My Englander 25-PDV wont stay lit.

[Pablo176]

Hello All,

I'm new to the forum so hopefully I'm doing this right.

I have an Englander 25-pdv and its manufactures date is in 2004. I bought it last year on craigslist, and it worked like a champ at first. I clean it as usual and I have cleaned the flue piping and checked all the vacuum lines and no cracks. I replaced the gaskets on the augers when one jammed so I replaced them both, top and bottom. The pellet stove will not stay lit. Before the pellet stove would die out and then the burn pot would fill with unburned pellets so I found the vacuum hole and cleaned that out, and it worked for a cycle (about 2 days). Then I cleaned it and went to start it, now the fire start but takes forever to start. The pellets don't seem to be feeding into the burn pot. When it finally fills up it smokes for a while then the fire finally lights, but its a dull fire. Doesn't seem to be burning as hot as before. Before you could hear the flame and watch it burn fast and hot. So I leave it and then the pellets just burn and then it dies, and no more pellets get fed to the fire. Any thoughts on this? I have yet to grease the bearings and the auger motors.

 

[Lake Girl]

Welcome to the forum Pablo! In case you don't have the manual: (broken link removed to http://www.heatredefined.com/assets/images/general/25-PDVEand25-PDV.pdf)
Have you tried replacing door/hopper gaskets? How about the gasket behind the burn pot? Checked the hose on the vac switch for cracks, holes? What is your cleaning routine?

 

[Pablo176]

I haven't tried replacing the door and hopper gaskets yet, they seem to be in good shape but I guess its definitely worth a try, the gasket behind the burn pot I have not replaced either, and the vac switch hose seemed fine. When I clean it I take everything out of the burn pot with a shop vac and vacuum the sides next to the burn pot and I scrape it with a small scraper. I take the back plate off and vacuum behind there as well. That's pretty much what I do when I clean it. Its just strange that it started happening all of a sudden. Im thinking its a vacuum leak somewhere but not sure. Thanks for the welcome

 

[Lake Girl]

vacuum leak

Which is why I suggested the gaskets ... some owners have found original gasketting not beefy enough on the hopper lid leaving gaps. Dollar bill test door and hopper ...

Is the OAK (outside air kit) installed? Removed baffles and cleaned behind; cleaned exchangers? Have you ensured your exhaust blower is running well? Remember to unplug when working in there...

 

[Bkins]

In case your not aware of the dollar bill test for the gaskets it goes something like this: open door or hopper lid and put a dollar bill in between the door and the gasket. Close and lock the door or lid and try to pull the dollar bill out. If there is very little resistance then your gaskets need replacing, or the door needs adjusting if that is possible on your stove. You need to do this all around the doors and hopper lid if it's gasketed. You should feel some good resistance if your gaskets are in good shape. I can't remove a dollar bill from my stoves doors when they are healthy. I almost have to tear one to get it out when the doors are shut.

Let us know how you make out and as Lakey said welcome..

 

[Pablo176]

I just got home from work now. I will do the dollar bill test in a bit. I've heard of it just have never done it before. I will kept you all updated. Thanks guys

 

[hossthehermit]

Sounds to me like your exhaust may need cleaning .............

 

[Pablo176]

Well the gaskets are tight. did the dollar test. I noticed that the top auger did not spin at all. I know it's intermittent but it ran for about 10 mins and it didn't move at all. Will a vacuum leak cause it to not turn at all?? I just ran a brush through the exhaust pipe about a wk ago.

 

[Dr.Faustus]

you can check the operation of the auger motors with a test lead. you need a cord with the plug still on but the other end cut off (old computer power cords work great for this) you cut off the side that is not the side you plug into the wall. get some spade connectors and crimp them to the cord you just cut. the entire time the stove and cord should be unplugged so far, you dont want to get electrocuted. unplug the connectors from the auger motor. plug in the cord you just made in its place. it +/- does not matter. plug the cord into the wall and see if the auger motor turns. when done unplug from the wall first, then the stove side and connect the auger motor back to the stove like it was originally.
if the auger motor did not run - make sure it is not jammed. if its not then replace it. if the auger motor did run, then problem is that the stove thinks it should not be running for some reason, such as a vacuum leak or the hopper lid switch if your stove has one.
you can also use a multimeter on the auger motor while the stove is on to see if its sending voltage to it. make sure you are comfortable with this. you will be exposed to 120v ac. also make sure you set the multimeter to measure ac voltages in the right range.
you can jumper the safety switches (temporarily for testing only) but do not run like that.


see first if the auger motor runs when you hook it to the test lead.

 

[Dr.Faustus]

also when you said "takes forever to start".... is there an error code displayed when the stove never starts? if the ignitor is weak and the fire starts late in the startup cycle, the stove sees "no flame" , throws an error code and the startup aborts.

 

[Lake Girl]

Thanks Dr. Faustus ... meant to get back to him after searching for Mike's thread on trying lead off of bottom auger and switching to top to see if top auger was still operational. I got sidetracked
https://www.hearth.com/talk/threads...ng-summers-heat-55-shp10.140139/#post-1884087 Summers Heat is a rebranded Englander...

Always unplug the stove when working inside...

 

[Pablo176]

Well I'm getting a E 2 and E 0 error. And I will try to switch the motors today. the family wanted to go out to breakfast so I am out. little ones wanted chocolate chip pancakes lol. I will update you guys later. Thanks

 

[Lake Girl]

chocolate chip pancakes

IHOP yum Let us know how you make out...

This section on the Englander stoves may be of help in your troubleshooting:
(broken link removed to http://www.heatredefined.com/faq/troubleshooting-guide/pellet-stove/troubleshooting-for-pellet-stoves-manufactured-2004-to-present/troubleshooting-help)

 

[Lake Girl]

Under electrical:
Checking auger motors

Follow these steps after determining the auger itself is not physically jammed. In newer units the upper auger motor is wired through a vacuum switch so the switch may be the cause for the motor not running. to check this motor without the switch, swap the wires at the motor from the lower auger motor to the upper and see if that set of wires run the motor , if they do the motor is good and likely the vac switch or the circuit board is bad.

- See more at: (broken link removed to http://www.heatredefined.com/faq/troubleshooting-guide/pellet-stove/troubleshooting-for-pellet-stoves-manufactured-before-2004/troubleshooting-help/electrical-troubleshooting#sthash.zyUe1oxD.dpuf)

 

[Pablo176]

Ok well did that and the top auger was spinning, so the motor is fine. how do I know if it's the vacuum switch. The pancakes were delicious btw lol

 

[mithesaint]

Bypass the vacuum switch. Unplug the stove. Pull the two wires out of the switch, and take a spare piece of wire to connect them. If the stove runs normally with the switch bypassed, there's your problem.

 

[Pablo176]

Ok so I bypassed the vacuum switch and the auger was spinning now. However all the seams started leaking smoke now. I'm thinking I have a block somewhere. Like I did I cleaned it with a brush, but I have a basement install and there is about a two ft section of pipe that is penetrator the firewall to go outside that the brush couldn't reach. I'm thinking tmrw I will go outside and disassemble all the pipe so I can see if there is a block there. Thoughts?????

 

[Dr.Faustus]

sounds like something is plugged up. The vac switch may be ok and just doing its job. if the exhaust is plugged, there would be no vacuum to close the switch. i would at this point closely examine the entire exhaust. the leaf blower trick may be very helpful in this situation but if not, maybe a small animal got in your exhaust pipe.
If the oak were plugged, there would still be a vacuum and the switch wouldnt be shutting the stove. can you extend the brush? in the past in a pinch i gorilla taped my brush on to some electricians fish tape a had laying around and it worked well on straigh pipe but not much much going through 90's

can you verify the exhaust blower is actually working?

 

[Pablo176]

FIIIIIIIIIIIIXED IT THAT ONE FT SECTION OF PIPE GOING THRU THE FIREWALL WAS CLOGGED. IT'S RUNNING LIKE A CHAMP NOW. THANKS FOR ALL OF YOUR HELP GUYS

 

[Pablo176]

Ok there's a strong plastic smell now. Is that normal????? I know it's not normal but is it something that will burn off, because I put new gaskets etc.