New Project - Mt Vernon Non AE

[jrsdws]

Bought a new to me Quad Mt Vernon today. It's an early 2006 model...apparently just before the AE came out. The stove was only used for 4 seasons and it's been sitting, hooked up, ever since.

After a 3hr drive I was anxious to go through this thing and see it run. The gentleman was very friendly and helpful and understanding that I needed to see it run and put it through it's paces. After a good inspection for any cracks in the cast, including the pot, he fired it up. She fired on the first try and everything worked great. Great flame, incredible heat...now I understand the saying "Nothing burns like a Quad".

After the transaction, we loaded her up and spend another 3hrs on the road and set her in the garage for a good break down and going over. The convection blower had some dust bunnies but not too horrible I don't think. The combustion blower was replaced and used one season. It had lots of rust in the housing and on the blade. I've been scrubbing the heck out of it with a wire brush and penetrating oil. It's getting there. The exhaust path had some dust and rust but cleaned up well. All in all she's in pretty good shape. Some more elbow grease and a few gaskets and she should be set.

I have one recessed socket head cap screw that holds the cast iron fire pot panels in place that has a rounded out head. I think I'm going to try to weld an allen wrench into it and see if it'll turn out. These cast iron panels have some rust too, but I figure they should clean up pretty well with a wire brush. Should I paint them? High temp black?

The stove wasn't hooked up to outside air so I have to find or fab an adaptor plate for that.

Obligatory pictures:

 

[CT Pellet]

Gresat pics and great stove. You will not know the meaning of "Nothing runs like a quad" until mid winter when it is sub-zero. You, my friend, have one of the best stoves in the market. And...in my opinion (Please, go easy on me here people) a pre-2007 Quadra Fire is better than a brand new one. Not to start a whole new thread with that, but you have a bullet-proof beast. Enjoy, and if there were no pics, then there would be no stove!

 

[DexterDay]

Gresat pics and great stove. You will not know the meaning of "Nothing runs like a quad" until mid winter when it is sub-zero. You, my friend, have one of the best stoves in the market. And...in my opinion (Please, go easy on me here people) a pre-2007 Quadra Fire is better than a brand new one. Not to start a whole new thread with that, but you have a bullet-proof beast. Enjoy, and if there were no pics, then there would be no stove!

That should put some worries to rest..... ^^^^^ Nice post. Well said.


Congrats bro.... I dont think your gonna be disappointed. Thats one hell of a heater.

I Love the look of the Mt. Vernon. The AE model is a solid stove and I am not taking anything away from it. But I would want the non AE. No frills.

Looks like you got an awesome deal. The Wife will want the warming shelves for that old time finished look

Looking forward to install pics..... (Where is it being installed )??

 

[jrsdws]

Warming shelves...Yes Momma has already made that call.

I walked out with the stove and 5 bags of pellets for $550. Who am I to complain except for a sore back?

This little beauty will be replacing the CPM in the dining room.

 

[jtakeman]

I thinx ya stole it!

Very nice, Can't wait to see the hooked up burning pic's!

 

[mithesaint]

Warming shelves...Yes Momma has already made that call.

I walked out with the stove and 5 bags of pellets for $550. Who am I to complain except for a sore back?

This little beauty will be replacing the CPM in the dining room.

Can you use the same exhaust set-up? Or will you have to make a new hole in the house?

 

[smoke show]

That is sexy! good luck and let us know how it compares.

 

[smoke show]

opps thought this was the pm you sent me

I couldn't see anything...

 

[SmokeyTheBear]

like i said, no brainer nice score . i would of bought it in a heartbeat

Er, didn't you get rid of one not that long ago

 

[jrsdws]

Can you use the same exhaust set-up? Or will you have to make a new hole in the house?

It looks to require the removal of an existing 45deg elbow and maybe the additon of a 6" in the vertical rise.

I might have damaged the thermocouple when removing burn pot to put a new gasket on.

I get a blinking orange light in the control box and the igniter does nothing. The light blinks a 3 blink sequence repeatedly. I have double checked that the cover is making contact with the thermocouple end.

Anybody have a suggestion or three on this?

 

[DexterDay]

If its orange or "amber" then I believe the T/C is out to lunch. It should only be a green or red light?

Let me look at a manual (service tech manual). Or maybe a dealer will chime in.

 

[jrsdws]

Well making a little progress. I bypassed the vacuum switch and she started feeding fuel but no ignition. Blew through the vac hose and hooked it all back up. Put patch cord on ignitor and it worked. Hooked it back up and tried to fire her up again but same thing.....feeds pellets but ignitor doesn't come on.

What do I look for now?

 

[DexterDay]

Check ignitor connections? If you took the pot out? Its likely that the connection isn't made?

 

[jrsdws]

New thermocouple arrived today and she's up and running like a champ. The old one was really shot...all brittle and falling apart...and I was pretty rough on it when removing the burn pot. Anyway, here's a quick pic of it burning on low right after start up. She really ejects the ash from the pot.

 

[jrsdws]

Oh she runs like a striped a$$ ape on the Quad setting!

Hoping to install tomorrow if not rainy. She's quite a handful as it is. I don't want to slip on wet footing lugging this thing around.

 

[DexterDay]

Nothing runs like a Quad

Glad its working good for you.

 

[smoke show]

Hoping to install tomorrow if not rainy.

patiently awaiting pics....

 

[jrsdws]

Not looking good for today...rainy and stormy. I don't want to take a chance of a slip while lugging this big beast....hospital bills and broken cast iron.

 

[DexterDay]

Take your time. That Beast ain't goin no where.

Interested to see how well it heats and on what setting.

 

[Bkins]

I'm another that will tell you that you need to go back and pay some more money. You stole that stove. Be aware that Quad wants that stove to start on the Quad setting and then be turned down. If you find it not starting, when cold in particular, it will be because its not set on Quad. You can overide this by throwing in a handfull of pellets. We do that when we clean the stove in the morning and walk away and forget it.

Be aware this stove loves to eat pellets and that its like a teenager that will eats you out of house and pellets.

We bought the warming shelves and love the look of the stove. Looks more like the wood burner we had before this pellet monster.

Enjoy it.

 

[jrsdws]

Interesting that you have problems starting yours on the low settings. Mine fires up happily on low from dead cold.

According to the start up sequence, when call for heat initiates:

1. Call for heat
2. Exhaust blower turns on
3. Igniters turns on
4. Vacuum switch closes
5. Pellets drop for 60 seconds
6. Pellets ignite
7. Heat from fire turns green thermocouple light on in control box
8. Auger drops pellets in it's cycle mode
9. Heat from fire turns red thermocouple light on in control box
10. Igniter off

Mine works EXACTLY as described here.

Other than a glitch in how many pellets you drop in that start up sequence #5, I can only think of too much, or too little airflow being a potential problem. The drawback of too little air is obvious. Too much air for the amount of fuel delivered and I can see this stove burning those pellets out VERY fast. Too much air can be remedied by adjusting the feed gate.

Of course, the stove is new to me, but the operation of it is as simple as can be. That's a big part of the appeal for me also.

As far as pellet consumption goes, I expect to use less than I do now due for a couple of reasons....the heat exchanger being the biggest of them.

The warming shelves are beaufitul. They really set the stove off for looks. The wifey says we're getting them.

 

[jrsdws]

Installed the Mt Vernon today and she is working to bring the house temp back up. Man, she really puts out the heat. I'm most impressed.

Installed and burning picture:

 

[shisits]

I am starting my 4th season with mine.
Enjoy the heat.

 

[DexterDay]

Time to update the Avatar!!

 

[Eatonpcat]

Looking good...Enjoy the heat!