got a used quadrafire mt vernon--NOT AE its got problems

[ttamoneypit]

so a couple yrs ago i got a used mt vernon not the AE just 4 heat settings previous owner used corn in it



so i finally get around to installing the thing and the feed auger does not operate pellets do not ignite on their own so i light small pieces of dry wood and put in there and then 1 of those square fireplace/woodstove wax type firestarters in---pellets just smolder--smoke leaks from around the heat exchange tubes and out of the ash pan door seals and there is a small square hole near the ash pan latch--smoke was pouring out of that hole




so what do I do ?

 

[bookpile]

Not sure about some of your other problems but when my auger would not feed, a snap switch had to be reset. Just a button that you push down. I believe it popped from me moving the stove.

 

[imacman]

so a couple yrs ago i got a used mt vernon not the AE just 4 heat settings previous owner used corn in it

so i finally get around to installing the thing and the feed auger does not operate pellets do not ignite on their own so i light small pieces of dry wood and put in there and then 1 of those square fireplace/woodstove wax type firestarters in---pellets just smolder--smoke leaks from around the heat exchange tubes and out of the ash pan door seals and there is a small square hole near the ash pan latch--smoke was pouring out of that hole

so what do I do ?

To manually light, just buy cheap hand sanitizer.....couple of squirts and light.

There shouldn't be any smoke coming out of the ashpan or heat exchanger...these stoves work on negative pressure in the firebox.....the burn air gets sucked through the burnpot and out the exhaust. Are you sure the combustion blower is running?

 

[ttamoneypit]

took a closer look at the stove, just sounds like an electric motor trying to move but its stuck--no blower sounds

looks like i'll be tearing this thing apart

 

[maglite67]

check the combustion blower

 

[Nicholas440]

Your combustion blower isnt running and there is nothing to push the smoke up and out so its leaking out anywhere it can. And I agree with Macman, get some hand sanitizer, its Alcohol, and put a few squirts on the pellets... works like a charm..

 

[ttamoneypit]

funny you should mention the hand sanitizer as a fire starter last yr with the swine flu crap we got a ton of hand sanitizer at work (juvenile jail) a coworker has a st croix corn stove and he was talking about how he wraps pellets in newspaper to get it started and then i told him to try the hand sanitizer because of the alcohol content--we never did figure out if it would actually work


tore into the stove a few minutes ago and like a dumb ass i didn't unplug it---reached in to spin the blower fan by hand to see if it was seized up--well it barely took any finger pressure and zoom it started running--I was mad at myself for forgetting to unplug it--but happy that it works

thought i seen the feed auger moving but not totally sure



IF the feed auger doesn't move where do i look next for problems ?????

 

[SmokeyTheBear]

Vacuum switch, or the tubing to it or the barbs it connects to. The barb as well as all of the exhaust tubing is likely plugged with crud. The tubing could be plugged, cracked or just not tight in the barbs.

Basically before doing anything the stove needs to be cleaned, get out the shop vac with hepa filter, an air compressor, some brushes and take it out side, hit it with everything but liquids.

When done plug the empty stove in and fire it up.

Make sure everything turns, if it does, then add pellets to the hopper, soak some pellets in that hand sanitizer, add a handful of soaked pellets into the burn pot, torch them off and hit the power on the stove when you have a good flame going, then close the door.

 

[ttamoneypit]

ok its up and running--I guess it just sat for a little too long and things were just rusty enough for it to stick or hang up a little

I was surprised the auto ignite worked and it fired right up

only have 1 bag of pellets and 3- 5 gallon buckets of old corn so now i need to talk to the farmer down the road and see how much he charges for corn and then decide if it would just be better to use pellets---I don't have a lot of storage room so pellets sitting outside stacked on a pallet and covered up would be better than dealing with field mice going after corn

 

[imacman]

.....only have 1 bag of pellets and 3- 5 gallon buckets of old corn so now i need to talk to the farmer down the road and see how much he charges for corn and then decide if it would just be better to use pellets---I don't have a lot of storage room so pellets sitting outside stacked on a pallet and covered up would be better than dealing with field mice going after corn

Reminder....You can't run 100% corn anyway. Quad states in the owners manual a max of 50% corn mixed with wood pellets in the Mt. Vernon. Also, is your exhaust pipe corn rated?

 

[Ro3bert]

I've stored my pellets outside for up to a year and a bit more with no ill effects, Yeah, I get the odd fluffy pellet but not so many so I go crazy.

Of course, I have no choice as to where to store them as I have no garage or celler. All I have between the floor and the ground under the house is a squirm space, can't even crawl.

I make sure the pellets are stacked on pallets held above ground by concrete blocks and put the plastic cover that comes with them back over them then cover each ton with tarp(s). I don't like the situation but you have to do what you have to do.

 

[ttamoneypit]

previous owner was running all corn he said he just started it with pellets and then just let it run all the time--no thermostat installed he just had an on off wall switch hooked up to it

when i went to his house to buy it it was filled with corn--no pellets


so it will burn just corn--I'm guessing it will not auto ignite the corn so thats why quadrafire recommends 50/50 corn and pellets



I'm just happy its running--its a 2006 model I got it 2 or 3 yrs ago and its been sitting in my shed until now---I did clean it the day I brought it home--blasted it with the air hose and corn was flying everywhere




maybe this will save us some money on the electric bill---upper level of our bi level or raised ranch (whatever they call them) has electric baseboard heat right now we are paying around $200/mo for electric all summer we were paying $90 to $100

but the lower level has 0 heat--unless I have the woodstove going so with the pellet stove the lower level will be warm so the kids can play down there--and of course the heat will rise and keep the whole house warm