Is control panel from older model stove matched with circuit board from newer model stove my problem

[RobM11]

Hello,

I bought a pellet insert which has the control panel from an older model, but the circuit board from a newer model. I also bought the optional thermostat for the stove, which didn't work from the beginning. While troubleshooting myself, I noticed that the control panel on my stove was different from the one pictured in the manual the dealer left me. Specifically, my stove didn't have a thermostat control on the control board, while the one in the manual did.

After finally getting the dealer to call me back about the problem, they directed me to the manufacturer's website and an electronic version of the manual for the older version of the stove that matched my control panel. They pointed me to a page which showed how to adjust the thermostat function via the circuit board. I tried to follow the directions in the manual although I noticed that the circuit board they diagrammed was a little different from mine, and in the process there was a spark and the fuse blew. Now the stove doesn't work at all.

A couple days later I was looking at the manuals again and I realized that my stove has the circuit board for the newer model even though the control panel is from the old one. I can see that the old circuit board had 2 5-amp fuses, while my newer circuit board has only 1, and also that the pins and jumpers are different in orientation and number between the two circuit boards.

I bought a display model that had never been fired, I got a good deal on it and other than the thermostat issue it was working well until I decided to take the dealer's advice and try to fix the problem via the circuit board. I wish I had noticed right away that the control panel and circuit board were mismatched. I'm not sure if the dealer knew about the mismatch or not, they are proving very difficult to communicate with.

Can anybody tell me if I'm right in guessing that the mismatched parts are the reason for the thermostat not working, and at any rate represent a pre-existing flaw that the dealer and/or manufacturer ought to fix?

 

[DAKSY]

First, you should post this in the pellet forum & second, how about telling us what you have?
Like manufacturer & model?
We're good but not THAT good...

 

[RobM11]

Sorry about putting it in the wrong place...should I re-post it there you think?

I bought an Enviro Meridian insert. The control panel is the same as the one in an older manual dated 12/4/04-10/19/06. The circuit board appears to be from the current model, which on the front of the current manual is called the "Meridian-A"

Thanks!

 

[begreen]

I moved it for you Rob.

 

[littlesmokey]

Welcome, Rob. Hope we can help, but I have some concerns. Tell us where you bought it and under what circumstances? If you bought it from a dealer, even as a used unit, they should make you right on the deal, or refund the money. Sounds like you have already found a problem that is difficult to solve, and may me the sellers problem. Flush the story out and the gang will talk you through the problems.

 

[jtakeman]

Welcome RobM11,

When you say "control panel from an older model, but the circuit board from a newer model". I think the daughter card is actually the control panel your talking about. The daughter card is just the input buttons and led lights for the user input/output. I have never mixed them or traced the circuits on them either. I really don't recommend that. When ordering a new board for a friends Empress, The newer boards do state to change the daughter card/circuit board as a set. So the mix match maybe the route problem!

When you connected the thermostat did you remove the copper jumper wire?

Could you snap a few pictures of the panel, board and post the date on the tag in the hopper lid. Also if this is a brand new stove?

I would be calling the dealer pronto, State you issues and ask what they can do for you. Once you saw the spark, These circuit boards are pretty sensitive, It probably damaged something on the circuit board. If the dealer starts taking back steps, Contact Enviro promptly. They may step in and assist with dealer support issues. Unfortunately, Any warranty claim thru Enviro has to go thru the purchasing dealer. Enviro will not send replacements to the end user.

 

[RobM11]

Thanks for the hospitality and responses everyone! Here's more detail: I bought the unit as a "showroom display" that had never been fired. The guys from the dealer who installed the stove also installed the thermostat. The daughter card and circuit board were mismatched when they installed it (although I didn't realize this until a few days ago when I was taking another look at it, and I have no idea if the dealer knew, but if so they didn't tell me).

I'm not sure how old the stove is. There is not tag under the hopper lid or anywhere else I can see (I have an insert, so maybe it's somewhere behind the panel that covers the fireplace opening).

It took me weeks to get any response from the dealer about the thermostat not working, and since I tried to follow their advice on fixing the problem and blew the fuse on the circuit board, and reported this to them, they haven't called me back. I called mid-week and left a message asking for the owner to contact me directly and nothing. Finally Friday morning I got somebody live; they told me the owner had "had my file" since early in the week but they hadn't heard anything from him yet. I told them I had just discovered that the control panel and circuit board were mismatched, and asked them to let the owner know about that too. I also told them that if I didn't hear back by the end of the day I was going to contact BBB. And nothing!

I also emailed Enviro yesterday and asked them about what problems a mismatch might cause. There doesn't seem to be a number for Enviro that I can find, but I did find one for Sherwood Industries who owns them so I guess I'll try that on Monday.

Here are couple of pictures:
#1 is the daughter card. It is the same as the one in the old manual from 2004-2006 and does not have a thermostat control button like the newer model does.
#2 is the circuit board. On the bottom right you can see the blown fuse. This looks like the diagram of the newer-model circuit board, with one fuse on the bottom right and the connecting point for the thermostat on the bottom left. The diagram of the old 2004-2006 model circuit board in the old manual shows 2 fuses, and they are on the bottom left, not the bottom right, and the thermostats connecting point is on the bottom right instead of the left. Also it's hard to see but near the top left corner are some pins with little plastic jumper pieces. On the diagram of the old circuit board in the old manual, there appear to be less pins, and the pins are oriented vertically rather than horizontally as they are here.

 

[littlesmokey]

Details of the card aside, your problem is now with the dealer. Materially he represented the stove as an unfired floor model "good as new". I suspect they got in a pinch and "pirated a part" from the stove to fix someone else's and when they reinstalled the replacement, it was the wrong one. Either way, they have sold you a defective stove. Instead of calling and asking for help, call them and ask what day you can expect their tech's to come and pick up the stove with a replacement, or a full refund of your money? See if you get a call from the owner. When you are talking to them, mention the name and number of the state consumer protection enforcement officer you spoke with. Always seems to work as good as a triple expresso latte. You should make that call to enforcement anyway, just to clarify your rights.

 

[Wood Heat Stoves]

good tech manual at enviro.com/help/manuals.html

 

[jtakeman]

That stove doesn't have the daughter card. The picture on the left is the faceplate. The picture on the right is the control panel. The face plate lines up with the buttons and led on the control panel. If it had a daughter card it would have a ribbon cable between them.

You can try this email. He answered me on a weekend. The numer is for Monday thru Friday normal business hours.

Stuart O’Connor - Operations Manager
Ph - 250-652-6080 ext 230
[email protected]

 

[imacman]

....I suspect they got in a pinch and "pirated a part" from the stove to fix someone else's and when they reinstalled the replacement, it was the wrong one. Either way, they have sold you a defective stove......

I agree....probably pirated a part for customer stove.

If they don't respond and replace, refund, or supply correct board, I'd be on the phone to the BBB, and also the Attorney General's office in your state.

Oh, BTW, they didn't write "as is" on the sales receipt, did they?

 

[jtakeman]

....I suspect they got in a pinch and "pirated a part" from the stove to fix someone else's and when they reinstalled the replacement, it was the wrong one. Either way, they have sold you a defective stove......

I agree....probably pirated a part for customer stove.

If they don't respond and replace, refund, or supply correct board, I'd be on the phone to the BBB, and also the Attorney General's office in your state.

Oh, BTW, they didn't write "as is" on the sales receipt, did they?

I got a strong feeling this unit is an older model that has been sitting around for quite a while. AFAIK the newer post 2008 units had daughter cards and this unit doesn't. I would love to see the date info and serial number off this unit to confirm its actual age.