Installed St. Croix Hastings this weekend

[ylomnstr]

It all went pretty smooth since we just convered a free standing fireplace to a this pellet stove. I ran the pip up through the existing chimney, and capped it off outside. I don't think the pipe is 100% straight, but that's due to the fact that the exhaust on the pellet stove was not centered, so I had to use an elbow to make it work. Do you think this will be an issue when the inspector comes to check it out?

I'll try and post pictures of before and after tonight.

Also, I fired up the stove, but I'm not really sure what to expect since it has a digital control board. I guess I'll have to throw a bag of pellets in there and see what it does.

Anyway, can't wait for the winter. Bring on the cold! (and football!)

 

[Xena]

I'm not in any hurry for the cold to get here thanks very much,
but congrats on your new stove install!

 

[ylomnstr]

Well, I went to fire her up tonight to test run the unit, but the stove won't llight. The pellets feed, everything seems fine, but no fire. The ignitor seems to get pretty hot, but according to the manual, I should try again. I tried about 5 times with no luck. Guess it's time to call the dealer. SIGH!

 

[Xena]

After viewing the operating manual for yours, I believe
my stove works the same. Couple tips. Make sure you
didn't mess with the damper. For most set ups the factory
damper setting with allow the stove to light, then you
mess with it via the instructions if need be.

Also, make sure the ash cleanout rod located in the front under
the stove door is pushed in. Should light up. Might take
6 to 10 minutes the first time so be patient.

Make sure the door, ash pan, and hopper lid are shut properly.

Hth

 

[ylomnstr]

I checked all that but the machine only runs for a few minutes at first then checks for 'proof of fire' and since it's not finding any, it shuts off. I called the dealer today who told me to call St. Croix support first, and then let them know what happens. I'll be calling them shortly.

 

[Xena]

Are you using a thermostat? First time I tried to fire up my
stove I had problems too. Turned out that there was a jumper
in the terminals (like a giant size staple) that I had to remove
in order for the stove to work properly with the thermostat.
Good luck with it. I too called st croix support and they were
first rate imo.

 

[ylomnstr]

I plan on using a thermostat, but for now im just trying to fire it up normally. Odd thing was when I opened the back, there are two 5 amp fuses. One was just missing completely. I put a new fuse in. The jumpers also seemed way off compared to the way the book says they should be, so i moved them to the way the book should be BEFORE i even tried to fire it up. Now i'm wondering if I've got them in the wrong spot, and of course, i forgot where they were before i moved them. I guess that will be part of the troubleshooting. Man, who would have guessed burning pellets would be this complicated!?! My old Quadrafire wasn't nearly as complicated. It had a reset button, and a switch for 3 heat settings. That was it.

 

[slls]

The quad I am trying to get has the reset, heat setting and fan speed switch, 6 speeds. It appears to be simple, just what I like.

 

[schenkp]

The quad I am trying to get has the reset, heat setting and fan speed switch, 6 speeds. It appears to be simple, just what I like.

Why did you not stick with a new Quad then?

 

[mkmh]

I plan on using a thermostat, but for now im just trying to fire it up normally. Odd thing was when I opened the back, there are two 5 amp fuses. One was just missing completely. I put a new fuse in. The jumpers also seemed way off compared to the way the book says they should be, so i moved them to the way the book should be BEFORE i even tried to fire it up. Now i'm wondering if I've got them in the wrong spot, and of course, i forgot where they were before i moved them. I guess that will be part of the troubleshooting. Man, who would have guessed burning pellets would be this complicated!?! My old Quadrafire wasn't nearly as complicated. It had a reset button, and a switch for 3 heat settings. That was it.

Strange, I have that exact same stove and i've never had a problem. If you remove the left panel (when you are facing the stove) you might check to make sure the vacuum hose is properly connected and there are no obstructions. also make sure the hopper lid, and door gaskets are in good shape and that everything seems to be closing up tightly.

Are you getting a series of blinking lights after the start-up cycle shuts down?

 

[ylomnstr]

I spoke to St. Croix support today and they did some troubleshooting which basically consisted of checking to be sure some wires were tightly connected. He also says for the first 2 minutes when you first start the stove, pellets should drop. When I turn my stove on, it seems to go into normal mode meaning the pellets only drop as the auger turns every few seconds. I don't get a steady stream of pellets dropping. Then after a couple of minutes the stove shuts off and the on/off and #3 light flash. He says it sounds like I need a new control board. Time to talk to the dealer again tomorrow. I hope they don't try and say I have to pay anything since I did the install myself. I kinda got the feeling that the dealer was headed that way the first time I spoke to him about this issue today, even though the tech at St. Croix says it should be covered under warranty.

mkmh..........by chance, would you be able to tell me how your jumpers are situated? I think that might have something to do with it.

 

[DiggerJim]

Time to talk to the dealer again tomorrow. I hope they don't try and say I have to pay anything since I did the install myself. I kinda got the feeling that the dealer was headed that way the first time I spoke to him about this issue today, even though the tech at St. Croix says it should be covered under warranty.

mkmh..........by chance, would you be able to tell me how your jumpers are situated? I think that might have something to do with it.

Being somewhat familiar with electronics (I'm an electrical engineer from way back), it occurs to me that a failed control board might well have been your fault for moving the jumpers and not a valid warranty claim so the dealer would be justified in telling you "nope, not warranty". However, if you really did put them the way they said to in the manual and you can prove that, then you'd have a case 'cause the documentation ought to be right. You might luck out jumpering them back the way they were - or simply be tough out of luck because you fried a component - didn't the St. Croix tech tell you what the correct jumper settings should be?

 

[ylomnstr]

To my suprise, he didn't ask me to check anything on the control board. He had me check wires and that was it. But I'm not telling the dealer that I moved the jumpers since I put them in the way the manual shows them to be. Infact the dealer asked me if I checked the jumpers and I said yes and told him that I verified that they are in the position that the manual shows.

what kind of worries me is that I got a great 'deal' on this stove since it was unpacked and ready to be delivered to a customer, but at the very last minute they cancelled the order, and I just happened to walk in right after that happened. Now I'm starting to think the dealer may have known there was an issue with this stove. Regardless, I'm not going to mention that to the dealer unless he starts giving me BS about not being warrantied since I did the install. I realize I did the install, but the problem is with the stove, not with the way I ran the pipe. So we'll see how it goes.

 

[mkmh]

If the hastings tech could not help, I don't imagine I can offer much myself. However, this is what I found in the PDF that I have
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
"My stove isn’t burning and the number 3 Feed Light is blinking. This diagnostic light
indicates that the Proof of Fire Switch no longer senses a fire in the stove. First check to see if
there are pellets in the hopper. If there are pellets in the hopper, why did the stove go out?
a. Unburned fuel in the Burn Pot means the fire went out before the Auger
quit feeding.
Solution: There is too much combustion air; adjust the air damper or the Draft Trim on
Level 1. Pellets would still feed until the P.O.F. switch eventually shuts the stove
down (See Damper Adjustment in the Operations Manual and point 8 on page 17).
b. If the Burn Pot is empty means the Auger quit feeding fuel while there
was still a fire in the burnpot. Check to see if there is fuel in the hopper. If
the hopper is empty, fill the hopper and re-light the stove.
c. If there is fuel in the hopper, check to see if there is an obstruction in the
auger system or if the auger set screw is loose.
Solution: Remove obstruction and re-light the stove or tighten the setscrew on the
auger shaft.
------------------------------------------
Jumper settings are on page 13 of the training manual. If you send me your e-mail address I can send it over to you.

 

[ylomnstr]

I've checked it all. Nothing. I'll go with the new control board I suppose. We'll see what kind of grief the dealer gives me tomorrow. If anything, I'll get St. Croix and the dealer on the line at the same time.

 

[ylomnstr]

Well I want to post an update. Larry from St. Croix tech support was browsing this board last night and saw my post. Even after I already spoke to him, he called me back today, and didn't realize I had an older style control board on my stove. After he knew that, he walked me through reseating the jumpers properly, and poof! My stove lit up with no issues. So thanks to Larry and to this board. Small world I guess. It's nice to know that he's out there browsing these boards and keeping up with issues. Kudos to Larry.

 

[Xena]

Sweet, glad you're running!

Let that be a lesson to anyone
reading this thread.

Don't screw with anything before
at least attempting to fire it up first. ;-)

And Larry, you rock!