Accentra: Problem with auger, it starts slow

[Amaralluis]

I've noticed an odd behaviour from the stove when it starts from cold.

When I turn the stove on (the past couple days have been warm enough that I didnt have to run the stove) the auger looks like it is stuck and after a few minutes it started moving but very slowly, so slow in fact that it is almost not perceptible but it eventually it goes faster to its regular speed.
When I say slow, if the auger was without pellets (run out for example), it literally takes five minutes for the pellets get to the burn pot.
Once the stove is warm the auger seems to be working fine.

Any idea what the problem is? Circuit board? Grease? motor failure??
Please help!
Thanks/

 

[Amaralluis]

I was just looking at the stove and something occurred to me.
The feed is set @ 5 right now and the flame is on the back of the burner and I actually cant remember the last time that the burnpot was full and the flame was in the middle to the front of the burn pot except when it is starting and it gets full of pellets.
Which made me realize that the auger is probably not working at the regular speed.
I am guessing that it needs greasing, but I hope more savvy people here have some suggestions on how to find the problem and fix it.

 

[crausch]

Does the auger run the same way in "TEST" mode or does it run normally?

If it runs normal in test mode, then your gears are probably ok and you should make sure that your stove is thoroughly cleaned (firebox, exhaust, ESP, ignitor area, etc.). Make sure there are not excessive fines in the auger tube which may cause drag and slow operation.

If it runs slow or eratic in "test" mode also, pull the cover and look at the auger motor. If the cooling fan at the end of the shaft is spinning normally, then your gears might be failing or just need lubed in the gearbox.

 

[Delta-T]

Amaralluis-have you had any odd sounds (grinding,banging) from the machine when feeding? Codebum has you going in the right direction i thinks. You might also want to check the venting. A restriction in the pipe can tell the auger not to feed and if the draft pulses for some reason you'd get the auger motor pulsing as well. This is not very likely, but you never know. I think those auger motors are 6 rpm so they usually are pretty slow if you ask me. Usually when the machine doesn't feed enough its something foreign in the feeder or some bridging at the slide plate. You have any "smokey" smell in the hopper?

 

[GVA]

is this an insert or freestanding?
Could be a loose coupling on the insert, or sprocket on the FS (ie: it is slipping on the shaft)
if there is no noise it probably isn't the gearbox, unless it was grinding before and the gears are partially stripped.
I would also throw in there Voltage to motor is low...
bad control board, bad contact in vacuum switch (which actually breaks the neutral, not the hot)
low voltage to the stove itself.
rotor binding on the stator on the motor itself.....
I could go on but ya really would get bored........if not already :-/

anyway, start with the couplings or sprockets..

 

[Amaralluis]

Thanks for the all the suggestions but the answer is no for the noise, stripped gears.
I have a Freestanding stove.
I opened the back cover and the little cooling fan is working. Actually it worked fine today. I will keep an eye on this.

Maybe there were too many fines in the auger tube?