QuadraFire Mt. Vernon Pellet Stove Auger Constantly Feeds

[yonderboymc]

I have a QuadraFire Mt. Vernon Pellet Stove about 7-8 years old.
When my stove starts up it skips right past the start cycle and starts feeding pellets as if it already has a fire in the burnpot. If I'm lucky and there is not too many pellets in the pot and they actually ignite, the stove works GREAT - blowers function, shut-down cycle... If they do not ignite, the pot fills with pellets and eventually will shut down.

The repair guy has been GREAT and has tried almost everything and then some with no solution.
He has replaced the control board - no change, thermocouple - no change, thermostat - no change.
He's going to replace the thermocouple once more, then he said MAYBE he'll need to replace the wiring harness(?). We're stumped!!

By the way YES I have CLEANED and CLEANED my stove.

One thing I did notice this morning was the ceramic cover for the thermocouple has been warn down, and is thinner compared to the piece that is held by the stove?

I saw a thread talking about a control board with lights that signal what the sensors are telling it... Does anyone have one for a QuadraFire Mt. Vernon Pellet Stove? Does this control Board have lights?

Sometimes it seems to happen more when the stove is warm, but I have seen it happen when it's ice cold too.

PLEASE HELP!
Thanks,
Mike

3/14/2013 1pm est 2nd thermocouple was installed.
3/14/2013 5pm est Came home to burn-pot full of pellets.

 

[mralias]

hen my stove starts up it skips right past the start cycle and starts feeding pellets as if it already has a fire in the burnpot. If I'm lucky and there is not too many pellets in the pot and they actually ignite

This is confusing to me. Do you mean to say the pellets do feed at start up or don't feed at start up? If not, then how does it "actually ignite" pellets if they are not feeding on the start cycle.

 

[kinsmanstoves]

Board issue

 

[mralias]

Board issue

A second board?

 

[yonderboymc]

This is confusing to me. Do you mean to say the pellets do feed at start up or don't feed at start up? If not, then how does it "actually ignite" pellets if they are not feeding on the start cycle.

It feeds pellets and continues to feed pellets. It's suppose to drop pellets for the 1 minute and stop and wait for the fire to start. Mine drops pellets constantly.

 

[yonderboymc]

A second board?

on my second board, same problem.

 

[SmokeyTheBear]

The stove thinks it is at temperature (for at least ignition to have happened) now if the T/C or its wiring were shorted would the controller read that as at or above the magic temperature?

 

[yonderboymc]

More details:
Cold start:
As soon as thermostat sends for heat control board light turns GREEN. exhaust fan starts, pellets feed entire time until fire ignites.
When convection blowers start control board light turns to RED.
(up to temp thermostat shuts off)
Board light is still RED.
After 10 minutes the convection blowers and exhaust fan still running - light turns back to GREEN.
the blowers/fans are off SHUT DOWN properly, 15 minutes later -- light is still GREEN.

 

[mralias]

More details:
Cold start:
As soon as thermostat sends for heat control board light turns GREEN. exhaust fan starts, pellets feed entire time until fire ignites.
When convection blowers start control board light turns to RED.
(up to temp thermostat shuts off)
Board light is still RED.
After 10 minutes the convection blowers and exhaust fan still running - light turns back to GREEN.
the blowers/fans are off SHUT DOWN properly, 15 minutes later -- light is still GREEN.

Oh boy....Perhaps a short in the wiring frying the replacement board anytime it's replaced? I know you said it is replaced under warranty so I assume you don't get to look and see if anything looks fried on the board. Tough one. I defer to the masters of pellet stoves. You know who you are.

 

[yonderboymc]

Oh boy....Perhaps a short in the wiring frying the replacement board anytime it's replaced? I know you said it is replaced under warranty so I assume you don't get to look and see if anything looks fried on the board. Tough one. I defer to the masters of pellet stoves. You know who you are.

no - it's not burning or frying the board. He replaced the board to see if that would resolve the situation.
I've looked @ the board and it looks fine.