I watched it last night. I started it up and it made it through two complete cycles. on the third the room temp fell below the set temperature and the service call light came on and nothing.........but I did notive a light come on inside the control box. It looked either green or yellow, I cant be sure.....this model has the gray plastic control box, not the newer clear one. The red and green lights are on the outside top of the box. but this light was inside. I never noticied before.
Quadrafire 1200 not cycling after startup.
- Thread starter mctitan1975
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Thanks. It looks like the control box to me too.
Any advice if I should pay a tech 80 bucks to come and test it or do I just get a control box and intall and hope for the best?
How hard is it to install?
Any advice if I should pay a tech 80 bucks to come and test it or do I just get a control box and intall and hope for the best?
How hard is it to install?
I have never installed one yet. Perhaps someone else can answer that but ebay has one for $259. Not sure that testing is going to re-create the issue you are having. Looking at mine it looks like just a plug in type install, nothing fancy.
If all else fails, pull yours out and then re-install too see if the same issue persists. Perhaps something is loose. PLEASE MAKE SURE TO UNPLUG THE STOVE FIRST
(broken link removed to http://www.ebay.com/itm/SRV7000-205-CONTROL-BOX-SANTA-FE-CLASSIC-BAY-CASTILE-CB1200-series-stoves-/330998217906?pt=US_Replacement_Parts&hash=item4d1107fcb2)
If all else fails, pull yours out and then re-install too see if the same issue persists. Perhaps something is loose. PLEASE MAKE SURE TO UNPLUG THE STOVE FIRST
(broken link removed to http://www.ebay.com/itm/SRV7000-205-CONTROL-BOX-SANTA-FE-CLASSIC-BAY-CASTILE-CB1200-series-stoves-/330998217906?pt=US_Replacement_Parts&hash=item4d1107fcb2)
That amber light means that the thermocouple is bad or going bad. That would make sense for your occasional shutdowns. It must be an intermittent open. Order a new thermocouple tout suite.
Swineflue had the correct advice to watch and see what happens. Thumbs up!
Remove the thermocouple from the tube and take a look at the end to see if the two wires are separated or barely hanging on at the end.
Swineflue had the correct advice to watch and see what happens. Thumbs up!
Remove the thermocouple from the tube and take a look at the end to see if the two wires are separated or barely hanging on at the end.
The thermocouple looks joined at the end. Is there a way I can test it to see if it's the problem? Just trying to avoid replacing both the thermocouple and control box.
Yes, you can test it by disconnecting the leads and putting a voltmeter on the leads. Then heat the tip with a match or heat gun and see if you get a reading. Set the meter on the millivolt scale. You should see at least 30mVDC. Wiggle the wires around as you're doing this to see if the reading drops, suggesting an intermittent open.
I'm almost positive that the amber light inside the box that you saw says the thermocouple was bad at that time. Maybe one of the tech's can confirm this.
Perhaps it was just a bad connection. Make sure everything is snug.
You could also UNPLUG the stove and then remove the control box, clean the contacts with a pencil eraser, and reinsert it. Then plug it back in. Could just be a bad contact there. Many problems on here have been solved by doing just that.
I'm almost positive that the amber light inside the box that you saw says the thermocouple was bad at that time. Maybe one of the tech's can confirm this.
Perhaps it was just a bad connection. Make sure everything is snug.
You could also UNPLUG the stove and then remove the control box, clean the contacts with a pencil eraser, and reinsert it. Then plug it back in. Could just be a bad contact there. Many problems on here have been solved by doing just that.
Last edited:
http://www.manualslib.com/manual/136688/Quadra-Fire-Cb1200-B.html?page=27#manual
Look at page 27 symptoms. You don't have to download the manual.
''Check connections on thermocouple or
replace if defective.
A flashing yellow light on the control box
indicates a problem with the thermocouple.''
Look at page 27 symptoms. You don't have to download the manual.
''Check connections on thermocouple or
replace if defective.
A flashing yellow light on the control box
indicates a problem with the thermocouple.''
RockyMtnHigh
Feeling the Heat
If you can re-create the problem every time, it is the control box.... If it is intermittent, there is something else going on. I would lean towards a worn out snap disk. Either the one on the feed tube or the one that senses the hopper....
I did not know the cb1200i had a snap disk on the feed tube or the hopper. Anyway, I just hope the story has a happy ending the suspense is killing me.
Jaymaine34
Burning Hunk
- Jan 5, 2013
- 247
This is why I went with the same stove x3 . Very easy to interchange parts and trouble shoot . Maybe not the most cost affective way . But it allows me not to throw parts at something until I'm sure ! That being said in 8 years I've only had one controle board go and that was under warranty .
Wishing you the best of luck with this and I'm very interested in the outcome !
Wishing you the best of luck with this and I'm very interested in the outcome !
Which does bring up another possibility. Is there anyone else in your area that has the same stove? If so, they might be willing to swap out the control box, which is a two minute operation, just to see if it fixes the problem. Your service guy could also do that in the hopes of selling a new box. That would rule out that possibility once and for all.
If it were me, I'd still be researching the best price for a new thermocouple because of that amber light symptom you spoke of. Besides, it would be a good thing to have one on the shelf as insurance. There are a few dealers on here that, perhaps, could give you a price via private message.
RockyMtnHigh
Feeling the Heat
Ah, I didn't catch the amber light but yeah, that is definitely a thermocouple issue. I shouldn't message board and drink beer lol. Sorry chaps
Let's set aside the indications of a bad thermocouple and analyze what other symptoms you spoke of early on.
1. Pellets were still in the stove from the previous owner and there was a lot of dust (fines) in the bottom of the hopper
2. The room convection fan cycled on and off during shutdown.
1. The old pellets could have swelled up from humidity during the non-use time and clogged the auger. Also, the abundance of fines could also restrict the rotation of the auger. Our stoves have the habit of running the auger backwards if it is restricted or if the capacitor that is in the auger motor circuit goes bad. This means that you should really pull the auger and motor assembly out and make sure that it can rotate freely. It only involves a few screws and isn't difficult. Also, if you find no buildup in the auger tube, then for about $12, you can get a new capacitor that fits in-line with the connector for the motor. This would explain your occasional failures to feed enough pellets to keep the fire going.
2. If the fan is cycling on and off at shutdown, it could be two things. Either the snap disc is faulty OR the stove has been overfired and it has a lot of residual heat. The fan runs and cools down the surface where the snap disc is located, but the extra heat built up in the stove rewarms that part where the snap disc is located and it turns the fan on again. Your average flame height on HIGH should be about 6-8" high.
Just two more thoughts of things that haven't been mentioned.
1. Pellets were still in the stove from the previous owner and there was a lot of dust (fines) in the bottom of the hopper
2. The room convection fan cycled on and off during shutdown.
1. The old pellets could have swelled up from humidity during the non-use time and clogged the auger. Also, the abundance of fines could also restrict the rotation of the auger. Our stoves have the habit of running the auger backwards if it is restricted or if the capacitor that is in the auger motor circuit goes bad. This means that you should really pull the auger and motor assembly out and make sure that it can rotate freely. It only involves a few screws and isn't difficult. Also, if you find no buildup in the auger tube, then for about $12, you can get a new capacitor that fits in-line with the connector for the motor. This would explain your occasional failures to feed enough pellets to keep the fire going.
2. If the fan is cycling on and off at shutdown, it could be two things. Either the snap disc is faulty OR the stove has been overfired and it has a lot of residual heat. The fan runs and cools down the surface where the snap disc is located, but the extra heat built up in the stove rewarms that part where the snap disc is located and it turns the fan on again. Your average flame height on HIGH should be about 6-8" high.
Just two more thoughts of things that haven't been mentioned.
Jaymaine34
Burning Hunk
- Jan 5, 2013
- 247
That's a great idea if I lived closer I'd be more than happy to do it just to see . Maybe find a dealer with a good return policy . Be honest with what your doing ( never know ) this time of year they are so busy they maybe willing to let you try
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