Enviro Empress FPI shutting down

[T_lee05]

Hi all! Happy fall to everyone....

Welp the cold weather arrived here in PA and I fired off the pellet insert midweek. It burned one day with no issues, but shut down on me last night blinking #2 (high temp sensor tripped).

At the end of last season, I pulled it out and thoroughly cleaned it and had the chimney cleaned as well.

I tore is apart this morn to clean the burn pot and firebox and noticed a black soot, not normal for the stove. Now we did have high winds and I'm wondering if the high winds have anything to do with tripping the sensor.

As a precautionary measure I recleaned all of the stove again prior to resetting the high temp trip sensor button.

Anyone have any ideas as to what it might be?

Thanks!

 

[vinny11950]

On general knowledge and not knowing your setup exactly, I would check the following:

1) If the chimney was cleaned after you cleaned the stove, maybe some soot fell back into the exhaust pipe and is blocking it, causing exhaust gas heat to build up higher than normal (you would notice a lazy flame if really blocked up).

2) Are you burning a hot pellet? does the fire look good and healthy?

3) Your idea of the high winds affecting the stove is very possible too.

4) Is your convection fan working properly? are you getting a good draft from the exchange tubes?

Good luck.

 

[T_lee05]

Thanks Vinny! I'm reading the technical manual and it says about cleaning the convection fan, something which I did not do, nor did I lubricate it. I'm just hoping it's easy to tear apart and clean. I'm not at all mechanically inclined but I can read directions.

 

[heat seeker]

Also, make sure you blow out the windings on the motor(s) to prevent the motors themselves from overheating. Often overlooked detail.

I'd go with #4 of vinny11950's suggestions first.

 

[T_lee05]

Also, make sure you blow out the windings on the motor(s) to prevent the motors themselves from overheating. Often overlooked detail.

I'd go with #4 of vinny11950's suggestions first.

Thanks! But question though, what are windings? Gee, I guess I had better start learning these technical terms instead of calling them "thingys"....no wonder my dear brother gets agitated with me! Guess the lil sister argument doesn't always work.

 

[heat seeker]

The motor will have vent openings in its case. If you look inside the motor itself, you'll see copper colored wires wrapped around and around. Those are the windings that create the magnetic field that makes the motor work. Inside the motor case is a little fan that draws air over the windings to cool them when the motor is running. Along with the air comes dust,
and that dust will accumulate on the windings and eventually block the airflow. The windings then overheat, and a safety switch hidden amongst the windings will shut the motor off until it cools. This causes stove owners to post on this forum wondering why the stove overheats or shuts off. This is one possible cause.

I pull my motors out every spring and blow compressed air through the each motor itself to clean off the windings. Thus my motors are running as they are designed to do. I bought my stove used, and when I first blew the motors out, I was amazed at the amount of dust that was in the motors themselves.

This is all in addition to cleaning the fans (blowers) themselves.

Hope this helps!

 

[T_lee05]

Thanks Heatseeker! I'll stop and pick up a couple cans of compressed air. You don't know much how much I appreciate everyone's posts!

I'm hoping that's the culprit and nothing major. And I underestimate my ability in being able to understand this stuff.

It's get scary being a first time homeowner.

 

[heat seeker]

You're welcome!

I'm not sure those cans of compressed air have the power or volume that you need. Still, better than nothing. I use air from a compressor which has the volume and pressure necessary. You may want to acquire a small compressor (such as a "pancake" type from Sears or Harbor Freight. It will also come in handy for other things, like car tires, etc. They are under $100, IIRC.

Owning your own home is an experience, all right, and I wouldn't trade it for anything, headaches and all.

You seem to have a "can-do" attitude, and that will take you a long way in keeping your home running as it should.

Happy burning!

PS - to add to vinny's #4 - the room blower actually cools the stove to prevent it from overheating. That heat is blown into the room, to keep one's toes toasty. So, if the room blower is slow, dirty, or dead, the stove will overheat. It helps me to think of it that way.

 

[T_lee05]

Thanks to all!! The stove is back up and running. Fingers are crossed. I pulled the convection motor off and cleaned it well. It would appear that the dust bunnies decided to take up residence in the fan blades.

I've attached a pic.

Thanks again

 

[heat seeker]

 

[T_lee05]

I spoke too soon. It started flashing the #2 light again after I started it. This time I borrowed the Ex's air compressor and I'm blowing out the convection motor and the inside of the stove.

In looking back at my prior posts the stove did the same thing to me last year and for the life of me, I can't recall what the fix was.

I did however take off the high temp sensor and in order to reset it, I'd have to push the red button in which I cannot do. Could it be that the sensor is bad? (See pic.).

Next question, how can I test convection blower to ensure it's right "up to speed"? Is that something I can do or take it to stove place and have them test it for me? But then what for ungodly charge am I going to have to pay?

 

[T_lee05]

Vinny, you mention the exchange tubes in your original post? Are these it in the attached pic? If so, I've vacuumed and blew them out.

 

[Lake Girl]

You can test the convection blower by taking an old electrical cord and disconnect the blower from the stove and connect to the electrical cord. Use electrical connectors to ensure bare wire ends are protected from making contact. If OK, should run when plugged in.

Sounds more like you need to replace high temp sensor. They usually can only be reset a few times (3?).

 

[heat seeker]

If you have an ohmmeter, you can test the overtemp switch. It should show continuity at room temperature, on up to its trip point.

 

[T_lee05]

Houston, we have fire! Lmao...now IF it just stays running now!

 

[johneh]

If your stove quits again here is the service manual
http://www.enviro.com/images/manual...C-12145 Instruction PELLET Service Manual.pdf
The #2 light flashing is on page 52 with trouble shooting
Good luck

 

[T_lee05]

6 hrs later and it's still burning! Fingers n toes crossed along with knocking on wood!!

 

[Lake Girl]

Are you running without a high temp sensor??

 

[T_lee05]

Nope, the sensor is back in. I tore apart the stove again (basically dismantling it!) and using the air compressor and shop vac, I hit every square inch of the stove.

 

[vinny11950]

Vinny, you mention the exchange tubes in your original post? Are these it in the attached pic? If so, I've vacuumed and blew them out.

i meant the exchange tubes at the top of the stove, where the hot air comes from. if the convection blower is sluggish you will not feel a strong air current which will lead to stove overheating and shutting down. keep in mind the blower does not fully kick in until the stove gets hot.

i agree with Lake Girl, here. test the convection fan and replace the sensor.

 

[T_lee05]

Thanks all for your help! It's still running into the 11th hour since I fired it off. Not wanting to jinx myself, but I'm pretty proud! And I couldn't have done it without everyone's help...

Thanks so much, it's truly appreciated.

 

[Lake Girl]

Dust bunnies in the convection fan ...