Trouble with Quadrafire Castille stove starting?

[unioncreek]

I have a freestanding Quadrafire Castille pellet stove, had it quite a while and it has always ran great. Last fall I was cleaning it upcoming heating season, it's our main heat source. I removed the blower motor to clean the squirrel cage fans and when I put it back in I pinched a wire. Well that shorted the control box out. I bought one and installed it, the stove ran good for a while, but occassionally would not start up, the red call light would be on. It didn't do it enough to really concern me. This fall cleaned the stove and ran fine for a week or so and then we might have to push the reset button on the back every time it should have been starting. It's been very random run good for a while or push the reset once a day to pushing it every time. One time just removed the thermostat wire put a jumper in and run for a week. Hooked the thermostat back up and it ran good for two weeks. Started acting up again, so I put new batteries in the thermostat last week and it ran good until today. The red call light would be on every time that should have been starting up.

With the old control box this never happened.

Any advise or help would be greatly appreciated.

Bob

 

[kappel15]

You can get cold stove startups, where they run out of time, before tcouple senses enough heat to continue the cycle. Stove has only 4 minutes to show proof of fire, for stove to go into on mode. Or you could have a build up of too much ash for stove to start. Use a small mirror and flashlight, and look in pot to see if there is any clinker debris, blocking igniter slit, causing slow startups. Also make sure the igniter is positioned correctly. I have seen some come loose, and slide out enough to cause starting issues. What setting is the new control box on? Should be 4 for your stove. And is the tcouple touching the inside end of the cover, to get a good reading, and is it sticking in the part far enough ? You can carefully take it off and make sure it isn't full of ash too, blocking signal from heat. kap

 

[unioncreek]

The stove doesn't start at all. The combustion blower doesn't start or does it put any pellets in the burn pot. The stove is cleaned every day, checked the thermocouple and it's positioned right and it's clean.

Bob

 

[kappel15]

Check connections on exhaust fan wires. Can also try spinning cooling fan on back to make sure it just isn't stuck. Also make sure power is going to exhaust fan. If exhaust fan doesn't come on, it won't continue circuit for power to run to auger. Exhaust fan has to create a vacuum in firebox, to close vac switch circuit, to send power to auger motor. kap

 

[unioncreek]

The stove runs good, other than not starting unless I push the reset button on the back. A few minutes ago I decided the cut the thermostat wires off and reconnect them at the stove. The red call light was on, as soon as I loosened the first wire the stove started right up and it's been running for 10 minutes. When it shuts down I'll cut them off and reconnect. Would corrosion on the wire or screw cause that? I'll let you know if it continues to work after I redo the wires and let it run this evening.

Bob

 

[kappel15]

You can get a break in the wire. kap

 

[unioncreek]

Cut the wires off and reconnected them. It's been running normally since. Will keep you posted.

Bob

 

[unioncreek]

The stove ran good all evening and then started at 6:00 this morning like the thermostat is programed for. At 10:00 in the morning I noticed the red call light was on. Retightened the thermostat wires and it didn't start. Pushed the reset button and it started right up. I'm assuming that if the red call light is on that the thermostat is working correctly.

I'm at a lose od what to check now. Any ideas?

Bob

 

[Ssyko]

ok if your tstat calls for heat the call light will be on. now the stove has 4 min to start a fire or it shuts down, till you hit the reset again. now have you changed brands of pellets or are those you have burning more dirty than usual? have you scraped out the pot paying close attention to the igniter hole it can clog up too.

 

[unioncreek]

If you read my above posts it state that the call light comes on, but that's it nothing else on the stove starts. Combustion blower does not start nor are pellets dumped in the burn pot.

Been using these pellets for 5 years. Burn pot is cleaned every evening after it shuts down for the night. Ash bin is emptied once a week unless it fills up before then. Ignitor is in the correct position and ashes don't restrict it.

When it runs it starts right up and runs like it did when it was new. Is it possible that there's a glitch in the control board I replaced last fall?

Bob

 

[Ssyko]

try unplugging the stove wait a few seconds then plug back in. any light come on in the control box ?

 

[unioncreek]

Unplugged and plugged it back in after about a minute. The blue light flashed four time, green light came on and the combustion blower started. Red call light came on, pellets were dropped into the burn pot and pellets ignited about three or four minutes latter.

Bob

 

[Ssyko]

cool lets see if it stays that way

 

[unioncreek]

The stove ran until the thermostat told it to turn off. I just noticed that the green light is still on in the control box is that normal? The only reason I noticed it was I have the side panel off.

Bob

 

[Ssyko]

Yep

 

[unioncreek]

Went out to the shop for about an hour came in and the red call light was on. I'm going to check/replace any of the wire connects that don't look right.

Bob

 

[Former Farmer]

Have you tried reseating your control module? Always do this with the power off. Possible that one of the connections is a little corroded. Maybe not on the module but the slot in the stove.

 

[unioncreek]

When I shut the stove down and restarted (unplugged it) it last night i pulled the box. I looked at the contacts of the box, they look good. But, didn't look at the stoves contacts, I'll do that after the house warms up this morning.

Bob

 

[Ssyko]

Is the stove not starting? No blower and auger again?

 

[unioncreek]

That's exactly what it was doing the only thing that would come on was the red call light.

I cleaned the contacts on the control box, they looked good. I checked the slot on the stove where the control module connects, like Former Farmer suggested. They looked OK, but I pulled it out of the stove far enough to look into them. Some of the connectors that only make contact on one side (I think there's three) were not protruding as far into the connector as the double sided ones. I got a small angled pick and bent them a little. It's been running good since midmorning. I'm wondering if all the vibration its had since I bought it in 2007 caused that problem.

Bob

 

[Ssyko]

Heat and time take its toll. My cb1200 i had to replace the card slot (part the box goes into) it was like yours weak and poor connections

 

[unioncreek]

Did you just replace the connector or the whole wiring harness? Stove ran good all day yesterday, this morning it didn't start. I removed the control box again and the wiring harness pulled the contacts out a little more and cleaned them up with fine grit emery cloth. Been running OK.

 

[Ssyko]

yes just replaced the card slot here is the part number if you wish to do the same.

 

[unioncreek]

Thanks for the part number. If it continues to act up I'll replace that part. Thanks for all the help.

Bob

 

[unioncreek]

Ssyko,

Stoves been running since my last post. I will buy the connector after the first of the year and have it on hand.

Thanks again.

Bob