QF Castile: Auger Keeps Turning After Call Light is Off

[xcookpac]

I recently got my vacuum switch/auger issues resolved with the help of so many here on Hearth.com. Many thanks.

However, I now have a new problem. Namely, the auger will not stop augering (feed motor continues operating despite call light being off). I have posted a QF Castile flow-chart that I downloaded somewhere off the internet that is two pages long. It appears that my problem is with flowchart step sixteen ("16"), "FEED MOTOR TURNS OFF". Based on the flowchart, failure to accomplish this step is defined as a control box problem.

Other issue is with flowchart step seventeen ("17"), "EXHAUST BLOWER STARTS 18 MINUTE SHUTDOWN". Despite feed motor continuing to feed pellets into the firepot (and therefore fire continues unabated), the exhaust blower shuts down after 18 minutes. Creating a dangerous situation where the stove can overheat (strong fire burning where exhaust fan shuts down after 18 minute shutdown sequence). By unplugging and plugging back in, exhaust fan starts again.

Your thoughts and assistance would be greatly appreciated.

PS As mentioned in my prior posting last week, the stove has been thoroughly cleaned from top to bottom and in between.

PPS I have also enclosed, at the bottom of the posting, links to my photobucket account for a QF Castile Flowchart and schematic that I found on the internet.
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QF Castile Flowchart Page One ("1"):

http://s436.photobucket.com/user/xc...art_operation_zpsbaj6p8ji.jpg.html?sort=3&o=0

QF Castile Flowchart Page Two ("2"):

http://s436.photobucket.com/user/xc...art_operation_zpsbaj6p8ji.jpg.html?sort=3&o=0

QF Castile Schematic - Electrical:

http://s436.photobucket.com/user/xc...astile wiring_zpswv5kb64v.jpg.html?sort=3&o=1

 

[heat seeker]

Did you unplug the stove for a while to reset the control?

Sounds like a shorted trial or stuck relay.

 

[Ssyko]

first thing i would try is unplug the stove and reset control box (pull it out and reinsert), plug back in and see if it did any good. then i would look at snap disc #2 may have failed closed and is feeding power constantly, to ck remove the wires and use a multimeter and ck across the to pins. with the disc cold it should not have any continuity(open). if you have a resistance measuring replace the snap disc. let us know how you make out.

 

[xcookpac]

I unplugged it for only about 5 minutes. I have the stove unplugged now for about two hours. I will plug the stove back in shortly and see if that makes a difference. I do not know what a "shorted trial" is. Please elaborate. To me it sounds like a relay stuck closed on the board (I agree with that conclusion in your post). But, I still need to do more investigation. The other thing that I need to check is auger motor rpm on high.

My understanding is that the auger rpm should NOT spin at its maximum mechanical rpm on high (in other words, the control box reduces auger rpm speed through pulse width modulation). Can anyone confirm my understanding.

Does anyone know what the maximum rpm for the auger should be on a QF Castile insert with fan on high?

Did you unplug the stove for a while to reset the control?

Sounds like a shorted trial or stuck relay.

 

[xcookpac]

Thanks for your suggestions. How do I pull [the control box] out and reinsert?

Are there any hold-down screws for the control box?

Does the control box get pulled up or to the side?

And, yes I will check snap-disc 2 for failure.

first thing i would try is unplug the stove and reset control box (pull it out and reinsert), plug back in and see if it did any good. then i would look at snap disc #2 may have failed closed and is feeding power constantly, to ck remove the wires and use a multimeter and ck across the to pins. with the disc cold it should not have any continuity(open). if you have a resistance measuring replace the snap disc. let us know how you make out.

 

[kappel15]

Another option is to try your control box in another stove, if you know someone. Or a dealer that would try it in one of their stoves. The control box just plugs into mount. kap

 

[Ssyko]

I unplugged it for only about 5 minutes. I have the stove unplugged now for about two hours. I will plug the stove back in shortly and see if that makes a difference. I do not know what a "shorted trial" is. Please elaborate. To me it sounds like a relay stuck closed on the board (I agree with that conclusion in your post). But, I still need to do more investigation. The other thing that I need to check is auger motor rpm on high.

My understanding is that the auger rpm should NOT spin at its maximum mechanical rpm on high (in other words, the control box reduces auger rpm speed through pulse width modulation). Can anyone confirm my understanding.

I’m thinking Heat seeker meant Triac not trial. The control box programing sets the amount of time the auger is allowed to run (yes it runs at full speed) it will be timed by how many seconds it is on to how many seconds it is off. So on a low setting it may be 5 sec on 11 sec off. I dont have the timing chart for your stove but that is how all pellet stoves operate.

 

[heat seeker]

Did you unplug the stove for a while to reset the control?

Sounds like a shorted trial or stuck relay.

Sorry, it should’ve read “triac”.

 

[Overfireinthehole]

I’m thinking Heat seeker meant Triac not trial. The control box programing sets the amount of time the auger is allowed to run (yes it runs at full speed) it will be timed by how many seconds it is on to how many seconds it is off. So on a low setting it may be 5 sec on 11 sec off. I dont have the timing chart for your stove but that is how all pellet stoves operate.

Your right except that not all operate that way. The AE actually runs the auger motor constantly but at different speeds for different heat levels.

 

[Overfireinthehole]

I recently got my vacuum switch/auger issues resolved with the help of so many here on Hearth.com. Many thanks.

However, I now have a new problem. Namely, the auger will not stop augering (feed motor continues operating despite call light being off). I have posted a QF Castile flow-chart that I downloaded somewhere off the internet that is two pages long. It appears that my problem is with flowchart step sixteen ("16"), "FEED MOTOR TURNS OFF". Based on the flowchart, failure to accomplish this step is defined as a control box problem.

Other issue is with flowchart step seventeen ("17"), "EXHAUST BLOWER STARTS 18 MINUTE SHUTDOWN". Despite feed motor continuing to feed pellets into the firepot (and therefore fire continues unabated), the exhaust blower shuts down after 18 minutes. Creating a dangerous situation where the stove can overheat (strong fire burning where exhaust fan shuts down after 18 minute shutdown sequence). By unplugging and plugging back in, exhaust fan starts again.

Your thoughts and assistance would be greatly appreciated.

PS As mentioned in my prior posting last week, the stove has been thoroughly cleaned from top to bottom and in between.

View attachment 224152
View attachment 224151



PPS I have also enclosed, at the bottom of the posting, links to my photobucket account for a QF Castile Flowchart and schematic that I found on the internet.
================================================================================

QF Castile Flowchart Page One ("1"):

http://s436.photobucket.com/user/xc...art_operation_zpsbaj6p8ji.jpg.html?sort=3&o=0

QF Castile Flowchart Page Two ("2"):

http://s436.photobucket.com/user/xc...art_operation_zpsbaj6p8ji.jpg.html?sort=3&o=0

QF Castile Schematic - Electrical:

http://s436.photobucket.com/user/xcookpac/media/QF_Castile_Pellet_Stove/castile wiring_zpswv5kb64v.jpg.html?sort=3&o=1

I’ve seen this problem three times on quad OE stoves.Two were shorted in the control board (srv-7000-704) and one was a short within the junction box that the board plugs into. New harnesses aren’t cheap, so it might be worth paying someone to work on it unless your parts source will take back a board or harness after being tried.

 

[xcookpac]

Thanks for sharing your experience (very helpful). Now, I am looking for another Castile owner or a dealer to let me plug in my control box. By process of elimination I should be able to determine whether this is a control box or harness issue.

I’ve seen this problem three times on quad OE stoves.Two were shorted in the control board (srv-7000-704) and one was a short within the junction box that the board plugs into. New harnesses aren’t cheap, so it might be worth paying someone to work on it unless your parts source will take back a board or harness after being tried.

 

[kappel15]

It doesn't have to be a castile. Any quad stove except the mt Vernon, AE, and newer style stoves will work. If it was end of season, I would let you send it to me, and I would try it in my Santa Fe. kap

 

[Overfireinthehole]

Quadra fire also makes a test box that you can plug-in to your harness in place of your control board to eliminate all other Causes of the failure. A dealer might be willing to let you borrow one

It doesn't have to be a castile. Any quad stove except the mt Vernon, AE, and newer style stoves will work. If it was end of season, I would let you send it to me, and I would try it in my Santa Fe. kap

Just be sure to change the dipswitch if you try it on a different model.

 

[kappel15]

Not really necessary if auger is running nonstop. Will tell the tale before anything matters. Dial is only for different feed and speeds for the different stoves. kap

 

[Overfireinthehole]

Not really necessary if auger is running nonstop. Will tell the tale before anything matters. Dial is only for different feed and speeds for the different stoves. kap

True, unless your running it long enough to try and establish a fire, it doesn’t matter.

 

[xcookpac]

I finally got a chance this evening after work to go back and test snap disc #2 while it is stone cold. Turns out that the snap disc#2 has perfect continuity while stone cold. Which means ssyko was right: "snap disc #2 [has] . . . failed closed and is feeding power constantly"

I purchased the current snap disc off a seller on ebay. The current snap disc is white and has no reset bump (like the original did). I am uploading a ebay pic of the current snap disc. Does anyone have any suggestions on: i.) where (or from whom) to purchase snap disc #2, and ii.) whether not having the reset bump is important.

I think I have to get snap disc #2 replaced before I can get anything else sorted out.

Pic from ebay of snap disc #2 (which I previously purchased from this seller):

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first thing i would try is unplug the stove and reset control box (pull it out and reinsert), plug back in and see if it did any good. then i would look at snap disc #2 may have failed closed and is feeding power constantly, to ck remove the wires and use a multimeter and ck across the to pins. with the disc cold it should not have any continuity(open). if you have a resistance measuring replace the snap disc. let us know how you make out.

 

[kappel15]

It would feed power constantly any way. It is suppose to. Only time it doesn't is if it is tripped from heat and blocks the flow of current. Safety feature. kap

 

[Ssyko]

It would feed power constantly any way. It is suppose to. Only time it doesn't is if it is tripped from heat and blocks the flow of current. Safety feature. kap

My bad #2 is a high limit for the feed. I was reading the manual and did not read the whole paragraph. Sorry

 

[xcookpac]

kappel15, I think I was misunderstanding how snap disc #2 works. Based on your posting, my understanding of snap disc#2 is: snap disc#2 disconnects power to the auger when a certain temperature has been exceeded. Thus, snap disc #2 is normally closed (and opens only when the certain temperature has been exceeded). Please confirm that my understanding is now correct (or, alternatively, let me know what I am misunderstanding).

Finally, does a Quadrafire Castile insert have a snap disc #3 (I see snap disc #3 advertised on ebay but I can only find two snap discs on my QF Castile insert - snap disc #1 and #2).

It would feed power constantly any way. It is suppose to. Only time it doesn't is if it is tripped from heat and blocks the flow of current. Safety feature. kap

 

[xcookpac]

No problem, I really feel like I am finally understanding how to analyze and repair this QF pellet stove with all the input here.

My bad #2 is a high limit for the feed. I was reading the manual and did not read the whole paragraph. Sorry

 

[Overfireinthehole]

You have three. 1 is your blower switch and is normally open but closes on heat. 2 is your automatic reset high limit that is normally closed and opens and cuts the feed motor when the firebox gets too hot and 3 is you burnback protection that is normally closed and opens when the drop tube gets too hot and must be reset after being tripped. 3 is also in line with your feed motor.

 

[Overfireinthehole]

Like I said before, only thing that will cause a auger motor to run without a call for heat is a bad board or miswire/short in the harness.

 

[xcookpac]

I got it. I was running down the snap disc #2 because someone mentioned it. However, it appears that you are right (board or harness, or both). Thanks.

Like I said before, only thing that will cause a auger motor to run without a call for heat is a bad board or miswire/short in the harness.

 

[xcookpac]

I see snap discs #1 and #2 on the right side of my QF Castile insert but I can't seem to find where snap disc #3 is. Anybody have experience on location of snap disc #3 on my QF Castile insert?

You have three. 1 is your blower switch and is normally open but closes on heat. 2 is your automatic reset high limit that is normally closed and opens and cuts the feed motor when the firebox gets too hot and 3 is you burnback protection that is normally closed and opens when the drop tube gets too hot and must be reset after being tripped. 3 is also in line with your feed motor.

 

[Overfireinthehole]

3 is on the back of the drop tube. Back center stove.