Stove control backup, anybody build one?

[funflyer]

Just wondering if any of you guys have built a controller just in case your stove's board goes out. I have replacment motors and fans but no board so I want to build a temp use controller. Found this cyclic timer that will do nicely to control the auger and could be used along with a few dimmer switches to control the fans. Wouldn't have the safety auto shutdown features but if used at a low setting and supervised, I don't see what it would hurt for a few days until a replacment board can be had.

http://www.canakit.com/cyclic-pic-digital-timer-with-relay-1-sec-to-15-hour-kit-ck670cy-uk670cy.html

 

[Bioburner]

Snowy has built the entire control unit and is now testing. Just scroll down the page and check it out

 

[TimfromMA]

Why not just buy a spare control board and keep it on hand if you're worried about it.

 

[funflyer]

Why not just buy a spare control board and keep it on hand if you're worried about it.

Thought of that but the board costs over $200.00 and unlike the auger motor or fan motors it may never go out so I'd rather build a controller for $50.00 just in case I need it, then I'd spend the money for a board.

Snowy has built the entire control unit and is now testing. Just scroll down the page and check it out

I read through that thread and it's a great permanent solution for an old stove that you can't get parts for but I prefer a more simple controller for temp use when the original parts are still availabe.

 

[Snowy Rivers]

Simple is not really in the offing.

If a control board is available, get one for a spare while you still can.

Both my Whits are older, but boards are available, but $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$ and with all the same idiosyncrasies and trouble spots that the last ones produced had

My focus was to build a "Better mousetrap" that I could use off the shelf parts, which were easy to get and cheap.

The main part in the control that can fail is the auger timer / controller and its about $40 for the cube and 10 minutes to swap it out.

Get a spare.

Having a spare feed motor, draft fan, convection fan and a few other items is essential with the pellet stove.

They never fail on a warm balmy afternoon.

The last failure I had was in the wee hours of a Sunday morning with the temp outside at about 2 F and the wind howling.

Not pretty, not even.

After that fiasco I made sure I had spare parts.

Luckily I was able to thrash things together and get it going well enough to get by until Monday.
Luckily a local shop had parts.

Never again.

We have 3 pellet stoves in the house.
We could survive with one if we had to.
Might be sweater time but we would not freeze.

The toughest would be if all we had was the little Whitfield, as it is a tiny stove and 2400 ft takes some real heat to keep it warm.


Good luck in your quest

Snowy