MonitorM41 E-01 code

[squindo]

I have an older Moritor M41 and have replaced or repaired most of it over the past few years. I fired it up once this season and it started and ran great but the other day I tried again and it just gives me this E-01 code and won't even think about starting. I cleaned the canister out and the sensor rod and still the same code. No grounding out and all the wires are tight. Carb looks clean and the float is fine. Also put all new gaskets on. Is there something I'm missing here? Thanks!

[HayZee518]

Have you checked that the burner ring isn't warped to the point it is touching the flamerod? This would be the source of the E-01 error code.
You'll need to take the top cover off the combustion pot to see this. Be careful you don't frazzle the gasket. it breaks very easily.
You can check the flamrod circuitry by making a tester out of a 1N404 diode and a 100K 1/2 watt resistor. Connect the diode and resistor in series. add two wires and two alligator clips to the wires. Ground one side of the tester and clip the other side to the pin on the motherboard and try the heater. If it still doesn't work reverse the leads and try it again. If it still won't operate, then your motherboard circuitry is toast. Look elsewhere in these postings for there is a company that repairs monitor boards. I can't think of it right off.

[squindo]

wow, thanks for the quick reply HayZee518! The burner ring is only one season old and looks almost brand new. The flame rod os also only one season old and I picked up a spare…both didn't work. I'll search around for motherboard repairs. Any idea on how much that runs? Think its worth it in the long run?
Thanks again!!

[HayZee518]

Mathis Electronics is the firm that does repairs on the boards. Their site lists what they charge.

[Bryand]

Have you tried to unplug and plug back up or change to another outlet that you have nearby

[HayZee518]

Bryand, what would changing to another outlet prove?

[Bryand]

Bryand, what would changing to another outlet prove?

He could have a bad outlet or low voltage just as unsing a extension cord not big enough. E01 can mean low voltage. It can't hurt to try. Not like it is going to cost him anything to try. It could very well be the board but before I started spending that kind of money I would try other options. The 41 codes as with most of them don't tell you a whole lot anyway. It could be as simple as not grounding properly. Just wanting him to try simple fixes before sending a board off. I am pretty sure Mathis Electronics has quit fixing boards and you get re-directed to another company now.

[HeaterPCBRepair]

Mathis Electronics used to repair the heaters, I do that on my own now.
I can count on my hand how many E01 boards I fixed in 8 years. Its very rarely that its the board. Do you have another board or spare that you can try?

[squindo]

well, I just got the board back and all hooked up….E01 right back up again! So I dug a little more. Cleaned the canister completely, made sure the flame rod was set in perfectly and still E01. When I plug it in, if the power button was already on, the temps appear but does nothing. It stays like that for a few minutes but then the E01 code flashes again. If power is off when I plug it in, as soon as I hit the power button the code flashes. Nothing else happens. No attempt to fire up at all, just an immediate E01.
Becoming extremely frustrated with this heater now. It worked great the first try of the season. Second try was when this all started. Now I'm another $175 invested with the board on top of all the other new parts I've put into this.

Does any of this make any sense? Thanks for all the help so far.

[hawkins111]

Start by disconnecting the flame rod wire from the board and plug in. If the error goes away you have found your problem. If this does not work try each plug on the board until you find the problem. Did you take any of the over heat wires or fan thermostat wires off? If after all plugs have been tried you still have the problem it's the indicator board. Tom

[squindo]

Hey Tom, Thanks!! Ok, I just tried that. The flame rod connection still gave the E01 but the next one I tried was the 'thermistor' connection…while disconnected, the stove fired up. What does this mean now? Would that wire be bad or something else? Do I need to have that hooked up at all?
Thanks for the first bit of hope I've had with this thing in months!!

[squindo]

Holy Hell!!! I followed the thermostat wire and it turned out it somehow got pinned between the metal exhaust plate and the wall. Where t was pinned the wire was stripped and grounding out on the plate. A little electrical tape and she's cooking again!! I'd still like to find a new wire but the hardware store near by that has most parts I've needed, doesn't have any and can't get one. Anyone know of good suppliers for that?
Thanks Tom (hawkins111) you really saved my day!

[FordMan59]

If you're wanting a new thermistor and wire assembly contact Hickory Home and Garden in Hickory, NC. They have the best prices I've been able to find on Monitor replacement parts. They can be found on the web by searching for Hickory Home and Garden, there's a toll free number listed on their web site. Some people extend their thermistor wiring using telephone wire, you could cut the thermistor off the existing wire leaving plenty of room for a splice and replace the wire with telephone wire. Not sure whether it would damage the thermistor if you soldered the wires or not, but you could twist them together and cover the spice with heat shrink. If you buy another thermistor, you could always try repairing the old one with telephone wire and soldering the connection and see if it works. If it works keep it and use it for a spare.

[Bryand]

Holy Hell!!! I followed the thermostat wire and it turned out it somehow got pinned between the metal exhaust plate and the wall. Where t was pinned the wire was stripped and grounding out on the plate. A little electrical tape and she's cooking again!! I'd still like to find a new wire but the hardware store near by that has most parts I've needed, doesn't have any and can't get one. Anyone know of good suppliers for that?
Thanks Tom (hawkins111) you really saved my day!

Really hate you spent all that money on the board. As I stated earlier that needs to be the last resort. A lot of times it could be moisture. I have even taken the ground wire off the plug in on the board started the heater and put it back on and never had to go back.

[msearcher]

Send me a private message, I have a m41 mainboard taken out of a working heater.

Tom