i have a 1200i classic bay stove that was installed in 2008. I have been learning more about it over the last 3 years since we bought this house. It has an electric programmable wall t-stat. Last year the supposed technician who came to do the annual service and cleaning turned the stove control box to demo mode. When thinking he put it in position 2. This caused it not to fire up when it was time to heat the house. He sold me a thermocoupler and that didn't help. He said I needed a new control box. So I ordered one from mountianview hearth in MT. When I received it I discovered what he had done. I kept and installed the new box and the stove ran great all season. I cleaned the stove myself this year and it started out fine. Now it works intermittently. I don't trust the service company in town and mountianview hearty has been trying to help over the phone. So far we have switched control boxes back and forth, installed new batteries in the t-stat, set the swing temp a little higher on the t-stat. I re-read the control box installation that has the flow chart with 18 steps on it. I just cleaned my stove, and checked all connections. Unplugged it and let it do its start up process. I turned the t-stat up to 70 and the call light came on along with the exhaust blower. The igniter started to get warm, not sure where the vacuum switch is so I assume it closed because pellets started to drop for about 60 secs, after 3-4 minutes the pellets still had not ignited. The igniter was red hot for a bit but the pellets never ignited then the exhaust fan finally shut off after about 10 mins and the call light is still on. Please help. I am ready to throw it on the street with a free sign. This "diagnosis process" has been going on for 2 or more weeks and I'm over it. Thanks and sorry for the long post. I just want to give as much info as possible.
Want to throw my quadrafire cb1200i out the front door
- Thread starter Bmckillip
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John Fortier
Feeling the Heat
- Sep 29, 2013
- 450
I don't know a whole lot, but what about disconnecting the T stat and run the stove manually? I know my T stat would give me headaches at times.
I bought a new t-stat at home depot earlier today just in case. I haven't installed it yet. I just pulled the fire pot and checked it out and the igniter. Everything seems ok there as well. Thank you and I will try this.
Bioburner
Moderator
The Quad Doc is Kap. (kappel15) Could try and PM him or he may check in and help solve your malady.
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Welcome
Bioburner
Moderator
Did they even smoke at all? Based on what you said I would try different pellets.
Bioburner
Moderator
Another issue with an aging stove might be the door gaskets getting worn-loose and leaking and again air not coming thru fire pot. The dollar bill test is probably in order. Close and lock the door on a bill and if it easily pulls out the gaskets may be a problem. Repeat all around the door.
Sorry you're having issues with your CB 1200i, Bmc. After inheriting an older model stove with a bunch of issues, I was ready to turn my Quad into a decorative planter. It is humming along happily behind me as I type this, so hopefully we can help you get yours to that also.
It sounds like your igniter is heating up, but won't ignite the pellets. Take a small mirror and a flashlight and shine it into the front side of your burn pot where the igniter lives and make sure that small igniter slit is not clogged with ash, which would keep the hot air from igniting the pellets. Make sure the small burn pot holes below the igniter slit are clear of ash, as well the ones on the sloped section of the burn pot. I use a 3/16" allen wrench to clear any carbon residue or ash build-up.
If any of those are clogged up, you won't get the draft through the pot to support pellet ignition.
Did you clean the vent as well as the stove ? As Bburner said, any obstruction / restriction anywhere in the exhaust pathway will impede the combustion blowers ability to generate the negative pressure in the burn pot needed for ignition.
And I concur with mralias that it could also be your pellets, Did they get wet at any point ?
It sounds like your igniter is heating up, but won't ignite the pellets. Take a small mirror and a flashlight and shine it into the front side of your burn pot where the igniter lives and make sure that small igniter slit is not clogged with ash, which would keep the hot air from igniting the pellets. Make sure the small burn pot holes below the igniter slit are clear of ash, as well the ones on the sloped section of the burn pot. I use a 3/16" allen wrench to clear any carbon residue or ash build-up.
If any of those are clogged up, you won't get the draft through the pot to support pellet ignition.
Did you clean the vent as well as the stove ? As Bburner said, any obstruction / restriction anywhere in the exhaust pathway will impede the combustion blowers ability to generate the negative pressure in the burn pot needed for ignition.
And I concur with mralias that it could also be your pellets, Did they get wet at any point ?
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Pellets are north Idaho energy pellets. Best I've had so far and I've tried about 7 brands before burning 3pallets last year and almost a pallet this year before the problems started. After I made my initial post I pulled the burn pot out an it is free of ash and obstruction. I haven't had a clinker since I started using these pellets. Just did the dollar bill test on the door. Bottom 3 sides I can't pull it out, as well as the far right side. top and far left it pulls out with minimal effort. Maybe that's the problem. Just pulled the entire stove out and disconnected the vent/chimney pipe, clear maybe 3 tablespoons of ash at the elbow. Trap door clear as well.
Bioburner
Moderator
The door leak is a good contributor to your problem but probably not the only one. Probably need to manual start for a few days till you can replace gasket and start checking for other issues. Quads are pretty easy to manual start.
X2 on Bburners manual ignition suggestion. A little hand sanitizer gel in a small handful of pellets works fine in a pinch - you don't need much !
Then you can see if your control box lights come on in the normal sequence. After you light the pellets the green light should come on shortly after, when the thermo-couple senses the burn pot fire has reached 200 F, then the auger should start to feed pellets again, then the red light should come on in the control box that indicates your stove is at normal operating temp.
Here's a better step-by-step diagram of the Quad start-up sequence than the manual has, which will help identify what starts up when, as well as where to trouble shoot.
![[Hearth.com] Want to throw my quadrafire cb1200i out the front door](https://www.hearth.com/talk/data/attachments/151/151606-c903fae5091c064ae1c3ad7b4727440e.jpg?hash=jR0CQ7Qt_1 "[Hearth.com] Want to throw my quadrafire cb1200i out the front door")
![[Hearth.com] Want to throw my quadrafire cb1200i out the front door](https://www.hearth.com/talk/data/attachments/151/151607-f92b422593bad58e952565e33fb32e03.jpg?hash=lzlRmtOQdt "[Hearth.com] Want to throw my quadrafire cb1200i out the front door")
Then you can see if your control box lights come on in the normal sequence. After you light the pellets the green light should come on shortly after, when the thermo-couple senses the burn pot fire has reached 200 F, then the auger should start to feed pellets again, then the red light should come on in the control box that indicates your stove is at normal operating temp.
Here's a better step-by-step diagram of the Quad start-up sequence than the manual has, which will help identify what starts up when, as well as where to trouble shoot.
Other than making sure the fire pot is clear, the vent/ chimney and the heat exchange rods, what else is there to check?
Yes, I have this flow chart in front of me. Normally it all happens to a tee. Today andvim guessing other wise the progression stopped at the pellets igniting.
Bioburner
Moderator
![[Hearth.com] Want to throw my quadrafire cb1200i out the front door](/talk/data/attachments/151/151608-ddbd1e6a54a7f6339202c3efc0d6d84d.jpg?hash=DhjOxOj5zg)
Have you pulled out your combustion blower, recommended to do at least once a year, to make sure it is not ash obstructed ? If you pull the combustion blower out, you will need a new gasket to replace the old one, that generally has degraded and / or gets torn taking out the blower.
Not sure about access on the CB model, but on my Castile I can access the combustion blower from behind the rear cast panel to clean the fan fins and vacuum between the fan fins and the blower mounting plate.
The section of stove between your combustion blower and the vent junction is 'out of sight, out of mind', and can get clogged with ash also. That is where the 'leaf blower trick' arguably works the best - to remove the ash you can't get at otherwise
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I believe I will be ordering one on Monday morning. Mountainview Hearth has been so patient and trying to help when on the phone. Thank you for your help as well.
Is the combustion blower on the left side of the stove just before the trap door and vent pipe? If it is I looked at it from inside the firebox by removing a small metal "door" it looked a little sooty but free flowing.
Pg 33 and pg 40 in your manual, (broken link removed to http://hearthnhome.com/downloads/installManuals/7014_083.pdf) , have an illustration and description of your combustion blower cleaning.
Vacuum all around in there to remove the soot and ash - some folks take a portable air compressor hose and stick their ash vac or shop vac hose in there with it, when they blast it with air, to suck up any loose ash.
Yes, your combustion blower fan should spin freely without any audible grinding or bearing noises.
Did you do as suggested and use a mirror and flashlight to check the igniter slit? Also check and make sure igniter is in position. I have had some that vibrated loose just enough to not want to ignite pellets. May not hurt to slide it out of housing and make sure it is clear of any obstruction. Make sure all holes in pot are clear? Does the exhaust fan sound any different? Slower? If the door gasket was real bad, it wouldn't drop pellets period. kap
Slit is clear. igniter is free of obstruction and secure. Just pulled off the combustion blower and cleaned up. Wasn't bad smooth fan. Put it all back together and plugged in and now the blower won't come on when the call light comes on. Checked all connections and unplugged and plugged back in and the blue light in control box flashes and the red call light comes on but no exhaust fan start up. After 4.5 hours it's time to step away and have dinner. Please keep suggestions coming. Looks like the oil furnace will keep me warm tonight. Thanks Bryan
Has to be a wire. you can test the motor with an old lamp cord or such as it is 110volt. And never remove or install the control box without unplugging stove first as you can toast the box. Unplug stove and make sure control box is seated properly. They can work loose sometimes. kap
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