# quadra fire pellet stove bad thermocoupler ?



## t6kennick (Nov 10, 2010)

I have a quadra fire pellet stove. End of last season I began to have a problem where stove would shut off.  Seems to just stop feeding. I replaced the thermocoupler cover but still the same. Wondering if the thermocoupler is bad .  How do you check or by pass ?


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## Shortstuff (Nov 10, 2010)

What model is it and how old is it?


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## t6kennick (Nov 10, 2010)

santa fe 4yrs old. Burn corn and pellets


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## jtp10181 (Nov 10, 2010)

Feed isuses can be related to the thermocouple, vac switch, or one of the snap switches. Those issues could be caused by numerous other issues.

Have you watched the lights in the control box to see what its doing? The green and red lights (not the call for heat light).


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## tjnamtiw (Nov 10, 2010)

Did you happen to get into a new batch of pellets at the end of the season?  My Castile was giving me problems where it wouldn't be running in the morning and the call light was on.  No unburned pellets in burn pot.  Push the reset and it would dump enough pellets to start up.  Drove me nuts!  I increased the feed a little to allow for the longer pellets in the new batch and the problem went away.  Evidently, sometimes it wasn't getting enough pellets to get to the 'green light' stage which starts the auger feed sequence.  That's my theory and I'm sticking with it.


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## tjnamtiw (Nov 10, 2010)

The thermocouple should show about 12 millivolts if you hit it GENTLY with a propane torch after you disconnect it.  JTP is right about the other possibilities.  4 years on the door gasket may be enough to cause low vacuum.  Put a dollar bill in the door and close it and see if you can EASILY pull it out on each of the 3 sides where the gasket is.  Also make sure your dump door on the bottom of the burn pot is closed all the way and it's not sagging down opposite the pivot bolt.  Are you trying to run it on LOW, which is always border line for me?


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## Havlat24 (Nov 10, 2010)

My Sante Fe was doing the same thing kind of...and it did it the odd time last season...  It was purely a feed adjustment.    Increased the feed adjustment a bit..and it doesn't go out.   Sometimes if your hopper goes empty and you don't reset the start sequence a few times it will do the same thing.


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## t6kennick (Nov 14, 2010)

Ok thanks for all the help. Have spent some more time working with it. I am able to get to the green light stage . Auger feed seems to be a little intermittent but is working. Checked the door seal cleaned it and seems good. Work on the pot door seems to be working great. However I could not get the convection fan blowing not sure if it is related. any more tips ?


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## tjnamtiw (Nov 14, 2010)

If you get the green light on the control box then your thermocouple is working but you're not getting hot enough to get the red light.  Sounds like your feed rate is too low.  Running on HIGH you should get a flame that almost reaches the angled plate above the fire pot.  A flame about 4-6 inches.  Of course, it goes up and down but it sounds like your feeding too few pellets and the temp never gets high enough to start the room convection blower.  The setting on the feed rate will change with each batch of pellets and even within a batch so don't ever assume that once you have it set, you never have to change it.  After 4 years, you know that, though.   :cheese: 

Put a dollar bill in the area of the door gasket and close the door.  It should be FAIRLY difficult to pull out.  If it comes out easily, the gasket is too loose.  But that doesn't sound like your problem.  You need more fire!


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## tazdevl77 (Nov 27, 2010)

I have a 6 year old Mt Vernon with the newer clear plastic control box.  Was working fine and just sat for last 2 years.  Recently got the stove from the old house to new house and now it's not working.  Pellets feeding fine, but igniter won't come on.  Also getting a flashing yellow light in the control box.  Any suggestions?


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## cncpro (Nov 27, 2010)

tazdevl77 said:
			
		

> I have a 6 year old Mt Vernon with the newer clear plastic control box.  Was working fine and just sat for last 2 years.  Recently got the stove from the old house to new house and now it's not working.  Pellets feeding fine, but igniter won't come on.  Also getting a flashing yellow light in the control box.  Any suggestions?



I suggest you start a new thread with the title "Quadrafire Mt Vernon won't ignite" or something like that.


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## tazdevl77 (Nov 27, 2010)

needed a new thermocouple.  Working great now...


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## jtp10181 (Nov 28, 2010)

tazdevl77 said:
			
		

> needed a new thermocouple.  Working great now...



That what the flashing yellow (amber) light means, I assume you figured that out by now though.
I have seen it once and the thermocouple was actually broken in half in one spot, so I assume if the control box senses there is no continuity in the thermocouple it throws the flashy amber light error message. Its too bad its not actually documented anywhere, seems to be a secret error kept by Quadrafire.


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## t6kennick (Dec 16, 2010)

Ok my ongoing issue. Haven't had a lot of time to get it fixed here is what I have found. Got into a batch of dusty corn end of last season. Clogged vacuum tube and started fire up shoot. Here is what I have done. Replaced rope seal. Isolated vacuum switch because it came out of baffle. Find out snap disc #2 was done by passed it. Got stove going last night. Second red came on then green. Plenty of heat. Convection fan wasn't going. I gave it a spin and it took off. However after about 5 or 10 minutes seems to stop feeding. Went down the smorning and opened door and stove began feeding without any heat but wasn't a reset cycle. This is a santa fe free standing. Trying to isolate what exactly is wrong bofore I drop a ton of money in it.


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## jtp10181 (Dec 16, 2010)

Too many problems going on all at once to diagnose like this. You might need a pro to come look at it.

Oh and BTW you should never leave the stove unattended with any of the safety switches bypassed.


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