# pellets won't feed in quadrafire 1200i



## kekaczor (Oct 22, 2010)

My pellet stove won't start up.  I've put some in the firepot and it starts up but no pellets feed in to keep it going.  Can anyone tell me what the snap disks look like?  The manual says it could be a snap disk 2 problem.  The shop told me I'd see that on the left side of the stove with an orange wire but there aren't any there.  Do I have to remove anything?  Can someone show a picture of a snap disk?  Any other help would be greatly appreciated.  Thanks.


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## cncpro (Oct 22, 2010)

I think it may be helpful to provide more background info on the stove...

Did you just buy it ?

When was the last time it ran perfectly ?

Has it been cleaned properly ?

Are you sure the ceramic encased sensor over the fire pot is properly located 3/4 inch hanging over the pot and the inner thermocouple is pushed all the way inside the ceramic cover ?

Does the ignitor work at all ?  I ask this one because it sounds like 2 separate problems...  First the ignitor isn't lighting the pellets and secondly the stove isn't feeding to keep the fire alive...





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## Shortstuff (Oct 22, 2010)

*UConn* I sent you a PM.


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## Wood Heat Stoves (Oct 22, 2010)

pm me your email adress for the svc book


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## kilbury (Oct 22, 2010)

orange wires go to the vacuum switch, I would check the vac tube and nipple where it attaches before messing with the electrical. Its a quick and easy thing to check before moving on to the tough stuff.


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## kekaczor (Oct 22, 2010)

I bought the stove in 07 but recently moved.  I just put in a new chimney liner and got it set to go.  It warms up.  Red light calls for heat but the pellets don't deliver.  I put some pellets in the firebox and they ignited but the auger never got going.  I can't seem to find any snap disks and I know I should be looking for snap disk 2 behind the machine but no luck.  Any help would be appreciated.


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## Marbleguy (Oct 23, 2010)

Happened to me once last winter. Auger was jammed. Needed to take all of the pellets out and remove the cover for the auger. Took the auger out and checked the motor without the auger attached. Everything was fine. Replaced everything and was up and running within and hour or so. Hardest part was taking all of the pellets out of the hopper. Used an shop vac to suck them out and then just dumped them back in when done.


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## kekaczor (Oct 23, 2010)

How did you get the auger out?  It looks like a complicated process.  I had all the pellets out last week it looked like the feeder system was caulked in there so I decided not to try to take it out.  Did you pull that whole system out and then just recaulk?


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## Marbleguy (Oct 23, 2010)

No caulk, just a couple of screws on the plate that sits on top of the auger cover and you can slide the cover up and off. You will have to disconnect the feed rate lever first. Once the cover is off there are two screws (I think they are torx heads) that will be holding a bracket that once removed, will allow the motor to be pulled out along with the auger. The wires are on a quick disconnect. Once I got the motor out I plugged it back in and turned the stove on with the motor out of the stove and it worked fine. I then reinstalled it and everything has been good since.


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## Snowy Rivers (Oct 23, 2010)

The quad uses a couple systems to run the feed system.

The vacuum switch must sense a vacuum in the firebox, if not the auger will not feed.

The controller should allow about a 30 second to 1 minute auger feed to "prime" the fire pot.

Once the fire starts and the thermo couple (Probe) senses heat it will turn on the auger.

My first thought is that there is an issue with the vacuum switch, its wiring or the tubing the runs from the firebox to the switch.

Test the switch with a VOM to make sure its closing.

Just unhook the wires at the switch and tape the ends so you dont short something out.

****** Remember*******
You are working in the stove with the power on so be careful as to what you touch.


Ok with the switch unhooked, start the stove (with the door closed) you should have continuity across the vacuum switch.

If not the switch is bad OR there is no vacuum to the switch

If there is vacuum to the switch and still no Joy, then the switch is gunnysack.


If no vacuum, then find out whats either plugged or unhooked along the vacuum line.

If this system checks out and the switch is working then test to see if power is coming to the switch and passing to the feed motor.

If no power, then investigate as to why not.

If there is power and the motor is not running then the issue could be a High side snap switch thats popped open.

These are usually found on the backside of the fire box or the exhaust outlet housing.

These switches are in many cases a manual reset type and have a red button that must be pressed in.

Moving the stove could cause one to pop out due to the stove being bounced around.


Check this stuff out before you panic and call the stove repair folks.

If all this stuff checks out, the issue could be the controller.

I am betting that its a snap switch or the vacuum switch/system

It is possible that the feed motor has an issue BUTTTTTTTTT.


Keep us posted

Snowy


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## kekaczor (Oct 23, 2010)

The vacuum switch is working but no power to the vacuum switch.  How do I trouble shoot a lack of power to the vacuum switch?  The fuse is fine.  BTw, it is a quadrafire 1200i if that makes a big difference.  Thanks for your help.


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## Shortstuff (Oct 23, 2010)

Did you not get my PM?  Also, another member offered to send you a copy of the service manual that may help you.


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## kilbury (Oct 23, 2010)

I was wrong on the vac switch wire colors. Just reviewed them and it is red and black now that go to the switch. It used to be orange before they went to this new vac switch. Might wanna check out your thermocouple, that can cause it not to feed also.


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## Snowy Rivers (Oct 23, 2010)

be sure that the high side (overtemp) snap switch/s are not popped open or have failed.

Usually these are in series with the vacuum switch and then on to the feed motor.


Snowy.


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## slls (Oct 23, 2010)

All I can find on #2 snap disc for the I is back of drop tube, it is feed with 2 yellow wires. I would trace any yellow wires you find.


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## kekaczor (Oct 24, 2010)

THanks for everyone' help.  It turned out to be the control box.  We by passed the snap disks and the vacuum switch and still couldn't generate power for the auger.  I made sure there was no jam there and went on the assumption that is was the control box.   I have the 1200 insert but a friend has the castile free standing.  I used his control box and changed the setting from 4 to 1 and it worked.  I now have it up and running.  Thanks everyone for all you help.


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## humpin iron (Oct 24, 2010)

no juice to auger is almost always the control box


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## humpin iron (Oct 24, 2010)

my error  no juice to vac switch is the box


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## sydflash (Nov 10, 2010)

*****STARTED A NEW DISCUSSION ON THIS*****

https://www.hearth.com/econtent/index.php/forums/viewthread/62722/


I am having a similar problem. I have the Castile insert as well.

Mine starts up fine and the auger feeds pellets after ignition - the flame looks normal.

THEN...  shortly after the blower (the one that moves heat into the room) comes on it quits feeding.

Would it be operating at all if there was a problem with the vac switch?

Is this most likely related to the temp?  I was thinking maybe it was a high heat shut down?

Where is the #2 snap disk located and how is it reset?  

Any test for a bad thermocouple? 

I should also mention, I cleaned the exhaust blower and the chimney for the first time recently, so the stove was moved around a bit and the exhaust pipe disconnected too.  Not sure if that could be my problem.  

Thanks for any help you all can give!  This seems like a great (or grate, as it were) site!


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## kilbury (Nov 10, 2010)

look here on how to test, all quads operate on the same basic schematic except the AE
https://www.hearth.com/econtent/index.php/forums/viewthread/62658/


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## Nicholas440 (Nov 10, 2010)

sydflash said:
			
		

> I am having a similar problem. I have the Castile insert as well.
> 
> Mine starts up fine and the auger feeds pellets after ignition - the flame looks normal.
> 
> ...



You might want to post this as a new thread I think you'd get some responses on your problem that way.   My opinion is if you're running your Castile on High, and it stops feeding,  your unit is tripping the high temp snap disc.  If you ran it on low,  your fire might be too low to keep the stove going and it will go into the shutdown mode,  adjusting your feed rate rod will let more pellets go in to keep it going.  The manual tells you how to set this adjustment.


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