Quadrafire Parts/Service - Need a motor !

[bodegaNY]

Hello all,

So I have a Quadrafire Bodega Bay wood burning insert, it's works GREAT, this is it's second winter and other than perhaps burning a bit too quickly sometimes - I'm totally happy with the units performance.

But on Thursday last week, the blower stopped. Called the dealer and they said they might be able to send someone out in a few days... ouch it's finally frosty here in WNY, just south of Buffalo. He also explained that once he figured out which part was bad, he could the fill out the paper work and then we'd probably wait a week or more for the part to arrive. Bigger ouch.

So, I'm a pretty technical guy, I asked him hey, can't I do a little troubleshooting here to speed things along? Ok. So I've disconnected the blower assembly from the wires that come from the control box.. and sure enough I can measure 110v all the way to the motor. This tells me the motor is bad. But now I've got to wait for Monday for the dealer to send in the claim, wait for it to get approved and then a motor to be shipped. Something that sounds like at least a week or more based on the dealers comments. The dealer appears to be doing what he can, but I've noted that the urgency factor isn't the same as mine I guess I'd expect the dealer to maybe have a spare motor ?... well established dealership, years in business, limited product line... maybe not.

Is there any resources online that I can simply purchase this motor ? It's not rocket science, I'm looking for part # 832-3490 Blower Motor. In fact, I'm thinking I'd like to buy one even when I get the replacement from the dealer just so I have a spare.


Any ideas? Any dealers watching that have a motor and are willing to sell it directly so I can have my heat source back?

Thanks in advance for your comments.

[jtp10181]

Sorry we dont seem to have even sold that part since we switched computer systems, none in stock. If the dealer has to order that part direct from QUAD it will take 2.5 weeks min. Thats just the way it is. Even the dealers that are owned by the same parent company have to wait 2.5 weeks. Most places do not want to sit on inventory because it costs money to have it sitting there on the shelf. We order stuff when people need it.

Is it going to replaced under warranty? I think most quad stuff has 2 years on electrical parts. Anyway... I can check on monday if I can get that part from an RDC which we would get a truck from on WED, but then I would have to ship it to you, might not even be worth it.

[bodegaNY]

Thanks for the reply,

It is going in as a warranty replacement, the unit is less than 2 years old. If you think you might be able to get one, I'd still like to try it - and I'd be happy to send a FedEx truck to pick up or use whatever shipping you prefer. At least I could install it next weekend in time for the big game. Thanks again for the reply.

Please put your email in your profile

[hearthman]

They were scheduled to get a shipment into the Alsip, Il Regional Distribution Center this week. There were none available anywhere in the country except sitting in someone's inventory.

Not sure what's going on with this blower as I need two right now on units less than 3 yrs old. I think some of it is due to lack of maintenance but still that is not a very good track record.For one, their damn baffle is so aggravating nobody fights with the damn thing. Therefore, nobody pulls the right rear panel to access the blower vanes for cleaning. If Quad made their stoves more serviceable, the reliability would go up. Just to illustrate, I've spent over 30 minutes trying to put that damn baffle back in after I spent 20 minutes getting it out. The tolerances are simply too tight. Maybe they slip in and out fresh off the assembly line but not once it's been fired a few times or you get just a little fly ash in there.

Sorry all you Quad guys for singling out Quad because I can b**ch at all the other brands but its crap like this that leads to larger problems such as burn back then they sit and wonder what they can do to eliminate burn backs. Try making your stoves more serviceable and quit setting a false expectation with the homeowner on how little maintenance is required. Tell them the truth. I haven't seen a single pellet stove this season that was properly maintained. I have seen stoves that haven't been fullly cleaned in 5-7 yrs and ditto for sweeping the vent. I see dealers that clean the stove only and don't sweep the vent. Unbelievable. Then they sit and wonder why their phones ring with callbacks.

Ok, off my soapbox.
Hearthman

[jtp10181]

They were scheduled to get a shipment into the Alsip, Il Regional Distribution Center this week. There were none available anywhere in the country except sitting in someone's inventory.

Guess I can't get one unless I just find another dealer you can call.

[bodegaNY]

Is the combustion motor and the motor I'm looking for (the one that powers the air blower that heats the room) one in the same?

[hearthman]

My goof! I was thinking about pellet stoves where here you clearly stated a Bodega Bay wood insert. Duh!

The latest parts list I have shows that part# as 832-3491 at a MSRP of $130.00

The usualy cause of death in convection blowers is lack of maintenance. Once they get fuzzy they get out of balance or they heat up then seize up. You might want to ramp up your maintenance schedule on these fans.

HTH

[bodegaNY]

There were a few fuzzies in there for sure, so that is probably the cause, I'll be cleaning that puppy on a much more frequent schedule for sure!

So do you think it's something I can get quickly?

[blueflame]

I have a question for you BodegaBay. Are there wire nuts between the fan wires and the rheostat for the blower. I had replaced the blower on one of the other wood burning inserts only to find that it was the rheostat that was bad. Had something to do with when there was a load on the fan. Even though it was getting 110 there was a resistor or something in the rheostat that was bad and it let the 110 through but would not run the fan.

[hearthman]

Blueflame, uas uses a capacitor for some of their other motors. Hmm, I'll have to check into this

[bodegaNY]

Good news...I just got back into town and was impressed to find a new motor/fan assmebly. thanks jtp10181 for making that happen..and Lee at Fireside I owe you both a beverage of your choice !

Not so good news - I installed the new fan/motor assembly.... but alas, no action.... I tried bypassing the sensor, but that doesn't seem to do the trick. It appears that there is 110v at the motor, but I'm guessing that the speed control varies the frequency which changes the speed. So, yes you guessed it, I'm now looking for contents of the control box, either the parts or the whole thing.

Blueflame - Sounds like I have the same situation. Yes there are spade connectors between the rheostat and motor.

[jtp10181]

There's two types of rheostats for that unit. Originally they just had a rheostat (part #842-0370), then at some point they changed it and it now has a manual override dial on the rheostat box (part #SRV7000-194). If you have the old style the same store you called for the blower also has one of those in stock. Although this is all covered under warranty I believe, but I know you are in a hurry. If you have the new stat with the manual override it looks like it would have to be ordered from an RDC. Good Luck.

[bodegaNY]

I've got the one with the manual override button, figures doesn't it What's really amazing is when I call my dealer, I've got all of this info ready for him. Thanks. If by chance anyone does know of a source for this part, please let me know.

[bodegaNY]

So I found the manufacturer of the rheostat, K B. The part number is KBMS-13BV, which is a special build (not available from most KB distributors). I found several distributors for KB products, but one I spoke with today told me that the details of that model is hidden so they can't cross it one of the many others they have. I did find a couple of potential sources, on in IL and another in CA, that might sell them or have the specs so they can cross it to something they stock. I'll let you know what I find, maybe I should buy 20 and stock them for other Quadrafire customers!

[jtp10181]

If our RDC has it I could get one in a couple days, but I checked and it is not listed as a "critical" part so the RDC would not normally stock it. Thats means probably 2-3 weeks from quad to get it.

[blueflame]

Sorry to hear you are having a problem finding a replacement. The way I found it was bad was to break open the control and cut the wires to the bypass and then rewired it byppassing the rheostat. That meant that when it was plugged in the fan was running. Obviously this should only be done by a qualified technician who understands circuitry.

[bodegaNY]

Ok, so after a little bit of digging and a few phone calls, I found a KB (makers of the rheostat) distributor willing to sell me one (KBMS-13BV) over the phone. I'll be back to hook it up Thursday night. I'm keeping my fingers crossed this will do the trick, I still can't find a source for the sensor...

[bodegaNY]

So, the replacement rheostat did the trick and I'm burning again. My dealer has yet to get an answer on when the motor he ordered back at the start of this failure... at this rate he'll have what he needs in about 4.5 weeks!

Thanks to all for getting me connected to the right people and for searching for parts. Had I not come here and asked for your help, I'd be sitting in the cold still.

Quadrafire sent me a message telling me that parts take time, a basic "we can't help you, we don't really care" type of email. I'd say they are lucky to have professionals like yourselves out here helping folks out.

At least I'll end up with a backup set of equipment, so I'll never have to count on the dealer or Quadrafire for replacements. If anyone ever needs a rheostat, I have a couple sources.

Thanks again for all your help.

[reddyrat]

Hello,
I am looking for a rheostat for a fan on a gas fireplace. It is a KB moodel # KBMS 13BV. Can anyone help me out?

Thanks

[bodegaNY]

I was able to get those from:

ALL CONTROL
847 488 9200

Purchased via credit card over the phone, showed up the next day.

Good luck!