In a pickle...

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FreezinSeesin

New Member
Jan 31, 2013
6
I have 2 pellet stoves and neither is working.

A 2004 Englander 25-PDV that has a convection blower that has a seized bearing. I have been using this stove since moving into this house 3 years ago. I am quite comfortable with this stove and how it works. I have replaced auger motors, cleaned it quite thoroughly and quite often.

A 2007 US Stove/American Harvest model 6039. I was given this stove just in case something went on the other one. Well here we are. I plugged it in to give it a dry run without pellets and to see that everything was working. Good news is that everything works. Augers turn, pot stirrer turns, and blowers blow. Problem is that as soon as I plug it in all these things turn on immediately and the off light is on as if it is in its shutdown sequence. Can not adjust anything the thing just runs and runs. I let it run for an hour and a half or so to see if it would eventually shut down and it never did. I called US Stoves and was told that the control board needed to be replaced at $351. Maybe I am being frugal but I want to think that there has to be some adjustment that can be made to the control board settings to fix this.

My questions to the world are...

Can the US Stove be fixed?

Should I put $350 into the US Stoves control panel or $200 into the Englander blower?

Appreciate any help.
 
I would go with a new blower unless the bearing can be replaced.
 
See if you can pull the bearing, if its seized and you can get a new one it may be a cheap fix.
 
I thought i would give this a shot since I really have nothing to lose. I have taken the blower out and freed it up a couple of times but now its completly gone. I suppose i have nothing to lose by giving it a shot. Its a sealed motor so getting it all back together may not be easy.
 
I`d fix the Englanderfor many reasons: Cheap to fix, made in the US, parts are easily available , reasonably dependable and bullet proof construction. And lets not forget the lifetime over the phone service.
 
Smart money says to fix the Englander....you know what's wrong with it. Then fiddle with the 6039 when you have time and know more about how it operates after doing some reading, you may find it's something simple! I would get the Englander up and running 1st.

Do you know for a fact that the 6039 worked when it was given to you? Can you ask who ever gave it to you for advice on why it is doing what it's doing?
 
Go with what you know and comfortable with.
 
I had a similar problem with my King 5500M when I first bought it. I called customer service and they sent me a new control board, but that didn't solve my problem. We tried several other things, bypassing the hopper switch, bypassing the pressure switch, I even moved the stove so I would have a shorter exhaust run. None of that effected my problem. When running the test sequence over the phone I noticed that when it got to the flu gas temp it was reading over 500˚ on a bone cold stove (not 50.0˚). They sent me a new temp sensor and now it works fine. This may be what is wrong with yours......it thinks it is overheating all the time.
 
If you need some heat get to the bearings on the Englander and get some wd40 that will buy you some time until you can get a new motor.
 
Was the motor oiled at regular service intervals?

If you can spray the WD 40 into the bearings and get the motor to turn, and then blow the excess out w/ compressed air and oil the bearings, you might save it.
 
My two cents: fix the englander! I had one of these stoves for just over six years and it was my only heat source for the last two years. These stoves are built like a tank. They are easy to operate, easy to clean, and if your handy easy to fix. I installed a Harman Accentra last November and I have To say I do miss my Englander.
 
I have freed up the englander blower motor and it is running for now. New one is ordered and on its way.

I am really suprised that no one has responded in favor of the US Stove. It has more features and is easier to clean out but I like the simplicity of the englander so I guess I'll just roll with it.

Thank you all for getting back to me so quickly. I really appreciate all the help.
 
And the aye's have it! And you chose the right stove to fix.
Now you have some time to work on the US Stove because you have heat.
I have the England's 2200 Sq. Ft. model and love it.

Bill
 
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