plugging it into two different circuits with that same issue so suspect it’s the stove and not the home wiring. Stove worked fine last time I used it in April.

Tried cleaning it out but problem persists. Previous owner (I bought the house in March) replaced the room blower two years ago so not suspecting that. When it powers on the display light up and I can hear the fan briefly then it trips. I’m new to pellet stoves so trying to learn as I go along. Looking at just buying most replacement parts and swapping them out until it works. Any suggestions on possible culprits?

Thanks!

 

[ARC]

Try unplugging the igniter then see if it trips breaker. First thing that powers on is the exhaust blower followed by the igniter. Igniter pulls a lot of power.

 

[Whitenuckler]

My Ashley AP5660L pellet stove is tripping the breaker seconds after powering on. I have tried plugging it into two different circuits with that same issue so suspect it’s the stove and not the home wiring. Stove worked fine last time I used it in April.

Tried cleaning it out but problem persists. Previous owner (I bought the house in March) replaced the room blower two years ago so not suspecting that. When it powers on the display light up and I can hear the fan briefly then it trips. I’m new to pellet stoves so trying to learn as I go along. Looking at just buying most replacement parts and swapping them out until it works. Any suggestions on possible culprits?

Thanks!

Very strange. There should be a small fuse(s) that blows long before a home circuit breaker. Could be something wrong with the AC cord itself. You should check for any signs of damage or loose connections. Sounds like a dead AC short.

 

[Mikegyver]

I ended up ordering a new OEM igniter, as well as a new burn pot that I needed anyway. First try with that lasted longer… at least a few minutes. Pellets were falling into the pot, and after the breaker blew a saw a tiny bit of smoke so the new igniter at least kicked off. I may try with it plugged back it’s original circuit as there was a noticeable difference in how long it look the breaker to trip this time. I did buy a high quality power cord rated for medical devices, and since it tripped with both the original cord and the new one thinking that’s not the problem. Any ideas for next steps? Thank for the help so far!

 

[Whitenuckler]

I ended up ordering a new OEM igniter, as well as a new burn pot that I needed anyway. First try with that lasted longer… at least a few minutes. Pellets were falling into the pot, and after the breaker blew a saw a tiny bit of smoke so the new igniter at least kicked off. I may try with it plugged back it’s original circuit as there was a noticeable difference in how long it look the breaker to trip this time. I did buy a high quality power cord rated for medical devices, and since it tripped with both the original cord and the new one thinking that’s not the problem. Any ideas for next steps? Thank for the help so far!

I would probably verify what fuse(s) you have on the board, and inspect the board. If you only replaced part of the AC cord, inspect it right to the board. You need to measure the current. I have a clamp on AC meter for that. If you don't have one, you can also get a plug in power meter. They are handy as well to check how your stove is working normally and to check if the igniter is working.

 

[Whitenuckler]

I would probably verify what fuse(s) you have on the board, and inspect the board. If you only replaced part of the AC cord, inspect it right to the board. You need to measure the current. I have a clamp on AC meter for that. If you don't have one, you can also get a plug in power meter. They are handy as well to check how your stove is working normally and to check if the igniter is working.

https://woodstovepro.com/store/pdf/Ashley-Hearth-Products-AP5660-Owners-Manual.pdf?srsltid=AfmBOorR0tg8fT5qcY4BBsGMtT5udpPvrWA5rttMZTg8KIBnmtUUGtaW

One other thing you could do would be to test all motors and igniter with a test cord.

 

[ARC]

Any ideas for next steps?

Unhook ignitor and try to manual start fire. Ie hand sanitizer and barbeque lighter

 

[Whitenuckler]

https://woodstovepro.com/store/pdf/Ashley-Hearth-Products-AP5660-Owners-Manual.pdf?srsltid=AfmBOorR0tg8fT5qcY4BBsGMtT5udpPvrWA5rttMZTg8KIBnmtUUGtaW

One other thing you could do would be to test all motors and igniter with a test cord.

On page 6 check the connector systems
Pull the factory installed wires out of the top of the stove. There will be two wire harnesses, as shown. Step 2 Unpack the top mount controls and ensure that the wiring harness shown is attached securely. Step 3 Connect the factory installed wiring harnesses to the control panel as shown

 

[Whitenuckler]

On page 6 check the connector systems
Pull the factory installed wires out of the top of the stove. There will be two wire harnesses, as shown. Step 2 Unpack the top mount controls and ensure that the wiring harness shown is attached securely. Step 3 Connect the factory installed wiring harnesses to the control panel as shown

One thought - Is there any chance that electrical plug circuit was being used for something else? If there was already 13 or 14 amps on it that would overload it when the pellet stove is starting - unlikely but possible this time of year when people plug in 1750W electric heaters.

 

[Mikegyver]

After looking at the PCBA controller board it looked questionable so I ordered a new one and am going to try that. I know it’s a pricier option, but I’m not electrically inclined to test all the connections. I tried the stove again tonight, and this time it tripped immediately and this was after I made sure there was nothing major drawing on the circuit (a light and internet modem). This seemed suspicious as last night after installing the new igniter it ran for a few minutes and the auger motor was clearly working and dropping pellets into the burn pot before it tripped. Tonight, no pellets and tripped immediately. So, next up might be the auger motor if the control board doesn’t fix it. Still trying to find a tech but not having luck finding someone who services Ashley in my area. Thanks again for the suggestions. Also of note after speaking with an electrician friend of mine… it’s tripping the GFCI outlets and not the beakers. Doing that on both circuits I’ve tried.

 

[Whitenuckler]

After looking at the PCBA controller board it looked questionable so I ordered a new one and am going to try that. I know it’s a pricier option, but I’m not electrically inclined to test all the connections. I tried the stove again tonight, and this time it tripped immediately and this was after I made sure there was nothing major drawing on the circuit (a light and internet modem). This seemed suspicious as last night after installing the new igniter it ran for a few minutes and the auger motor was clearly working and dropping pellets into the burn pot before it tripped. Tonight, no pellets and tripped immediately. So, next up might be the auger motor if the control board doesn’t fix it. Still trying to find a tech but not having luck finding someone who services Ashley in my area. Thanks again for the suggestions. Also of note after speaking with an electrician friend of mine… it’s tripping the GFCI outlets and not the beakers. Doing that on both circuits I’ve tried.

The PCBA is the power supply board which has the AC going to it so that was a good idea. You could try a regular outlet from an extension cord. I didn't realize it was a GFCI. They can trip on noise or a partial ground. It should be able to run on a GFCI, but worth trying on a non-GFCI.

 

[stovelark]

If possible, unhook loads one by one (ignitor, exh blwr, auger motor), and re-test to isolate the problem. Might be a wiring issue, a frayed wire shorting. Good luck with her.

 

[ARC]

Are you plugging stove into a surge protector and then a GFCI outlet? Sometimes surge protectors do not play nice with GFCI.

 

[Mikegyver]

Well, I just finished replacing the PCBA but it’s still tripping the GFCI immediately. I don’t have it plugged into a surge protector and there’s no other circuits I’m aware of that don’t have a GFCI or considerable load to try. At this point I need to go with the suggestion to unhook the loads one by one to isolate and look for frayed wires. With the room blower being replaced two years ago, and me just replacing the igniter and the PCBA, I think it can only be the ext blower or auger motor.

 

[Whitenuckler]

Well, I just finished replacing the PCBA but it’s still tripping the GFCI immediately. I don’t have it plugged into a surge protector and there’s no other circuits I’m aware of that don’t have a GFCI or considerable load to try. At this point I need to go with the suggestion to unhook the loads one by one to isolate and look for frayed wires. With the room blower being replaced two years ago, and me just replacing the igniter and the PCBA, I think it can only be the ext blower or auger motor.

I believe there are two cards in that system. If I understand you correctly, you have always been testing/running it hooked to a GFCI receptacle that trips?

 

[Mikegyver]

Forgive me if I get the wording wrong as I’m not well versed in electrical terms (I’m a computer software guy), but the stove is not plugged into a GFCI outlet, but there is a GFCI outlet upstream to the breaker which is tripping. It was originally plugged into a basement outlet, which was when it was working for us in the spring and I assume the previous owners as well. I switched it to an outlet in the living room as I’ve been trying to fix it, and I assume there’s less load on the living room circuit knowing some core systems (dehumidifier, water conditioner) are always on in the basement. In both cases it trips a GFCI, but different ones depending on where it’s plugged in. I’m going to check all the wiring on Sunday.

 

[Whitenuckler]

Forgive me if I get the wording wrong as I’m not well versed in electrical terms (I’m a computer software guy), but the stove is not plugged into a GFCI outlet, but there is a GFCI outlet upstream to the breaker which is tripping. It was originally plugged into a basement outlet, which was when it was working for us in the spring and I assume the previous owners as well. I switched it to an outlet in the living room as I’ve been trying to fix it, and I assume there’s less load on the living room circuit knowing some core systems (dehumidifier, water conditioner) are always on in the basement. In both cases it trips a GFCI, but different ones depending on where it’s plugged in. I’m going to check all the wiring on Sunday.

OK - but "a" GFCI trips in your house almost immediately when you start your stove, and you loose power to your stove, the way I understand it. One thing that some people may not be aware of is that the GFCI outlet with the test, reset and light can also have any number of other regular outlets attached to it, and they become GFCI protected outlets. I just did this in my garage to have two cheap outlets outside with cheap covers ect but GFCI protected. If you go to your electrical panel there should be a receptacle there that is directly wired to your panel - maybe that one is a regular one. I believe it may be code in some places to have GFCI now in the basement but not on the main level if you run an extension cord up there for testing.

 

[Mikegyver]

My struggle with finding a dedicated circuit that doesn’t have a GFCI on it is that the electrical panel isn’t completely labeled and in some cases clearly wrong (I just got the house in March and am learning this now). I do think I have an outlet I can run it to and will try that.

I did make some progress this morning, in that I disconnected the igniter and the stove came on. The exhaust fan ran, and the auger motor dropped pellets into the burn pot. It ran for a few minutes until it stopped dropping pellets, where I think it would be expecting it to ignite and stopped dropping more. I was able to power off the stove with the switch… no trips. So, the issue definitely seems to be with the leads to the igniter. Since I just replaced the igniter, and the old one did the same thing, I don’t think it’s the igniter itself. I checked the wires and not seeing any evidence of exposure or fraying, so now going to see if I can follow those wires (which I’ll probably need to pull out of the plastic conduit where all the wires are running.

 

[Whitenuckler]

My struggle with finding a dedicated circuit that doesn’t have a GFCI on it is that the electrical panel isn’t completely labeled and in some cases clearly wrong (I just got the house in March and am learning this now). I do think I have an outlet I can run it to and will try that.

I did make some progress this morning, in that I disconnected the igniter and the stove came on. The exhaust fan ran, and the auger motor dropped pellets into the burn pot. It ran for a few minutes until it stopped dropping pellets, where I think it would be expecting it to ignite and stopped dropping more. I was able to power off the stove with the switch… no trips. So, the issue definitely seems to be with the leads to the igniter. Since I just replaced the igniter, and the old one did the same thing, I don’t think it’s the igniter itself. I checked the wires and not seeing any evidence of exposure or fraying, so now going to see if I can follow those wires (which I’ll probably need to pull out of the plastic conduit where all the wires are running.

The igniter draws the post power, so if the GFCI is bad or tripping on noise ect then disconnecting the igniter could make a difference for sure. If you look in your electrical panel, you can see if they are all regular breakers, some might be GFCI. Then it is a matter of finding something that is not GFCI protected. Maybe you have a plug on your stove? I could not believe the stove would be on a GFCI?

 

[johneh]

This may mean nothing . When I installed my stove, it was plugged into a GFI circuit.
Every time we started the stove, it would pop off. My brother's son, a master red seal Electrician, looked at it
and concluded that the initial load was too much for the GFI. He just ran me a dedicated circuit for the pellet
stove and installed a whole-house surge protection. Just my nickel's worth

 

[Mikegyver]

I checked the breaker and all are regular breakers, no GFCI. At this point if the stove works reliably with the igniter disconnected I may just try and use it by lighting it manually while I pursue either buying a new stove or finding someone who can service this one. I think I also need to get an electrician out as I’m seeing some sketchy runs and loads. Just saw the previous post and also thinking it may need a dedicated line, although I’m not sure why it worked in the spring (and previously before I bought the house) but not now. It may have been too much load and damaged the GFCI (the one it was originally connected to in the basement). And the one I’m trying in the living room may have too much draw too. Still trying to find an outlet with no GFCI and low/no load.

 

[Whitenuckler]

I checked the breaker and all are regular breakers, no GFCI. At this point if the stove works reliably with the igniter disconnected I may just try and use it by lighting it manually while I pursue either buying a new stove or finding someone who can service this one. I think I also need to get an electrician out as I’m seeing some sketchy runs and loads. Just saw the previous post and also thinking it may need a dedicated line, although I’m not sure why it worked in the spring (and previously before I bought the house) but not now. It may have been too much load and damaged the GFCI (the one it was originally connected to in the basement). And the one I’m trying in the living room may have too much draw too. Still trying to find an outlet with no GFCI and low/no load.

Yes, you should be able to locate a receptacle somewhere that is not a GFCI, or fed from a GFCI.
One other option is to install a new GFCI (the one that trips out for your normal plug location). Hopefully
you can try a non-GFCI circuit first. If you have a sump pump that will be non-GFCI.

 

[Whitenuckler]

I checked the breaker and all are regular breakers, no GFCI. At this point if the stove works reliably with the igniter disconnected I may just try and use it by lighting it manually while I pursue either buying a new stove or finding someone who can service this one. I think I also need to get an electrician out as I’m seeing some sketchy runs and loads. Just saw the previous post and also thinking it may need a dedicated line, although I’m not sure why it worked in the spring (and previously before I bought the house) but not now. It may have been too much load and damaged the GFCI (the one it was originally connected to in the basement). And the one I’m trying in the living room may have too much draw too. Still trying to find an outlet with no GFCI and low/no load.

If you have a meter, or can get one, check your igniter wires to ground when disconnected from the the card. On Ohms scale, you might see some bad wiring that's partially grounded. You could check your motors as well. Since it's a GFCI that trips, there might be a partial ground in the stove. These GFCI's are very sensitive.