igniter element fuse blowing

[rshortt]

Hi,

I have a Whitfield traditions, T300P. We recently had our annual servicing and ever since then there's been a problem. The stove will turn on, do its startup cycle, and light with no problem. Now, every time since then (3 to be exact) the stove either ran out of fuel (2x) or burned out (too lean). After each incident the stove would not start and after further investigation I found that the igniter element fuse to be burned out. The fuse is a 6A 125V fast blow. I replace the fuse, the stove starts fine, but when it ran out of fuel (yeah I know I shouldn't let that happen often) it would not restart.

The fuse either gets blown in the initial startup cycle, or when it runs out of fuel (does it try to restart?).

We didn't start using the stove until late in the season since we were waiting to get it serviced, so I don't know if something happened to it (loose wire?) then or before.

Does anyone have an idea of what may be causing this recurring problem?

A test I wish to do is replace the fuse, start it up, when burning then shut it down manually, check the fuse.

Any help would be appreciated, thanks!

-Rob

 

[rshortt]

I did a manual shutdown, the fuse was blown. I replaced the fuse for the 4th time, and started it up again, it didn't start because the new fuse blew during the startup cycle (and must not have gotten far).

Maybe the igniter element is shot? I'm going to take the back off and examine all the wires as well.

-Rob

 

[begreen]

It does kind of sound like a shorted igniter.

 

[bcollignon]

I have a Country Stoves Winslow PI-40 which has similar symptoms, although I haven´t replaced the igniter yet. Upon startup, my burn pot would fill up with pellets and my system board would show all green lights (reporting, apparently, no problem). Ignition never occurs but then I saw that my igniter fuse was blown. I replaced the igniter fuse which, upon next startup, also burned out. Of course the burn pot filled with pellets as well, but what sort of throws me for a loop is that the on board diagnostics don´t report no fire in the burn pot either, which they´re supposed to with different light codes. Normally, the ¨no-fire¨ snap switch should throw and report an error code on the system board. None of that happens and, as far as the system board is concerned, everything is happy. STRANGE! However, I like the shorted igniter theory, since that might explain the blown fuse. A short would provide too much current on that circuit, thus blowing the igniter fuse, I suppose. Any thoughts would be appreciated.

 

[rshortt]

Hi firestarter,

On my stove at least, the startup cycle would have to end (~15 mins) before the stove would try to detect a flame or not and go into fault mode. It too fills up with pellets in that time, blown fuse, etc. I've been starting my stove manually for the time being since I haven't had the time to look deeper into the problem.

-Rob

 

[Mr Whitfield]

If your element is blowing the fuse , it's a short. If the element is starting the fire and blowing the fuse after it starts, I would think that the element is expanding in the stainless tube and is shorting out after the element heats up.

 

[bcollignon]

Thanks ever so much, at least I have a fighting chance. I´m an east-coaster and, except perhaps for Vermont, we´re not seen as being environmentally friendly. I am trying, however, and I LOVE my stove. What still has me baffled, however, is why the control board is seeing things as o.k. It seems to think things are running normally, or aren´t the diagnostics that sophisticated? Again thanks.

 

[ADSchultz]

I got frustrated while troubleshooting my Profile 30 so I built an indicator panel. I wired a neon bulb (with built in resistor) across every motor, every limit switch, and every output of the controller. I also picked off the signal from the flame sensor, ran it through a buffer amp to a meter. When a limit switch opens a light comes on. When the controller calls for a motor to start a lamp comes on, and if things are working right, the motor indicator lamp comes on. It has sure save alot of troubleshooting. With my experience with this stove, my next one will have a USB port for diagnostics!

When I bought the house three years ago I didn't even know what a pellet stove was. Now I know more about it than the factory!