Got the Castle Serenity going, what do you guys think.

[Ben06]

hey guys just looking to get some opinions on my setup I think I have it dialed in but most of you guys know better then my newb self

Questions
--My exhaust pipe is smoking some smells like my sealer I put on my joints is this normal?
--When the pellets fall into the burn pot some 15-20 sparks go flying inside normal?

I'll be uploading a video in a few minutes
So far I have my settings on
blower voltage--95
Exhaust voltage--95
And the air damper is set what it came from factory, I'm also burning Propellets

---Also if you have any other information for me on like normal exhaust temps, etc that would be cool thanks guys.

 

[Ben06]

(broken link removed to http://i49.photobucket.com/albums/f270/Ben06/Mobile%20Uploads/VID_20141016_211605899.mp4)

Video of it running, also what would make the flame fluctuate?

 

[Ctcarl]

Congrats.as far as air damper be carefull.tall lazy orange flame needs adjustment.my last stove had that and it never wrked right.So play around with it to wear the flame is not to short or tall.good luck and enjoy your heat

 

[Ben06]

Well the flame is bright yellow, but will go from a big flame to a small flame every few mins or so. You think my damper needs adjusted?

 

[rich2500]

hey guys just looking to get some opinions on my setup I think I have it dialed in but most of you guys know better then my newb self


Questions
--My exhaust pipe is smoking some smells like my sealer I put on my joints is this normal?
--When the pellets fall into the burn pot some 15-20 sparks go flying inside normal?



I'll be uploading a video in a few minutes


So far I have my settings on

blower voltage--95
Exhaust voltage--95

And the air damper is set what it came from factory, I'm also burning Propellets




---Also if you have any other information for me on like normal exhaust temps, etc that would be cool thanks guys.

question #1 yes that's normal for first burn
question #2 yes that's normal for a top feeding stove(pellets drop disturbing the burn pot,blower blows burnt ashes out of the pot,this helps to keep the burn pot clean)

I have a video link in my sig. of my serenity burning if you want to view it for comparison(my video is mostly the startup cycle though)It's heat setting 1, preset blower settings,draft closed 3/4 of the way

My only complaint with the stove is that from the factory you have to remove the side panel to adjust the draft,I put a rod on my draft gate that sticks out the side of the stove now I can adjust the draft easily by just sliding the rod in or out.

 

[Irotger]

Hi everyone. What would make the vacuum indicator not light up on the control display of my serenity. It does show during igniting but once it switches to heating mode it disappears which will make the auger stop feeding and fire stops burning but stove does not shut off or gives an emergency signal. Thanks

 

[rich2500]

It has a vacuum sensor

 

[rich2500]

Hi everyone. What would make the vacuum indicator not light up on the control display of my serenity. It does show during igniting but once it switches to heating mode it disappears which will make the auger stop feeding and fire stops burning but stove does not shut off or gives an emergency signal. Thanks

I would start by making sure the vacuum port is clean,it's that small hole on the bottom right corner on the back of the firebox.

 

[rich2500]

Just disable it. I have never seen the point of these things. Someone must have thought it was a good idea at some point and it stuck. Don't use them myself, pointless.

I can see it being a good idea with small kids around but if not then yeah I agree it's pointless

 

[rich2500]

Why?
What possible value does it have, A bit like wisdom teeth and an appendix. Useless.

don't even get me started on wisdom teeth,had 2 removed 2-1/2 months ago and still having trouble. I can tell you if my vacuum switch quits it's getting jumped and done

 

[Irotger]

How to disable it or jump it? Handy around the house but new to all pellet stoves. Thank you

 

[Irotger]

Thanks

 

[Irotger]

Jumped it. Now is perfect. What is the purpose of the vacuum itself. No to familiar with this but learning quick thanks to all you guys

Thanks

 

[rich2500]

If the door is opened while burning the vacuum sensor senses the lost vacuum and shuts the stove down.It's a safety feature that without kids around I wouldn't be concerned without it.

 

[Lake Girl]

Just disable it.

Not the best of advice guys ... that is a safety feature. Not worried about CO?? Lack of vacuum means there are pathways for smoke into your living space... Jumping a safety feature is a temporary measure to troubleshoot malfunction only.

Edit: Pretty cavalier with someone else's home and life ... disabling would also void warranty and home owner's insurance. Need to figure out why it's no longer functioning properly ... usually not too complicated - tubing, wiring, switch itself, or the control board. I'd want to know if it is the control board personally... It's not just the door opening - what about exhaust blower malfunction, venting clogged (haven't seen the stories of birds or rodents in the exhaust blower)?

 

[Jags]

Bypassing a safety feature that is in place to reduce the possibility of CO spilling into the living space is a bad idea. Plain and simple - bad idea. Find out what is wrong and fix it.

Stuff like this is what gets people dead.

 

[IHATEPROPANE]

Yeah, this is up there with worst advice ever given.

 

[fossil]

This is not the forum to come on and redesign somebody else's stove for them and have them experiment with it. If you're not a trained and certified technician for the specific stove in question, then recommending stuff like bypassing safety features or short cutting proper installation/operation/maintenance is just gonna get you booted out of our community. Rick

 

[begreen]

Why?
What possible value does it have, A bit like wisdom teeth and an appendix. Useless.

Not at all, otherwise it wouldn't be there. The vacuum switch verifies that there is negative pressure, aka exhaust that is evacuating the firebox. If the switch itself is good then other things that could be failing that would affect the switch are door seals, tube clogged, combustion fan and/or exhaust plugging. As noted, failure to heed the value of this safety switch could be fatal!

 

[begreen]

Anti-lock brakes, seat belts and airbags are unnecessary redundant safety systems too. They don't make a car run better. Most of the times you don't need them. But who wants to gamble for when that time comes up and you do need them?

 

[IHATEPROPANE]

As a stove designer and manufacturer I am entitled to my opinion. It is hard to debate anything if there is only the "official" line.
Whether you pay attention to my thoughts or not is your own business. If the vacuum switch was so important then it would be mandatory on every stove. It is not. It is a pointless feature we no longer use at all. But you are right I am wrong so sorry for causing offense.

Pointless is an opinion. To which you are intitled. But there were many good reasons stated above for which it is a good idea to have one.
You may design your stoves however you wish. If you can design a stove that is so inherently safe that one extra safety feature, or all of them are obsolete, all the power to you. But the makers of the Serenity did not, and telling someone it is useless on that stove is not good advice.

 

[Lake Girl]

Irotger, How old is your stove - new or used? Is there an outside air kit (OAK) hooked-up?

Edit:
If older, these stoves are noted for internal exhaust pathways being difficult to remove fly ash build-up. If used, how well was it cleaned before hook-up? If new, entitled to warranty assistance...

Vacuum problems can also be created by an airtight home... An OAK will help overcome this.

 

[Lake Girl]

Irotger, reread old thread so it is a new stove. file:///C:/Users/Acer/Downloads/18713-REV1.pdf One year Warranty items on Castle stoves include vacuum switches...
file:///C:/Users/Acer/Downloads/CSW_Claim_Form.doc.pdf Warranty claim form...

Failing that the part is available for $59.95 http://www.eastcoasthearth.com/products/vacuum-switch-ardisam-castle-part-720238

 

[Irotger]

Thanks again everyone. Ardisam is sending me a new switch and a control head just incase.

 

[Lake Girl]

Thanks for letting us know ... I was worrying Hope you have surge protection, smoke and CO detectors in place, and fire extinguisher in the stove room but not too near the stove.

Just a heads-up, when cleaning the barb and/or hose with a ash vac/vacuum cleaner, may want to disconnect tubing from the vacuum switch while cleaning. Too much direct vacuum pressure on the switch may damage it.

Let us know how you make out with the vac switch replacement...