Hudson River Saranac problem

[Doocrew]

Woke up this morning to a cold house. History: My igniter failed several weeks ago so I ordered a replacement from Don2222. I waited to install so I could time it with my mid-winter major cleaning. My original control board had started to come apart and one of the buttons (auger trim) was not working anymore so I decided to order a new board as well. Yesterday I removed the stove (insert) and carried it down to the garage. Removed both blowers, backing plates in the firebox and replaced the igniter. Carried it outside and gave her a good cleaning with compressed air. Cleaned and oiled the blowers, replaced all the blower gaskets, re-assembled the stove and installed the new control board per instructions (set pins for 50KBTU.) Cleaned the chimney pipe and re-installed the stove into the fireplace. Fired her up, and she ran flawlessly right up until I went to bed. This morning, the stove was found to be off and the #2 light flashing. I turned the unit back on after holding the on/off button for 5 seconds and it started in normal mode, then shut off displaying #2 again within a minute. Did this procedure again, and now upon start-up, I get no indicator light on the heat setting. It again shuts off within a minute displaying a flashing #2. Thinking it might be a bad control board, I re-installed my old board and it does the same thing so it is not the new board. The combustion blower starts up, so maybe a vacuum switch?
Suggestions?

 

[mralias]

When you say you get #2 displaying I assume that means condition #2 as stated in your manual. If so, did you follow the recomendation of the manual listed below?

Condition 2: The stove will not operate when hot.
•
Check the hopper has fuel.
•
Check that the combustion air inlet is not blocked. Insufficient air supply may
cause the fire to burn cold and may cause fuel build up, in the pot, and smother
the fire.
•
Check that the exhaust fan is operating, if the fan is not operating properly it may
not generate enough vacuum in the firebox.
•
Check the vacuum switch by shorting out the vacuum switch then turn the control
panel to "OFF" and back to “ON”. If the unit starts to operate change the vacuum
switch.
•


Check the exhaust temperature switch (located on the exhaust blower) by shorting
out the exhaust temperature switch then turn the control panel to "OFF" and back
to “ON”. If the unit starts to operate change the exhaust temperature switch.
F high limit switch. This switch is manually reset, check if it has
tripped, if so let cool and reset switch. Check for cause of overheating, if switch
trips again contact your local dealer for service.

 

[SmokeyTheBear]

The #2 light says you have a vacuum problem.

I'd check the connections from the vacuum switch to the controller (since you just replaced the controller (stove off, and unplugged)).

Since you had the stove out for cleaning did you get the area between the combustion blower cavity and the firebox cleaned out?

Then from the cavity to where the flue attaches?

Did you clean out the flue and if so from which direction?

Is your combustion fan coming up to speed quickly?

Did you drop the side baffles and get the ash traps?

 

[Don2222]

Hello

Here is the status # 2 blinking light suggestions.

My Stove isn’t burning and the number 2 LED light is blinking. This diagnostic light
indicates the vacuum switch no longer senses negative pressure in the firebox area of the
Stove. What caused the Stove to go out?
Solution:
If the fire is out and the stove is off simply re-light the Stove, however if
the fire is still burning in the burn pot make sure all doors are securely latched and hold
down the On/Off button (approximately 5 seconds) until Stove starts up again. This will
re-start the Stove in the start-up program.

a. The door of the unit was left open longer than 60 seconds. (See solution)
b. The ash pan door was left open for longer than 60 seconds. (See solution)
c. The combustion fan is not running. (Defective fan or control board)
d. The vacuum switch is defective. Check vacuum switch for proper operation with a meter or continuity tester
e. The vacuum hose is disconnected
f. The vent system is plugged with fly-ash.

If it is not any of the vacuum problems above, it is a bad control board. I have seen these control boards run for a day and quit. Your board is in warranty so BAC will replace it, if nothing else works.

 

[Doocrew]

I don't think it is the control board Don. I switched out the new board with the old one and it does the same thing. I'm convinced it is probably a vacuum problem but I'm not sure why. Once all of the cleaning was done, it fired right up and ran for several hours before i went to bed. I guess the next step is to test the vacuum switch. Any advice on the best way to do that? To answer the bear's questions, I did a much more thorough cleaning than I normally do and used compressed air while I had it outside. I removed both blowers and used air to clean the firebox thoroughly including the area behind the backing plates. I blew air from both the front and the rear to include where the flue attaches. I'm thinking I must have messed something up somehow although it does not make much sense that it worked for a while. I did set the pins for 50KBTU. I also noticed that the original board that came in the stove had been set to 70K. I'm at work now but will try and mess with it a little more when I get home.

 

[SmokeyTheBear]

Yes you may have used compressed air to do the cleaning with and you may have done more of a cleaning than you normally do but that doesn't mean that you got all of the crud out of the stove's innards or that moving the stove after having done what you did didn't loosen up even more crud and leave it in the worst possible location. Then we have the case of actually depositing some ash in the hose leading to your vacuum switch.

If that controller shuts the stove down shortly after you hit start it is usually a case of the combustion fan not turning on and coming up to speed.

Check your wiring going to the combustion blower (It may be loose).

Just so you understand where I'm coming from when you changed controllers twice you disrupted the connections for everything and those connectors are known for loosening up.

Then you removed the blowers (now when I remove mine, I disconnect them from the wiring harness) and those quick connects are also noted for loosening up.

You already know where I stand on cleaning the stove and the resulting possibilities of there still being ash where it shouldn't be.

 

[Doocrew]

I can't seem to figure this thing out. I removed the insert and began by checking all the connections.They appear to be OK. Checked the combustion fan and found that it starts right up immediately. I removed the chimney pipe and it is clear of obstruction. I removed the vacuum hose and found it is also clear of obstruction. I re-installed the unit and same problem. Unit starts right up, feeds pellets from the auger, but no lights on the heat level side. Unit shuts off in about a minute and flashes #2. Held the power button down for 5 seconds, unit starts and the level 2 light stays lit. Shuts off within a minute, flashing #2. Changed the board again, putting the old board in. Same problem, expect that I don't get any lights on the heat level until it shuts down and flashes #2.

 

[SmokeyTheBear]

Check your molex plug on the wiring harness for a pin that is pushed back into the connector or is pinched so it no longer makes contact to the socket on the control board. Remember power off and unplugged.

Then your gaskets.

 

[Doocrew]

Pins look great and the gaskets look fine.

 

[SmokeyTheBear]

Looks on gaskets mean nothing.

Remove the two wires from the vacuum switch and jumper them together.

 

[Doocrew]

Looks like we found something here. The stove appeared to start up normally and the indicator light is on properly on the heat setting. Bad vacuum switch?

 

[SmokeyTheBear]

Hold on do you have a multimeter?

If so set it to read ohms and place it across the contacts on the vacuum switch and tell us what it does..

 

[Doocrew]

While the stove is running I assume. I shut the stove off after it started up normally.

 

[SmokeyTheBear]

Yes while the stove is running and before you go starting it up again make certain the hose is on both ends and isn't loose or damaged.

 

[Doocrew]

OK. Not overly experienced using a multi-meter except to check for AC and DC voltage. What setting should I use on the meter?

 

[SmokeyTheBear]

The horseshoe (Omega symbol) ohm scale.

 

[heat seeker]

Ω symbol. (Just showing off…. )

 

[Doocrew]

That I knew, but there are 6 different settings. Ill set it at 20K. Hope thats right.

 

[SmokeyTheBear]

Any of them will do just fine.

 

[Doocrew]

OK. I know I am going to sound like a moron because I don't understand this stuff. I put a probe on each terminal and the meter does not change. I know when you touch the probes together it reads all zeros to show continuity. the meter just has a 1 when the probes are not together. Probably confused you real good.

 

[heat seeker]

I'd try the 2kΩ setting, or even lower. Basically you're looking for an open (no vacuum) or a short (vacuum) through the switch. It's possible the two are reversed for some stoves (?), but that's the way mine is. Either way, you should get a change when the vacuum hits the switch.

 

[SmokeyTheBear]

Well that means the switch didn't close now if the hose isn't plugged or snarled or loose or cracked or pinched and the barb at the stove end isn't plugged your vacuum switch is likely toast. But there is one last test you can do if you get the hose end at the stove disconnected and that is to leave the meter hooked up and gently suck on the end of the hose you just removed from the stove and see what the meter does.

 

[Doocrew]

Well that means the switch didn't close now if the hose isn't plugged or snarled or loose or cracked or pinched and the barb at the stove end isn't plugged your vacuum switch is likely toast. But there is one last test you can do if you get the hose end at the stove disconnected and that is to leave the meter hooked up and gently suck on the end of the hose you just removed from the stove and see what the meter does.

With this unit being an insert, I'd have to call my helper back to remove the insert again to do that. Sounds like I need a new vacuum switch. The stove is running flawlessly with the jumper in place. Im going to let the pellets in the pot burn down and I will shut her down until I can find the part. Don, are you listening?

You guys are the best. Sure glad you decided not to hibernate this year Smokey.

 

[SmokeyTheBear]

Well I'm planing on doing a short nap very soon, you can do what you wish on the vacuum switch but I wouldn't call it toast until I was certain that it just wasn't seeing things in the stove.

Take care and let us know what you do.