Startup issues on Classic Bay Insert

[RickZiata]

I turn on thermostat and the stoves red light turns on. As I understand it that light indicates that the thermostat is calling for heat. However, I am finding quit often the stove will not turn on and begin to drop pellets. I continually need to press the manual feed button ( Primer) to get it to drop pellets. The hopper is always full and it does not require a prime but I still need to push it to get the stove to start working. Once the pellets drop the stove runs as normal. I also am finding that the flame is very high at all times even though I have the flow rate at the lowest.
I have read that it might be the control panel is bad.
Any advice?
Thanks

 

[kappel15]

What year stove, and does the exhaust fan come on right away? kap

 

[RickZiata]

I turn on thermostat and the stoves red light turns on. As I understand it that light indicates that the thermostat is calling for heat. However, I am finding quit often the stove will not turn on and begin to drop pellets. I continually need to press the manual feed button ( Primer) to get it to drop pellets. The hopper is always full and it does not require a prime but I still need to push it to get the stove to start working. Once the pellets drop the stove runs as normal. I also am finding that the flame is very high at all times even though I have the flow rate at the lowest.
I have read that it might be the control panel is bad.
Any advice?
Thanks

What year stove, and does the exhaust fan come on right away? kap

I purchased the stove about 8 years ago. The stove exhaust fan does not start up when it calls for heat. It does start once I push the reset button ( primer). I did some research and it looks like the exhaust will not start up if the vent system is dirty. I am pretty good about cleaning it but will do a thorough cleaning later today. Is that your thought? I gather it would not be the vacuum switch since the stove works fine once I press that reset button.

 

[kappel15]

The exhaust fan has to come on, to create a vacuum in the firebox, thus turning on the auger motor. Question on year of stove is they started putting a hopper lid switch on em, and this stops auger motor. And exhaust fan should come on whether there is some blockage in exhaust or not. Are you sure you are not missing a missed ignition? If you hit reset and exhaust fires up, it is on same circuit. Don't make sense. kap

 

[RickZiata]

Hi Kap,

I ended up giving the stove a real good cleaning. Blew out the vacuum hose, cleaned by the chimney and took off baffles. The pellets I have been using are really dusty. That seemed to have worked. The flame is now where it should be. I was surprised that the exhaust fan was not always coming on when it called for heat. I had to press the reset a bunch of times over the last couple days. That seems wrong in some ways. It should have nothing to do with the stove being dirty but you can't ignore the evidence as it is working perfectly now. Any thoughts?

 

[kappel15]

You've had to of missed some missed ignitions as the reset is the same circuit as rest. By hitting it, it is just like turning down the tstat, and then turning it back up. Pushing it only breaks the circuit, to start cycle over again. Or stove could have satisfied heat and was shutting down and stove called for heat again before it cooled off enough. Dirty stove was causing your flame issues. kap

 

[RickZiata]

You've had to of missed some missed ignitions as the reset is the same circuit as rest. By hitting it, it is just like turning down the tstat, and then turning it back up. Pushing it only breaks the circuit, to start cycle over again. Or stove could have satisfied heat and was shutting down and stove called for heat again before it cooled off enough. Dirty stove was causing your flame issues. kap

Hi Kap thanks for your response going back 5 years....Here we are 5 years later and stove is doing the same thing. Randomly( about once or maybe twice a week) the room is getting cool and I look and see that the the call light on. No pellets are in the firebox. I press the call light button and pellets drop and stove works fine. I'd love to catch it as it happens but I havent yet.

its hard to catch as it happens as it is so random. Its my understanding that the exhaust fan ALWAYS goes on at startup controlled by snap disc 1 and the pressure switch is what detects airflow. If the air flow is fine then the auger system kicks in and drops pellets. Then things are handed off to the thermocouple to detect heat. Is it possible I have a pressure switch that might operating sporadically? I tend to doubt it but Im kind of confused

 

[kappel15]

Snap disc 1, runs the conv fan only, not the exhaust fan. You are correct that the exhaust fan always starts when stove calls for heat. If it doesn't come on, creating a vacuum in firebox, vac switch will not close, sending power to the auger motor. You could check and make sure the vac hose going to drop tube is clear of any dust, and that the nipple it attaches to on drop tube is clear. Something else to check is make sure all tstat wire contacts are good. kap