Enviro Empress

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nksdad2007

Member
Hearth Supporter
Dec 24, 2009
117
Central, Maine
A coworker of mines has an empress that isn't running right. On setting 1or 2 it seems to go along fine, but when he turns it up to 4, it goes out after about 2 hours. The tech he called tried replacing the combustion fan motor, but no change. When the stove goes out, he says the burn pot is all clean. Anyone have any ideas of a direction i can send him in?
 
Hi NKS- If I read you correctly, are you saying it goes out on 4- stops feeding pellets and shuts down?? If so, the auger motor might be getting hot and failing. Does all else work (the comb and convex blowers) when this is happening?? Is the heat output feel normal or very cool (running poor grade of pellets and the upper heat levels are stripping away excessive heat and the POF switch is cutting off stove). More likely the auger motor is getting tired. After it shuts down, can you re-start it on the lower heat level (2)??
 
All blowers are working, heat output is fine. Using same pellets as last year. Stove will restart after shutting down. He is telling me that when he turns it up to a higher feed rate, it really doesn't seem like more pellets are going into the burn pot. His tech contacted Enviro and they are saying to replace a snap disk for the exhaust. Is that the same as the POF you mentioned? Next step he wants to take is the control board. It was just replaced a few years ago so that doesn't seem like it should be bad already.
 
In case you don't already have the service manual: http://enviro.com/custom_content/docs/manuals/C-12145 Instruction PELLET Service Manual.pdf

It can get expensive real fast just trying different parts one at a time. If you can get a basic meter and build a few jumpers, you can test a lot of potential suspects without spending hundreds of dollars.

If you have any old AC power cords you can cut the end off one and add spade connectors to test motors. You can also cannabalize an old power cord for its wire to create the different jumper configurations, which you can use to bypass the snap discs and vacuum switch. Need a basic crimp tool and couple cheap packs of connectors.

Most importantly, be safe. Virtually everything inside these machines is wired to house current.
 
ok nks, if you increase the heat level, the auger feeds more quickly in between cycles of feeding and non feeding. If heat output is good, then the POF switch is probably good. When it shuts down, is there a flashing 3? This is the POF switch getting called out as being activated. Is the hopper clear of pellet fines such that the auger is actually feeding the proper amount each time?? On a heat level of 3 or 4, flame should be about 3-5 inches above the burn pot on average. If it isn't, I'd check for blockage in hopper. Mother board is probably fine if stove is responding and doing what it is told. You can check times between auger turning as well, its about every 7 secs on 3, about every 4 secs on 4 and about every 1.5-2 secs on 5. let us know whats happening. Good luck.
 
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