Mt Vernon AE - skips autoclean

[nalias]

Hello

I have a Quadrafire Mt Vernon AE, Rev C1 control board and thermostat.

Problem started at end of last season, It started skipping the autoclean function completely, even when I unplugged and restarted. Was working again at the beginning of this season.. Seems like the memory clears over the summer and often fixes bugs. It started happening again though. Nothing I do seems to get it to autoclean.

Assumed it was a programming problem so so I switched out control board and thermostat from my other stove, but the same problem. Doesn't look like any obstructions and the firepot has been wirebrus

any thoughts?

 

[bags]

Kap is your guy but others have knowledge on your stove too. He or they will be along.

 

[nalias]

thanks I'll wait. I'm at a loss

 

[kappel15]

Does anything else work on the stove? If you swapped control board and wall control, but not the wire? Bad spot in wire, so they don't communicate? Bad connection? Can you hear the auto-clean motor at all? Could be a loose set screw in pot floor arm. Loose connection on auto-clean motor wires or sensor? Are you getting any error codes on wall control? is the overheat snap disc that is located on the drop chute tripped? Only other thing I can think of off the top of my head is maybe the door switch. Try unplugging it, and put a magnet on the switch, then plug stove back in and see if it does an auto-clean. If it does, maybe the switch needs to be adjusted to make better contact, or is bad. kap

 

[nalias]

geez, and I was out of ideas

Does anything else work on the stove?
yes. otherwise still burns fine, it will cycle and everything. just skips the autoclean. eventually the burnpot will clog with ash and be unable to light, and fill with unlit pellets

If you swapped control board and wall control, but not the wire? Bad spot in wire, so they don't communicate? Bad connection?
did not replace wire. didn't think of that for some reason. could you describe which wires? do they have connectors on both ends?

Can you hear the auto-clean motor at all?
no, seems to click right into startup

Could be a loose set screw in pot floor arm.
I will check tomorrow

Loose connection on auto-clean motor wires or sensor?
are those buried behind the control board, behind a removable panel?

Are you getting any error codes on wall control?
no, not until "min firepot temp" error from firepot clogging and pellets overflowing

is the overheat snap disc that is located on the drop chute tripped?
not sure where that is located

Only other thing I can think of off the top of my head is maybe the door switch. Try unplugging it, and put a magnet on the switch, then plug stove back in and see if it does an auto-clean. If it does, maybe the switch needs to be adjusted to make better contact, or is bad.
I will try that tomorrow too.

thanks for your help. I will try what I can tomorrow and post the results

 

[nalias]

ok I had to go over and check it out tonight.

set screw in pot floor arm seems tight

I believe I found the snap disc and I don't think it was tripped (if the reset is between the 2 wire leads)

put a magnet on the door switch and it did not make a difference

However, I was wrong about the auto-clean motor not making any noise. I can hear it for about 1 or 2 seconds (it must have been too loud in the room for me to hear during the day). I tried to manually assist the opening of the firepot with a screwdriver (with a magnet on the door switch). Couldn't seem to get it to open.

I assume by your question hearing the sound may be significant?

thanks again

 

[kappel15]

I need you to make sure, it is not showing the auto clean on wall control. If this is the case, some of the female connections on the 10 pin wire harness may be a tad open. You will need to push them closed a little bit with a thumb screw or some such. Let me know, and we will go from there. kap

 

[nalias]

Went over last night and the wall unit did not show auto clean. When I plugged back in, it went straight from showing the dashes to ready. It had auto cleaned before I got there however.

This morning I was going to fiddle with the 10 pin harness. But it is auto cleaning again. I hate to mess with it until is acts up again.

I will post when it does.

thanks kap

 

[kappel15]

Since it is cleaning, it will be in the wire harness for future reference. kap