QF Castile Insert - New Control Box: New Problems

[xcookpac]

This posting is a follow-up to my posting entitled " QF Castile: Auger Keeps Turning After Call Light is Out." See https://www.hearth.com/talk/threads/qf-castile-auger-keeps-turning-after-call-light-is-off.168015/ I installed the new control box after installing the thermo-couple grounding kit (included with the new control box). The Castile Insert's auger now cycles on and off in what appears to be the proper fashion. As a result, we are receiving sufficient pellets to keep the fire going (and the prior overfill problem from the auger running continuously is no longer present). However, new problems have presented themselves as follows:

New problems:

A. Castile insert did not self ignite properly. As a result, after about 1/2 hour of resetting the control box, the pellets had still not ignited. As a result, I manually lit the pellets with a propane torch. Once lit the fire now continues and auger properly feeds. This is my lowest priority problem at this time.

B. Currently, the fan speed is set on high and the thermostat is set on 85 degrees (in other words, the call light is always on) but the exhaust fan cycles on and off (about 15 seconds then 15 seconds off). In order to make sure that I don't have a vacuum switch causing this problem, I have jumped the vacuum switch. This appears to be my number one ("1") issue as this is a safety issue.

C. New control box only has a blue light (I don't know what this indicates, power maybe?) and an orange call light (meaning the thermostat is calling for heat). I do not see the green and red leds that I found on my prior control box.

D. Convection fan cycles on and off every 10 or 15 seconds. My understanding is that snap disc 1 controls the convection fan. I replaced snap disc #1 a few months ago in an attempt to resolve other issues with Castile insert. Clearly the heat does not get to the room properly without the convection fan on. This appears to be my number two ("2") issue as this affects the efficiency and effectiveness of the pellet stove.

Any assistance in pointing me in the right direction on fixing these new problems would be greatly appreciated.

 

[Overfireinthehole]

Did you turn the little dial on the board to #1. It comes set on 0 which is a test mode

 

[kappel15]

And always make sure to unplug stove before removing or installing a control box, or you run the risk of toasting it. kap

 

[xcookpac]

Thanks for the heads up. The dial pointer on the control box looked like it was turned to setting "3" but (based on the blue blinking led at startup it was initially set to "1"). I changed the setting and now the control box is working great. Once again thanks for all the guidance and assistance in straightening out this stove.

Did you turn the little dial on the board to #1. It comes set on 0 which is a test mode

 

[xcookpac]

Thanks for that reminder. I definitely complied with this rule (especially after spending more than $200 on a new control box).

And always make sure to unplug stove before removing or installing a control box, or you run the risk of toasting it. kap

 

[kappel15]

There is no pointer on dial. There is a v notch, that has the number in it, that stove will be on. Your stove should be on 5. Then the blue light should blink five times every 10 seconds for 60 seconds. kap
I modified this post as I was in error. Was thinking of a 1200

 

[Overfireinthehole]

There is no pointer on dial. There is a v notch, that has the number in it, that stove will be on. Your stove should be on 1. Then the blue light should blink once every 10 seconds for 60 seconds. kap

Thanks for the heads up. The dial pointer on the control box looked like it was turned to setting "3" but (based on the blue blinking led at startup it was initially set to "1"). I changed the setting and now the control box is working great. Once again thanks for all the guidance and assistance in straightening out this stove.

Sorry, I was thinking you had a classic bay which runs on one. Glad you got it figured out

 

[kappel15]

My mistake. I thought it was a cb1200. It is a castile insert. Should be set on 5. That means 5 blue blinks every ten seconds for 60 seconds. kap

 

[xcookpac]

I thought that I would let you know that the new control board continues to work nicely. As discussed above, the correct setting for my Quadrafire Castile Insert is as follows: i.) six ("6") flashes for "normal" pellet delivery; or ii. five ("5") flashes for "normal+10%". These setting definitions were provided to me by the technician at the seller of the control box. I am set up on five flashes and pellets are delivered correctly.

As mentioned in my OP, my Castile Insert is NO longer self igniting. As a result, I removed the plug from the wall, removed the two wire nuts for the igniter (found on the right side of area above the ash pan), and then measured the resistance of the igniter with my multi-meter. I found that there was infinite resistance (bad as I understand it). Technican from seller of control box stated that the resistance setting should be between 35 and 43 ohms. As a result, I ordered a new igniter.

Finally in order to be sure that the control box is providing the correct voltage, I attached two alligator clips to the two white wires (which had been under the wire nuts connecting igniter to the stove harness): one white wire to the red lead on the multi-meter and the other white wire to the black lead on the multi-meter. I then plugged the stove back in and made sure the orange call light was on. As the stove began its cycle, I measured the AC voltage on my multi-meter. The multi-meter clearly showed that the line voltage was supplied (in my case, about 118.5V AC). Thus, the control box is supplying line voltage for the igniter but the igniter is not heating properly as it has an open (another name for infinite resistance).

Once again, I want to thank everyone here for there assistance, knowledge and keeping me on the right path to resolve these issues.

PS Since I installed the control box I have been manually igniting the stove. Today was the first time that I had a sufficient break in the action to troubleshoot these additional problems.

 

[kappel15]

Glad you are moving right along on figuring out your stove, and keeping warm. Must be an older model to have ceramic wire nuts on the igniter wires and harness. Stay warm. kap

 

[xcookpac]

Kap:

The original control box has a 2003 date on it (so in stove years the stove is pretty old).

Glad you are moving right along on figuring out your stove, and keeping warm. Must be an older model to have ceramic wire nuts on the igniter wires and harness. Stay warm. kap

 

[Austin95]

I am wondering what peoples thoughts are on the quadrafire castile pellet insert? i am looking at getting a pellet insert, due to the small size of our fireplace our options are limited. We are first time pellet stove owners so any feed back is appreciated.

 

[kappel15]

It is a good stove. Same stove as the Santa Fe, but cast iron body. kap

 

[Austin95]

would you happen to know how quite this stove is? I am hearing that it is extremely loud, would you know if they have fixed those issues being that it is 2019. I see a lot of these comments from 6 plus years ago.

 

[kappel15]

I have a 2006 Santa Fe in living room. I sit pretty much right next to it while watching tv. You hear the conv fan running. Some people think these stoves are suppose to make no noise at all. If you have a dealer near you, you should have some demo stoves set up he could run. He can turn the conv. fan on without firing up the stove, so you can hear it. Kap

 

[Former Farmer]

I would not call it quiet and I also would not call it loud. Most of the time, we run ours on medium. As you change the temperature setting, low, medium, high, the noise level goes up just like any other fan. With it being an insert, I would think that some noise can be dampened depending upon the installation.