Breckwell P4000 Troubleshooting question

[buggs_moran]

I have a Breckwell P4000 Classic Cast. Last night it ran out of pellets. I tried to reset it and the fan just ran (the stove was already cold). I unplugged the unit and plugged it back in. The fan was off, but all the lights on the control board were on and the buttons were unresponsive. I tried again, some lights came on and the auger ran constantly, the buttons were still unresponsive. I tried once more, the fan came back on and didn't stop running. I let it sit for a while and tried the whole cycle again with the same results.

I just replaced the control board at the beginning of the last season. Strange that it only lasted a season and a bit... Does it sound like a control board issue? Would everyone suggest starting by replacing it again or is there somewhere else I should start?

 

[Polar Bear]

Try tossing your stove model in title... Sorry I can't help

 

[Lake Girl]

Have you done any troubleshooting on the POF disc? Unplug stove before this! From the manual:

Temporarily bypass the POF thermodisc by disconnecting the two
brown wires and connecting them with a short piece of wire. Then
plug the stove back in. If the stove comes on and works, you need
to replace the POF thermodisc. This is for testing only. DO NOT
LEAVE THE THERMODISC BYPASSED. Your blowers will never
shut off and if the fire went out the auger will continue to feed pellets
until the hopper is empty if you leave the POF thermodisc bypassed.

Malfunction of the POF acting like it has been bypassed? Whole lot cheaper to troubleshoot this than the cost of a board Keep us posted...

 

[buggs_moran]

I cleaned everything, pulled the igniter to check it (such a pain), inspected the wires for a short (suggested by Breckwell) and replaced the thermodisc (suggested above, thanks) all to no avail. I reinstalled a control panel that was having problems in the past and it functioned again... Weird. The crazier thing is that the stove now seems to work better. Perplexed...

 

[Lake Girl]

That is weird ... loose connection all along? Have you changed surge protector? Power fluctuations? A couple of years ago, noticed variation in sound of the blowers on the Elena. In talking with the neighbour who monitors incoming power due to computer equipment, he noticed fluctuations on incoming power at the same time I noticed change in sound of blowers.

 

[buggs_moran]

The newer control board does not start up properly. This old one I put in today (that used to have wicked fluctuations) is letting the stove be MUCH more efficient. I'm getting WAY more heat out of the stove and the convection blower is running quieter and not fluctuating or vibrating like it was.

I'm considering the power fluctuations. I think I'm going to wire the stove so it has it's own breaker on the panel.

 

[Owen1508]

It isn't plugged into a GFI by chance?

 

[buggs_moran]

No GFI. But I've always thought our kitchen was wired a bit funkily. There are GFIs on the same circuit and we do get fluctuations at other places in the room. That's why I think it needs it's own circuit.

 

[buggs_moran]

Just a follow up on this. I bought a Sinewave UPS (CyberPower CP1000PFCLCD 1000VA 600W) and the fluctuations do not seem to be an issue any more...