Castle Serentiy Troubleshooting Question
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Lake Girl
Moderator
rich, post #6. The manual doesn't detail the heat exchanger area or how to clean the internal exhaust pathways beyond removing the blower. I generally use dryer lint brush and tube on shop vac attachment with the stove ash dead out (drywall bag). The leaf blower trick might be helpful depending on venting configuration.
Fly By Night, if your friend tries the leaf blower trick, she needs to disconnect the vacuum switch tubing so it will not damage the switch and stove must be off and cool. https://www.hearth.com/talk/threads/help-with-leafblower-trick-with-pics.74539/
You can also you tube for videos. If she's rural, should be OK but in town/city neighbours might get upset as it shoots out a stream of fly ash.
Fly By Night, if your friend tries the leaf blower trick, she needs to disconnect the vacuum switch tubing so it will not damage the switch and stove must be off and cool. https://www.hearth.com/talk/threads/help-with-leafblower-trick-with-pics.74539/
You can also you tube for videos. If she's rural, should be OK but in town/city neighbours might get upset as it shoots out a stream of fly ash.
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Other than removing the blower and vacuuming the firebox there is no other cleaning on the Serenity
Lake Girl
Moderator
Switch on the hopper lid not working properly? Any other ideas? Will only fill the pot in initial startup and then auger stops feeding.
Deezl Smoke
Feeling the Heat
I know you cant see the fire as it is not in your house, but I wonder if the exhaust fan is not turning after having it out for cleanings? Perhaps Rich will now, as I have not had any issues yet, but I wonder if the fan even has to turn for the igniter to work. If not, then the fire should start, but with no fan running, there would be no vacuum, nor would the fire get hot enough to tell the sensors that the pellets are burning.
Ask her to start the stove again, and walk outside to the exhaust and see if there is forced air coming out of it. The exhaust fan is supposed to start running at start up, so even before the pellets ignite, there should be air coming out of the exhaust. If not, then the fan may have got damaged or something not hooked up right when it was removed. ? Maybe?
Thanks for the suggestion but this issue started before she ever removed the combustion fan for cleaning..she sort of did this after the issues began to see if it would help.
Lake Girl
Moderator
page 29 of downloadable manual at the bottom of the link above.
NOTE: You will only be able to enter the diagnostic screen when the stove is turned OFF. To get into the diagnostics screen: 1. Press and hold the ENTER button. This will take you to the “SET DATA” screen. 2. Using the SCROLL DOWN key, move to option 6, “DIAGNOSTICS”. Press ENTER. This will take you to the “DIAGNOSTICS” screen. SEE FIGURE 29.
If all components are working properly, the circles next to the components will be shaded.
Stalls: Changing the stall will allow you to test the component in the various heating power levels.
Fire: Indicates whether the igniter is working properly.
Exhaust: Indicates whether the exhaust motor and exhaust system is working properly.
Limit: Indicates the hopper lid is properly shut.
Blower: Indicates whether the room fan/blower is working properly.
Feeding: Indicates if the auger is properly feeding pellets.
Vacuum: Indicates there is sufficient vacuum and suction.
NTC1: Indicates the proof of fire switch is properly working.
NTC2: Indicates temperature being read by room temp sensor. (Temperature is in Celsius)
Running diagnostics should tell you the next step. Beyond hopper switch, vacuum switch is possible from that description. Unplug the stove again. Check vac switch tube at the port where it connects to firebox ... it could be clogged there. Check tube for cracks/breaks. Can set up temporary bypass of the vacuum switch itself ... wire with spade connectors on each end (looks like male spades needed) the same as the connections on the vac switch is the safest way. If the stove runs with switch by-passed on test, need a new vac switch. Stove should not be run with switch by-passed as it is a safety feature.
NOTE: You will only be able to enter the diagnostic screen when the stove is turned OFF. To get into the diagnostics screen: 1. Press and hold the ENTER button. This will take you to the “SET DATA” screen. 2. Using the SCROLL DOWN key, move to option 6, “DIAGNOSTICS”. Press ENTER. This will take you to the “DIAGNOSTICS” screen. SEE FIGURE 29.
If all components are working properly, the circles next to the components will be shaded.
Stalls: Changing the stall will allow you to test the component in the various heating power levels.
Fire: Indicates whether the igniter is working properly.
Exhaust: Indicates whether the exhaust motor and exhaust system is working properly.
Limit: Indicates the hopper lid is properly shut.
Blower: Indicates whether the room fan/blower is working properly.
Feeding: Indicates if the auger is properly feeding pellets.
Vacuum: Indicates there is sufficient vacuum and suction.
NTC1: Indicates the proof of fire switch is properly working.
NTC2: Indicates temperature being read by room temp sensor. (Temperature is in Celsius)
Running diagnostics should tell you the next step. Beyond hopper switch, vacuum switch is possible from that description. Unplug the stove again. Check vac switch tube at the port where it connects to firebox ... it could be clogged there. Check tube for cracks/breaks. Can set up temporary bypass of the vacuum switch itself ... wire with spade connectors on each end (looks like male spades needed) the same as the connections on the vac switch is the safest way. If the stove runs with switch by-passed on test, need a new vac switch. Stove should not be run with switch by-passed as it is a safety feature.
They are telling her it has a defective vacuum dial so they are sending one out UPS tomorrow. Is this easy to replace?
Lake Girl
Moderator
Post #26 of this thread shows the vacuum switch
https://www.hearth.com/talk/threads/my-journey-with-a-castle-serenity-pellet-stove.142222/page-2
https://www.hearth.com/talk/threads/my-journey-with-a-castle-serenity-pellet-stove.142222/page-2
saved me a pic lakegirl, was gonna take a pic on my serenity tomorrow when I got to work
Deezl Smoke
Feeling the Heat
Deezl Smoke
Feeling the Heat
Girl, you are a resource technician here. The stuff you find.........thanks for finding that.
Thanks again Lake Girl...I am assuming the vacuum switch is the white round unit that looks like a smoke detector with a rubber hose attached to it? Anybody know what holds it on, just screws or bolted?
Deezl Smoke
Feeling the Heat
According to the manual and Lake Girl's picture find, 4 screws hold the sensor in place.
Lake Girl
Moderator
I like that is comes with a backup to save the day. Another plus on the Serenity.
If I buy another pellet stove this is what I'm getting. Unless I find another Harman in great shape for chump change but that likely will not happen. For starters I hardly ever see used ones for sale here but I also like the idea of a different make and model like the Serenity.
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