Pellet Stove Igniter / Starter / Hot Rod Troubleshooting

Jeff,

Sincere apologies on our delay here. There was a glitch with blog messages and alerts coming through. Are you still having difficulty with the ignition in your Winslow PI40? Do note that the installation and placement of the igniter in these models is finicky. Few tips:
1. Two inlet air holes should be oriented East and West, not North and South. N & S would plug one hole reducing air flow by 50%.
2. Hose clamp should securely hold igniter in place but not cover air inlet holes.
3. Burn pot should be centered and igniter tube pushed up flush. Some dealers say to leave a 1/8” air gap which is incorrect. Air gap will allow cooler air to mix with the super heated tube air and slow the process.
4. When the burn pot is removed and placed back into the firebox- you can bump the igniter back little by little and eventually create a gap.
5. Igniter should be horizontal when installed and not pointing downward. Use of a level can help to ensure it is perfectly horizontal.
6. If ignition problems persist after installation, double check the air intake damper located on the backside of the fire wall. Maybe it is adjusted too far out or in.
7. Double check the Ohms of the igniter with an multi-meter. Proper Ohms for the Winslow Igniter Element should be around 36 give or take a few either way.

Hope that is helpful, let us know if you need any further assistance.

Thanks,
Taylor-ESESstoves

Amanda,

Thanks for contacting us, our apologies for the delayed response. A glitch in our site occurred not allowing us to see the blog messages here until now. Are you still having difficulty with the igniter/ignition in your PC45? The PC45 igniter relies on the air pump for proper ignition. Being you replaced both and at first it started fine, we will want to take a closer inspection. Always check the simple things first. Check the tubing from the air pump and make sure it is secure with no cracks or leaks. Check the burnpot itself to ensure the holes aren’t blocked by ash or clinker formation. Shut the unit down and unplug for 1 minute to allow a reset and then retry. If you are still having difficulties please let us know, we are always happy to assist.

Thanks,
Taylor-ESESstoves

Jennifer,

Thanks for contacting us, apologize on our delayed response as there was a glitch not allowing us to view the pending blog messages here. Keep in mind that it is the combustion air rushing past the igniter that lights the fire. The super heated air is what creates ignition, not the igniter element itself. Make sure the door and ash pan seals are tight all the way around, as well as the gasket between the glass and door frame. Any leakage of air will cause issues with the ignition/start-up of the stove. Secondly make sure the burnpot is seated properly and that all of the holes are free and clear. Double check the intake port underneath the firepot that runs back to the rear of the stove. Make sure there aren’t any obstructions there. Make sure the exhaust fan/combustion blower appears to be operating correctly; again this motor is what provides the air in which will light your fire. Lastly the igniter itself can be checked to see if it’s operating at proper Ohms. In some cases the igniter may be getting red but not to the point where it should be to properly light the fire. If you are still having difficulties please let us know, happy to see how we can assist.

Thanks,
Taylor-ESESstoves

Robert,

Thanks for contacting us. Sincere apologies on our delay, there was glitch not allowing us to see the pending blog messages here. Good that you inspected all of those areas. The high limit Snap Switch in most King models will have a reset button in the middle. If that switch has tripped, it won’t allow the stove to run until that reset button has been pushed. Typically the High Limit Thermo Switch with reset is located near the convection/room air fan on the back firewall or it is located on the outside of the outer auger shaft chute. Generally that switch will have a temp rating on it of 200 or 250 degrees. You also want to pay close attention to why that switched tripped. In some cases it can simply be a faulty switch, but most of the time it trips as a safety concern if the unit got too hot. Thoroughly inspect the convection/room air fan to make sure it is running correctly at proper voltage. Secondly this switch can trip if it feels the firebox gets too hot or pellets start burning up the chute. Generally this is caused by either leaky door/ash pan gasket seals and/or cleaning issues with the stove. Double check all gasket seals and give the the unit a thorough cleaning including all ash traps, exhaust manifold, and exhaust vent pipe areas. Any other troubles or assistance needed please let us know. We do offer several parts for the King line of stoves and are happy to help however we can.

Thanks,
Taylor-ESESstoves

Hi Harry. There are a couple things to check here, you can put the igniter on an OHMS meter to make sure it is within optimum range. If the igniter tests fine then it is most likely an air flow issue – you would want to make sure the burn pot is cleaned out, the exhaust motor is working properly and your seals around the door are good. One last thing to check would be if there is any moisture in the pellets.

Hey Travis,

Thanks for contacting us. Very sorry to hear about all of the troubles with your PC45. Yes, the air pump is crucial in the ignition of this unit. A weak or non-working air pump will quickly burn out igniter elements. With your current issues of the air pump running constantly even in manual mode, tells me that there is more than likely an issue with the circuit board in your stove. The air pump should only be on during the start-up sequence, the control/circuit board dictates this. It could also be a potential issue with the ESP Exhaust Thermister Probe. If that probe was not sensing temperature correctly it will give bad signal to the board causing various points to not operate as they should.

First thing I would suggest is pulling out the ESP probe and cleaning it thoroughly. See if anything changes. If it does not, unfortunately I would tell you that it is more than likely a circuit board issue and/or combination ESP Probe issue. We do offer all parts and guarantee the best prices anywhere.

Below are links you may find helpful on cleaning the ESP Probe and installing a new control board. I’ve also put in links for the parts themselves. If you need any further assistance please let us know, we’ll do everything we can to get you back up and running at 100% again for the least amount of cost.

ESP Probe Cleaning – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kt7nnGMYU-k
Harman Board Installation – https://youtu.be/PNAkJ3jDmtM

Harman ESP Probe Red Wire – Aftermarket (We do also offer the OEM) https://pellethead.com/product/harman-heatilator-thermistor-esp-probe-red-wire/
Harman ESP Probe Black Wire – Aftermarket (We do also offer the OEM) https://pellethead.com/product/harman-heatilator-thermistor-esp-probe-black-wire/
PC45 Control Board – https://pellethead.com/product/harman-pc45-circuit-board-control-panel/

Thanks,
Taylor-ESESstoves

Chris,

Thanks for contacting us. The Regency line of pellet stoves is not one that we have carried although we do offer some replacement parts for them. Most pellet stoves are similar however in the basic overall function. Based on what you are describing it does sound like an igniter issue. It sounds like you’ve made sure the unit is clean, burnpot is clean, burnpot is seated properly and igniter appears to be in proper position. It could potentially be a faulty igniter element. The element can be checked with a multi-meter for proper ohms. Unfortunately we wouldn’t know what that ohm reading should be on that particular igniter element. You may want to call Regency direct and see if they can provide you that info. They should also be able to assist you with the Warranty aspect of things should it be a defective part being the unit is essentially brand new.

Important to also inspect the venting, door gasket, and ash pan gasket if applicable. If there was any leak in the firebox area it can create this issue and if there was anything blocking the vent pipe it could also be creating this issue. You can also take a multi-meter to the combustion blower as it should be operating near line voltage during the start-up mode. Keep in mind that it is the super heated air rushing around the igniter that is actually lighting the fire. Being you have fresh air installed, thoroughly check and inspect that intake hose. Anything blocking that will definitely cause an issue with ignition and function. Always start with and check the simple things first.

Hope that helps, sorry we couldn’t provide further insight on this one.

Thanks,

Joshua,

Thanks for contacting us, apologies on our delay. Our main technician indicated the following:

Three individual causes or a combination of these three.

1. Igniter burnt out, no longer glowing.
2. Igniter tube plugged – vacuum out regularly, could have caused #1.
3. Damper position – right side.
4. General cleaning, stove airflow, burnpot blockage.

Let us know if that helps.

Thanks,
ESESstoves

Thanks for contacting us Justin. We are not familiar with the Eco-55 Pellet Stove Model. I believe that is a Drolet model stove. We suggest that you test your igniter ohms and then contact the manufacturer regarding to see if it’s in operable range. They should also be able to assist diagnosing the Error Code you are receiving. Sorry we couldn’t be of further assistance here.

Thanks,
ESESstoves

Dicky,

Thanks for contacting us. It sounds like as the exhaust fan slows down that the stove loses negative pressure which is then tripping the vacuum switch and shutting down the fuel feed. More than likely this is either an issue with the Exhaust Fan or with the control board. See if you can isolate the exhaust fan – Run it to direct power and see if there are any fluctuations in voltage/rpm. It could also be the control board not providing proper signal to the exhaust fan causing it to run at improper voltage. Check the simple things first – I would even suggest trying a new outlet and testing the outlet with a multi-meter to ensure power is coming through correctly and constant.

Hope that helps, any other questions or needs please let us know.

Thanks,
ESESstoves