QuadraFire convection fan

[turbotech]

I have a CB1200 and the convection fan sometimes won't turn on. The snap sw is working and it seems like the control box is not working right. I think it is just a Triac inside it that is going bad. Anyone replace one of these?
I am looking for a spare broken or not working control box if someone has one for sale.
https://www.hearth.com/talk/threads/64545/

 

[slls]

Did you trouble shoot and found no power to the #1 snap disc.

 

[turbotech]

Yes, there is intermittent power to snap disk #1. The power to the control box is constant. This CB1200 is an older model with a gray colored control box which I think is an early design. I plan fixing it but it still works somewhat so I would like to get a spare broken one to fix that before I take the box apart and have it totally not working for a few days.

The main power feeds the fuse, then gray wire to the control box, then purple wire to snap disk #1, then the convection motor. The gray is constant 115v, but the purple wire voltage to snap disk #1 drops out sometimes.

 

[turbotech]

I question why the convection fan power is even sourced from the control box. The manual states the purple fire from the control box to snap disk #1 to the fan should always be on. Why not just run the gray 115v wire to snap disk #1 and have it turn on when it closes at 125* F? Seems to make more sense.
It doesn't seem like anyone wants to part with a broken control box so I may end up taking this box apart this weekend and see if there is anything in plain view that is wrong.

 

[B-Mod]

On my castile, I have three heat ranges, and those control the convection fan speeds also. What I did on my castile as an experiment was put 120v to snap disk, so fan is on full speed all the time when the snap disk is closed. Works great, lots more heat in the room on low. I will eventually put a variable speed fan control on the fan so I can turn the fan speed down, while watching tv as this stove is kinda loud..........Brian

PS If you do this you will not need to get power from the control box. Simple $1 fix, or $10 with a fan control.........Brian

 

[Turbo-Quad]

The feed is on low but the fan is on high? Doesnt that just cool the air across the heat exchanger tubes? In other words the air isnt passing through the tubes slow enough to heat up? Just curious. Might be interested in doing this on my Mt Vernon if I'm wrong about the air cooling.

 

[B-Mod]

I can tell you it works for me. 1600 sq ft house temps in the teens and 20's. On low, burning corn, with low speed fan, house barely 63 or so. Now stove on low, with fan on high, house is right around 68 to 70 degrees. Doesn't hurt to try it, if you know how to wire it. I just decided to try it one day, and it works great for me, like I said, I just wish I would have played with this stove more 9 years ago, when I got it.........

 

[slls]

I question why the convection fan power is even sourced from the control box. The manual states the purple fire from the control box to snap disk #1 to the fan should always be on. Why not just run the gray 115v wire to snap disk #1 and have it turn on when it closes at 125* F? Seems to make more sense.
It doesn't seem like anyone wants to part with a broken control box so I may end up taking this box apart this weekend and see if there is anything in plain view that is wrong.

I would look close at the pin connectors at the control box, intermittent box not so likely.

 

[turbotech]

Just my luck, it finally stopped working completely. I did try probing right at the box pcb connector. I sent a few emails to members that sounded like they bought a new control box, but I don't think anyone wants to sell the old box. I haven't hear back from them or anyone on the wanted/for sale forum.
I have it wired direct right now so it is full speed using the snap disk as on/off.

 

[turbotech]

I pulled the pcb and gave it a refresh with some new triacs and relays. It works properly now.

I am still looking for a used non-working CB1200, Santa Fe, Castille control box if anyone has one for sale.

 

[B-Mod]

I think my box is dying a slow death, my combustion fan is stopping mid burn. Well it keep spinning about 1/4 speed of your elec. meter outside your house. Unplug the stove, plug it back in and it takes off. I have a spare box, plugged it in, and everything is fine. Going to have to dissect this box to see what is up with it..........

 

[turbotech]

I would check and make sure the motor turns freely first. Clogged motor or bad bearings causes more current load and problems with the control box. If all is good with the motor then I would look for the "comb" triac and associated ckt parts. You can order the parts at Mouser for probably under $20 and $10 for shipping. If you decide not to fix or something like that, please let me know if you would like to sell it.

 

[tjnamtiw]

I would check and make sure the motor turns freely first. Clogged motor or bad bearings causes more current load and problems with the control box. If all is good with the motor then I would look for the "comb" triac and associated ckt parts. You can order the parts at Mouser for probably under $20 and $10 for shipping. If you decide not to fix or something like that, please let me know if you would like to sell it.

Hey, Turbotech, could you post the list of parts and part # from Mouser for we fellow Quad owners? I'd love to put those parts on the shelf for a quick turnaround. I'm still under warranty this winter but after that, I'm on my own, literally!! To file those parts away is cheap insurance. It would be greatly appreciated.
Also, others can at least then have a chance of Searching for them.

Thanks

Tom

 

[turbotech]

I would check and make sure the motor turns freely first. Clogged motor or bad bearings causes more current load and problems with the control box. If all is good with the motor then I would look for the "comb" triac and associated ckt parts. You can order the parts at Mouser for probably under $20 and $10 for shipping. If you decide not to fix or something like that, please let me know if you would like to sell it.

Hey, Turbotech, could you post the list of parts and part # from Mouser for we fellow Quad owners? I'd love to put those parts on the shelf for a quick turnaround. I'm still under warranty this winter but after that, I'm on my own, literally!! To file those parts away is cheap insurance. It would be greatly appreciated.
Also, others can at least then have a chance of Searching for them.

Thanks

Tom

The control box I fixed is the old dark gray colored box that I think was made before year 2005. I can provide the part numbers for this. Do you have the old dark gray box or the newer clear plastic box? I don't know th part numbers for the newer clear plastic box.

 

[B-Mod]

Both of my boxes are from 2001 when I got my stove, one of the first ones built, lucky me, lol. One box is grey, and the other is black, but the internals are the same, on the board they both say "rev F". If you could post the parts that would be great. My convection fan is brand new, just put it in around a month ago, the original finally died. I am pretty sure it is the box as I swapped in this one and the problem went away. My little quad is burning away happily............

 

[turbotech]

Gray box info.

2 triacs 576-Q6004LT
2 optoisolators MOC3020
2 relays 655-T7CS5D-24
2 relays 655-V23105A5003A201
1 transistor 863-MPS2222ARLG
4 diodes 1N4001
1 capacitor 667-EEU-FC1V471B

I replaced all these because I consider them "wear items". One of the T7C relays on my pcb was intermittent also. Tapping on it would make it work and not work.
I have the same old analog control box as the ones you describe. The pcb inside labels which triacs go to which motor.

Could you do me a favor and take a picture of the settings on the light brown / tan variable resistors on the circuit board? They are square blocks with little black screws in the center. There are two banks of them with 4 resistor blocks per bank. I need pictures to see how the factory screw settings should be. I could take a pic of mine to show what I need if this doesn't make sense.

 

[B-Mod]

I sure can, mine might be different as I don't have little black screws in the middle, mine are all metal. Can you PM me your email, as I don't know how to post pics here.........

 

[turbotech]

Sounds good to me. Thank you.

 

[turbotech]

Both of my boxes are from 2001 when I got my stove, one of the first ones built, lucky me, lol. One box is grey, and the other is black, but the internals are the same, on the board they both say "rev F". If you could post the parts that would be great. My convection fan is brand new, just put it in around a month ago, the original finally died. I am pretty sure it is the box as I swapped in this one and the problem went away. My little quad is burning away happily............

Did you try to take the convection fan apart to oil the bushings or did the electric motor die? I had to oil the bushings on mine. It is a good Fasco convection fan, but it doesn't have sealed bearings which is means it requires maintenance. Even though they say they are maintenance free.
I will have to look at my board and see what rev it is.

 

[turbotech]

On my castile, I have three heat ranges, and those control the convection fan speeds also. What I did on my castile as an experiment was put 120v to snap disk, so fan is on full speed all the time when the snap disk is closed. Works great, lots more heat in the room on low. I will eventually put a variable speed fan control on the fan so I can turn the fan speed down, while watching tv as this stove is kinda loud..........Brian

PS If you do this you will not need to get power from the control box. Simple $1 fix, or $10 with a fan control.........Brian

The interesting thing about the convection fan noise is that mine makes a hum noise when on the lowest of the 3 heat settings. It is almost like they tried making the speed too low and the motor hums. The fan control box is worth doing because you can tune the fan speed. With my control box it has 3 set fan speeds for each of the 3 heat settings. The lowest setting makes that hum which is don't like because usually it means stuff is going to fry.

 

[B-Mod]

Motor died, I oiled it about a year ago. I hooked it up to 120v power direct, nothing, not even a hum.

On the fan speed, full on is MUCH better, house is much warmer. I only turn it down watching tv if it bugs me. I have a home theater system, so mostly I just turn that up, kinda like turning up the radio in a noisy car, lol..............

 

[tjnamtiw]

That's about the most interesting exchange of info and ideas I have seen on here. While many, including mine, are the newer design of control boxes, this info should really be helpful to the 'older' crowd. Now if we could just get the same list of parts for the new boxes I wonder how much has really changed as far as triacs and relays, though.

 

[tjnamtiw]

Motor died, I oiled it about a year ago. I hooked it up to 120v power direct, nothing, not even a hum.

On the fan speed, full on is MUCH better, house is much warmer. I only turn it down watching tv if it bugs me. I have a home theater system, so mostly I just turn that up, kinda like turning up the radio in a noisy car, lol..............

I invested in a couple of pairs of Sennheiser wireless headphones,, not so much because of fan noise, but because I'm almost deaf and my wife bitched that the TV was too loud. Now we both get whatever volume we want. Best investment yet! Got them on Amazon for half price. You really have to keep watching amazon for the best deals. They change every day.

 

[Turbo-Quad]

I can tell you it works for me. 1600 sq ft house temps in the teens and 20's. On low, burning corn, with low speed fan, house barely 63 or so. Now stove on low, with fan on high, house is right around 68 to 70 degrees. Doesn't hurt to try it, if you know how to wire it. I just decided to try it one day, and it works great for me, like I said, I just wish I would have played with this stove more 9 years ago, when I got it.........

Wonder if the Mt Vernon is wired the same as the Castile?

 

[turbotech]

I looked at the Mt Vernon manual and it shows it has an extra thermocouple, less snap disks, and 4 heat settings. Yes, they are different.