Need Help: Quadra Fire Castile B - Not working...

[JPAllegar]

Hello All!

I am seeking advice on a Quadra-Fire Castile B pellet stove. It was originally installed in Maryland back in 2005-2006. After doing some remodeling in our house and upgrading our heating system we no longer needed it. It sat for a year or so. I then loaded it up on a trail to install it up at my mothers house in Maine - was going to install it her basement to help counter heating oil prices.

July 2014 - Got it into the basement and ran out of time with the install - needed to return to maryland. Had a friend go to finish the install but was unsuccessful (he had a side business that dealt with pellet stoves).

He plugged the unit it. Just repeatedly flashed blue lights.

Today on 12/1/2014 - (I am up visiting for thanksgiving) Connected the thermostat to the back of the unit. Plugged in the pellet stove. Inside the control box the an orange light lit and went out. Then the blue light blinked 4 times, and did this at least 4 times. No signs of life just a "humming" noise is present. Any info would be greatly appreciated. Am I to start pricing a new control box? HTT# 7000 - 205.

Thanks in advance,

Joey

 

[JPAllegar]

Hello All!

I am seeking advice on a Quadra-Fire Castile B pellet stove. It was originally installed in Maryland back in 2005-2006. After doing some remodeling in our house and upgrading our heating system we no longer needed it. It sat for a year or so. I then loaded it up on a trail to install it up at my mothers house in Maine - was going to install it her basement to help counter heating oil prices.

July 2014 - Got it into the basement and ran out of time with the install - needed to return to maryland. Had a friend go to finish the install but was unsuccessful (he had a side business that dealt with pellet stoves).

He plugged the unit it. Just repeatedly flashed blue lights.

Today on 12/1/2014 - (I am up visiting for thanksgiving) Connected the thermostat to the back of the unit. Plugged in the pellet stove. Inside the control box the an orange light lit and went out. Then the blue light blinked 4 times, and did this at least 4 times. No signs of life just a "humming" noise is present. Any info would be greatly appreciated. Am I to start pricing a new control box? HTT# 7000 - 205.

Thanks in advance,

Joey

bump

 

[bags]

Hey Joey,
The guy your looking for is Kap. Think his handle is Kappell15. He's a pro on the Quads. Others know some stuff too. He shows up here frequently so hang tight and give it another bump. You could PM Kap. Very helpful fellow. He's a tech too if I remember correctly. Good Luck!

 

[DMKNLD]

Hello Joey,

Welcome to this forum - and to Maine, and our 'bi-polar' weather of recent ! Lots of Quad owners on here to help out. I'll give a first whack at it for you, I'm sure others will join in. Not sure what is different on the Castile-B vs the other free - standing models, but looking at the manual it looks mostly alike. (broken link removed to http://hearthnhome.com/downloads/installManuals/7021_130.pdf) .

When you connected the thermostat then plugged the stove in, did the red 'call for heat' light come on (behind the control box and above the 7 amp twist-in fuse holder)? If that red light isn't on, with the thermostat set all the way up, then you could have a thermostat wire connection problem at the back of the stove or somewhere along the wires, or the thermostat itself is bad.

The thermostat wires that connect to the stove end can get brittle from heat exposure over time - you're sure both wires are intact and solidly connected to the stove, and at the thermostat end as well ? Mine broke last season on my Castile right at the stove connection, and I had to trim them back a bit to get to 'fresh' wire.

Your single orange / amber light flash followed by the multiple 4 blue / purple flashing light series seems like a normal control box start-up sequence, which should occur simultaneously to your combustion blower turning on - is your combustion exhaust blower working ?

Or is the 'humming' you hear the combustion blower perhaps trying to turn, but it isn't ? With your stove not run for over a year, then moving it a good distance, there could be a number of potential issues - the blower fan could be clogged up with ash, or the motor could be fritz-ed, or yes, your control board could be the problem, but often there's an easier (and cheaper) solution prior to 'throwing a new control board at the problem'. But, sometimes not........

Did you clean the combustion blower and stove of all the fly ash and hopper pellets when you 'decommissioned' it in Maryland? I'd also check all your wiring loom connections to the various motors, switches and snap discs just to make sure something didn't get jostled loose or pinched / cut during the stove move to Maine.

You could try, after UNPLUGGING THE STOVE, to remove then re-install your control box, as they are prone to vibration loosening the electrical board contacts.

If your combustion blower is by chance working, but you're not getting any pellet drop from the auger, then probably the next thing to rule out is a tripped snap disc or vacuum issue - a door seal leak, plugged auger tube or nipple, or bad vacuum switch. But probably easier to start with the thermostat, red call light, and combustion blower functions, and then go from there, OK ?

Thermostat wires are solidly connected to the stove? Red 'call for heat' light on ? Combustion blower working ? Wiring connections are tight? Vent system is 'good to go' ?

 

[kappel15]

Whew! What he said. Sure you're not a service tech in disguise??

 

[DMKNLD]

Having inherited a several years dormant Quad stove myself, and ending up with - go figure - thermostat issues, then the thermo-couple, then multiple gasket / vacuum leaks, then a failing grey control box, finishing with a combustion blower that 'faded away', "I feel Joey's pain".

Wasn't it Julius Caesar who said "experience is the teacher of all things" ? Pellet stoves can certainly be 'a cruel mistress', no doubt !

 

[bags]

See Joey. Your in good company now! Welcome BTW. Let everyone know what's up so others can learn.

 

[kappel15]

Having inherited a several years dormant Quad stove myself, and ending up with - go figure - thermostat issues, then the thermo-couple, then multiple gasket / vacuum leaks, then a failing grey control box, finishing with a combustion blower that 'faded away', "I feel Joey's pain".

Wasn't it Julius Caesar who said "experience is the teacher of all things" ? Pellet stoves can certainly be 'a cruel mistress', no doubt !

Esp. if you treat her wrong! lol

 

[JPAllegar]

Hey all. Sorry it has been a few years in the making. Decided to play with the pellet stove again.

Plug in the stove, the control box throws a red light, followed by 4 blue... still has a humming sound. When I adjust the thermostat, the red call light does come on... the fire pot does start to warm, I can smell it heating up, but pellets do not initially fall.

I vaccum'd out the inside. Trying to remember how to remove the back wall plates to get to the blower and make sure that it is clean and free of debris.

Possible auger issue? Or more dust in the system which needs to be removed?

 

[JPAllegar]

Also, the pellets are from a few years ago that were left in the hopper. Possibly 3-4 years old now...

 

[kappel15]

Also, the pellets are from a few years ago that were left in the hopper. Possibly 3-4 years old now...

Read DMK's post above, check things out, and get back to us. kap

 

[corkman]

I just bought a Castile that sat for a while. Had same issue you described. I actually saw it on Craigslist and when I called about it I ended up trying to help seller diagnose the problem. Had him check snap discs,bypass vac switch and blow out the tube to vac switch but it still wouldn't feed pellets but he could hear a hum from stove. I drove 40 mins to check it out. When I got there they had made their mind up that they were done with stove and decided to install a mini split. I got it for $150 and 78 bags of spruce points and platinums for $200. Turns out it was an easy fix. Auger jam. Cleared out hopper,jiggled the auger and ran coat hanger up chute and within 30 mins of getting her home we had fire. Now to find a good home for it.

 

[JPAllegar]

I just bought a Castile that sat for a while. Had same issue you described. I actually saw it on Craigslist and when I called about it I ended up trying to help seller diagnose the problem. Had him check snap discs,bypass vac switch and blow out the tube to vac switch but it still wouldn't feed pellets but he could hear a hum from stove. I drove 40 mins to check it out. When I got there they had made their mind up that they were done with stove and decided to install a mini split. I got it for $150 and 78 bags of spruce points and platinums for $200. Turns out it was an easy fix. Auger jam. Cleared out hopper,jiggled the auger and ran coat hanger up chute and within 30 mins of getting her home we had fire. Now to find a good home for it.

Will check auger tonight.

 

[JPAllegar]

Read DMK's post above, check things out, and get back to us. kap

Kap,

These snap discs, I'm not too familiar with them - anything specific to look for?

Do they have a reset button on them?

 

[kappel15]

I would make sure the exhaust fan is running first. Sometimes if they set too long, they can jam a little bit. If it isn't turning in the back, give it a little spin with your hand to see if it will start turning. I have had a few act up like this. And then check auger. Some discs have a reset button, some don't. This is a process of elimination, following the power to see where it is, and where it isn't. The only snap disc you need to consider is the #2 snap disc. And you can bypass it by jumping the wires together with a jumper wire. Just make sure not to ground the wires out on the stove any where. And if a red light is flashing and the green light stays on, it could be your thermocouple. kap

 

[JPAllegar]

I can definitely say that there is no fan movement when the call light comes on. Will take the back plates off and check the fan.

 

[kappel15]

I can definitely say that there is no fan movement when the call light comes on. Will take the back plates off and check the fan.

If fan isn't running, it won't create a vacuum in firebox, closing the vac switch, and supply power to the auger. Like I said, you can try giving it a helping hand to spin, and it might take off. kap

 

[kappel15]

If fan isn't running, it won't create a vacuum in firebox, closing the vac switch, and supply power to the auger. Like I said, you can try giving it a helping hand to spin, and it might take off. kap

And the fan sticks out the back of the stove firebox, so you can reach it there too

 

[JPAllegar]

Update:

Took out the back plates, both sides cleaned down the ash/soot build up. Cleaned the fan with my shop vac, spun it a few times. Put everything back together.

Took out the pellets from the hopper, vac'd out what I couldn't scoop. Pulled the auger out... doesn't seem to move freely (unless this is normal) put it back in.

Pulled vac tube. Tube is open.

Spin the bottom fan at the bottom of hopper (outside) Spun freely.

Plugged unit in. No hum. Bottom fan started blowing. Inside control box, orange light lit, followed by 4 blue flashes. Took thermostat bumped it til I heard it click; call light came on. No pellets dropped to fire pot. But now I can feel air moving out the exhaust.

Unfortunately, the pellet stove will have to wait until I return...sometime near the holidays... heading back to Maryland in a few hours.

I will be monitoring the feed for input. And most importantly, THANK YOU for taking the time to assist me.

 

[kappel15]

Update:

Took out the back plates, both sides cleaned down the ash/soot build up. Cleaned the fan with my shop vac, spun it a few times. Put everything back together.

Took out the pellets from the hopper, vac'd out what I couldn't scoop. Pulled the auger out... doesn't seem to move freely (unless this is normal) put it back in.

Pulled vac tube. Tube is open.

Spin the bottom fan at the bottom of hopper (outside) Spun freely.

Plugged unit in. No hum. Bottom fan started blowing. Inside control box, orange light lit, followed by 4 blue flashes. Took thermostat bumped it til I heard it click; call light came on. No pellets dropped to fire pot. But now I can feel air moving out the exhaust.

Unfortunately, the pellet stove will have to wait until I return...sometime near the holidays... heading back to Maryland in a few hours.

I will be monitoring the feed for input. And most importantly, THANK YOU for taking the time to assist me.

Since you emptied the hopper and sucked it out, it will take hitting the reset button 2 or 3 times before you will get fuel back up the auger tube, to drop down into the firepot. kap

 

[JPAllegar]

Since you emptied the hopper and sucked it out, it will take hitting the reset button 2 or 3 times before you will get fuel back up the auger tube, to drop down into the firepot. kap

Thank you Kap. Will try that when I return!!

 

[kappel15]

Thank you Kap. Will try that when I return!!

And you should be able to hear the auger running, or feel it turning. Remember it will only run for 60 seconds on initial feeds. That is why you have to hit the reset button a few times so it will auger enough fuel to fill everything. kap

 

[JPAllegar]

Thank you to everyone who has assisted me over the years getting this pellet stove up and running.

After a few resets and a video (I had the hopper door open) the stove feed pellets, ignited and the green light came on in the controller and then came fire... called for more pellets.... and I did the happy dance

Happy Thanksgiving to All