Year 4 with a DVC-500 not off to a good start.... Help!

ablumny wrote:The combustion fan is clean. It is making a high pitch rotational type of noise from time to time, this is new. I question whether its thus not spinning at the right speed? Worn out?

I am wondering if the combustion fan motor is running, but the fan is NOT turning.... Maybe the set screw holding the fan to the motor shaft came loose.....

Pull the motor and fan to check..

Cumbustion fan is spinning.
I added starter Gel tonight to make sure it wasnt my lighting method. Still no igition.

This is a picture of the pusher block arm and actuator
https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/C2hlI19dqBCsMX6hXRJShQ?feat=directlink

This is a picture of the combustion fan (top) and another fan (bottom) which is the exhaust fan I believe. Both are clean and spinning.
https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/i_LTxTliQp0BimrN2RMa_w?feat=directlink

This is a video of the pusher assembly in motion. Note, the video is rotated 90 degrees to the left!.
https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/HdoRmwlAwyqG1kpeQedExg?feat=directlink

The travel of the pusher block doesnt seem so far and I dont recall it being any different. I cleaned off the grates and pulled out as much coal in front of the pusher as I could. It appears to be working. Coal is being pushed up on to the grate. Video not that great:
https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/17vB5qdK-hcvTZDMGS029w?feat=directlink

Im going to have ot get 90# of coal out of the hopper, disconect the stove from the thru wall vent, move this thing and take it apart again. A Weekend project.......

standby.

How about a bee or wasp nest in the outside vent...this gets them pellet boy a lot.

McGiever wrote:How about a bee or wasp nest in the outside vent...this gets them pellet boy a lot.

The computer would have shut it off with a blinking light error for positive pressure in the firebox instead of negative pressure, so the draft fan is properly working.

Don't know if it's possible but can you get the squirrel cage fan on the shaft backward?

I got thr combustion motor out. The squirrel cage is gasketed against a chamber that's clearly tje outside vemt judging by thr rush of cold air. The other side of the blower goes up into the chamber below the grates.

The cage is clean and is spinning freely and fast. Ill have to recheck the path to and from this motor tomorrow.

Just a couple other things...access door to fines tray closed? I have trouble with those double-thumbscrews and seating the blockoff plate notches correctly sometimes. Same thing with the access door under the grates. Both thumbscrews secure and access plate seated correctly? Finally, the air pipe for the door glass. Mine can be knocked out of position fairly easily. FWIW, I usually cover the whole grate with a layer of coal and then dig out a hollow a couple inches in front of the pusher block to light the fire (I use pieces of a duraflame log and lump charcol). With the whole grate covered, I get that "blowtorch" effect you described once I turn the stove on. Keep on posting...obviously you've got a bunch of owners rooting for you.
Nok

Good tip. Both hatches are closed properly.

Its 36 degrees this morning and I'm burning oil which iratates the crap out of me. I gotta pull all the coal out of the hopper, pull the stove from the vent then hope I find an obstruction somewhere....... Or I call the dealer ....forum member helps been fantastic but I'm running out of confidence! Ill decide later today.

One last thought. Does your chimney bottom have a cap on it or not? When the base is near to the ground a cap is proper. In my case it is 8' from the ground and so no cap is indicated. So if you have a cap remove it and look inside. Of course, one weird idea is that it is near to the ground, has no cap and for some reason dirt has accumulated there blocking the air intake. weeds etc. been a weird summer. Well I think that was a summer, I was never quite sure. "Nil carborundum desparandum" - don't let the bastards grind you down.

coalnewbie wrote:One last thought. Does your chimney bottom have a cap on it or not? When the base is near to the ground a cap is proper. In my case it is 8' from the ground and so no cap is indicated. So if you have a cap remove it and look inside. Of course, one weird idea is that it is near to the ground, has no cap and for some reason dirt has accumulated there blocking the air intake. weeds etc. been a weird summer. Well I think that was a summer, I was never quite sure. "Nil carborundum desparandum" - don't let the bastards grind you down.

Thanks. I store my chimney pipe in my shed for the summer and cap the vent housing. It's clean, no blockages. When installed its about a foot off the ground. Ive never had the bottom of the tee capped. Good idea....

At this point:
- Ive checked the pusher block assembly and it appears to function correctly
- Ive pulled the combustion motor, its clean and apparently spinning properly and it was seated
- Chamber from cumbustion motor to grates is clear
- other two motors are working fine.
- Put it in test mode, and good volumes of air are coming out of the chimney and the heat distribution vent into the house.
- No error lights on panel
- air out of grates is still suspect and the problem here.

Left to check is the intake pathways from outside.

I broke down and called my dealer; left message. For now Ill ask him for advice on the subject. If he complies, Ill take another stab at this. Hes been helpful in the past but if I fail to resolve Im going to have to call him in

I don't blame ya--I have a feeling that it's not gonna get any warmer & I know for myself, if my furnace were to kick on, I'd be in irrepairable PAIN.

Another thing to check;
The Grate holder may have come misaligned or the gasket on the bottom of it may have been damaged.
Page 24 in the Owners Manual.

Yep. Checked the grates first. Resealed them per those instructions.

Heres where i am tonight......

Emptied 90# of coal.
Pulled the stove off the vent and away from the wall. Pulled off the back, the pusher block motor assembly, the 45degree vent elbow, the combustion fan again, all accesible access doors. Every passage way to the grates is wide open and clear. Passage ways from to the exhaust fan is clear. Passage ways to and from the distribution fan is clear. All fans and surrounding housings are clean. I checked the vent assembly that passes thru the wall, all clear.

I turned it to test mode (all fans on) and the air level out of the grates hadnt changed.

All electronics work as expected and there are no error lights. I once suspected a temp or pressure probe but i read that if so, i would get error lights.

At this point whats left?
- Either the combustion motor is not spinning fast enough despite a normal appearance (3k rpm but i cant measure it)
- Bad coal??..... Never heard of such

Ill go to the dealer tomorrow for advice.
You all have been awesome. Thank you for the advice, tips attachements, private messages!
Any other thoughts based on tonights findings, gladly accept!
Andrew

Try plugging that comb. blower into a regular wall outlet and compare to the stove controller speed.

McGiever wrote:Try plugging that comb. blower into a regular wall outlet and compare to the stove controller speed.

Ya know I thought about that but didn't try it. I was wondering if one of the sensors was mistakenly slowing down the combustion blower. I'm going to try that afterall this morning. Thx


Is it at all possible that its the coal? First year with this source and its the most contaminated with twigs and dustiest I've ever gotten. Crazy but possible? ??