Motor clicking

I forget Flem.....is this the same motor as when you started having problems w/ jams? Maybe the motor is just tired?

I just know I'll jinx my stove, but I have never had an auger jam. I have always been confused as to how fines would clog up the stove, I thought they would be carried in to the fire by the other pellets. Anyway, after that many years, is it possible that the augers or tubes are worn enough to allow pellets to get in where they shouldn't fit, and jam? Anybody with more experience than me jump in, please!
STAY WARM!
Bill

Just a thought, maybe worn bushings at the top and/or bottom of the auger are giving excessive play in the auger, allowing pellets to go where no pellet has gone before and, of course, jamming the auger, and giving the clinking sound? I think I would be checking the auger for play and the auger motor too.

I don't know you're stove, but most augers are turned by gearmotors, that is they have a motor that runs at something like 1800 rpm and gets geared down to around 1 rpm, to turn the auger. How often is the click? Do you have the ability to take the gearmotor off the auger? My stove has an allen wrench coupling attaching the motor to the auger shaft. Never underestimate the use of running your stove without pellets, so you can hear what it sounds like. Don't be afraid of getting in there upside down with a flashlight and looking at what is going on! AND LISTEN! Listen to you stove!

I just re-read and saw you already said it clicks every couple of seconds. That does not sound good. After making sure everything is tight, you may have a broken tooth on a gear in the gearbox of the gear motor. I have had success rarely with taking the gearbox apart and looking inside- sometimes you can turn a broken gear over and get some use out of the other side, but that would only be a short term fix anyway.
Bill

Flem said:

I've had the auger motor off and hooked it to direct power to watch it spin. Seemed to work fine. Maybe macman is onto something with his "tired motor" prediction. Maybe the added resistance of the auger has it worn out? To get it to burn decent I had to move the pellet feed calibration to its highest setting.

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Like breklaw said, possible broken gear making the "clicking" noise? I'd put the gearbox into a vise (just tight enough to hold it...no more), and put 120 v to it. Try holding the output shaft w/ pliers and provide some resistance....see if it clicks or slips, or just seems not to have much power.

If that's not it, I don't know what to look at next.

BTW, an old mechanics trick to find out where noises are coming from is to hold a screwdriver handle against your ear, and put the tip on different areas you suspect....kinda like a "poor man's stethoscope".

macman said:

Flem said:

I've had the auger motor off and hooked it to direct power to watch it spin. Seemed to work fine. Maybe macman is onto something with his "tired motor" prediction. Maybe the added resistance of the auger has it worn out? To get it to burn decent I had to move the pellet feed calibration to its highest setting.

Click to expand...

Like breklaw said, possible broken gear making the "clicking" noise? I'd put the gearbox into a vise (just tight enough to hold it...no more), and put 120 v to it. Try holding the output shaft w/ pliers and provide some resistance....see if it clicks or slips, or just seems not to have much power.

If that's not it, I don't know what to look at next.

BTW, an old mechanics trick to find out where noises are coming from is to hold a screwdriver handle against your ear, and put the tip on different areas you suspect....kinda like a "poor man's stethoscope".

Click to expand...

macman has some great suggestions here. make sure you put some resistance on the output shaft if you do a "dry run" test out of the stove. Otherwise you can very well hear what sounds like a good gearbox when it is not.

The screwdriver suggestion works very well. Been doing that for 20 years. Put it right on the motor and the gearbox while running. Suggestion for those who may do this on their car....use a long screwdriver ;-)

Throwing this one out too if the gearbox is not the issue.... A weak motor could allow the start of a fines jam and then bind up more easily??? Again, it may appear good when not under a load.

Flem said:

I will try this this evening and report back. Goofy auger seems to be jamming again this morning. Maybe the motor is working too hard because the auger bearings are wore out? Anyone have info on how to replace the bearings or where to get them from?

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Flem, I doubt you'll find who makes the bearings....at this point, I'd try removing the cover to the gearbox CAREFULLY, and make sure the gears all have grease on them. With your finger, take any that seems to have been pushed away from the gears and smoosh it back where it seems it should be so all gears have some on their edges. Clean out inside the output shaft bearing w/ a Q-tip and WD-40, and then use the other end of the Q-tip to smear some of the grease inside the bearing.

Other than a stripped gear or just a weak motor, I'm out of ideas. Next step is replace it.

You don't need to find out who made the bearings. All you need to do is take them out, and bring them to a bearing store. And, no I am not kidding. I have been fixing medical equipment since 1978, and I have walked in with some strange stuff- find "bearings" in the yellow pages in any good size town, and they have all kinds of types and sizes. They will measure them and match them up! If they DON'T have them, they can order them. No manufacturer of ANYTHING makes their own bearings. Some may be custom, but that is very, very rare. And, if you bring the whole assembly, they can and will press on and off bearings needing this. Some do! It will be MUCH cheaper than going to the manufacturer, and can save time and shipping costs. Let us know, and also let us know if your auger has worn as well.
Bill

Flem said:

...I took the back cover off the hopper as well as the auger cover inside the hopper so I could watch the auger turn............. Is it possible that the auger would wear down enough so the pellets would have enough space to get in between?.......

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Some pics of this might help.

Flem said:

macman - this is where I look stupid when I tell you I don't have a digital camera. Yep I'm that 1% of the population. Do augers actually wear down over time?

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I can't say from any kind of experience, but I would seriously doubt it, unless your talking about a period of 25-30 years. Unless the edges of the auger were constantly rubbing against steel continually. People on this forum that have been burning the same stove for a long time, and/or work for a stove company might have more experience with that.