Have you tried loosening the auger motor, pulling it out towards you and seeing if clogged, bridged pellets drop into the pot? Can you use a small mirror(compact)to look up the drop chute to see either jammed pellets or debris? I had this happen last year and once the clog was released, I tightened the motor and its been running fine since.
quadra fire
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If you believe the auger tried to turn when the pellets were out, check the set screws on the coupling where the motor attaches to the auger. Make sure that they are snug.
Now it is working, the problem was at the auger, it was clogged.
Thanks to every body for the help.
Best wishes for 2008
Thanks to every body for the help.
Best wishes for 2008
Dang, what are you all burning? I never had a clogged auger after years of burning. Anyhow, I'm glad you are back to heating again and will add clogged augers to the service check list.
BTW, what was actually clogging the auger? Was it a lot of sawdust or just pellets?
BTW, what was actually clogging the auger? Was it a lot of sawdust or just pellets?
debbiels1979
New Member
BeGreen said:
In my situation, it was one oddball long pellet. The service man and myself looked through some of the pellets and they all seemed to be average. Every once in a while you just might be fortunate (sarcasm again!) enough to get one of these oddballs!
I believe is the brand that I'm using now; some of the pellets are really big and I'm getting bigger flames and more ashes. Anyway, I'm learning a lot.
Thank you for the help and Happy New Year.
Thank you for the help and Happy New Year.
jtp10181
Minister of Fire
We get a lot of jammed augers, mostly from crap pellets. They really need some enforced regulations for pellet manufacturers. The way it seems right now they could put a bunch of a dog crap in a bag and call it premium pellets.
debbiels1979
New Member
I know what you mean. I am paying premium prices for so-called premium pellets! I wonder if it has anything to do with the area you live in? Some people seem to have no problems with their pellets and others are a different story. The problem is that you can only buy what is available to you and learn to deal with any problems. I don't know any way around occasional bad pellets!!
webbie
Seasoned Moderator
It's hard to imagine how one pellet which is too long can stop a well-designed stove! If I can easily break a pellet with my fingers, you would think that an auger or feed system would be able to break up ONE rogue pellet!
So, further to that "guess", can the experienced pellets pros here say that one 2" pellet will "break" just about any pellet stove out there? Or that short ones and some fines will do the same? If this is true, I would eventually expect UL or other test standards to make certain stoves can handle the occasional imperfect fuel. Without even thinking it too far through, if an auger either:
1. have fairly sharp edges on it - only at the beginning where the pellets first fed into it, this might easily break up a long pellet.
2. Have a close enough fit to the auger tube and other places that there was no place a pellet could jam.
So, further to that "guess", can the experienced pellets pros here say that one 2" pellet will "break" just about any pellet stove out there? Or that short ones and some fines will do the same? If this is true, I would eventually expect UL or other test standards to make certain stoves can handle the occasional imperfect fuel. Without even thinking it too far through, if an auger either:
1. have fairly sharp edges on it - only at the beginning where the pellets first fed into it, this might easily break up a long pellet.
2. Have a close enough fit to the auger tube and other places that there was no place a pellet could jam.
I can see how this would happen. Seems that maybe it's similar to a log jam under a bridge. A really long pellet, might not break up, but instead get wedged in the spirals of the auger. Most pellets will continue to feed around the wedged pellet, but over time another longish pellet gets stuck behind the wedged pellet and then another. Harman appears to have worked around this by adding a pellet chopper/slider plate before the auger. Is that correct?
After reading through these recent clogged auger threads I realize that perhaps we are just lucky to live in an area where pellets started and appear to have been made right. However, I did try a bag of grocery store pellets once, and they were much more irregular than the premium Lignetics and Blazers that we typically burned, so the crap is out here too. Fortunately this was only a one bag test.
After reading through these recent clogged auger threads I realize that perhaps we are just lucky to live in an area where pellets started and appear to have been made right. However, I did try a bag of grocery store pellets once, and they were much more irregular than the premium Lignetics and Blazers that we typically burned, so the crap is out here too. Fortunately this was only a one bag test.
GVA
Minister of Fire
These pellets didn't stop my stove, but the auger design is key to binding or not binding. Also the pellets are metered to the auger with a slide plate on mine while some manufactures use dual augers, I'm not sure what quad uses?
I think the open design of the quad "spring" is less susceptible to the binding associated with fines though, I guess there are pros and cons to all designs.
I think the open design of the quad "spring" is less susceptible to the binding associated with fines though, I guess there are pros and cons to all designs.
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Wow, that degree of variation looks like "standard" not premium pellets. Cool that the Harman can handle them.
jtp10181
Minister of Fire
That's what we find in a log of bags marked "Premium" around here. I don't think ONE single long pellet will jam it but it seems like over time using pellets like that greatly increases the chances of a jam. What I'm getting at is it wont jam every time but eventually it probably will. It seems like the auger should just break that apart but when the whole tube is packed with pellets simply busting one in half might be a lot more work than when holding it in your fingers. The Quad augers seem to have some sort of relief system so the gears don't rip apart. When it jams it still tries to turn but makes some different noises and the auger itself never spins. It will keep attempting to turn indefinitely. I have never seen a motor actually get damaged from this though, so that's a good thing.
That's awful if that's what they are calling Premium. Wonder if these companies are touting PFI compliance?
After reading about the fix, I was wondering if the Quads auger was clutched like a drill or screwgun? That would explain the ability to spin.
After reading about the fix, I was wondering if the Quads auger was clutched like a drill or screwgun? That would explain the ability to spin.
Believe or not, this morning the stove stops again, this time I could hear the auger trying to spin. I vacuumed all the pellets, unclogged the auger and I start to use the old pellets, now running like a charm. The brand giving me all the problems said that they are premium, the size of the pellets are big and they make a lot of ashes, not good at all I wouldn't recommended, I have bought them at Lowe's, they didn't have any left of the brand that I was using.
jtp10181
Minister of Fire
The one we have the MOST problems with is "Fuel King" pellets which come in a blue and white bag, usually sold at hardware stores.
webbie
Seasoned Moderator
It will be interesting to hear if all brands are subject to this....specifically to jamming with some longish pellets. While I admit limited experience, I did not have this problem to any degree with the 1st generation stoves I sold 12+ years ago. I would assume that they pellets back then were not better than today (Stove Chow, Etc.)
We have heard of jams here with Englander and Quad and perhaps others?.... any dealers here that have experience with other brands and their tendency to jam?
Quad claimed patented "jam free" augers. Are the ones jamming here the "jam free" models?
Also, I suppose a Pellet could have a lot more problems than just length. If the sawdust is not broken up properly (hammermills, etc.), then longer fibers could make it into the finished product - this WOULD cause a jam, since wood is extremely strong if not pulverized. Try breaking a pellet sized wood shaving with your fingers...tough. It bends, but won't break.
We have heard of jams here with Englander and Quad and perhaps others?.... any dealers here that have experience with other brands and their tendency to jam?
Quad claimed patented "jam free" augers. Are the ones jamming here the "jam free" models?
Also, I suppose a Pellet could have a lot more problems than just length. If the sawdust is not broken up properly (hammermills, etc.), then longer fibers could make it into the finished product - this WOULD cause a jam, since wood is extremely strong if not pulverized. Try breaking a pellet sized wood shaving with your fingers...tough. It bends, but won't break.
I went through about 12-15 tons of pellets and never saw any long ones like GVA posted. This appears to be showing up in more recent manufacturers that may be trying to cut corners or are passing industrial standard grade pellets off as "premium".
This kind of reminds me about the whole foods movement. Lots of companies joined the bandwagon by labeling their products as natural or organic, without it meaning anything. Now there is a certification standard and penalties for mislabeling organic produce, but natural is still oft misused.
This kind of reminds me about the whole foods movement. Lots of companies joined the bandwagon by labeling their products as natural or organic, without it meaning anything. Now there is a certification standard and penalties for mislabeling organic produce, but natural is still oft misused.
jtp10181
Minister of Fire
Craig... I never had heard about the "jam free" augers so I went to the site and sure enough under the "Features" it lists "Jam Proof Feed System". I don't know how that got in there? Marketing? I think there are even instructions in the owners manual for clearing an auger jam. Any time I have called tech support about a jam they NEVER said anything like "Jam? Those aren't supposed to jam." Which I would expect if they were "Jam Proof".
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