My Quadrafire Castile pellet stove works great for a couple of hours but then shuts down and won't restart. It is hooked up to a digital thermostat which works well if the stove is only on for a short period. I am not sure if the stove is getting overheated and shutting down for as a safety feature or not. But the last couple of nights have been very cold and when I go to bed the stove is working great and when I wake up, the house is cold and the stove is out. Don't know what to do.
Quadrafire Castile shuts off after a couple of hours and doesn't restart
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It probably is the hi limit switch. I am pretty sure the quads reset when they cool down. But you have to restart the stove.
Check the room(convection) air blower. Make sure its fins are clean.
Are you using different pellets this year?? You could try to adjust the fuel rod in some. New pellets could be hotter than last years and require you to reduce the amount feed to the burn pot.
Hope some of this helps?
jay
Edit: Welcome to the forums! Glad you have joined our little group!
Check the room(convection) air blower. Make sure its fins are clean.
Are you using different pellets this year?? You could try to adjust the fuel rod in some. New pellets could be hotter than last years and require you to reduce the amount feed to the burn pot.
Hope some of this helps?
jay
Edit: Welcome to the forums! Glad you have joined our little group!
I would also guess it is the hi limit switch. Or possibly the vac switch. How old is the unit?
Check the room blower, also check the top baffles and make sure that area is clean. I fact make sure the whole stove is clean.
Make sure the feed rate is not too high. I usually fully close it, then pull it open about 1/4" to start with.
Check the room blower, also check the top baffles and make sure that area is clean. I fact make sure the whole stove is clean.
Make sure the feed rate is not too high. I usually fully close it, then pull it open about 1/4" to start with.
The stove is four years old but it is new to me. The pellet feed rate is set on the lowest setting. Is there anyway to test the high limit switch or should I just replace it. I am burning Juniata Premium Hardwood pellets that I bought with the stove. I am going to take the stove apart to thoroughly clean it.
This is exactly what is happening. The thermostat calls for heat and the stove starts and runs for approximately 30 minutes. sometimes more sometimes less. The stove turns off even though the red call light is still on and the room isn't up to temperature as per the thermostat. The blower blows the warm air like it is supposed to and runs for about fifteen to twenty minutes. The stove eventually shuts off and the red call light stays on. I then hit the reset button and the stove starts up again and repeats same. Called to schedule a service and the service date is not until December 4. Any other suggestions. Oh and I also thoroughly cleaned the stove by taking it almost all the way apart. It was a little dusty but not that bad. The problem is still occurring. Any help would be greatly appreciated. Thanks
Take and jump the high limit switch. If the stove doesn't shut down, then it is the switch. You could try adjusting the feed rate gate in the hopper. How tall are your flames in your burn pot? The owners manual states that the flames should be about 4" above the pot on high. If taller than this, you probably have the gate too far open.
Let us know how you fare.
Let us know how you fare.
Clean it very well as said. In addition to what has been said, are you running it on high medium or low? Make sure the ceramic thermistor on the pot is all the way made up, i.e. push it in to the right so it fully covers the wiring inside. This is the 'thang' that hangs off the top of the pot, it sends temp info to the board so that the unit knows there is fire in the pot. If the cover is not seated well, it can tell the thermistor via the board that there is no fire.
You should have a plastic control board inside the stove. Check if its clear or gray plastic. For the clear plastic one you should start with no lights on inside it, after you get some flame in the pot it will turn green, then eventually go red. This red light means its in its normal burn mode, and the thermocouple is reading proper temps. If that red light goes out (not the call for heat light, the one INSIDE the control box) then the stove will shut down because it thinks the fire has burned out.
I have been running the stove on medium mostly, but I have ran it on low and high to see if the stove would stay running. No matter what setting it is on the stove still keeps shutting down after a little while and not restarting on its own. I tried jumping the high limit switch with no luck. The stove keeps shutting down. I appreciate all the tips and if you have any other suggestions they will be greatly appreciated. The feed rate is still on the lowest setting which keeps the flame about 4" when it is on high. I just don't understand why the stove works fine for a little while and then just shuts down. The control board is new and the light patterns seem to be correct. I am losing hope.
Don't lose hope! The stove is getting hot and air flow, one of those two things are wrong. Vacuum hose ok? Has to be either the 'thang' or the high temp, are you popping snap disks at all? Have you tried nixing the t-stat? Hang in there, we'll get you going on....
So the red light IN the control box is still lit when it stops feeding? That would be two red lights, call for heat and the control box light.
Does the combustion blower stay running indefinitely until you stop calling for heat (even when it stops feeding)?
You could try disconnecting the hose from vacuum switch and blowing through it to clear any debris, don't blow into the vac switch at all. Also, could try bypassing the vac switch (jumper wires together).
Make sure you unplug it before sticking your hand back there.
Does the combustion blower stay running indefinitely until you stop calling for heat (even when it stops feeding)?
You could try disconnecting the hose from vacuum switch and blowing through it to clear any debris, don't blow into the vac switch at all. Also, could try bypassing the vac switch (jumper wires together).
Make sure you unplug it before sticking your hand back there.
A bad snap disk can also cause the unit to shut down, you can also check the snap disk by jumping it. Sounds like the stove is tripping the temperature limit and when you reset, it will start up again.
I jumped the vacuum switch and I think that may have been the problem. The stove is running now for about an hour just fine. I have my fingers crossed. I looked on woodheatstoves.com and noticed that Quadrafire has changed the shape of the vacuum switch from round to rectangular and it costs $75.00. I hope this is the problem.
The stove is still running so it was definitely the vacuum switch. I would like to say thank you to all who helped me trouble shoot my Castile. It has definitely been a learning experience and I now know my stove 100% better than I did. I ordered a new vacuumn switch which should be here on Tuesday. Until then I am going to run the stove with the vacuum switch jumped. Thanks again. Keith
Just FYI, I never said my test would prove the vac switch was defective. The hose could have just been partially blocked which is why I wanted you to blow through it. There could be other problems resulting in a bad vacuum also. Combustion blower could be going bad... etc...
Would the stove operate properly if the vacuum switch was jumped and the combustion blower was going bad? I blew in the vac hose and put it back on prior to jumping the switch and the stove still shut down. There was no debris/obstruction in the vac hose. Is there a way to test the combustion blower? I thought that it was definitely the vac switch.
If the comb blower sounds normal (not making excessive noise), the door gasket is in good shape, and the exhaust path is cleaned out fully then I would say its the vacuum switch.
Also, I would check a local dealer for parts, we had a thread going someplace else regarding some Quad parts from that site you mentioned, they seem to all be priced well above the suggested MSRP most dealers are selling the parts at.
Also, I would check a local dealer for parts, we had a thread going someplace else regarding some Quad parts from that site you mentioned, they seem to all be priced well above the suggested MSRP most dealers are selling the parts at.
Update: I installed the new vacuum switch and the stove is running like new. I have the thermostat set on 78 since the stove is on the first floor. The house is well insulated so the second floor stays about 70 now that the outside temperature is in the 30's at night and about 50 during the day. Now I can only hope for smooth sailing for the rest of the winter.
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