Accentra: No Feed, No Error??

[Dontsqueezetheharman]

Long time reader, first time poster..

So here is my problem. I own an Accentra Freestanding purchased in October of 2005. The stove recently shut down in the middle of the night with no error message. I figured it was a feeder jam and unclogged the auger. Stove ran for 3 days then stopped feeding pellets again. No error message. Opened the back up again. No clog, motor would not turn in test mode. Diagnosed as a blown motor. Purchased a new one from the dealer, replaced it. When I first put it in and went to adjust the sprocket, the motor turned on when in test mode. Moved everything back into place, thinking the stove was going to work.. No dice. Ran a test, the motor did not run. The light for the feed motor comes on when I test. What should I do next? I am ready to throw in the towel and pay somone to work on the stove.. Any help or insight would be greatly appreciated.

Oh yeah, after I replaced the "blown" motor and after realized the new one is now not running, I tested the old motor using an old cord and it worked! Guess I have a back-up if I can get my stove running again..

 

[imacman]

Welcome to the "active" side of the forum, although too bad it had to be for a problem.

I'll leave the diagnostics to the Harman "guru's" on the forum. Just wanted to say that in the future, before buying things like motors, ignitors, etc, for these stoves, it pays to test them to see if they are even getting power.

There have been MANY, MANY people that have done the same as you, and have brand new "spare parts" laying around.

 

[Dontsqueezetheharman]

Thanks for the welcome! I hope to someday have a signature that includes a generator. My first step (next year?) is the inline inverter. We tend to lose power once a year in beautiful downtown Brandon, VT.

 

[lmjr]

Hopper Lid Switch needs to be correct or no Auger Motor and No Auto Ignition.

Light indicates Controls are okay, but something has the Hopper Lid Switch hung-up.

Let us know what you find.

 

[Lousyweather]

test the feed motor off of the stove......make a pigtail, hook it up to 110 power...if it runs, its NOT the feed motor....

2005 models didnt have lid switches, thats not it.

Unfortunately, there are MANY reasons a stove might not feed, here's a few, not all:
1. fines container full
2. torn gaskets in a multitude of places
3. clogged vacuum tube
4. bad vac switch
5. bad circuit board
6. loose wire
7. the dreaded "gummy stove" syndrome
8. set screw on sprocket has worked its way loose, either on the auger of feed motor shaft
9. etc.

I would suggest getting a draft test taken once you ensure the feed motor isnt bad

 

[Dontsqueezetheharman]

**Double Post***

 

[Dontsqueezetheharman]

Thanks for the replies. I was ready to throw in the towel. I replaced the door gasket, as I have had some creosote build-up on the door. This was after I bypassed the vacuum switch, which gave me power to my feed motor in test mode. So now the stove will feed in test but when I try to run the stove, the combustion fan will kick on (and the corresponding light on the control board) but no feed motor (or light). So is it a draft thing? Should I try to bypass the vaccum switch again?

Hold-up. Forgot to switch to auto ignite mode. Seems to be feeding. Will see if she will operate.

 

[Dontsqueezetheharman]

Hmm.. Stove ran well for a couple of hours. Then shut down; stopped feeding pelletes, no error message. Noticed a good amount of black soot build-up on the top of the viewing glass. Also, weird wite smoke at the bottom of the interior of the stove swirling around for a while. The fire seems to be burning around the outside of the burn-pot near the back and when the stove cooled down, I noticed some build up of creosote around the ouside undeneath the pot, towards the back and hear those bolts that fasten the whole thing to the back of the stove. Any ideas?

For the night, I have bypassed the vacuum switch so I can keep my family warm as this is our primary heat source, with electric heater back-up.

 

[MSmith66]

Check the vac. switch hose., it maybe plugged, Have the draft checked.

 

[rickwa]

You need to do a complete cleaning on the stove and venting. Auger motor will not run if there is not the correct air flow in the stove. The glass will get black fast if there is not the correct airflow in the stove. Get manual out and follow step by step or go to harman website and download cleaning instructions. Vac switch is wired on the neutral side of ignitor and auger motor. open vac switch cuts auger motor and igniter. It is extremely rair that a bad gasket causes this on a harman stove

 

[Lousyweather]

Hmm.. Stove ran well for a couple of hours. Then shut down; stopped feeding pelletes, no error message. Noticed a good amount of black soot build-up on the top of the viewing glass. Also, weird wite smoke at the bottom of the interior of the stove swirling around for a while. The fire seems to be burning around the outside of the burn-pot near the back and when the stove cooled down, I noticed some build up of creosote around the ouside undeneath the pot, towards the back and hear those bolts that fasten the whole thing to the back of the stove. Any ideas?

For the night, I have bypassed the vacuum switch so I can keep my family warm as this is our primary heat source, with electric heater back-up.

looking like a gummy stove to me, or some sort of schmutz you are missing upon cleaning.....also check your intake damper.......and a draft test would be good....the creosote deposits, while not unknown on that model are generally indicative of poor combustion.....check your air paths again........