Quadra-Fire Castile Insert control board and connector arced

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RandyGrove

New Member
Nov 11, 2021
3
Arkansas
When starting up my pellet insert for the first time, I had some strange behaviour that enventually ended with the stove acting like it wasn’t getting power. I eventually removed the control board to find that it had arced at a couple of different spots and there was similar damage on the connector that it plugs into. I’m wondering what might have caused this and also whether or not it is possible to buy a connector. I have been able to find a control board but so far the only way I have found to replace the connector is to purchase an entire wiring harness/box and that runs $250-ish. I suspect the connector itself would be less than $10 if I could find a source.

I will post pictures in the next post if I can figure out how that works.
 
When starting up my pellet insert for the first time, I had some strange behaviour that enventually ended with the stove acting like it wasn’t getting power. I eventually removed the control board to find that it had arced at a couple of different spots and there was similar damage on the connector that it plugs into. I’m wondering what might have caused this and also whether or not it is possible to buy a connector. I have been able to find a control board but so far the only way I have found to replace the connector is to purchase an entire wiring harness/box and that runs $250-ish. I suspect the connector itself would be less than $10 if I could find a source.

I will post pictures in the next post if I can figure out how that works.
[Hearth.com] Quadra-Fire Castile Insert control board and connector arced
Control board

[Hearth.com] Quadra-Fire Castile Insert control board and connector arced
Connector, burnt spot in top row 4th and 5th from right
 
Sometimes that happens from the connector being corroded,a bad connection, or the terminals were loose.Also possible stove has a wiring/short.
The board is repairable, (the trace) but it may have damaged the board.
Sometimes you can find such connectors on Digi-key or Mouser.I think they would call that a panel or bulkhead mount, board end.
 
Just closing the loop on this one: After being unable to locate an in-stock edge card connector and consultation with the supplier of my control module that revealed that he thought the existing card was safe to try, I used the existing card and my insert has been running perfectly for going on three days.