Quad Mt VernonAE not wanting to auto clean

[rickwai]

I have a service call on a AE that homeowner says wont go thru a cleaning cycle unless he shuts it down. Is there a setting on wall control that could have accidently got switched to prevent a auto clean? I have serviced a few of these but it is usually just a igniter or cleaning.
In case anybody didnt know you can clean the flue on insert and freestanding by removing the fan and brushing from the bottom to top. No need to seperate the spring latch that holds taipiece to the stove. I found it easiest to brush from the bottom w/ shop vac going. plenty of room to do everything without moving or pulling insert out.

 

[Wilbur Feral]

I have a service call on a AE that homeowner says wont go thru a cleaning cycle unless he shuts it down. Is there a setting on wall control that could have accidently got switched to prevent a auto clean? I have serviced a few of these but it is usually just a igniter or cleaning.
In case anybody didnt know you can clean the flue on insert and freestanding by removing the fan and brushing from the bottom to top. No need to seperate the spring latch that holds taipiece to the stove. I found it easiest to brush from the bottom w/ shop vac going. plenty of room to do everything without moving or pulling insert out.

If running on normal AC power, nothing can fully prevent an autoclean on an AE. Softwood gives you the longest run time, and that's only about 3 hours before it does it. And on battery, it will just shut down (can't recall how long, but less than 8 hours and I think it autocleans even then). I would make sure they're not a new owner who sees ash in the firebox, etc., and thinks that that's what "autoclean" means (hey, I've seen it asked here before) before running out there. Kap will know better, but my guess is it's the autoclean mechanism gone kaput. Download the troubleshooting guide from Quad, which will step you through diagnostics.

 

[kappel15]

More info would be a big help, like does it just not go to auto-clean period? No error codes? Seems it will do an auto-clean when shut down, so all auto-clean mechanisms seem to be working. Firepot thermocouple has to read 500* before an auto-clean will start. He is not waiting long enough? Possible bad firepot thermocouple? Only thing I can think of with the little info we have. kap

 

[rickwai]

I will be going out on it tomorrow Kap. That is all the info that I have received from the shop. I was just trying to get a place to start. Does the wall conrol have all the logic in it for stove op? Or is it a joint effort with the main board?

 

[kappel15]

It is joint, but mostly in the control board,just like a computer tower and screen. You can use a magnet on the door switch to fool it, so it can be open while you are checking out the auto-clean. Would be nice to know more about it to try and help. Do you have the notebook to run diagnostic? And the connections on the control board are very fragile so be careful if you have to remove any. Make sure to pinch the latches. kap

 

[rickwai]

Well stove is back up and running. Homeowner did not think auto clean was working because pot would fill and over flow before a auto clean cycle! When I walked in and saw the glass was jet black I quickly realized it was a cleaning issue as opposed to a mechanical issue. I pulled baffle and cleaned fingers, used creves tool to vac the ports at the bottom. I pulled fan and ran brush up the flue and vacced out the inside going back toward the front of the stove. Replaced fiber gasket w/ red rubber and stove started and ran like a new one!! I think it needs new burn pot bottom suspension springs, the pot floor is not very tight against the bottom of the pot.

 

[kappel15]

Hopefully you educated him on the benefits of a clean stove. lol You'll need a new pot gasket too, as it is easier to go thru pot opening then underneath to change those springs. kap

 

[rickwai]

Yes we went over the benefits of a clean stove. Also he decided to have me out annually to do a deep cleaning after seeing what all he was not doing!. venting has not been brushed in 5 yrs!

 

[Bioburner]

You wonder what his car or truck is like too. Guess he figures now will only need to have you out once every five years

 

[kappel15]

Yes we went over the benefits of a clean stove. Also he decided to have me out annually to do a deep cleaning after seeing what all he was not doing!. venting has not been brushed in 5 yrs!

Holy crap!