Santa Fe Pellet Feed

[biglar]

I have a Quadra Fire Santa Fe stove that is in its 7th year now. Late in the last heating season the pellet feed auger started tripping the reset button, but, of course, forgot about it and now that I'm starting to heat again the problem is still there.

When I turn the stove on, auger will feed pellets for a few seconds or a minute, then trip the reset. Reset it and it'll go for a minute or 3 and a fire will light but not get to full flame. After 2 or 3 or 4 attempts, it'll finally settle in and work normally for several cycles and maintain thermostat temp setting. After the stove gets cold, start the game all over again.

I removed the motor and reduction gear, dribbled a bit of 10 weight non-detergent turbine oil into the motor bearings, got some grease into the opening for the drive gear, then, after much cussing, got the motor snapped back into place and held solidly in position - I wanted to make sure it wasn't tilting and binding. Finally had to make little shims to hold those miserable snap clip ends in place.

I have decades of experience in appliance repair but this one has me stumped. Any ideas ?? Bad reset ?? Thanks Lars.

 

[heat seeker]

Does the auger itself turn freely? It might be binding at the bearing, or along the flights.

 

[jzm2cc]

If the stove is not even warm, yet #2 snap disk is setting, sounds like its time for a new snap disk.

Especially since you say stove runs fine once its warmed up.

 

[biglar]

Does the auger itself turn freely? It might be binding at the bearing, or along the flights.[/Q

Seems to me I emptied the hopper and checked that last year, but won't put money against it. I'll try it again, JIC. Thanks

 

[biglar]

If the stove is not even warm, yet #2 snap disk is setting, sounds like its time for a new snap disk.

Especially since you say stove runs fine once its warmed up.

No, not #2. It's the little black push button on back of stove below speed switch. Comes out of the back of control module. Uh....maybe that Is #2 - don't have the book in front of me. Thanks

 

[jzm2cc]

Ok got it. You are saying you have to hit reset button multiple times to keep stove running beyond a few minutes after start up. Its worth watching the control module LED to see if it turns green after a couple minutes into start up, then turns red. If it doesn't turn red the thermocouple is not getting hot enough or its bad. Worth checking to see if noemal amount of pellets are dropped during start up. I think its a 90 second auger run time. You may have an obstruction within auger chute too so check that with a mirror and flashlight. Also remove ceramic thermocouple cap and remove ash from it plus check that tip of thermocouple reaches end if cap. Tossing in a small amount of pellets into burnpot before starting stove may get you around this reset requirement but that's not a valid fix. Let us know what you find before replacing parts like the thermocouple. Thanks.

 

[kappel15]

If you jump the vac switch, you can run the auger and see if anything happens, while the hopper and auger tube are empty. And I would say it is not tripping the reset button as you can't do that. Something else is going on to stop the auger from feeding, and when you hit the reset button, it starts the cycle over again. Check your owners manual for issues that would cause your auger not to feed. kap

 

[kappel15]

When you first turn the thermostat up and call for heat, the stove should feed fuel for 60 seconds. Then the stove has 4 minutes and 15 seconds to get to 200 degrees for proof of fire, before it will start feeding fuel again. Any number of issues can interfere with this. kap

 

[biglar]

Ok got it. You are saying you have to hit reset button multiple times to keep stove running beyond a few minutes after start up. Its worth watching the control module LED to see if it turns green after a couple minutes into start up, then turns red. If it doesn't turn red the thermocouple is not getting hot enough or its bad. Worth checking to see if noemal amount of pellets are dropped during start up. I think its a 90 second auger run time. You may have an obstruction within auger chute too so check that with a mirror and flashlight. Also remove ceramic thermocouple cap and remove ash from it plus check that tip of thermocouple reaches end if cap. Tossing in a small amount of pellets into burnpot before starting stove may get you around this reset requirement but that's not a valid fix. Let us know what you find before replacing parts like the thermocouple. Thanks.

Thanks for the reply. This morning I turned t'stat up and auger and combustion blower started. A bright red light came on on the metal box the control module mounts to. No lights in control module. A bit later the igniter element came on. It spit down enuf pellets to start a fire, then after 65 seconds the auger quit. Still no lights on module.

Looking at Kappel15's post now, I don't think I let it go long enuf....maybe 2 or 3 minutes but fire was burning down and past experience has shown me that it'll simply go out, so hit reset again. (the little black button below the speed switch on back of unit) This time there was enuf to get a fairly good flame going but again, it started to fade. Didn't time the auger, but about a minute or so. Still no lights in control module.

Hit reset a 3rd time. Again, auger started and was spitting down a good supply of pellets that got fire going again, but this time a green light came on inside the translucent control module. After a few seconds it turned red and from there all was well and the stove functioned properly.

I did pull and clean the thermocouple, but there was barely a dusting inside the ceramic shield. Cleaned it all up anyway.

 

[kappel15]

Sometimes on a cold startup, the stove will misfire( the dreaded CSS, cold stove startup). Meaning it didn't get to temp before time was up (200*- green light comes on and stove starts feeding fuel for setting it is on), and stove automatically goes into shut down mode. Having some ash in the firepot from one fire helps this. What is your feed rate adjusting rod set at? Maybe it isn't feeding enough fuel. Read your owners manual on fuel adjusting as it takes a while. It can take up to 15 minutes for the change to make it all the way up the auger tube. kap

 

[biglar]

Sometimes on a cold startup, the stove will misfire( the dreaded CSS, cold stove startup). Meaning it didn't get to temp before time was up (200*- green light comes on and stove starts feeding fuel for setting it is on), and stove automatically goes into shut down mode. Having some ash in the firepot from one fire helps this. What is your feed rate adjusting rod set at? Maybe it isn't feeding enough fuel. Read your owners manual on fuel adjusting as it takes a while. It can take up to 15 minutes for the change to make it all the way up the auger tube. kap

This morning was nipply again, so turned the t'stat up and kept a close eye on things. All looked about the same, but today the stove performed flawlessly. Still puzzled about the lights, tho'. When I called for heat, the red light on the metal box behind controller came on immediately, but it was several minutes before any lights showed in the controller itself. Oh well.....we'll see what tomorrow brings.

Oh - I've noticed smoke smell in living room and the upper side of door gasket is shredding some. Looking online and at local hardware store I see only round gaskets. (¾" ??) This one looks to be tubular but with a "flange on one side to compress behind door glass. This is an ASAP repair. Thoughts ?? Thanks

 

[kappel15]

Once again, the green light in control box will not come on, till thermocouple reads 200* in firepot. When it senses 600*, the red light will come on in the control box. The red light that comes on right away when you call for heat, is the call light. Your door gasket is called a tadpole gasket. You can find it on line thru a place that sells Quad parts. And you should be able to find a Utube video on how to install it. Usually there is enough for two times in the plastic bag. But I would be sure this is where the smoke smell is coming from. Easiest way to find smoke is start stove in dark and use a flashlight to look at areas. Esp. the exhaust. kap

 

[biglar]

I understand what you say about the lights. I was simply re-affirming what I was seeing. It seems to have cleared its throat and for the last few days has been running fine. Thank you for your assistance.

I've checked outlet pipe, firebox tightness, etc., etc., and still have smoke smell. Since the door gasket is falling apart anyway, it's necessary to replace it - whether it's the problem or not. Looking online and at the local hardware store I see nothing like it.....so I asked. Thank you.

 

[kappel15]

I was just trying to tell you where to find the gasket. If you google quad parts, it should bring up a few places. Hope things keep going well for you. Stay warm. kap

 

[biglar]

I was just trying to tell you where to find the gasket. If you google quad parts, it should bring up a few places. Hope things keep going well for you. Stay warm. kap

Just about every forum I've ever seen has a jerk who likes to put down the ignorance of the newbies from the heights of their vast knowledge - without actually helping. You're one of the few I've seen who takes time to seriously help someone who doesn't have the knowledge base and it's appreciated.

My stove seems to have cleared its throat and decided to work - at least for the time being. Haven't looked for the gasket yet, but will today.

Thanks again......... Lars.