Quadra Fire Castile- replace combustion blower help?

[teddyboy66]

Hi everybody. Just replaced the combustion blower on my 8 year-old Castile pellet stove. Used the same blower as the original. Installed gasket then blower to back of stove, no problem. But when stove fires up, and the new blower fan spins, smoke fills it and leaks out into the room. When I shut stove off, smoke dissipates in 5-10 minutes leaving a small flame burning in firebox. If I restart the stove, same things happen.

I suppose I forgot to do something while installing the new blower but I haven't discovered it yet.

If anyone has an idea or suggestion as to what is keeping the smoke in the stove, please let me know when you have a chance. Thank you.

 

[mralias]

If the blower is working, perhaps something is blocking the exhaust. Check the venting system. Did you pull the stove away from the wall and disconnect the venting? Did you reconnect it? Where is the smoke leaking from? You must of moved something out of place. Did you use a rag to clean inside where the fan was mounted and forget to take it out? Something is preventing the air flow.

 

[Lake Girl]

Would suspect build-up of ash somewhere within the stove or venting too. When was the last time you did a deep clean? Is there a screen on the end of your exhaust venting?

 

[teddyboy66]

If the blower is working, perhaps something is blocking the exhaust. Check the venting system. Did you pull the stove away from the wall and disconnect the venting? Did you reconnect it? Where is the smoke leaking from? You must of moved something out of place. Did you use a rag to clean inside where the fan was mounted and forget to take it out? Something is preventing the air flow.

thanks for the advice, I will double check.

 

[teddyboy66]

Would suspect build-up of ash somewhere within the stove or venting too. When was the last time you did a deep clean? Is there a screen on the end of your exhaust venting?

thanks, Lake Girl. I did clean the stove thoroughly last Fall, and the stove was working fine before the blower died. I'll recheck my installation process.

 

[teddyboy66]

Would suspect build-up of ash somewhere within the stove or venting too. When was the last time you did a deep clean? Is there a screen on the end of your exhaust venting?

Well, cleaned out the exhaust stack and there was more soot in there than I expected. Thanks for that advice. Got the stove running fine until suddenly the convection blower quit! Do you think the reason for that is the #1 snap disc or the combustion blower itself? Which would be more likely in your opinion(s)? I haven't found my multimeter yet so have not tested the snap disc. BTW, I still have the sides off the stove, if that makes any difference. Thanks very much.

 

[Lake Girl]

You can do a temporary by-pass to determine if it is the snap switch. Make sure you unplug before working in the cabinet...

PS When was the last time you cleaned the vanes on the convection blower? Might as well since you're in there! I use a soft paint brush or child's old toothbrush while running the vacuum to collect what comes loose.

 

[kappel15]

Comb blower has nothing to do with your convection fan. Try bypassing the snap disc as she suggested. Also it could just be loose wire connections too. Just had a customer have to tighten his wire connections, and then fan worked. You can also wire the fan direct, while it is in the stove, using an old lamp cord or some such. Just put spade connectors on it and be careful when you jump things, that nothing shorts out on stove, or you will toast the control box. kap

 

[teddyboy66]

You can do a temporary by-pass to determine if it is the snap switch. Make sure you unplug before working in the cabinet...

PS When was the last time you cleaned the vanes on the convection blower? Might as well since you're in there! I use a soft paint brush or child's old toothbrush while running the vacuum to collect what comes loose.

thanks Lake Girl. I did clean the convection blower fins and even found a piece of the comb. blower gasket in there. Snap disc #1 is working, but when I turn the stove on the convection blower does nothing, even after 15-20 minutes. Does this sound like a bad convection blower?

 

[kappel15]

Have you tried jumping the wires together to see if fan runs? There is power to fan even when stove is not running. Make sure not to ground the wires on stove, when jumping them together, or you will short out your control box. kap

 

[Lake Girl]

Unplug until you are ready to test and wires are secure so there is no potential of short. Did you try a by-pass on snap #1?

 

[teddyboy66]

Have you tried jumping the wires together to see if fan runs? There is power to fan even when stove is not running. Make sure not to ground the wires on stove, when jumping them together, or you will short out your control box. kap

No, have not tried that. How do I do that, please?

 

[kappel15]

If we are talking about the convection blower, not, the combustion blower, you pull the two wires off #1 snap disc. I usually make a jumper wire about 5 inches long, with spade connectors on the ends, like the spades on the snap disc. use jumper wire by putting spade ends in conv. blower wire ends. If fan runs, you have issues with the snap disc, or the connections are loose or bad. And how do you know the #1 snap disc is working? And remember there is always power on one side of the snap disc, even when stove is not running. kap

 

[teddyboy66]

If we are talking about the convection blower, not, the combustion blower, you pull the two wires off #1 snap disc. I usually make a jumper wire about 5 inches long, with spade connectors on the ends, like the spades on the snap disc. use jumper wire by putting spade ends in conv. blower wire ends. If fan runs, you have issues with the snap disc, or the connections are loose or bad. And how do you know the #1 snap disc is working? And remember there is always power on one side of the snap disc, even when stove is not running. kap

Thank you, Kappel15. I used a voltage tester and both sides of #1 snap disc had power. The convection blower did come on for a few minutes then it stopped abruptly with a sound like the blowers had something wrapped around them and forcing them to stop - there was nothing there, just that kind of sound. Now it looks like one side of the #1 disc isn't letting power through, and the convection blower will not go on. Should I get another #1 disc or is the problem more likely the convection blower itself, assuming I'm right about the #1 disc - I voltage tested the 2 sides of it and only one showed current. FYI, just before the convection blower stopped working, the combustion blower had died and I replaced it.

 

[kappel15]

The #1 snap disc has to be heated to "close the circuit" thus letting power thru the other side and to the fan. Can you spin the cages freely by hand? You still need to jump the fan to see if it will run. You can also put direct current to just the fan,not the wire harness, using same as jumper but with an old lamp cord or some such. kap