Heat-n-Glo Fireplace Won't Start

[RobN]

Hey guys,

So I'm having an issue with my Heat-n-Glo SL-550TR- IPI-C fire place. Its equipped with a wall mount switch to turn it on. When I turn on the wall mounted switch, I can hear the blower come on and don't see any sparking from the intermittent ignition. When I disconnect the quick connect wiring harness from the ignition control module and plug it back in the intermittent ignition starts to spark and lights the pilot. Seconds later the fireplace turn on. If I shut the fireplace off with the wall switch, I have to repeat the above steps to turn it on again. Whats gives? Do I have a bad ignition control module?

From poking around and trying to trouble shoot I have discovered that the back up battery harness had no batteries and was missing the negative lead for the second battery. The wall switch control switch is in the "on position". The receptacle being used is receiving 120V, the transformer being used is working and 3V is being supplied to the ignition module. The ignition module is properly grounded to the fireplace housing. Am I missing anything here?

Any help with this would be appreciated as I'd prefer to avoid to have to fork out cash for a service call if I can do it myself.

 

[DAKSY]

You should NOT have a 120V wall switch to fire that unit.
It's a 3V system. The 120V should only operate the blower.
When was the unit working last? How good is the ground wire attached?
Can you post a pic of the gas valve?

 

[RobN]

You should NOT have a 120V wall switch to fire that unit.
It's a 3V system. The 120V should only operate the blower.
When was the unit working last? How good is the ground wire attached?
Can you post a pic of the gas valve?

So the transformer is plugged into the receptacle inside the fireplace. The other receptacle on that box is where the blower is plugged in. In the picture below you will see it plugs in off the side of the interior box.

I have had the house for 7.5 years and I've never had the wall switch work for me. I'm only fixing it now because I'm selling the house and the buyers want it fixed.

 

[DAKSY]

Does the (Tech) switch in your first pic work?

 

[RobN]

Does the (Tech) switch in your first pic work?

I'm not sure . What would be the best way to determine if it is working?

 

[DAKSY]

Try it.

 

[RobN]

I'm not sure . What would be the best way to determine if it is working?

So I turned the wall switch on. With the Tech switch in the off position, when I manually replug the quick connect back to the ignition module I have instant pilot and ignition.

With the wall switch on when I turn the Tech switch to the on position I have no activity. So the switch is shot then.

 

[DAKSY]

The switches are mutually exclusive. If you turn the unit on with one if them, you have to turn it off with the same switch.
Pull the plate off the wall switch to see if there is 120V (12/2 or 14/2 Romex) wiring or 18 gauge thermostat wiring.
If the wiring is 18 ga., disconnect from the switch & touch the two ends together. If the fireplace comes on, it's the switch.

 

[RobN]

The switches are mutually exclusive. If you turn the unit on with one if them, you have to turn it off with the same switch.
Pull the plate off the wall switch to see if there is 120V (12/2 or 14/2 Romex) wiring or 18 gauge thermostat wiring.
If the wiring is 18 ga., disconnect from the switch & touch the two ends together. If the fireplace comes on, it's the switch.

So I opened it up and its 120V wiring. For what its worth the utility panel and the fireplace are about 8 feet to the left of where the wall switch sits if you wondering which line is coming from where in the box.

 

[DAKSY]

OK. It shouldn't be wired that way according to what the manual indicates.
You can still jump the screws on the switch with a short piece of wire to test it,
or disconnect ONE wire & touch it to the other, but only IF you feel confident in doing so.

 

[RobN]

OK. It shouldn't be wired that way according to what the manual indicates.
You can still jump the screws on the switch with a short piece of wire to test it,
or disconnect ONE wire & touch it to the other, but only IF you feel confident in doing so.

I disconnected the the wall switch and touched wires. Blower fan turns on but still no pilot or ignition happens.

 

[DAKSY]

Try the same thing with the tech switch on the unit.

 

[RobN]

Try the same thing with the tech switch on the unit.

On the back of the tech switch there are four wires. Touching the two wires labelled "IWS' that go to the module quick connect does nothing. If I touch them together with the wall switch 'on' I get pilot and ignition. Otherwise I get nothing from the wires at the tech switch.

I also replaced that tech switch today for shits and giggles. That changed nothing

I'm heading out of town for work for a few days. Should be back on the weekend. We can resume this then.

 

[Millbilly]

Can you show a picture of the flame control module? What the green and orange wires on the valve plug into. Also do you have a multimeter and have a rough idea how to use it?