First Timer Trying to Learn

[FieroGTFan]

Hey guys,

As the title says this is my first wood pellet stove, bought this house and it has a Whitfield Advantage Plus in the basement to take the edge off the first floor I guess. The first floor has three registers in the floor to more the heat up, I know it won't do much but its something for now.

I grew up with a wood stove so this is much different. I have completely cleaned the stove now 100%. I have been poking around on here for a while and that sounds like the first place to always start. The stove starts up great and moves the pellets for me, but after a bit the auger starts to blink very dim, and the motor doesn't move. I am assuming one of the safety switches is stopping it from turning. My question is I don't know where to go from here, I have replaced the exhaust switch, tested the high temp switch, and the pressure switch seems to be functioning.

Just curious if anyone can point me in the right direction.

 

[Lake Girl]

Welcome to the forum! Manual if you need one: (broken link removed to http://www.mortonsstoves.com/wp-content/uploads/AdvantagePlus.pdf)

Could be a number of things that have to be ruled out one at a time... flow chart to help you
http://www.hearthtools.com/parts/lowlimit.htm

Wiring diagram: (broken link removed to http://www.hearthtools.com/parts/digwirelarge.gif) Note there are 3 snap discs that all need to be checked
http://www.hearthtools.com/parts/whitfield_wire_diagrams.pdf

If all else is ruled out and you suspect the board, you may just be able to repair the board.

 

[alternativeheat]

First, did you also clean all the venting ?

Next, check your door gaskets using a dollar bill or what ever denomination bill you have. Close the door on the thickness of the bill in various locations around each door. It should be difficult to pull out with the door shut on the bill. If there is looseness in various locations ( the dollar bill slips or pulls out with ease)replace the gaskets. The door should clamp down on it fairly tightly, either tight enough to not be able to pull the bill out or it doesn't move very easy.

 

[FieroGTFan]

Thank you for the quick replys.

I had all of the venting cleaned, and pulled out two birds from the stove, anyone want some fried chicken?!

I will check the gaskets when I get home tonight. And I will attempt to check the other snap disk, which I now see is the inlet air snap. I want to check the pressure switch one more time and make sure. Someone installed a second pressure switch in the unit and bypassed the original. Not entirely sure why this was done though.

As for the control board. Mine was absolutely destroyed when I got to the stove. Looked like the transformer took a dive, black all over the board around it.

I saw some people talk about the OAI kit, I am not trying to fire anyone up over the issue but I am wondering if this is part of my issue. However my house is NOT air tight by any means. Being built in 1942 I know there are cracks I will never find for air to work its way in through.

 

[Bioburner]

As for the control board. Mine was absolutely destroyed when I got to the stove. Looked like the transformer took a dive, black all over the board around it.

I would look into testing the outlet for proper polarity and ground and then invest in a decent surge suppressor or UPS. I just read through another old manual and it said so

 

[bogieb]

I had all of the venting cleaned, and pulled out two birds from the stove, anyone want some fried chicken?!

I saw some people talk about the OAI kit, I am not trying to fire anyone up over the issue but I am wondering if this is part of my issue. However my house is NOT air tight by any means. Being built in 1942 I know there are cracks I will never find for air to work its way in through.

Part of Four and Twenty Blackbirds Baked in a Pie?

I can't imagine not having an OAK installed would cause the issue you are having. Installing on might make things more comfortable for you (or maybe not), but as long as the stove has the air to grab, it won't really care where it comes from. It is possible there isn't enough air if you furnace (I assume oil or gas) and hot water heater are all going at the same time as the pellet stove though, but unlikely.

 

[FieroGTFan]

Hey guys. I was able to toy with the stove and finally got it running. Believe it or not I was able to simply clean the contacts on all of the switches that weren't new and the stove worked! Then it overfed with pellets, flamed through the auger, and started smoldering in the hopper. Basically I can't win...

 

[Ranger72]

Which control board do you have, the older style with knobs or the later style with the buttons? So far everything sounds like an electrical issue.

 

[FieroGTFan]

My board is the push button type. Board was replaced. It appears that after doing a serious cleaning and playing with the auger speed I got the stove running pretty well though!

 

[Ranger72]

These Whitfields don't like to run well when they have ash inside the baffles/ exhaust path. A good cleaning can make all the difference.