Blower rattle from Pacific Energy Super insert

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kolyur

Member
Nov 30, 2009
24
Northeast Ohio
Anyone else experience this problem with this model of stove? Blower emits a very annoying rattle when turned up above 30% or so. I removed the left and right panels and the sound was reduced but not eliminated. Pushing on the blower units stops the noise, but I can't tell where it's coming from. The bolts attaching it to the frame are snug.

Right now I have two screwdrivers wedged through the front panels to put pressure on the blowers. Not an elegant solution by any means. I'd like to start the season with a quiet stove! I'm sure I could cobble together some sort of fix but I'd like to hear how others have dealt with this, particularly with the PE inserts.
 
I don't have a PE insert, but I do get a rattle every once an a while from the blower on my Hampton Insert. I found it to be the draft rod. The rod goes through the blower housing and if it rests on it, it will rattle. I just adjust the rod when it does. Not sure this will help but figured I'd throw it out there.
 
Usually these are pretty quiet, especially at lower speeds. First thing to do is remove the blower and vacuum out the squirrel cage fins. I'd also try the blower out of the unit to see if it is out of balance.
 
kolyur said:
Anyone else experience this problem with this model of stove? Blower emits a very annoying rattle when turned up above 30% or so. I removed the left and right panels and the sound was reduced but not eliminated. Pushing on the blower units stops the noise, but I can't tell where it's coming from. The bolts attaching it to the frame are snug.

Right now I have two screwdrivers wedged through the front panels to put pressure on the blowers. Not an elegant solution by any means. I'd like to start the season with a quiet stove! I'm sure I could cobble together some sort of fix but I'd like to hear how others have dealt with this, particularly with the PE inserts.

We have the Lopi Liberty with a blower, if it rattles at all that usually means we might have some dust in it so it needs some cleaning. We just take the vacuum with the hose attachment to the areas on the blower that take in the air and the areas the air comes out.


zap
 
My surround always rattles a bit, just have to play with it a bit to adjust it,,,then it stops. My blowers were taken apart and serviced by me this summer, my blowers dont rattle, but the surround does on occasion.
 
Cleaned my squirrel cages last weekend, then tested the blower by bypassing the snapdisk.
It made a horrible noise, and I couldn't understand how it could possibly be out of balance. A drop of oil on either side where the fan shaft goes thru the housing made all the difference.
 
Must of been blower cleaning week, I took mine off the stove and was shocked how much crap had accumulated in the "squirrel cages". Very dusty job! A compressor and air gun would have really helped, the Air in a Can did not have enough power to clean it completely. Ours is had 2 -3 seasons, with a master bath remodel and inside paint job in the rest of the home, so there was alot of dust in the air....

Concerning the noise, ours is quiet, though one time I did reset the screws (they were tight) when I had little bit of rattling, and it went away. I considered adding rubber washers but so far have not needed them....
 
Mine started rattling mid season last year, it was excellent timing >:-(


We took the ash lip off & removed the panel (one blower on the Pacific), and vacuumed out as best as possible (quite a bit of dust after 3 years). It still ran noisy (I'll call it "warbling") intermittently through the season, some times noisy enough to the point where I thought it was going to die and shut it down. At that point I aimed a small fan to bounce off of the glass, and get the heat moving as much as possible. Coupled with ceiling fans, this worked very well.


There is a 5 year warranty on the Pacific's fan, but with other constraints going on, it has not been removed for replacement. I hope to have it removed with in the next few weeks (relying on help, I can do a lot, but electric is not one of them). I've opted to try the oil/fix issue as opposed to replacing under the warranty, as the dealers conditions were, I thought, unreasonable.


PM me for more details on "unreasonable".
 
I was cleaning my fans with a q-tip until I realized that the Montpelier has plastic, 2 piece squirrel cages held on with spring clips...off they came, and into the sink!
 
Fod01 said:
I was cleaning my fans with a q-tip until I realized that the Montpelier has plastic, 2 piece squirrel cages held on with spring clips...off they came, and into the sink!


Gabe, I'm just not comfy with it.


If ya want manure taken care of, wood moved, wars won, virgins deflowered, well then I'm your Gal. Just no electric or plumbing.


Oh, and forget the roof, that ain't happening either :coolsmirk:
 
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Joey said:
My surround always rattles a bit, just have to play with it a bit to adjust it,,,then it stops. My blowers were taken apart and serviced by me this summer, my blowers dont rattle, but the surround does on occasion.

I had a rattle too, and I was able to locate the surround as the source of the noise. The blower has a bit of vibration that will carry to any looser parts. Easy to fix though. Just tighten the screws and cram a bit of Roxul between the surround and hearth (if there is a gap).
 
I think i get invloved in these discussions every winter. To oil or not (blower spindle), that is the question. Oil attracts dust, and insert blowers are the king of dust attraction. My manual doesnt mention anything about blower maintenance.
 
Dont know if anyone still on thread but.. Anyone try dry lube?
 
I think many insert with blower rattle at one time or another.
My surround rattled at a certain temp range, then the upper shelf on the insert rattles at a certain temp range, and sometimes the deflector set up on top rattles at certain temp ranges.
I put small pcs of rockwool pinched between the surround and the brick to stop that rattle. The upper shelf is has a spring type set up underneath and it is meant to expand & contract with the dif temps. Once the right temp hits, and the heat from the insert comes convecting across, it must expand to just the right spot that it is actually tight at the bolts, but the plate springs let it vibrate. I can only picture invisible waves of heat flowing under and across the top making it slightly flutter so to say. But after about another 50 degrees higher or lower, it goes away. The deflectors I just bowed up slightly with my hand and they don't do it much anymore.
I will say if it is set up similar to the Summit, check the motor mounting bolts. They have rubber bushings to absorb vibration, and sometimes come loose.
I have gotten used to any rattles, and the ones that remain, are not so bad, and now I use them as an indicator as to what temp range the insert is at.
Hear the top shelf ringing, and I know its at about 550 degrees.
 
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