My Quadra-Fire Model 800 Nova Freestanding Pellet Stove worked great last winter (and for the last many years), just started it up, works great, however, the exhaust blower doesn't shut off. It used to shut off about 10-15 minutes after the stove shut down, but now stays on continually unless the stove is unplugged from the power outlet.
Exhaust Blower doesn't turn off
- Thread starter MarshallG
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Harvey Schneider
Minister of Fire
There is probably a thermal switch that keeps the blower on as long as the stove is hot.
Thosw switches are junk and frequently fail. There is no alternative, just replace the switch. You can locate it by following the wires from the blower.
Thosw switches are junk and frequently fail. There is no alternative, just replace the switch. You can locate it by following the wires from the blower.
Hi, thanks for your reply. I thought there was a thermal switch but following the wires leads me to a sealed control box. My owner's manual mentions a snap disc for the convection blower, one for the thermostat override, and one for the back burn protector, but none for the exhaust blower.
Mt Bob
Minister of Fire
Harvey Schneider
Minister of Fire
One more thing to check for before you shell out $$$$ for a new control board. If the control board thinks that there is a fire it would keep the blower running.
Many control boards use a thermocouple to sense firepot or firebox temperature. So the question is; Is the thermocouple working?
You may very well have a blown control board, but it is worth checking for the sensor first.
Thermocouples become brittle with age, so handle it gently. It should be low resistance and not shorted to ground. The thermocouple should generate ?? millivolts when heated with a match. If it meets those criteria it is working.
Many control boards use a thermocouple to sense firepot or firebox temperature. So the question is; Is the thermocouple working?
You may very well have a blown control board, but it is worth checking for the sensor first.
Thermocouples become brittle with age, so handle it gently. It should be low resistance and not shorted to ground. The thermocouple should generate ?? millivolts when heated with a match. If it meets those criteria it is working.
Mt Bob
Minister of Fire
Hey Marshall, welcome to the Pellet forum !
If you're getting the normal control box green light that then turns on the red light in the box once the stove gets to 200 degrees, then your thermo-couple circuit should be working OK. And as you found and others have noted, there is no exhaust blower thermo switch on the Quads. So I would concur with the others that it is more than likely a control box issue - ? TRIAC that controls the combustion blower has failed in the on state ?
Do you still have the original control box ? It looks like Quad DC'ed production of your 800 Nova model in 2000, so if you still have the original OEM box it has served you long and well, as Quads invariably do. You can try removing then re-seating the box - make sure you UNPLUG the stove before you do - which is a simple and hopeful easy fix to try. Quads have a propensity to vibrate the control box contacts, and / or the electrical contacts get dust / dirt between the control box and the junction box , and the circuit contacts can get compromised. Removing and re-seating the control box can sometimes be a simple fix that can save you the co$t of a new Quad control box.
If you know anyone near you who has a similar model Quad stove you could swap your control box into their UNPLUGGED stove, then start it up and see if it reproduces the exhaust blower issue. Or if you have a Quad dealer nearby they can either test the box, or typically they will allow DIY'ers to swap their box into a compatible floor demo model stove to see if it reproduces the problem. But it looks like the vintage 1000 and 1100i model Quad stoves that your box would swap into are all retired models since around 2000, like your 800 Nova. So it may be a challenge to find a compatible stove to swap your control box into or out of.
I know there are some sharp folks on here who have used their delicate soldering skills and circuit board electrical knowledge to locate and solder repair the bad TRIAC in the control box, but that is well above my knowledge grade!
There are companies on-line as well who do circuit board repairs, but your stove will be down of course while you're waiting for the repair turn-around. You can always start a new thread if you have the soldering / electrical tinkering skills and want to try to fix yours, assuming that is the problem, and hopefully someone whose done control box repairs will chime in for some suggestions. I would suggest you re-name this and future posts to include "Quad 800 Nova" in the thread title, to better catch the eye of folks who have that stove model, as they are the ones on this forum who can often most help you.
The cheapest control box for your stove that I found after a cursory search on-line was from Amazon for $289.99 + $5.24 shipping, but with an arrival time noted to be possibly after Christmas. http://www.amazon.com/Quadrafire-Pellet-Stove-Control-812-0261/dp/B005GQ7LE6 . Most other on-line retail costs were in the $350 - $390 range. You can always ask if your local dealer will match or come close to the Amazon on-line price in exchange for you giving him / her your dedicated business instead of e-shopping, which is what I have done to support my local 'bricks and mortar' stove shop dealer.
Good luck and post back on what you find out ! DK
If you're getting the normal control box green light that then turns on the red light in the box once the stove gets to 200 degrees, then your thermo-couple circuit should be working OK. And as you found and others have noted, there is no exhaust blower thermo switch on the Quads. So I would concur with the others that it is more than likely a control box issue - ? TRIAC that controls the combustion blower has failed in the on state ?
Do you still have the original control box ? It looks like Quad DC'ed production of your 800 Nova model in 2000, so if you still have the original OEM box it has served you long and well, as Quads invariably do. You can try removing then re-seating the box - make sure you UNPLUG the stove before you do - which is a simple and hopeful easy fix to try. Quads have a propensity to vibrate the control box contacts, and / or the electrical contacts get dust / dirt between the control box and the junction box , and the circuit contacts can get compromised. Removing and re-seating the control box can sometimes be a simple fix that can save you the co$t of a new Quad control box.
If you know anyone near you who has a similar model Quad stove you could swap your control box into their UNPLUGGED stove, then start it up and see if it reproduces the exhaust blower issue. Or if you have a Quad dealer nearby they can either test the box, or typically they will allow DIY'ers to swap their box into a compatible floor demo model stove to see if it reproduces the problem. But it looks like the vintage 1000 and 1100i model Quad stoves that your box would swap into are all retired models since around 2000, like your 800 Nova. So it may be a challenge to find a compatible stove to swap your control box into or out of.
I know there are some sharp folks on here who have used their delicate soldering skills and circuit board electrical knowledge to locate and solder repair the bad TRIAC in the control box, but that is well above my knowledge grade!
There are companies on-line as well who do circuit board repairs, but your stove will be down of course while you're waiting for the repair turn-around. You can always start a new thread if you have the soldering / electrical tinkering skills and want to try to fix yours, assuming that is the problem, and hopefully someone whose done control box repairs will chime in for some suggestions. I would suggest you re-name this and future posts to include "Quad 800 Nova" in the thread title, to better catch the eye of folks who have that stove model, as they are the ones on this forum who can often most help you.The cheapest control box for your stove that I found after a cursory search on-line was from Amazon for $289.99 + $5.24 shipping, but with an arrival time noted to be possibly after Christmas. http://www.amazon.com/Quadrafire-Pellet-Stove-Control-812-0261/dp/B005GQ7LE6 . Most other on-line retail costs were in the $350 - $390 range. You can always ask if your local dealer will match or come close to the Amazon on-line price in exchange for you giving him / her your dedicated business instead of e-shopping, which is what I have done to support my local 'bricks and mortar' stove shop dealer.
Good luck and post back on what you find out ! DK
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