breckwell big e suspect convection blower

[ship_reck]

hi all - i have a 2008 breckwell big e. getting a #2 flashing light error - after stove lights immediately goes into shutdown mode.
combustion blower is running, albeit very loudly with a whine/squeal. could this be the (only) problem? i understand this is an airflow issue.what other things have you guys found to be the root cause of this issue?

thanks

 

[CT Pellet]

combustion blower is running, albeit very loudly with a whine/squeal. could this be the (only) problem?

Can't say for sure that it is the only problem, but certainly a great place to start. Take out the Combustion blower and clean it off really good. (and while its off, do the pipe...even if it doesn't need to be done. Might as well do it if the blower is already off) Shoot her a little oil of it requires, although this may only make the symptom of a bigger problem go away temporarially, and see what happens.

 

[kinsmanstoves]

Clean the venting and remove the plates on the back firewall. I have a lot of post on here about cleaning a Breckwell. Also check the inlet hole for the air pressure switch. Do some search on here and you will find your problem. The last issue can be a warped stove front.

Eric

 

[ship_reck]

Clean the venting and remove the plates on the back firewall. I have a lot of post on here about cleaning a Breckwell. Also check the inlet hole for the air pressure switch. Do some search on here and you will find your problem. The last issue can be a warped stove front.

Eric

hi eric - do you mean clean behind the plates or try running the stove without the plates? fwiw i clean behind those plates every 3-4 days & run the stove with them installed.

thanks-
tim

 

[ship_reck]

Can't say for sure that it is the only problem, but certainly a great place to start. Take out the Combustion blower and clean it off really good. (and while its off, do the pipe...even if it doesn't need to be done. Might as well do it if the blower is already off) Shoot her a little oil of it requires, although this may only make the symptom of a bigger problem go away temporarially, and see what happens.

will try this tonight, thanks. i think i'll get a new blower on order in the event this one totally fails. i did a thorough cleaning (including leaf blowing) in the fall this year an am about 1/2 ton into vermonts (new to me this year). in the past i've gone thru a few tons between cleanings, but yeah i'll give it a shot.


thanks again.
-tim

 

[kinsmanstoves]

hi eric - do you mean clean behind the plates or try running the stove without the plates? fwiw i clean behind those plates every 3-4 days & run the stove with them installed.

thanks-
tim

do not run the stove without the plates. Clean the venting.

Eric

 

[ship_reck]

stove & venting cleaned, door gasket replaced. combustion blower replaced. now stove runs about 15 seconds (doesn't light) & shuts down with #2 flashing. i can get it to light & run if i bypass the pressure switch. fwiw, checked the pressure switch (sucked on the pressure switch hose) & it clicked on and of so i believe its good.

any ideas???

 

[kinsmanstoves]

Yes you have an air leak or blocked exhaust. Maybe a bad air switch or hose.

Eric

 

[ship_reck]

hi all - still having this issue. some more background info: i fully disassembled & cleaned the stove & vent piping. the motor that i replaced the stock breckwell combustion blower with is the Rotom HB-RBM120

this motor was not the same fit (mounting holes not on same bolt circle, blower wire leads were unterminated vs. fast-on connectors on stock blower). other thing i noticed was the amp draw was blower ( 0.6 vs. 1.3 on stock blower). regardless i was able to mount it to the housing and connect it up to the stoves wiring.

now when i turn on the stove it seems like the burn chamber is getting very little combustion air, and the damper position has no effect on the burn. it seems like this new blower is the problem, as my old (Noisy) blower didn't have this problem. the burn is very ashy and smoky, and eventually the stove shuts down, with #2 flashing. fwiw i measured the voltage to the motor and its ~100V. based on these conditions ( smoky, ashy, low combustion air & damper effect) it seems like the blower is undersized or not running properly.

if it was just the wrong blower, i was wondering if this blower was an exact replacement for the big e :
Fasco A082

i'd rather fix it myself but at this point i may be calling a service tech. anyone have any recommendations for a tech in central mass?

any help is appreciated.
-tim

 

[stoaf88]

Seems to me if everything is clean, which is the case then the blower is too small.

Replace the blower, you dont need a tech.

 

[ship_reck]

stoaff - this couldn't be a control board issue, could it?

 

[stoaf88]

I guess it could be, but a control board wont make your stove run smokey with little combustion air.

Only a blocked passage or a bad motor could do that or if the board was not sending enough voltage to the motor. You said you checked that and it was fine correct?

You said the damper was open and the whole stove and venting were clean right?

New door gasket as well, either you have a leak somewhere or the blower is not working correctly (too small not powerful enough)

A control board cannot make these things happen.

Not saying your control board is good, just saying that is not the combustion problem.

 

[ship_reck]

got out the rubber mallet & banged on the back firewall a bit last night. a little ash came down in the two back chambers. makes me think maybe the stove isnt totally clean...so i'm going to clean with the leafblower today (which i did at the start of the season) & see what happens. will update after that.

the voltage to the blower was 100V, not sure if it should be that or something else (120V)...?

did new gaskets last week, they should be good. what kinds of other leaks would cause this? exhaust venting?

thanks for the feedback

 

[ship_reck]

fwiw the stove runs for a few hours now before shutting down. i'm really hoping the leafblower cleaning fully resolves this issue.

 

[buildingmaint]

got out the rubber mallet & banged on the back firewall a bit last night. a little ash came down in the two back chambers. makes me think maybe the stove isnt totally clean...so i'm going to clean with the leafblower today (which i did at the start of the season) & see what happens. will update after that.

the voltage to the blower was 100V, not sure if it should be that or something else (120V)...?

did new gaskets last week, they should be good. what kinds of other leaks would cause this? exhaust venting?

thanks for the feedback

It is one big chamber behind the two doors not two, you can run a coat hanger , flexible hose or what ever between the openings.

 

[stoaf88]

Yea and the leaf blower wont do the trick if the ash is stuck in there.

Use the mallet on the back wall a bunch and also a coathanger or drain snake through the doors.

Then after all that and a vacuuming do the leaf blower.

Your motor may still not be powerful enough.

Not sure what the voltage should be but my Harman uses around 105 volts so yours seems ok.

The manual may tell you the voltage as well.

 

[stallau]

I have a Big E and one thing that has helped me get the area behind the burning area is the lint lizard attachment you see advertised for the dryer. The hose is highly flexible and you can get it into a lot of areas. If you reach in with your fingers you can even find the pathway to the combustion motor through the small plate on the right side behind the ash pan.

 

[ship_reck]

rigged up an extra homebrewing hose & duct tape to my ash vac & got in there good. that, combined with some more merciless beating of the stove with the mallet & the leaf blower seemed to do the trick. stove ran all night no problems. damper seems to be doing its thing, stove is burning clean & has great heat output.

it's weird this is the first year (had the stove 4 years) i've had this issue, maybe it built up from those years? i weekly would vaccuum out those ash trap doors on the back firewall, i guess just not thorough enough. anyway going to adopt a new cleaning protocol.

after all this at the very least my stove is running quieter. thanks all for the assistance.
-tim

 

[stoaf88]

Good to hear. Ash does build up inside the back wall. Use the mallet more in the future.

 

[ship_reck]

went to clean the stove this weekend. after i press the power button it goes into the shutdown cycle, but wont turn off, & blower keeps running even after the stove is totally cooled off. i have to cut power to the stove to stop this.

any ideas on this?

 

[jtakeman]

went to clean the stove this weekend. after i press the power button it goes into the shutdown cycle, but wont turn off, & blower keeps running even after the stove is totally cooled off. i have to cut power to the stove to stop this.

any ideas on this?

Stuck POF switch. Give it a tap and it should click. If not check for continuity with meter. Should be normally open when cooled off(under 110ºF). If its closed its NG.

 

[ship_reck]

Stuck POF switch. Give it a tap and it should click. If not check for continuity with meter. Should be normally open when cooled off(under 110ºF). If its closed its NG.

thanks jay - will try/check tonight.