Dvc500 Help

My older `96 dvc-500 will only run at a idle even if I have it turned up to the maximum positions.I cleaned before the cold snap and shortly after it began to burn at lower levels until now it only burns at idle.

also I have no blinking codes,I reset stove i.e. turned off and on. I am using blascak.

Does it have a remote thermostat? is it hooked up? does it work? mayabe recheck the connections.
Does it have the 2 terminals on the control box T1 T2 for a thermostat hookup?

Is the fines ash cover under the grates closed?

Whats the settings on the control box? Did you accidently put it on the ASH OUT setting or some other settings?

What all did you clean out? Remove the grates? Did you reseal the grates? make sure everything was put back correctly?

It has remote thermostat but not using it.
Yes it has the 2 terminals attached.
Ash cover is closed.

stove temp- high in stove temp mode
feed rate-5
temp dial-7

I vacuumed out exhaust outlet,brushed out exhaust outlet and flues inside & out also cleaned and vacuumed exhaust blower,under grates, fines tray and inside of stove.
I did not remove grates.

Also if I hand feed coal on top of the fire I can keep a better burn. If I don't the fire is only 1to1.5inches across the grate.
Is it possible I have a feed problem? Usually I keep feed rate @ 1.5 , temp dial @3 to 5 depending on outside temp, stove temp almost on high.
My status light shows no errors.

I know nothing about your stove. I see you don't use the thermostat. Is it hooked up? If so, how is the battery? Does it need a good battery? Oliver

Last season my Dvc went down after I did a clean out at the end of the prior season. I spent weeks on the forum getting all sorts of advice when in the end it was my own carelessness.

Check out all the great tips I got here..... http://nepacrossroads.com/about21985.html

1. There is a probe in the exhaust shaft. I've run a cleaning brush thru there plenty of times, apparently I bent it and broke the ceramic core. It's easy to check this probe, it's on the left side you look at the stove, sticking into the exhaust shaft. Might be worth checking. There's another temperature probe on that same side of the stove but its far less likely to be damaged, it's tough to get to.

2. I had the control panel off. There is a clear tube that runs from the pressure sensor in the control panel box to the main box. This tube can be seen near the fines tray door. Make sure this tube is connected, not cracked and as was in my case, pinched after I put the control box back on.

No blink codes? That's odd.....

Any reduction in coal feed amount to the grate is likely caused by *Fork*, which drives pusher bar, being spread open due to pusher jamming and motor/cam forcing it open wider.

Fork should measure inside @ 1-3/4".

The *fork* spreading makes for a easier fix than burning up the $$$$ Motor $$$$.

Thank you for your replies. Is the fork on the DVC-500 the same with as yours? mine measures almost 2" New developement I set the stove on room temp -high burns much better .The feed rate is still on max , the temp dial @90 degrees Ihave a much better burn but at those settings I should be pushing burning coals off the end the grates.
Also about a week ago there was some grinding -clinking noises coming from the push bar area when the coal was feeding.

When I was cleaning I tried to be careful and paid attention to the probe.I read through almost all the posts about the DVC. I had no blink codes so |I did not think the probes were the problem.
I did use somewhat wet{damp} coal last week. I also found a few larger pieces of coal when |I unloaded from my pickup last time.
I did notice the draft indicator light on the control panel is not as bright as the other lights.

Are all fork opening the same on harman stokers. I am not getting enough coal to the grates.As I said before I am using room temp control now at high I think since the room is colder than the temp sensor setting
the feed motor would run constantly, which is not the case.

I closed my fork opening to about 1 3/4'', hoping for the best.

Put a jumper wire between T'stat terminals...I think T1 and T2??

This will give a constant *call for heat* and pusher would run non-stop while terminals are jumpered.

The *fork* is the weak link in the chain.
With what you described as to damp coal and larger pieces and crunching sounds, I bet your fork is spread open...it is what always happens with those events.

I'm trying to confirm that forks are the same width...I'll get back w/ what I find later.

Edit to add: Sorry I cannot confirm the width is the same.

With the forks closed to~13/4'' the fire seems to be consistent but |I still have my controls set at the max. I should be pushing unburnt coals of the grates.
Could my pots be going bad? Before my problems I always used stove temp settings not the room temp settings.

th77 wrote:Could my pots be going bad?

Pots, as in rheostats?
Yes, they are known to be a problem after some time of good use.

DIY POT REPLACEMENT

Stove seems to be humming along. Crossing my fingers closing the forks was the answer.

My fork is spanned at 2" and I'm pushing red coal to within an inch of end of burn plate, when I run at Stove-temp 7.