EnviroFire EF3, Auger and Ignitor issues.

[Oger]

Im trying to get my dads old EF3 working again after many years. The main problems are that the auger wont turn, its not jammed and it will turn when i feed it directly. The Ignitor is also not getting warm or turning orange at all. I have followed the Technical manuals troubleshooting step were i have by-passed the Dial-a-fire control and when i measure across the load pins i get a voltage around 146V instead of 1-2 pending (living in sweden so the wall voltage is 230). I also measure around 40V between ground and the auger motor. Does that mean that the timer control is the culprit?
The exhaust motor and the fan seems to work.

 

[Whitenuckler]

Im trying to get my dads old EF3 working again after many years. The main problems are that the auger wont turn, its not jammed and it will turn when i feed it directly. The Ignitor is also not getting warm or turning orange at all. I have followed the Technical manuals troubleshooting step were i have by-passed the Dial-a-fire control and when i measure across the load pins i get a voltage around 146V instead of 1-2 pending (living in sweden so the wall voltage is 230). I also measure around 40V between ground and the auger motor. Does that mean that the timer control is the culprit?
The exhaust motor and the fan seems to work.

Have you jumpered the pressure switch?
Edit - Sorry - Vacuum switch - samething only one measures a vacuum

 

[johneh]

As Whitenuckler says, jump the vacuum switch, check the hose for plug, cracks and
holes, and replace as necessary. Clean the hose barb on the stove. Paper clips works well
The other thing to check is the overtemperature switch. It has a red button on top
. Push and see if it clicks down. If it does try to fire your stove again. Let us know, please
, how things go
Welcome to the forum
Just a side note. Have you disassembled the stove and cleaned it from the air intake to the exhaust termination?

 

[Oger]

I did by-pass the vacuum switch today but no difference besides the green light went off.
Ive also checked the red button, it has not been triggered and i did by-pass it aswell to rule it out.
I know the vacuum hose is fine, but i havent cleaned the switch. By barb you mean the holes were the hose is connected?
The stove hasnt been cleaned since it stopped working, so maybe that is the problem? Shouldnt the auger try to turn anyway?

 

[johneh]

If you jump the vac awitch and press start. The Combustion fan
should start, and the auger should turn, feeding pellets into the burn pot.
Also, the stove door must be closed and latched. The ash door or drawer must be latched.
The pellet feed switch must be at least 50% on the dial .
Again, have you pulled the stove apart and cleaned all the ash out of it as
per the manual?
Does this unit have a thermostat connected?
If not, is the jumper installed on the stat connection at the stove

 

[Oger]

If you jump the vac awitch and press start. The Combustion fan
should start, and the auger should turn, feeding pellets into the burn pot.
Also, the stove door must be closed and latched. The ash door or drawer must be latched.
The pellet feed switch must be at least 50% on the dial .
Again, have you pulled the stove apart and cleaned all the ash out of it as
per the manual?
Does this unit have a thermostat connected?
If not, is the jumper installed on the stat connection at the stove

I will try this in the weekend. The ashtray is seated as it should, i guess thats what you mean? The only other door is the front glas door.
How do i know if the stove has a thermostat?

 

[johneh]

What years was your stove made? A decal inside the hopper lid will have the build date
Then I can tell you if it can use a thermostat
Here is a copy of the international tech manual

https://enviro.com/custom_content/docs/manuals/C-11516%20Instruction%20EF3%20International%20Technical%20Manual.pdf

Maybe of some help

 

[lefty Ef3]

another thing to check is the igniter plugged in ..i knocked mine off one time cleaning inside the housing .the wires should be around the auger motor area .but i would concentrate on the auger issue first .everything suggested so far is pretty much what i would of said ..my ef3 is of 95ish vintage ,,lots of part available and not supper complicated ,,and she will put out some heat,, only thing i hate is the ash pan is shallow compared to the newer models

 

[Oger]

Inside of the bay.

 

[Oger]

Today i jumped the vacuum switch with closed front door and the ashtray in place, over 50% on the dial, but nothing happened.
The igniter is connected and looks to be in place.
Combustion fan is the exhaust one right? it starts up when i start the stove.
What is there to clean in the vacuum switch? upper hole were the hose is connected and the bottom is blocked.

 

[Oger]

Theres also this blue wires connected to the auger relay, RTA, which isnt present in the wiring diagram i have.

 

[johneh]

First, vacuum switch the hose goes on the connection with the hole.
The blue wires were added. No Idea what they were added for
Check pages 42-43 of this manual, also look at the section on timer testing for ef2-3
Follow the flow chart for no start. This is the technician's service manual

https://enviro.com/custom_content/docs/manuals/C-12145%20Instruction%20PELLET%20Service%20Manual.pdf

 

[Oger]

Now ive cleaned it thoroughly and by-passed all the options, at the same time, that are listed in the technical manual, and the auger still wont turn/the ignitor wont light up. Does it lean towards the auger timer as such, since i measure 1-2 V on the load pins?
Otherwise im out of ideas...

 

[johneh]

Have you tested the auger motor ?
Jump the 2 connections with an old lamp cord 120v
The auger should run

 

[ARC]

Hard to tell but the added blue wires look like a hopper switch which enviro's do not have.. Can you post picture of the end without the stove in back ground maybe pointed at the brown floor and less bleary. Can you post picture of board/auger timer where it is plugged into might be hard because it looks cramped in there. Looks like it has screws on it was it screwed to something? Blue wires on a enviro usually go to the vacuum switch. I would guess and say that that timer is not original if that is indeed the auger timer there shouldn't even be a spot to plug the blue wires.
Maybe Sweden requires a hopper switch?

 

[ARC]

Theres also this blue wires connected to the auger relay, RTA, which isnt present in the wiring diagram i have.

Should have mentioned if that is a hopper switch and it is not working right it will also stop auger from working.

 

[Ssyko]

Auger should not have a relay. Slide switch may be for slowing the auger 🥴 who knows.! I would wire it like it’s supposed to be in the manual.

 

[Oger]

Have you tested the auger motor ?
Jump the 2 connections with an old lamp cord 120v
The auger should run

I cant really do that, since ive got 230v from the wall output and that will blow the engine right? I would need some kind of transformer/voltage regulator.

 

[Oger]

Should have mentioned if that is a hopper switch and it is not working right it will also stop auger from working.

So i should be able to by-pass those pins which has the switch attached?

 

[Oger]

Hard to tell but the added blue wires look like a hopper switch which enviro's do not have.. Can you post picture of the end without the stove in back ground maybe pointed at the brown floor and less bleary. Can you post picture of board/auger timer where it is plugged into might be hard because it looks cramped in there. Looks like it has screws on it was it screwed to something? Blue wires on a enviro usually go to the vacuum switch. I would guess and say that that timer is not original if that is indeed the auger timer there shouldn't even be a spot to plug the blue wires.
Maybe Sweden requires a hopper switch?

I will take some pictures closer up later this week if i can.

 

[johneh]

Here is a manual for your stove
The auger motor is 220V
My bad because I live in Canada and use 120V

https://enviro.com/custom_content/docs/manuals/C-11516%20Instruction%20EF3%20International%20Technical%20Manual.pdf

 

[ARC]

So i should be able to by-pass those pins which has the switch attached

I would like to know for sure what it is before I would by pass it.

 

[Oger]

Now, when i apply 230v directly to get auger motor, it turns and feed pellets.
Heres some other pictures of the blue wires with the switch at the end, they are connected to the two pins "first delay, RTA" pins.
Those wires does not appear in the manual, nor the RTA-pins on the auger timer control.
I tried to slide the switch when the stove was operating, but nothing seemed to happen.

 

[johneh]

See Page 33. This manual
How to Bypass Dial a Fire

https://enviro.com/custom_content/docs/manuals/C-12145%20Instruction%20PELLET%20Service%20Manual.pdf

 

[ARC]

How to Bypass Dial a Fire

Also try unplugging the two blue wires see if auger runs then try bypassing the two blue wires. Your stove timer (blue box) should not have connections for RTA ( initial startup delay) it should not have the spades for it. I would guess and say that someone used what timer they could find maybe a Dryer timer. The timers are expensive someone might have got a used one from dryer. The slide switch might be bad not allowing the power to go to auger. On the side under the 3 plugged in wires there should be a label if you can either get picture or write down the numbers on that label it will let us know what they replaced the original with. The slide switch would be added to slow down or speed up auger during start up. Not a hopper switch I was wrong.