Stove Turning Off

Post by **miracleon06** » Thu. Mar. 19, 2015 11:30 am

Hey guys, I have had an Alaska Channing III since the fall of 2008. Once every so often some ash will build up on a sensor that's inside the stove and shut the stove off. All I usually do to fix it is vacuum out the sensor and lite her back up. This happened the other day so I did what I would normally do. Several hours later the stove was off again. Yesterday I went out and bought a can of spray that you would use to clean the keyboard of your computer and blew out the sensor real good. Five hours later it was out again. This morning when I got home I pulled the direct vent off the side of the house and cleaned that, it definitely needed it, and I also blew the sensor out again, lit it and had a real good fire and then went up stairs to bed. Less then two hours later, the stove is off. Have any of you had this problem before? If so, how did you fix it. Thanks for reading and giving me any feedback you may have.

Post by **coaledsweat** » Thu. Mar. 19, 2015 3:46 pm

Have you cleaned your stovepipe? A buildup of ash in there may be causing some effect on the sensor due to reduced draft.

Post by **davidmcbeth3** » Thu. Mar. 19, 2015 3:51 pm

Sounds like some safety device ... like garage doors with their electronic eyes?

You know what we do with those LOL.

Can do same thing in this case?

Post by **StokerDon** » Thu. Mar. 19, 2015 7:26 pm

davidmcbeth3 wrote:Sounds like some safety device ... like garage doors with their electronic eyes?

You know what we do with those LOL.

Can do same thing in this case?

Not a good idea with a power vent. That thing is the fume switch. It's purpose is to shut down the burner if there is a back up of CO into the stove, thus protecting you from carbon monoxide posining.

One of two things are happening;

1) CO is backing up into the stove. You need a manometer to check your draft to see this.

2) the fume switch is bad. Replace the fume switch.

-Don

Post by **miracleon06** » Fri. Mar. 20, 2015 3:26 am

Hey guys, thanks for the replies. I spent a while tonight cleaning out the stove again. I got my arm up the pipe as far as it would fit and got a brush in it as far as that would fit. I finally managed to find one spot where there was still some ash that seemed to be blocking the draft. I cleaned it out the best I could and reassembled the stove and fired her back up at around 6:30. I had to work tonight, but talked to my wife at around midnight, and she said the stove was still running. Hopefully that means everything is okay. I guess the thing to learn from this, is that ash can get just about anywhere, including where you can't reach very well. Anyways, thanks for the feedback and let's hope it continues to run.

Post by **freetown fred** » Fri. Mar. 20, 2015 5:49 am

Nice M. Keep us posted.

Post by **titleist1** » Fri. Mar. 20, 2015 7:17 am

Could you post a pic of your flue pipe? We might have a suggestion or two on how to make it easier to clean more frequently.

Post by **StokerDon** » Fri. Mar. 20, 2015 5:27 pm

miracleon06 wrote:Hey guys, thanks for the replies. I spent a while tonight cleaning out the stove again. I got my arm up the pipe as far as it would fit and got a brush in it as far as that would fit. I finally managed to find one spot where there was still some ash that seemed to be blocking the draft. I cleaned it out the best I could and reassembled the stove and fired her back up at around 6:30. I had to work tonight, but talked to my wife at around midnight, and she said the stove was still running. Hopefully that means everything is okay. I guess the thing to learn from this, is that ash can get just about anywhere, including where you can't reach very well. Anyways, thanks for the feedback and let's hope it continues to run.

Thats' great news. This means CO was backing down into the stove tripping the fume switch. Removing the blockage has likely restored your draft to normal.

I hope you have CO detectors!!!

-Don

Post by **blrman07** » Fri. Mar. 20, 2015 8:33 pm

Very easy description by Matthaus on how a fume switch works posted about 6 1/2 years ago.

Re: CO / Fume switch - How does it work??
PostBy: Matthaus On: Sun Oct 26, 2008 8:44 pm

The WMO-1 Safety switch works by keeping cool when a negative pressure inside the firebox draws air through the tube and into the stove, thus keeping the snap disc cool. if the DV or PV stops the heat will exit through the tube and trip the snap disc.

I always test the stoves I sell with a WMO-1 by shutting off the vent and waiting for it to trip, usually takes a minute or two. remember it is a manual reset, so you will have to depress the red button before the stove will work again.

Hope this provides some data in your quest for comfort.

Matthaus

Post by **McGiever** » Fri. Mar. 20, 2015 9:25 pm

davidmcbeth3 wrote:Sounds like some safety device ... like garage doors with their electronic eyes?

You know what we do with those LOL.

Can do same thing in this case?

Please refrain from giving out life threatening suggestion on this public board.

Wouldn't want someone to be harmed or die from taking things out of context.

Post by **davidmcbeth3** » Fri. Mar. 20, 2015 10:54 pm

McGiever wrote:
Please refrain from giving out life threatening suggestion on this public board.

Wouldn't want someone to be harmed or die from taking things out of context.

Sorry I could not reply sooner, I was stuck under my garage. I thought it was a useless electric eye....my bad.

Post by **mariohotshot** » Sat. Mar. 21, 2015 6:46 am

It's important to know that safety devices are NOT useless.
They are meant to protect equipment and people from damage and injuries or death!

.[/quote]Sorry I could not reply sooner, I was stuck under my garage. I thought it was a useless electric eye....my bad.[/quote]

Post by **McGiever** » Sat. Mar. 21, 2015 11:45 am

Getting a toe pinched is not the same as coming home and finding ones family dead of Carbon Monoxide Poisoning because a Safety was "jumpered out".

Post by **CotyRedeye** » Sat. Mar. 23, 2024 12:11 am

I have a Alaska model 140 dual stoker stove although I only use one side, the stove just completely shut off, will not power back on and I’m not sure what the problem is. For a couple days it seems as if the coal is just burning and it’s not kicking ok the fan to blow the heat it’s been 60 in the house.

Post by **Hootyburra** » Sat. Mar. 23, 2024 7:54 am

CotyRedeye wrote: ↑Sat. Mar. 23, 2024 12:11 am I have a Alaska model 140 dual stoker stove although I only use one side, the stove just completely shut off, will not power back on and I’m not sure what the problem is. For a couple days it seems as if the coal is just burning and it’s not kicking ok the fan to blow the heat it’s been 60 in the house.

I'm sure some photos would be extremely helpful in troubleshooting.

Have you checked voltage is good for the power coming to the stove?

Have your tried plugging and of the motors direct to a wall outlet to see if they work?