Thermostat stopped working M55

[spencerdecoys]

It seems my hi/low setting is not working on my Enviro M55.
I installed it new last March and have put 2 tons throughly it so far.
The thermostat was working as of a week or two ago.
If I pushed the heat setting on the stat higher, the fan speed would increase and more pellets would drop in, now it does nothing. To be clear, a fire will start in the hi/low setting, but it stays small ( I guess it would be the stand by fire)
Before I contact the mfg. I figured I'd ask here,
Thanks

 

[ohbix]

Check the thermostat wire connection on your board. Possibly a wire came loose.

 

[bostonfan49]

Check the thermostat wire connection on your board. Possibly a wire came loose.

Hi Spence... I am confused about your comment on the "stat" (If I pushed the heat setting on the stat higher, the fan speed would increase and more pellets would drop in) On our M55 your choice is Auto, High-Low or Manual. You can push the fan speed higher but that is only with the fan settings. Do you have a wall T-Stat connected? I uses a programmable wall T-Stat with my stove in Auto to control all stove functions. I am not much help on the electrical side....hopefully another M55 owner will chime in....One thing I would do is to unplug your stove, and then plug in again. Good Luck, Bill

 

[Bill L]

what heat setting do you have the stove set to? The light on your heat setting will be your "hi", and this will not change. If it is on 1, that is your "hi" which is the same as "Lo". What thermostat are you using?

 

[spencerdecoys]

Hi Spence... I am confused about your comment on the "stat" (If I pushed the heat setting on the stat higher, the fan speed would increase and more pellets would drop in) On our M55 your choice is Auto, High-Low or Manual. You can push the fan speed higher but that is only with the fan settings. Do you have a wall T-Stat connected? I uses a programmable wall T-Stat with my stove in Auto to control all stove functions. I am not much help on the electrical side....hopefully another M55 owner will chime in....One thing I would do is to unplug your stove, and then plug in again. Good Luck, Bill

Hey Bill, I have the thermostat that came with the stove.

 

[spencerdecoys]

It's the stat that came with the stove.
The connections at the stat are good, once the family wakes up, I'll pull the stove out and check.
I usually have everything on level 3, ( heat, feed and combustion)
Bill, in the past, when the stat appeared to be working properly, all settings would be on 3, if the adjusted the stat to a higher temp, I would hear the fan speed increace. Is this not how yours functions?

 

[bostonfan49]

It's the stat that came with the stove.
The connections at the stat are good, once the family wakes up, I'll pull the stove out and check.
I usually have everything on level 3, ( heat, feed and combustion)
Bill, in the past, when the stat appeared to be working properly, all settings would be on 3, if the adjusted the stat to a higher temp, I would hear the fan speed increace. Is this not how yours functions?

Hi there....so your stove came with a T-Stat! I am guessing that you bought the stove used. That T-Stat you have is a very old model ( not that there is any thing wrong with that) my stove is hooked up to a Lux Pro and it controls all functions of the stove! (I can explain if needed) I run the stove in "AUTO" For some unknown reason...I have never been able to run the stove on Hi-Low with the T-Stat. As to your problem, the only thing I can think of is that since you previously connected the wires from the T-Stat to the stove.....a wire has become disconnected....check that!
Bill

 

[bostonfan49]

Hi there....so your stove came with a T-Stat! I am guessing that you bought the stove used. That T-Stat you have is a very old model ( not that there is any thing wrong with that) my stove is hooked up to a Lux Pro and it controls all functions of the stove! (I can explain if needed) I run the stove in "AUTO" For some unknown reason...I have never been able to run the stove on Hi-Low with the T-Stat. As to your problem, the only thing I can think of is that since you previously connected the wires from the T-Stat to the stove.....a wire has become disconnected....check that!
Bill

Also, did you unplug......and then plug back in? You should also be plugged into a good surge protector.
Bill

 

[spencerdecoys]

Bought it new last year, from a local stove store.
I did unplug it and I do have a surge protector.

 

[spencerdecoys]

There has to be something wrong with this stove.
I just took this pic, all settings are on 3, it's been burning for 1/2hr.
I did adjust the auger plate so more pellets would feed.

 

[bostonfan49]

There has to be something wrong with this stove.
I just took this pic, all settings are on 3, it's been burning for 1/2hr.
I did adjust the auger plate so more pellets would feed.

I agree, you should have a flame 12" wide and licking the heat exchange tubes...
...and you have no flashing lights when you open the lid/slider....
If no flashing lights, I would try running the stove (first ) in manual. In manual you should get a
-UGEEE (he he) flame, if so, that would eliminate most stove problems...
I would then run in Auto and turn the T-Stat way up and you should get the same results...
If the stove takes off and runs fine in Manual but not in Auto or Hi-Low then you T-Stat is bad....
Bill

 

[spencerdecoys]

Thanks for the reply Bill,

This is the flame, stove has been set to manual 3 with the other settings on 3 as well for awhile. At this setting, I can hold my hand in front of the heat exchanger tubes indefinitely.
No flashing lights.
Do you think I need an OAK? The stove is on the first floor of a 1900sf rancher with an open floor plan. Everything I've read suggests I didn't need an oak.
I

 

[bostonfan49]

Your flame looks good but still small, if you were to just turn the fan up to 4 or 5 you should get a much larger flame and hotter. My guess is that your not getting enough combustion air...so my first question is what kind of cleaning are you doing? And, when was the last time your exhaust pipe from the tee was cleaned out? Is this an insert or free standing?Assuming you are doing proper cleaning i.e. Burn pot, vacuuming the tubes on either side of the ignitor...vac behind and below the back cast iron piece. Also, even though you have you have the combustion level on 3, check to make sure that the draft door did not accidentally get closed. If all this is fine, then me thinks that you have a dirty, obstructed exhaust, starving your combustion....Bill

 

[bostonfan49]

Your flame looks good but still small, if you were to just turn the fan up to 4 or 5 you should get a much larger flame and hotter. My guess is that your not getting enough combustion air...so my first question is what kind of cleaning are you doing? And, when was the last time your exhaust pipe from the tee was cleaned out? Is this an insert or free standing?Assuming you are doing proper cleaning i.e. Burn pot, vacuuming the tubes on either side of the ignitor...vac behind and below the back cast iron piece. Also, even though you have you have the combustion level on 3, check to make sure that the draft door did not accidentally get closed. If all this is fine, then me thinks that you have a dirty, obstructed exhaust, starving your combustion....Bill

OAK yes, but that's not your problem....

 

[spencerdecoys]

This is an insert, in total I have burned two tons. I do a weekly cleaning of the burn pot area. I will shut it done and pull it out to check the T.
When you say "turn the fan up" are you pressing the "heat level" up? That's the only control that seems to increase fan speed?
I guess I'm just use to the old Whitfield I had in my old house. That thing was bullet proof and keep use warm.

 

[spencerdecoys]

Ok, I pulled it out, the stat connections looked fine, cleaned out the T, just some fine ash the I vacuumed out through the clean out.
I did notice that I can't open the damper all the way due to the handle fitting what I'll call the frame. I'm gonna drill a hole so I can open the damper fully

 

[spencerdecoys]

I drilled the hole, the damper will open fully now, but at least another inch .
Are others set up like this?
Let me put it back together and fire it up. Fingers crossed

 

[bostonfan49]

You don't need to open the draft any more than the lever will slide out....Mine is about 1/2 way (the slide piece covers about 1/2 the opening) Yes....turn the fan up is the same as going to a higher heat level....I am not sure I can help any more on the T-Stat side, I wish someone else would dive in...BUT I still think we need to see how the stove runs in Manual. I would put the stove in manual mode, heat fan 3, pellet feed 3 and combustion air on 3 and let her rip. You should get a big flame....Go up in heat fan and you should get a huge flame....if no, something is wrong and at this point, I am out of ideas.....Bill

 

[stovelark]

Hi Spencer, from your original post, sounds like a faulty tstat- the way to tell would be run the stove in manual mode. Sounds like you did and the flame looked ok in the pix you posted with heat level in 3. For the air damper, a magnehelic is best to set the draft, but for most M55s, about 1/2 to 3/4 in total of draft stick showing is good, your last pix prob way too much open and will lead to short, active flame heights with loss of heat up chimney. I'd put it back to even more than your first pix was and try it again. If it works in manual mode, then either the tstat connections, wire, thermostat head or lastly (but not likely) your Motherboard. Prob in the tstat or wiring. Good luck with it.

 

[spencerdecoys]

Thanks for the information, I'll look into a new tstat, didn't like this one any how