Whitfield Advantage II Convection Blower wont adjust?

[snowplow]

Hey guys, first post here! I just did some work to my stove (deep clean, removed exhaust blower, stove pipe etc) and had it running better than ever for about a week. Last night I came home from work and found it not working. I found the fuse to the control panel was blown and that would not let the stove turn on when the start button was hit. I replaced that and visually inspected the board. I found no burn spots and everything looked normal to me. I unplugged both blowers and it started up. Then plugged both blowers back in one at a time and then started the pellet feed in an effort to see if one of the circuits blew the fuse. None did, and the stove is still burning. However, one thing I noticed after I got it back working was that the convection fan control now does not respond. It seems like it is stuck on 5 (highest) but the adjustment lights (1-5) look normal. I mean that it looks totally normal when I adjust it (lights move up or down) but the sound of the fan doesn't change and sounds like it is on high the whole time.

From my research it sounds like it may have something to do with the jumper wires for a thermostat control (which I do not have). Although in those cases I have always read about blinking lights. Mine do not blink. But I do remember seeing two female spade connectors hanging back by the panel that I didn't know anything about. Thought they may be extras or something for an igniter. I could have easily knocked them off the board when I was fishing a vacuum back in there. So it makes perfect sense that they may have got disconnected from the board.

Does it sound like I am on the right track?

 

[snowplow]

PS, really looking to be a hero to the wife.... wink wink*

 

[snowplow]

Well bad news and no hero. I pulled the control panel off yesterday and though I was right about the two wires that came from the jumper terminals being unplugged, I noticed that the control panel was jumped right at the board.

So back to square 1.

Does anyone have any idea why my convection blower (room) fan would not be responsive? I have surmised it is either stuck on setting 3 (of 5) or 5. But my best guess is 5. When you start the stove it's supposed to automatically go to 5 then drops after about 3 seconds to 3. It sounds like it starts up like normal but doesn't change tone like it is dropping down to 3. But the lights in the control panel all look normal. And when I adjust it, though it doesn't seem to make a difference, the lights look like the adjustment has been made.

???

 

[Lake Girl]

Hopefully this is the manual you need - wiring on page 34...
http://www.pelletking.com/pellet-stove-manuals/Whitfield-Advantage-IIT-Pellet-Stove-Manual.pdf

 

[snowplow]

Thanks for the manual! I didn't have one. So the circuit just seems like simple power from the board to the blower. Also nothing like what I am experiencing is listed in the trouble shooting. So (i hate to say it) the problem would have to be in the circuit board would it not? That seems to be the only thing that controls the fan speed right?

 

[Lake Girl]

I'm hoping those more technically inclined will chime in ... electronics not my area. How old is the stove? Surge protected?

 

[snowplow]

I believe 97-98. The stove has never been surge protected. I plan on picking one up. However, to be honest I dont understand how that would help as the board is fused already?

 

[Lake Girl]

Just another layer of protection for the circuit board
This thread might help https://www.hearth.com/talk/threads...i-cant-adjust-blow-speed.102294/#post-1316805

If this thread keeps getting bumped up, hopefully someone will have sage advice!

 

[MountainSean]

If your stove is functioning otherwise normally with full control and you can adjust the lights for the convection blower then your have damage to your control board. The blinking lights and no control would keep you from having any control of your stove at all, the lights would blink and it would run on dead low.

 

[SwineFlue]

I dont understand how that would help as the board is fused already

The fuse protects your home's electrical system if there is a problem ("short") in the stove.

A surge suppressor would protect your stove from an electrical overvoltage ("spike"), such as from a nearby lightning strike.

 

[snowplow]

Hey thanks guys! I'll get a surge protector and it sounds like for sure I have a bad board

Is there any reason to not run it like this until we want to fix it?

(just asking because we run it most of the time with the blower on high anyway so that one room doesn't get so hot)

 

[MountainSean]

As long as you don't mind the blower running on high you should be just fine to keep running it for now.

 

[snowplow]

Awesome! I'll deal with this after Christmas! Thank you!