Ignition Ups and Down - Englander 25 PDV

[Winslow T. Schiller]

Hey all: It's been several years since I checked out the group. Looking back, it's for the same problem. Here it goes again with a couple twists and turns.

We're coming up on five years with our Englander 25-PDV. It's been reliable in that it reliably never fires up at jump street. I get the E-2 code, hit "Start" which moves it to E-0, and then it usually gets some smoke and then fire within several minutes. A couple months ago I removed the burn pot gasket and didn't replace it. Same behavior. Today I replaced the gasket (double, actually). Same thing. So I tried something new: about ten minutes into the (non) start up, I opened the door and moved the piled-up pellets to the left side. It was warm (not hot) near the igniter, and there were a couple singed pellets. I sealed it up, and after a few "new" pellets dropped in to say hello, I had smoke. Then fire. All of this occurred during the first SU routine. In a few minutes, the fan kicked in, it went out of SU, and now my wife is warm and cozy. It seems like the initial pellet pile smothers the igniter, which obviously works when it the stars are aligned. I start up at 5-5 and it doesn't seem like the settings make any diff.

My bottom panel button setting are 1-3-5. I've never fooled with these. Any experts care to comment on what's going on? Vacuum, maybe? Thanks in advance, of course. - Winslow

 

[ARC]

1.3.5 is wrong, Bottom settings factory settings by year stove made attached doc. Also third number is always 1. X.X.1 Bottom buttons only effect start up and heat levels 1 and 2. Do you know what Profile Mode you are using ABCD

 

[ericofmaine]

Unless its a lot newer than mine, your bottom numbers seem off. Mine are 6-4-1. The most conscerning is your last one, the Air on Temp. Per Englander, it should never be anything other that 1. Now, all that said, that should have nothing to do with startup.

My first question is how clean is this stove? Mine likes to be CLEAN. Have you ever, or when was the last time you did the leaf blower trick? Helps get all of the nooks and crannies. Reason I ask is that if its dirty is it might not be pulling enough air over the igniter to get the pellets to light. If is is clean then it is most likely a matter of adjusting the igniter position in the tube. Mine never has had a problem lighting off first try short of the igniter giving up the ghost.

Eric

 

[Winslow T. Schiller]

1.3.5 is wrong, Bottom settings factory settings by year stove made attached doc. Also third number is always 1. X.X.1 Bottom buttons only effect start up and heat levels 1 and 2. Do you know what Profile Mode you are using ABCD

Thanks for the reply. I do not know the profile and the stove is currently in operation. I'll check when we shut it off.

 

[Winslow T. Schiller]

Unless its a lot newer than mine, your bottom numbers seem off. Mine are 6-4-1. The most conscerning is your last one, the Air on Temp. Per Englander, it should never be anything other that 1. Now, all that said, that should have nothing to do with startup.

My first question is how clean is this stove? Mine likes to be CLEAN. Have you ever, or when was the last time you did the leaf blower trick? Helps get all of the nooks and crannies. Reason I ask is that if its dirty is it might not be pulling enough air over the igniter to get the pellets to light. If is is clean then it is most likely a matter of adjusting the igniter position in the tube. Mine never has had a problem lighting off first try short of the igniter giving up the ghost.

Eric

Thanks for the reply. I have never performed the leaf blower trick. Just this morning, and about 5 minutes after start up, I opened the door and immediately noticed a puff of smoke at the igniter. I moved the pellets a bit, closed the door, and it started up within a minute. This suggests to me that I'm not getting air over the igniter, and it's the air coming in from outside that's causing ignition. Which is, of course, wrong. Aside from cleaning it better, would a faulty vacuum tube cause this? Thanks again.

 

[ericofmaine]

No, a faulty or plugged vacuum tube would cause other issues, but not a failed startup. As I mentioned in my first post, CLEAN, CLEAN, CLEAN!

Eric

 

[johneh]

CLEAN, CLEAN, CLEAN!

X2

 

[Winslow T. Schiller]

FWIW, profile is set to "d" which is correct for my model/year (25-PDV, 2012). I also adjusted bottom panel settings to the recommended 6-4-1 and it's blowing much, much hotter now.