castile problem

Well if it was my stove I would remove all but a few pellets from the hopper and watch the auger turn and see if that gave me a clue to the problem. Is doing that possible with your stove?

What do you mean by "started half way through a burn"?

Did it shut down when it was running? Is the stove hooked to a T-stat?

When was the last time the stove was cleaned? Including vent and vacuum hose (barb)?

From experience, the first things I would do is get a mirror and look up the pellet chute to see if there is a jam up there. Long pellets, foreign objects and other stuff will cause it to bridge. You should just see the screw and no or almost no pellets. If that's ok, then open the feed gate all the way and reset it about 3 or 4 times to see if pellets start to flow.

I'm not sure if a problem I once had might be the same as yours, but you might want to check your pellet chute.

Read my old post about my problem here.

Here is what you should see if you take a mirror and look up there. If you see a pellet in there like the pic, then take a screwdriver or coat hanger and work it around in there until it comes out. Chances are though that some pellets may have gone beyond the opening and jammed in the top of the auger and in that case requires removal of the feed system.

balls of fire said:

Here is what you should see if you take a mirror and look up there. If you see a pellet in there like the pic, then take a screwdriver or coat hanger and work it around in there until it comes out. Chances are though that some pellets may have gone beyond the opening and jammed in the top of the auger and in that case requires removal of the feed system.

Click to expand...

Yep, BoF, those are great pictures showing exactly what I've found a few times!! (too many times!). One time an aluminum warning label from SOMEWHERE was jammed on the top side of the auger and I learned how to remove the auger, which is a royal PITA on an insert that is fitted into a very tight custom surround.

I agree with BOF and atjnamtiw part of my weekly cleaning of my Castile involves using an inspection mirror to check the holes in my burn pot and a quick look up the drop chute.
On my stove vacuum I have an attachment that holds a clear plastic tube that I insert up the drop chute to remove any "saw dust" that might be lurking up there.

smalltown said:

I agree with BOF and atjnamtiw part of my weekly cleaning of my Castile involves using an inspection mirror to check the holes in my burn pot and a quick look up the drop chute.
On my stove vacuum I have an attachment that holds a clear plastic tube that I insert up the drop chute to remove any "saw dust" that might be lurking up there.

Click to expand...

I use a clear plastic tube for that too! I also stick it into the chamber where the exhaust blower is and then bang on the flex pipe going up my chimney. I get a lot of loose ash out that way that would otherwise accumulate around the fan.

you could try checking the set screw it holds the auger spring to the shaft of the motor if it comes loose the motor turns but the spring does not

stoveguy13 said:

you could try checking the set screw it holds the auger spring to the shaft of the motor if it comes loose the motor turns but the spring does not

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From past posts, this would be a likely thing to check. Stoveguy is right on, I hope for your sake.

Also, with the hopper empty and the lid up, chances are very good that you are not getting enough vacuum to even pull the switch in, which would prevent the auger from turning. Maybe you hear the combustion fan running????

balls of fire said:

Here is what you should see if you take a mirror and look up there. If you see a pellet in there like the pic, then take a screwdriver or coat hanger and work it around in there until it comes out. Chances are though that some pellets may have gone beyond the opening and jammed in the top of the auger and in that case requires removal of the feed system.

Click to expand...

You guys wouldn't have this problem if you all would just burn corn instead, lol. JK............

B-Mod said:

balls of fire said:

Here is what you should see if you take a mirror and look up there. If you see a pellet in there like the pic, then take a screwdriver or coat hanger and work it around in there until it comes out. Chances are though that some pellets may have gone beyond the opening and jammed in the top of the auger and in that case requires removal of the feed system.

Click to expand...

You guys wouldn't have this problem if you all would just burn corn instead, lol. JK............

Click to expand...

There's one in every bunch, how's it going B-Mod?

I just had to be a smart a$$, lol. Not too bad here, a very mild winter, I am still burning corn that is 4 or 5 years old. The little castile is humming away. Doing some research, I think I am going to dive into solar water heat, I want to build my own collectors and tank. I have infloor heat, and I can feed the tank with my corn boiler also. Maybe get it so I only need to build a fire in the boiler, every other day or so with 1000 gallon storage or so. I like projects, if I finish them, lol. Sorry to interrupt this poor guys thread.

OP you might want to check and make sure your auger is not going backwards when corn stops dropping, I have never seen it, but I here it does happen, something about a bad capacitor on the auger motor.

B-Mod said:

balls of fire said:

Here is what you should see if you take a mirror and look up there. If you see a pellet in there like the pic, then take a screwdriver or coat hanger and work it around in there until it comes out. Chances are though that some pellets may have gone beyond the opening and jammed in the top of the auger and in that case requires removal of the feed system.

Click to expand...

You guys wouldn't have this problem if you all would just burn corn instead, lol. JK............

Click to expand...

We'd never burn corn down here in Georgia. It's all used to make moonshine, which is REALLY GOOD rEEly. ggggggooouuud.... Why can't I see???

Open your eyes buddy, lol

HIC............... :-S

Gotta get me one of them vacuum augers.

slls said:

Gotta get me one of them vacuum augers.

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Don't do it! They probably slow down when you accelerate, like the old vacuum windshield wipers did!

heat seeker said:

slls said:

Gotta get me one of them vacuum augers.

Click to expand...

Don't do it! They probably slow down when you accelerate, like the old vacuum windshield wipers did!

Click to expand...

Oh man, does that bring back memories Half way up the hill you had to get off the gas to clear the windows. Kids have NO IDEA!

I remember the 60's era Lincolns had hydraulic wipers. Depending on how far out you pulled the knob, the valve would open more and the wipers would go faster. They ran off the power steering pump. That was before the days of multispeed electric wipers.

On topic - imagine hydraulic auger motors! No pellet could jam them, they would probably eat up keys, Legos, bolts, and whatever else "fell" into the hopper! Variable speed, too, not a pulse and stop system.