In loving memory of Kenis D. Keathley 6/4/81 - 3/27/22 Loving father, husband, brother, friend and firewood hoarder Rest in peace, Dexterday

Tell me it's not the board.

Discussion in 'Pellet Stoves, Pellet Fireplaces, Pellet Furnaces' started by BHags, May 14, 2019.

  1. BHags

    BHags

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    I'll look into that, thank you. And if the triac speed control has died, it's new board time?
     
  2. imacman

    imacman

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    Not necessarily.....triac's can be replaced.
     
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  3. Snowy Rivers

    Snowy Rivers

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    Yesssss.

    They have 3 legs that solder to the board.

    There are numbers on the parts and you should be able to locate them online...
    They are usually rectangular in shape and have a heat sink that slips over them

    Here is a generic piccy
    Redirect Notice
     
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  4. Ssyko

    Ssyko

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    The green area is the 2 components that do the isolation from 5-17vdc and 120vac. The triac laying down (red dot)has the whole body soldered to the board and a reflow hot air tool is needed to replace. The one to the right, next to it is only soldered by the pins. Your particular board I haven’t had the opportunity to trace out so i dont know which triac controls which components but it can be reverse engineered with a dmm

    stcroixhastings1.jpg
     
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  5. Snowy Rivers

    Snowy Rivers

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    The small delicate nature of the components on the boards, plus the high cost $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$ and the pain it is to try and fix them are the big reason I designed and built my own controllers.

    Granted, mine are not especially stylish, or aesthetically pleasing, but they are rugged and easily repaired with off the shelf components..

    And can be fixed in a matter of a few minutes even at 2 AM when its cold and going sideways outside.

    The small control boards have many interconnected tiny parts that all work together, and many times when one component dies it takes others with it..

    The fan speed control on my large Whitfield died last February and getting a new board was several days away.... not acceptable when the stove is the primary heat source.

    I unhooked the fan from the main board and wired in a stand alone speed control to finish the season.

    Then finished up the new custom panels...

    This is not the choice for everyone for sure..... but I was not going to swallow the large cost for a board they has all the same weaknesses as the original part....

    Pix of our two stoves.

    Design criteria was simple

    All components would have a rated amperage of no less than 10 amps and in some cases 20 amps and an actual load of around 1.5 -2 amps.

    Plenty of safety factor.

    Every component (Fans and auger) individually fused to protect the controller.

    The factory board had one small fuse, but a failed blower fan would fry the board and not blow the fuse.
    Great plan eh...NOT

    The new controllers have a main fuse and then one for each component.
    Indicator lamps will show any failed component readily.

    All hard wired to withstand a buttload of overkill.

    Again...not for everyone.
     

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  6. don2222

    don2222

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    Wow that control panel looks great! I want one like it with digital current and voltage meters on all the motors! :)
    A pellet stove control panel can also be very simple like the one in this video with all parts purchased at Home Depot! :)
     
  7. Snowy Rivers

    Snowy Rivers

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    Don.

    I could have purchased two new "REPLACEMENT BOARDS" FOR ABOUT $300 OR SO EACH.

    I decided that it was a better jump to build the custom units that use off the shelf parts.

    The initial costs were similar....but if any of the timers go Phffffft I can replace the individual components real cheap and before the stove even cooled off.

    More pix showing the internal components of each unit.

    There is zero mark up $$$$$$ on these either.

    The box, wiring, distribution blocks and other parts will likely last a lifetime.

    The relays, timers and such are rated for a bazzzzzzillion cycles...

    Stil my design allowed me to use identical parts for the cycle timer...power relays, phase controls (triacs) Fuses and thus keeps the repairs part stock very low.

    Same cycle timer...same lockout relay, same mechanical relays

    The Advantage 2t has a lot more equipment to accomplish the start up cycle, and the variability of the draft fan speed..

    The box is identical.
    Meters are the same (Prodigy uses only 1)
    Heat selector is the same
    Resistor assembly is the same (Different resistor values used for timing)
    Fuses the same
    Panel lamps the same (One less on the Prodigy 2)

    Same 12 wire cable to wire it into the stove.

    The Prodigy runs the exhaust fan (Booster) at line voltage constantly.

    The Triac used is different and is from a Lopi or Avalon 250-02132

    Was easier and used less materials to use the Lopi part.

    The mechanical set screw keeps the speed control set.

    The fan is set between 62 and 68 volts (With a bit of wiggle room to keep the fire happy)

    Meter gives an easy assessment of the setting.

    If the booster fan goes south and blows the fuse the stoves shuts off....Booster fuse also runs the relay primary side that feeds the auger... also connected to the door switch.

    If the combi fan stops the pressure switch opens and the auger stops...fire goes out.

    The prodigy 2 did not use the low temp snap switch to shut down in the case of a NO FIRE but instead was originally wired to shut the stove off after it cooled a bit in case somebody just flipped it off.

    A redundant item and of little to no value.

    Flip the burn switch off, allow fire to burn out...shut off main.

    New system uses original high limit snap switches...but does not run heavy current through them...only low amperage to run a relay.

    The latchout relay is run with the low amperage feed through the high limit snaps.

    The "A" relay primary coil is fed from the latchout relay (Solid state) and the A relay controls the main power

    Any interruption in the power flow through the high limit snaps or input power feed (Outage ) will open the latchout and require a manual reset button to be activated to get things going again.

    If the stove is off when I walk in...clocks not blinking then the fickle finger points at a snap opening (overtemp)


    All factory safeties used plus a few more added.


    Took some midnight oil to get this little beast scoped out
     

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  8. BHags

    BHags

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    Thank you everyone for your input. Unfortunately, my electrical skills are near zero! I can replace parts, but that's about it. I'm going to look into the snap switch, hopefully that is the issue. Otherwise, I'll either live with the fan running on high, ( it runs normally otherwise ), or eat the cost and replace the board. I wish I had some of your skills, but hey, I'm just a butcher! Hopefully in the next few weeks, I'll get my azz downstairs, give the stove the season ending cleaning I didn't do in the spring, poke around , and do what I can. I'll let you all know what happens. Thanks again!
     
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  9. don2222

    don2222

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    Good luck
    Let us know what happens
    I just gave this 15 year old Lopi Pioneer Bay stove a little cleaning, paint and some new parts and it looks and runs like brand new!
    I am sure you can do the same :)
     

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    Last edited: Aug 11, 2019
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  10. Snowy Rivers

    Snowy Rivers

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    BH
    Good luck with the stove...
     
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  11. BHags

    BHags

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    So just to take the chill out of the air last night, I cranked the stove up. I ran it on 4 (out of five), and naturally fell asleep in front of it. When I woke up, 4 hours later, I shut the stove down to 2, and the fan speed slowed down, just like it used to. Now it's going to be in the 80's for a few days, so I won't start it, but I'd like to think it fixed itself!
     
  12. eatonpcat

    eatonpcat

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    Yeah, that is probably what happened! :D
     
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