Country Flame Little Rascal Pellet stove - Error "Highway Mode" in other words gone south!!

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Don2222

Don2222

Minister of Fire
Hearth Supporter
Feb 1, 2010
9,243
Salem NH
Hello

I have a friend Lisa who has a one month old Country Flame Little Rascal with "intelichoice" computer control panel.
(broken link removed to http://www.americanenergysystems.com/little-rascal.cfm)

One tech who looked at it and could not fix it said all the components are working well, individually!

It simply keeps going back into 'highway' mode (which the manual says means it encountered an unknown state!

The auger is working, the blowers work...the vaccum is clear

The fuses seem to be ok.

Has anyone ever seen this error message or have an idea what may be the cause?

Specs and manuals >> (broken link removed to http://www.americanenergysystems.com/owners-manuals.cfm)
Height: 31 1/4"
Width: 26"
Depth: 19.75"
Weight: 275lbs
Direct exhaust vent size: 3"
Heavy duty heat exchanger: 14 tube
Room air blower: 160cfm
Heat level settings: 5
Fuel Type: Wood Pellet
BTU/Hr: 10,000-40,000
Hopper capacity: 45lbs
Heating capacity: 1,200 - 2,000 sq/ft
Efficiency: 99%

Included:
Built-in Igniter
IntelliChoiceTM control board
Thermostat-ready
Mobile Home Approved
Clean glass air wash equipped
 

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That is a poor reflection on the programmer's ability to provide proper diagnostic messages.

If they can toss a message they could also dump state.
 
SmokeyTheBear said:
That is a poor reflection on the programmer's ability to provide proper diagnostic messages.

If they can toss a message they could also dump state.
Click to expand...

You are right Smokey
My friend Lisa does not know what to do??

Hey I just found this about Highway Patrol Mode or Highway Mode for short. Please tell me what you think!!
(broken link removed)
 
Is Lisa attempting to run on a t-stat? Some stoves have issues if they get a call for heat while in shutdown and their actions are not consistent. Some abort the shutdown and go into start up, and thus try to light a new fire through a bed of ash (which may or may not work).

If wire connections aren't tight funny things happen, but a state dump would clear that up.

I'll poke around a bit when I get a chance, looks like this is a catch all error.

One thing is certain she needs to find out if there is an updated controller and software for the stove, if there is it should be installed.

Multiple switch state changes could also cause problems.
 
I see they mention some state information being held via leds on the control board, that would be useful to have. Both what leds and what they mean.

This is like unspecified syntactical errors issued by old compilers before they crashed back in the days. I thought we were further along than that in the art.
 
SmokeyTheBear said:
Is Lisa attempting to run on a t-stat? Some stoves have issues if they get a call for heat while in shutdown and their actions are not consistent. Some abort the shutdown and go into start up, and thus try to light a new fire through a bed of ash (which may or may not work).

If wire connections aren't tight funny things happen, but a state dump would clear that up.

I'll poke around a bit when I get a chance, looks like this is a catch all error.

One thing is certain she needs to find out if there is an updated controller and software for the stove, if there is it should be installed.

Multiple switch state changes could also cause problems.
Click to expand...

what s a dump state? I will ck on if there is a T-Stat.
 
A state dump is a picture of what the controller is seeing from all inputs and what it is asking the equipment to do.
 
Hi Smokey

Well here is more info from my friend

The LED codes are normal except code 8 did come up but since went away.

There is no thermostat and the Loop fuse is good.
 
Don2222 said:
Hi Smokey

Well here is more info from my friend

The LED codes are normal except code 8 did come up but since went away.

There is no thermostat and the Loop fuse is good.
Click to expand...

Don does the owner know that the controller was changed on that unit to a ACE version, I haven't found the code listings yet for the version of the controller with the diagnostic LED.

Further there is mention of custom programing possibilities, but no mention of what for except the AES tech person should become familiar with them.

It might be time for an email to the folks at AES asking for that information. They have a pile of stuff on their website to go through.
 
Don,

I'm not sure if this will help...but maybe something useful here:

(broken link removed)
 
I finally downloaded the codes and that code 8 is a missing vacuum or wiring error or bad room air snap disc.


This was hiding under the international bulletins.
 
SmokeyTheBear said:
I finally downloaded the codes and that code 8 is a missing vacuum or wiring error or bad room air snap disc.


This was hiding under the international bulletins.
Click to expand...

Thanks Smokey, I just found it also
Code 8 Intelli-Choice Control Board recognizes a vacuum is not present AND there is a problem with the room air snap disk, OR there is a wiring problem. It is most likely the room air snap disk with a clogged vacuum if the stove has been operating properly.

This is helpful from that link! Thanks
To clear the highway patrol mode - Hold the blue, red and start buttons at the same time. Unplugging the unit will not clear the highway patrol mode.

This is a tough one. Do you know it there is a jumper when there is no thermostat and where that is connected?

Also found this in the old manual that Lisa stated she saw in her manual. So it must be the older 2009 model

HIGHWAY PATROL MODE
When all Control Panel lights are flashing on and
off, this indicates that the Product has an
encountered an unknown state. Nothing more,
nothing less. The purpose of these flashing lights
is to alert the home owner or the service
technician that the stove operation ended out of
sequence, ran out of fuel, or encountered a power
interruption that the Control System could not
recover from.
 
Don2222 said:
SmokeyTheBear said:
I finally downloaded the codes and that code 8 is a missing vacuum or wiring error or bad room air snap disc.


This was hiding under the international bulletins.
Click to expand...

Thanks Smokey, I just found it also
Code 8 Intelli-Choice Control Board recognizes a vacuum is not present AND there is a problem with the room air snap disk, OR there is a wiring problem. It is most likely the room air snap disk with a clogged vacuum if the stove has been operating properly.

This is a tough one. Do you know it there is a jumper when there is no thermostat and where that is connected?
Click to expand...


I don't know about the jumper or lack of, but it can go either way depending on the control board in the unit.

I really don't want to go looking without being certain of the date of manufacture for the stove Lisa has, there are a couple of different manuals and there is even a long list of modifications that were to be made.

There was also a problem with overheating shutting down the stoves, it was a case of the stove being installed such that the heated air got sucked back through the stove do to insufficient air flow around the stove.
 
Hi Smokey

This is helpful from that link! I think I found the Blue, Red and start buttons?
To clear the highway patrol mode - Hold the blue, red and start buttons at the same time. Unplugging the unit will not clear the highway patrol mode.

The LED display is shown in the older 2009 model manual and prior years model!!
Older model control panel is on right in pics below!
 

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Don2222 said:
Hi Smokey

This is helpful from that link! But what or where are the Blue, Red and start buttons?
To clear the highway patrol mode - Hold the blue, red and start buttons at the same time. Unplugging the unit will not clear the highway patrol mode.
Click to expand...


I think you have the ACE control panel there.
 
SmokeyTheBear said:
Don2222 said:
Hi Smokey

This is helpful from that link! But what or where are the Blue, Red and start buttons?
To clear the highway patrol mode - Hold the blue, red and start buttons at the same time. Unplugging the unit will not clear the highway patrol mode.
Click to expand...


I think you have the ACE control panel there.
Click to expand...

Yes, just posted a pic of the older panel and I bet that is what she has. I will talk to her after her supper.

So it is possible a plugged vacuum line can cause this error.

Also the T-Stat connects to the Molex Connector on the control board in this Model so there may be a jumper on the connector that is faulty when ther is no T-Stat or if there is a T-Stat with no Swing Setting that can also cause this error!

See wiring Below
 

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SmokeyTheBear said:
Don't you just love multiple choice problems?
Click to expand...

Yes, but knowing what to check is half the battle here. Thanks Smokey for your help!!
 
Don2222 said:
Yes, just posted a pic of the older panel and I bet that is what she has. I will talk to her after her supper.

So it is possible a plugged vacuum line can cause this error.

Also the T-Stat connects to the Molex Connector on the control board in this Model so there may be a jumper on the connector that is faulty when ther is no T-Stat or if there is a T-Stat with no Swing Setting that can also cause this error!

See wiring Below
Click to expand...

Hello

I do not see to many of these stoves, but I did see the one in the pics below.
There should be a jumper for the T-Stat connection on the back of the stove. The jumper wire is in a molex type plug and plugged into the back.

Something to check for this error. Having a pic helps.
See connector on back of stove in 1st pic and LED readout chip on back of control panel in second pic.
See front of control panel in 3rd pic.

Click on pics to enlarge
See yellow arrows.
 

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(broken image removed) I too have a little rascal pellet stove that went into Highway mode. I did the required test on the vacuum switch and Bingo , the stove went into start mode.Move the bottom wire to the middle terminal and then try to start stove. If it goes into start mode- Vacuum switch is bad. Hope this helps some people.
 
Good Work!
Thanks so much for your information!
 
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