Quadrafire classic bay 1200 pellet stove wont drop enough initially

[LouieKirk]

I have a quadrafire classic bay 1200 pellet stove that will only drop enough pellets to light small fire then it dies out before it begins to drop more. The feed shoot is open all the way but it still doesn't drop enough initially. Ifi hit the reset it drops more and the fire takes off without any problem. This usually happens when it first starts after being cold for sometime like in the morning. Is there an adjustment to cause more to drop at first???
The stove is totally cleaned and the feed shoot is also. Seal around door is new too, the problem was before and still after this was replaced. IT just doesn't drop enough... Frustrating
I found a clear control box in the hopper area under a metal box and it has a white dial like screw with a slot for a screwdriver in it on top. What Does this control???
Thanks much for any help! We use this to heat the whole house and is used as our only heat source...
Louie Kirk...

 

[jzm2cc]

Watch auger motor shaft or listen to see if initial pellet load is 60 seconds (may be 90 sec, I'm sure others will correct me if wrong).

Watch control box to see if green LED comes on after initial has been burning for over a minute or two. If so the pellets should start feeding to build more heat, then LED turns red. If none of this happens your thermocouple may be bad, or ceramic cap is full of ash, or tip of thermocouple is not touching end of cap. Watch for amber colored flashing LED which indicates thermocouple issue.

The switch on top of control box selects feed settings for stove. You can tell current setting by unplugging stove then plugging back in. Control box will flash LED blue. I believe your's should flash two quick flashes then pause, then repeat, meaning its on #2. Report back what you find so experts can verify this setting.

There are other potential contributors to fire dying out after initial start (debris in auger tube, loose burnpot bottom plate, too long of pellets, etc). Good luck.

 

[kappel15]

Initial drop is 98 seconds. When you do the blue flash to test what setting it is on, it should be one flash every 10 seconds for a minute. Two flashes is for 10% more fuel. This setting is usually for low density fuel. When stoves try to start cold, they will misfire a lot of times. They don't get hot enough to reach 200*, so auger will start feeding again( 4 minutes, 15 seconds, but actually a little longer). You can hear the speed of the exhaust fan change. When stoves are running in middle of winter, they are usually turning on every 20 minute or so, and stove is still warm enough to reach starting temp. If I have a cold stove, I will drop a handful of pellets in pot before starting. Usually after there has been a fire, and there are ash in the pot, the stove usually lights. Use a flashlight and a small mirror and look in pot to see if slit for igniter is clear of any clinker debris, that could cause slow starts. Stay warm. kap

 

[LouieKirk]

Thanks much guys! I did the tests and checked for other contribitors you suggested!
1. unplugged and plugged back in:
A. Had a single amber flash and then single blue flash with long pauses inbetween for about six cycles.

2. Turned up thermostat to call for pellets:
A. Auger motor on for 90 seconds or so.
B. Fire lit but stayed low in the pot and seemed to be turning to embers quickly (too much oxygen?) and not really reaching thermal coupler.
C. Just as fire died (lit for about two minutes) green led came on and dropped some more pellets that then reached thermal coupler and fire took off! Often it doesn't light if it's the first fire of the day or after really long off periods.
D. Red led came on after about two minutes.
E. If auger stays on for two minutes (by hitting reset after 30 seconds) enough pellets are dropped for fire high enough to hit thermal coupler.

3. Checked for HotPot floor plate gap by removing the front plate where the igniter is housed behind.
A.There was about a 3/16 to 1/4 inch gap!
B. Using a 3/8" box end wrench on the top nut where the floor plate swivels i was able to close the gap to none.
C. Tested it before putting the plate back on and it would still swivel back and forth without sticking.


4. Checked thermal couple wire:
A. Was able to push it further into ceramic cap and it traveled about 3/16 to 1/4 further into the end of the cap.

5. Tested it on first cold start of the day and it started ok.
A. Now when fire starts it burns slower and doesn't go out so fast or turn to embers so quick.
B. Fire now goes a little higher too and reached the thermal couple or close to it. So more pellets start to feed.

Thanks much for the Awesome help and suggestions. Hopefully now we can be more confident it will light ok now, like when we're not here or in the middle of the nite and not just start smoking up the house. Not fun to wake up to or worry about the pets if we're gone!
Just wish it would drop two minutes of pellets then wouldn't have to worry about it!
Thanks again, Louie

 

[LouieKirk]

Initial drop is 98 seconds. When you do the blue flash to test what setting it is on, it should be one flash every 10 seconds for a minute. Two flashes is for 10% more fuel. This setting is usually for low density fuel. When stoves try to start cold, they will misfire a lot of times. ... Stay warm. kap

Thanks a lot!

 

[LouieKirk]

Watch auger motor shaft or listen to see if initial pellet load is 60 seconds (may be 90 sec, I'm sure others will correct me if wrong). Good luck.

thanks a lot!