Lenox Hearth t200 P pellet stove problem!

[alocke]

Hi, I'm new to this forum. I've been having an ongoing probelm with a pellet stove that i bought back after Katrina when my heating bills [natural gas] went through the roof. The stove ran fine for the past few winters, running almost 24/7 most of the time until towards the end of last winter [feb/march 07]. That was when the problem started and is now persisting [I never got round to fixing it in the summer]. The stove is a Lenox Hearth Tranditions T300P series free standing model

http://www.lennoxhearthproducts.com/resources/manual/775025%20E-%20T300P%20(II&CO.pdf

The problem is when stove is turned on, it starts up in the usual fashion [fans running faster, pellets start to drop]. However, once the fire actually lights, the stove does not 'switch' to is normal quiet runnign fashion. Instead it continues with the fans running fast and periodically the fire will go out, and then reignite until the stove switches itself off. Sometimes, if I continue to switch the stove on and off numerous times it will actually 'catch' and operate as normal, but it is completely unreliable. I can't really hang around for an hour in the mornings after emptying the ash/filling the hopper etc turning it on and off in the hope that it will work!

I contact Lennox and their technical staff were quite frankyl useless [this was by no means a cheap stove, ~$2500].

I have a feelnig that the filter lens cover is the problem but have been unable to access it, though I can get to the photo eye which looks clean.

I have a feeling that only people familiar with the design of this stove will be able to help.

Also, I VERY regularly clean the stove and chimney and am using the same bags of pellets that have worked fine in previous years [they are not wet].

Any suggestions would be welcome and I appologise for the length of this post but am at my wits end with winter approaching and 3 tonnes of pellets sitting idel in the basement.

Also I must say to those thinking of buying a pellet stove that i would check the availability of servicing in your area. I live in Delmar NY and one local store said they could not look at this until January at the earliest and no one really seems to have any idea as to what the problem is.

I personally would be thinking about a wood fired stove if it weren't for the amount of money invested in this piece of equipment.

 

[Shane]

It's likely the photoeye lens like you said. If your able to access the photoeye then you can remove the lense by taking the two 11/32" nuts off that hold the lens retainer plate. Also on occassion the photoeyes do go bad. I only saw three go bad in the 6 years I worked on those stoves but two of them were on T300P straight out of the box.

 

[david Lee]

One simple easy way to clean the photo eye filter is to purchase a can of compressed air (like use in cleaning a computer keyboard). You can pick one up at Staples. Spray the air up the pellet shute. 3-4 hits of air might do the trick and will help reduce dust and fine on the filter. Beats accessing the photo eye.

 

[alocke]

Thanks for the advice guys. I actually fixed this probelm last night. I had to literally squeeze my entire head into the hopper to see and remove and the filter lens cover. Cleaned it, replaced it [after a lot of swearing] and it fired up perfectly first time! I cen't believe it took me so long to fix such a 'simple' problem. My frustration levels are finally dropping.

 

[Shane]

I always compared working on the TP300 to working on a Honda Accord. You stick your hand in and twist and hope for the best. Wait till you have to change the igniter.

 

[alocke]

Shane you seem familiar with this pellet stove. Is it reliable, not that i can afford to get rid of it! I don't even want to think about replacing other parts!

 

[hearthtools]

IMO
Any of the Lennox stoves that use the Photo eye is UNRELIABLE

 

[Shane]

The photoeye technology was definately not the best route. Honestly we did lots of repairs to Whitfields in general. They seem to go through more igniters than the average pellet stove and the control boards go bad more frequently. The one thing that is really nice about Whitfield is the warranty. 2 years electrical replacement part warranty is good. I wouldn't call it a Yugo but there are a few more reliable units out there.