Castle Serentiy Troubleshooting Question

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Fly By Night

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Dec 2, 2015
24
Maine
To some of the experts out there...this is for a friend that owns a serenity. Stove is 2 years old, has run flawless. All of a sudden it lights and goes out after about 30 minutes with red light on board. Have cleaned pipe system, air damper is factory and never had an issue. This has just started today. Even tried a different pellet, same result. Any other suggestions to try? Thanks
 
Sounds like high temp switch. There are 2 installed in the exhaust blower housing. Switch the wires from the one too the other switch and give it a try. Gotta remove the left side panel of the stove looking from the front to access the exhaust housing.
 
Sounds like high temp switch. There are 2 installed in the exhaust blower housing. Switch the wires from the one too the other switch and give it a try. Gotta remove the left side panel of the stove looking from the front to access the exhaust housing.

What about the proof of fire switch?
Should'nt the over heat be able to overcome with the room fan voltage increase? Maybe?
 
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Actually that is the pof switch that I meant, there are 2 of them installed from the factory, someone posted last year with the same problem and switched wires to the other swich and that fixed it.
 
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Thanks...she did a deep cleaning behind blower last night (1st time after 5 tons) and it ran longer but went out in the night. She is going to call 800# this morning and see if they have some simple suggestions she could try. Don't think she will be able to switch wires, etc at this point. Probably beyond her pay grade lol
 
So she just called the 800# and they suggested same as both of you. Try switching fire switch over. She has had the left side panel off and just cleaned around the blower area last night. So I think she can do this. Does anyone have some direction as to how to find the switches, or even a photo. That would be very helpful....thanks guys!
 
Thanks...she did a deep cleaning behind blower last night (1st time after 5 tons) and it ran longer but went out in the night. She is going to call 800# this morning and see if they have some simple suggestions she could try. Don't think she will be able to switch wires, etc at this point. Probably beyond her pay grade lol
Don't write her off yet from being able to switch the wires ... just make sure it is unplugged before she begins working in the cabinet. I do my own repairs on many appliances at home. page 38 of the above manual shows #13 which is the pof sensor. Page 29 of the manual shows the diagnostics that can be run with the stove off. There should be a red light beside NTC1 if it is working properly.

Not sure if "switching the wires" is the answer as there are multiple sensors and you may be removing one out of the equation... It is not showing 2 pof sensors on the stove.
 
Unfortunately I do not have any pictures yet with the panels off. Now that it seems something like that may be of value going forward, I will take some next time they are off. But I looked in the OP manual and though it gives part numbers and references, it does not do well showing the connections, and locations. But if she has the panel off, and is on the phone with tech, they can describe it to her. Since she has the knowledge of how to clean the stove and remove panels, it sounds as though she is capable of replacing sensors and finding wires easy enough.

Hope she gets it running soon.
PS: please encourage her to join the forum.
 
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Diagrams for locating sensors seems to be lacking as Deezl said. Suggest locating on the board and tracing to the component.
 
If she had the left panel off and cleaned around the exhaust blower she would have seen the pof switch they are right by the exhaust blower, one has wires going too it and then there is another identical switch next to it with no wires, all she has to do is take the 2 wires off the one switch and plug them onto the other identical switch.
 
rich, able to get a photo or is your serenity packed away? Why shipped with two?
 
Ok pulled the side panel off my Serenity here at work, here is a pic of the 2 sensors. Just have to pull the wires off the sensor on the left and move them to the other sensor right next too it.
20161214_124203_zpshmtbso66.jpg
20161214_124151_zpsmr4gar45.jpg
 
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Thanks rich, odd there is no mention in the manual but guess that is really not that unusual as most manuals can be sketchy. Tell her to get a new one on order so she can replace the defective one ... good to have a spare on hand.

Just remind her to unplug before working in the cabinet!
 
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That's why we are all here to help each other

Man, we need a triple huge like button for this reply. Thank you Rich for the pictures and the time to take them.

I did not know there were two. I had not paid any attention as I have not had the issue...............yet.
 
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Man, we need a triple huge like button for this reply. Thank you Rich for the pictures and the time to take them.

I did not know there were two. I had not paid any attention as I have not had the issue...............yet.


A pleasant surprise to see the manufacturer has spare like that built in.
 
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I'm sure that the pof switch is probably the part at highest risk of failure being right in the exhaust so they were nice enough to install the spare so your not left cold, just got to replace the one that fails so there is a spare again. It's things like that makes me a huge fan of the Serenity.
 
I'm sure that the pof switch is probably the part at highest risk of failure being right in the exhaust so they were nice enough to install the spare so your not left cold, just got to replace the one that fails so there is a spare again. It's things like that makes me a huge fan of the Serenity.

I keep hearing good things about those stoves. I am looking to install a second stove in the basement and if I can find a Serenity up here I will jump at it.
 
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So here's the update. Switching over POF switch did not change anything. Yesterday they mentioned on the 800# line that it could be vacuum switch too. The board reads low heat, check to make sure hopper has pellets. After the stove gets going, it stops dropping the pellets down. She is going to call them again this morning and see if they can walk her through other troubleshooting stuff. Any other ideas? Thanks..
 
The error message doesn't make sense that it is the vac. switch. Reacts more like the POF ... not enough heat and shuts down auger. Is it possible second disc is bad? Spade connectors not contacting well or wiring not secure in the board? How tight a fit on the connectors?

Enter the Diagnostics on the board and check to see if NTC1 has a light beside it (see post #3 above). If no light, still have an issue with disc or wiring to/from it. I would go through the complete diagnostics.

PS Check hopper switch to ensure it is contacting. The microswitch on mine is a little lever that I can hear audibly click when activated. I have had to carefully bend the arm slightly so it contacts again.

Should do the dollar bill test on the hopper and door ... Dollar bill or similar paper closed in the door. If it slides out fairly easily, time to replace gaskets.

As always, unplug when working in the cabinet
 
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With 5 ton through the stove has she cleaned the vent and pulled the exhaust blower out to do a cleaning.
 
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