castile wont fire up

[mghocko]

Hi I have had a quadra fire Castile for a few years and this morning it wont start. the feed auger wont turn and the igniter doesnt get hot. The red call for heat light comes on and the exuast fan runs. There is a amber light that flashes in the controle box. Not sure what that means. When i unplug the unit and plug it back in there is a blue light that flashes a few times.
Any help woud be appreciated
Thank you.

 

[DexterDay]

When was the last time you blew out the hose on the vacuum switch? Disconnect the black rubber hose from the vacuum switch and blow into hose (blowing in hose toward stove / someone did the opposite today and may have ruined switch). Dont blow in hose toward switch.

Do this with the stove unplugged from the wall. The barb on the end of the hose is on the auger chute and gets plugged with fines. No vacuum, means no pellets and power to auger.

 

[smalltown]

I also wonder about the themocouple.

THERMOCOUPLE TESTING
THE THERMOCOUPLE IS MADE UP OF TWO DISSIMILAR METALS THAT WHEN JOINED TOGETHER PRODUCE A
SMALL AMOUNT OF ELECTRICITY WHEN HEAT IS APPLIED. THE HOTTER THE FIRE THE HIGHER THE VOLTAGE
THAT IS PRODUCED. THIS THERMOCOUPLE WILL TOP OUT AT AROUND 30 MILLIVOLTS (DC) WHILE THE STOVE
IS BURNING ON HIGH. THE FUNCTION OF THE THERMOCOUPLE IS TO SENSE THE TEMPERATURE IN THE
FIREPOT. IF THE THERMOCOUPLE IS FRACTURED, IT WILL NOT PRODUCE VOLTAGE. ALSO, THE GREEN LIGHT
ON THE CONTROL BOX WILL STAY ON AND THE RED LIGHT WILL FLASH IF THE CIRCUIT IS OPEN OR IF THE
THERMOCOUPLE IS FRACTURED.
NOTE: BE SURE TO SET THE METER TO MILLIVOLTS (DC) AND A JUMPER WIRE MAY NEEDED TO CHECK
MILIVOLTS WHILE THE THERMOCOUPLE IS HOOKED UP.
1) ATTACH A DIGITAL VOLT METER TO THE TWO THERMOCOUPLE CONNECTORS ON THE HARNESS
2) APPLY HEAT TO THE THERMOCOUPLE TIP IN THE FIREPOT
IF THE THERMOCOUPLE STARTS PRODUCING VOLTAGE: CHECK TERMINAL CONNECTIONS ON THE WIRE
HARNESS OR REPLACE THE CONTROL BOX.
IF NO VOLTAGE FROM THE THERMOCOUPLE: REPLACE THE THERMOCOUPLE

smalltown

PS the blue flashing is normal after unplugging and plugging back in.

 

[tjnamtiw]

I think smalltown hit it, if I remember correctly. My service manual says the same thing but it's talking about the old white control box and not the clear one. I think the flashing amber light means your thermocouple is toast. On the new boxes, there is only one light that normally is either green or red. Red and green together makes yellow......

 

[tjnamtiw]

From the owner's manual:::

Appliance calls for heat.
Call light illuminates.
Exhaust blower starts.
No feed or igniter. == Thermocouple is defective or not properly plugged in. Check connections on thermocouple or replace if defective. A flashing yellow light on the control box
indicates a problem with the thermocouple.

 

[mghocko]

-okay not the vac hose. checked that and no change.

-t-couple was my guess. I have taken it out and restarted and there was no change in color code. havent yet checked with multimeter.

-manual says yellow flashing light but the light is more like red or orange to me.

 

[tjnamtiw]

-okay not the vac hose. checked that and no change.

-t-couple was my guess. I have taken it out and restarted and there was no change in color code. havent yet checked with multimeter.

-manual says yellow flashing light but the light is more like red or orange to me.

I've seen similar posts here about the color of the flashing light. Some say amber, some say orange, some say reddish-orange but ALL say bad thermocouple or connection!

 

[mghocko]

So the problem was the Thermocouple.
Apparently when i bought the stove two years ago they didnt include the porcelain cover. The braided ends burned down enough to where they werent connected. I cut the wrap back enough to twist the ends back together and the stove is now working again. The dealer was even kind enough to give me the cover that was missing.

Thank you for all your advice and help
saved a few hundred

 

[smalltown]

mghocko that's what is great about this board everybody helping each other :exclaim:

 

[tjnamtiw]

Glad it worked out and we pointed you in the right direction! Two years of running with the thermocouple exposed? Amazing! I guess this is one time where a picture would have solved the problem immediately. :cheese: