My pellet stove won't shut down, please help?

[Randy]

My Glow boy pellet stove won't shut down as it keeps running so I have to pull the power cord from the wall receptical to stop it. I noticed a few days ago the stove started speeding up then slow down all the time so may that will help figure what is wrong? Could someone please help me as to get a repair guy will cost $600 - $700 just to look at it. We are also in the middle of some really cold weather and I need the stove to keep running. Thanks in advance!!
Randy!!

 

[nayslayer]

When was the last time it was fully cleaned?

 

[Randy]

Hi, Thanks and what do you mean by fully cleaned? I clean the ashs out and just used my air compressor to blow dust from the blower fan. It shut down a few days ago after the blower fan overheated so after I blew the dust out of it it worked fine.

 

[joescho]

I'm not very familliar with your stove, but if it has some sort of thermostat that tells it what to do, it sounds like either the thermostat has gone, or its dirty to the point that it no longer senses the correct temperature to tell it when to start up/shut down.

I'm sure there are those more knowledgeable than me that can give you more advice.

By the way, $600-$700 for someone to come look at it??? Really???? Does he bring you a bar of gold or something????

 

[rwebs]

My Glow boy pellet stove won't shut down as it keeps running so I have to pull the power cord from the wall receptical to stop it. I noticed a few days ago the stove started speeding up then slow down all the time so may that will help figure what is wrong? Could someone please help me as to get a repair guy will cost $600 - $700 just to look at it. We are also in the middle of some really cold weather and I need the stove to keep running. Thanks in advance!!
Randy!!

Does the fire go out and just the blower continue to run, or does the fire and heat continue even after you have tried to shut it down? if it's just the blower you might try replacing the proof of fire snap disc on your combustion blower. Had that problem last year and it was a cheap fix.

 

[Randy]

Usually after you turn off the stove the exhaust fan (chimney) and fan to blow the heat around will continue to run for 30 minutes to make sure the fire is completely gone out and to cool down the stove. But now you turn of the stove so the fire goes out and the exhaust fan and fan that blows the heat around stays on and won't cut out. Thanks for helping.

 

[BUBIBEAR]

Just a thought,most stove manufacture say not to stop stove buy pulling the power cord to stop stove. Could be that the stove needs to be reset to default . Or pulling the plug did some damage to the control board.

 

[Randy]

"Could be that the stove needs to be reset to default " how do I do that?Thanks!!

 

[Lake Girl]

Did a quick scan of the manual http://www.dansons.com/pdfs/manuals/manual-glowboy-shop.pdf
No mention of reset, no mention of inspection ports - worse than the Elena manual Tell you to call tech for spring cleaning...

There should be one or two panels that can be removed to clean the internal exhaust pathways around the firebox. They can be located inside the firebox or on the exterior sides or back of firebox. Remove these and vacuum out. I use a dryer lint brush and an old length of garden hose taped to my shop vac adapter to try to reach all the areas.

Some folks disconnect vac switch and use a leaf blower with vacuum port attached to exhaust...leaf blower trick.

When was the last time venting was brushed and vacuumed out?

 

[Randy]

I cleaned the stove but it didn't work? Someone please help me fix this? I can't afford the $600-700. Thanks!!

 

[Lake Girl]

What blower overheated and shut down? Blower fan will cycle on high if high limit switch on back of fire box is tripped (page 8). May not have been dust in blower but malfunction of high limit switch. Rule out that all you limit switches are functioning as they should...

 

[Randy]

Thanks but ow do I do that?

 

[Randy]

Hi, Thanks for answering but I tapped on the 2 sensors that are on the outside of the firebox and the stove shut down.Could it be one of these? Thanks. Randy!!

 

[Lake Girl]

Which switch did you tap that shut the stove down (turned blowers off)? Check the photo on page 8 in the manual to figure out which one.

These switches are relatively inexpensive compared to the control board.

 

[Randy]

Hi, See them in the picture and thanks!!(broken image removed)

 

[Lake Girl]

Check the low limit switch on the combustion blower (L120) first ... also known as proof of fire. If this is faulty, it may explain why blowers were running high and low initially. The convection blower (room fan) would then be started when the heat of the fire box was up to 140 degrees (lower switch on the back of the fire box). The convection and combustion blowers would keep running if the low limit switch is stuck in the closed position - its telling the board that you have fire and need to distribute the heat.

From another thread: https://www.hearth.com/talk/threads/austroflamm-integra-still-no-go.119150/#post-1594824
OK, I removed the low limit switch and it looks fine. I googled it and found it is a normally open switch that closes at 120 degrees. I put an ohm meter on it and it is open. Took hair dryer to it and it closed. I can't say at 120 degrees, but didn't take long. I then put my thumb on the SS tip and it cooled down, and the switch opened. So in my opinion, it probably is ok.

Not sure if you can use the hair dryer trick to trouble shoot the convection blower limit switch (L140) as well.

Do one switch at a time and note position/colour of wires before you disconnect so you can put them back the right way

 

[Randy]

So if it is stuck closed so the combustion fan stays on - when I set the fan speed (Low) to come on only when the heat builds up so that it will cut in and out automatically it would come on full speed when I start the stove??

Just asking if that is what should happen?

 

[Lake Girl]

From the manual, the convection blower will start on high for 60 seconds then lower to correspond to feed rate. However, it will cycle between high and low if the convection blower is not set to match the feed rate (different than mine). This happens so that the high limit switch is not tripped. Read your manual pages 20 and 21. It is possible there is nothing wrong with any of your limit switches, just that your exhaust pathways are clogged and your stove is not set up properly. Clogged pathways would result in overheating and tripping the high limit switch which would keep both blowers running and stopping your auger from feeding pellets.

I would suggest you start all over- Read your manual - clean the internal exhaust pathways and venting see page 27 of your manual (particularly ash traps - not just the ash pan). You may not have a problem with any of the limit switches, it may be that the exhaust pathways or exhausting venting is clogged. If you pull the combustion motor to clean, make sure you have a replacement gasket as they tear easily. If replaced without a gasket you are potentially exposing you and your family to carbon monoxide - Do not replace without gasket.

 

[Lake Girl]

Report back on what you find...

How old is the stove?