Auger seizing up on accentra

[smirnov3]

I have a three year old Harmon accentra insert, and The auger is acting funny - when I started it up after the summer, it refused to feed pellets it made a faint clanking sound. But when I pulled it out of the fireplace (which resulting in it tipping a little), it ran fine.

I put some lubricant on the moving parts, and pushed it back. At first it didnt want to feed again, but I jiggled it around & it started up & now it's been running fine

my question is: what could cause something like that, and how do I keep it from happening again?

 

[djarseneault]

There is a catch chamber on the side of the feed housing. Single wingnut holds the cleanout door on. Remove cover vacuum out fines. If this chamber gets full it can restrict the slide plate from moving and that is attached to the feed motor via the feed arm.

 

[johnchap]

I have an Haman insert and a free standing one - my stove was completely replaced when a similar issue arose - they have the five year warranty and stood by it ..... I was shocked and awed ... in a good way. The guy from Squires told me that there was a defect in the design/part so they came and took it away - and replaced with a brand new one within one week - the even installed it! ( I had done the initial one)

l

 

[smirnov3]

I had already cleaned out the catch chamber when I was having these problems

 

[GVA]

I have a three year old Harmon accentra insert, and The auger is acting funny - when I started it up after the summer, it refused to feed pellets it made a faint clanking sound. But when I pulled it out of the fireplace (which resulting in it tipping a little), it ran fine.

I put some lubricant on the moving parts, and pushed it back. At first it didnt want to feed again, but I jiggled it around & it started up & now it's been running fine

my question is: what could cause something like that, and how do I keep it from happening again?

I know your familiar with the stove, so I won't lecture you on cleaning like I do to everybody else

Can you describe the click or clank noise.
what did you jiggle to get it going..
Could be a stretched chain and it skipped a tooth, or could be a bad spot on the final reduction gear in the gearbox.
or.......... theres more it could be........but hopefully it won't happen again

 

[djarseneault]

I have a three year old Harmon accentra insert, and The auger is acting funny - when I started it up after the summer, it refused to feed pellets it made a faint clanking sound. But when I pulled it out of the fireplace (which resulting in it tipping a little), it ran fine.

I put some lubricant on the moving parts, and pushed it back. At first it didnt want to feed again, but I jiggled it around & it started up & now it's been running fine

my question is: what could cause something like that, and how do I keep it from happening again?

I know your familiar with the stove, so I won't lecture you on cleaning like I do to everybody else

Can you describe the click or clank noise.
what did you jiggle to get it going..
Could be a stretched chain and it skipped a tooth, or could be a bad spot on the final reduction gear in the gearbox.
or.......... theres more it could be........but hopefully it won't happen again

Accentra inserts do not have a chain drive feed system (like your Advance), the auger motor and gear reduction are attached directly to the auger tailshaft. But I do agree that the gears in the reduction box could be the problem.

 

[smirnov3]

The clanking did sound a bit like a chain (but there are no chains in the Accentra). It may well have been the gears that were clanking

tilting the stove down / pulling it out seemed to clear the problem, and it seems to be going fine now. The question is, why?

I had originally assumed that some shaft got coated with dust & was binding, but now that I think about it, it may be a missalignment. Is there anything in there that could have worked loose / slipped out of whack?

I don't intend to fiddle with it unless it seizes up again, but I just want to know what to look for if it does.

 

[GVA]

Sorry I assumed the insert had the chain drive like the accentra FS.
I can assume that has a jakal gearmotor, which I know nothing about. but the Gleason Averys on the accentra FS and the advance PRE fall 2005 had a problem with the gears stripping and sometimes breaking.
This, last I heard was resolved........

If its not the gearmotor than it could be the flange loosened up on the auger bearing support housing, allowing the auger to move around bit in the auger tube, which will flex the chain drives out of line, but on direct drives put strain on the gearmotor and coupling.

 

[sharvey]

I have a brand new Harman Accentra insert...have only used it 15 times or less.....twice now the auger has stopped working..I took all the pellets out - vaccumed it out - and refilled it. Until this last time that seemed to do the trick. This time..not so much. I cannot get the thing to work. It seemed like the slideplate was jammed some but I got that to move more last night. Any other suggestions?? I am trying to contact the dealer but they are not answering their phones...must be busy...Its getting cold...

 

[lecomte38]

How I checked my Accentra insert auger. It isn't rocket science. 3 bolts to completely disassemble. Empty the pellets and run until it runs itself out and vacuum out the clinkers. Slide the insert out to get good access. Remove the single 5/16 bolt ( 1/2" head)that holds the feeder cam arm and the motor/gear box on, a little jiggle and the gear assembly pulls out. Now try spinning the auger. it should spin freely. If not remove the 2 3/8 bolts (9/16 head) that hold the bracket around the auger bearing mount, again a little jiggle or lightly pry with a screw driver and the auger bearing mount with the auger attached will slide right out. Check bearings, clean the carbon build up off the end, clean the carbon build up out of the end of the tube. Reassemble and check for free spin before inserting the gear box.

While the drive gear is off you might open the back plate and check for proper lubrication. My gear box needed more high temp grease.

 

[sharvey]

Lecomte38 - When you say " slide the insert out"...do you mean move the whole thing...? I'm guessing you do...hate to sound girly but its heavy..not sure I can move it...I'll give it a shot see if I can...thanks

 

[smirnov3]

I figured out my problem - I had a lot of fly-ash build up in the flue.

I forgot to have my chimney swept (after all, no creosote = no problem, so why worry about it, right? Wrong!)

There was so much ash that the combustion blower couldn't push enough air through. And without the airflow, the pressure in the firebox stayed too high, causing the control board to not feed pellets.

There was no problem with the Auger

(Since the stove was feeding the right amount of pellets for the amount of available air, the flames always looked energetic, which is what fooled me)

 

[Dougsey]

I know your familiar with the stove, so I won't lecture you on cleaning like I do to everybody else

Let the lecturing begin.

 

[erikbrooks]

So my auger simply stopped feeding one morning. Called the dealer and he had me put it in "test mode", then asked if the combustion motor was running, it wasn't running either. In the process of setting up a service call.

I pulled the unit out, and there was a lot of fly ash in my flue as well [strange, since it's a new stove and only been running for 2 months].

 

[sparkydog00]

So my auger simply stopped feeding one morning. Called the dealer and he had me put it in "test mode", then asked if the combustion motor was running, it wasn't running either. In the process of setting up a service call.

I pulled the unit out, and there was a lot of fly ash in my flue as well [strange, since it's a new stove and only been running for 2 months].

Maine Woods Pellets?

 

[erikbrooks]

Most recently it's been Lignetics. They seem to burn much "dirtier" than the other brands [Energex, Cleanfire] I've used.
Dealer thinks it is the combustion blower - waiting on them for a service call.