Lopi Leyden Problem

[drekick1]

Hi,
I have a Lopi Leyden since 2010. I haven’t had any problems since recently. When I start the stove most of the time it will feed pellets and then just shut off I can usually hear a click. Sometimes after unplugging it, it will start normally. I have tried a couple of times to put some pellets in the hopper and ignite them with a gel. Once the pellets are burning I turn the stove on and it feeds pellets and seems to work fine. Does anyone have any ideas? Can this be a circuit board issue? Blower? I do see the igniter on. Thanks

 

[RMO]

I have been having that same issue with my Lopi Leyden, really like this stove, put this stove in our home in 2008. But the issue I am now having is the same one that your are experiencing. I replaced the circuit board on the stove last year, not because it was bad, but the covering on it had worn off and to start the stove it would poke your fingers, I ran it awhile with very strong tape across the buttons, then decided to replace the board--then it started with a lot of really harsh noise when it started up, but every time I had a technician come, they could not figure out the issue, after three different times with the tech, the noise went away and the stove is currently running very quietly, I ordered a new pellet auger motor because I thought perhaps that was the problem, but I have not replaced it yet because the auger motor appears to be doing okay, though through research, I have also found that a person should be putting oil in spots on the motor and the auger joint, whereas the exhaust combustion fan that is supposed to kick on when a person starts the stove (we always run ours manually) is not, the pellets feed for a bit but then the auger light and the maintenance light come on. I have been watching the fan and it does just what you are complaining about, in observation of that fan which is located on the right side of the stove when facing the stove, until I see or actually hear that motor coming on nothing happens with the stove--as you say you hear a click and then the light for the auger and maintenance come on, so if I shut the stove off and then restart it, it will feed pellets for a while but because that exhaust fan is not coming on, it will shut itself down again. I go through this sequence several times before I can see and hear the exhaust fan running, which sometimes happens, when I actually it have the stove shut off in the above mentioned sequence. I called the service people today and ask them to bring an exhaust fan when they come to check out the stove. I am not sure whether it is just needing a new fan motor or needing that fan motor cleaned out or whether it is an electrical issue with the stove. I was reading up on the fan motor and apparently some of them are supposed to have oil spots that a person is supposed to oil that fan motor once a year prior to starting the stove--that article also said that some of those fans were installed upside down so a person can not see where the oil spot is nor be able to oil it. The suggestion was to take the fan motor off, blow it out really good, which is something else that should be done at least once a year, then find the oil ports which are supposed to be yellow and oil the motor, then when a person puts it back on besure to rotate the motor so that those oil ports are on top instead of the bottom. Unfortunately for me, the bolts are metric and one of them was way down underneath and I was not able to get the motor off, hence I called the technician--after doing that I think I saw an easier solution on how to get that motor off, but I will wait until the technician comes because I am certain he will have the necessary metric tools and I can pay attention to what he is doing as well as he should be able to tell me whether it is an electrical issue or whether it is just a fan motor issue. Don't know if this helps you any but if you find a solution to your problem--please let me know and I will do likewise, I am rather irritated, that like you, a person cannot obtain a regular service manual for the stove as the manual that comes with it, leaves a lot to be desired and does not necessarily have all the information in it that is necessary for your own troubleshooting nor for the yearly maintenance--there is absolutely no mention anywhere in that manual about oiling anything, and a lot of things that a person should know. I have found that my knowledge of what needs to be done is often greater than the knowledge of the people that come from a place that is supposed to know how to take care of this stove--I had them come years ago for the yearly maintenance and they did absolutely nothing more that I did on a daily/weekly basis--pardon me, they should have already known all the things that I have spent lots of time researching.

 

[gibbs906]

My Leyden came with the house I bought in 2020, I've used if for supplemental heat without trouble until about a week ago when it started making a rattling noise which seems to be coming from the exhaust motor but it is not constant and seems to get more frequent and louder after the stove is at high temp. When started stone cold this morning it ran for over an hour without the rattle, until I turned if off the feed, and the fans keep running .

I'd attempt to replace the motor if I can find the correct replacement, I see part number 93005535 in the manual. Searching came up with prices ranging from $85 to about $$200 for 'replacements' of that part number but it appears the lower prices may be 6 vs 7" motors and need different mounting adapter plates..... Has anyone ordered one of these motors and had it work out.? I see Amazon has the Lopi brand and the PelletStorePro brand for $169/$149 plus $12 shipping. My stove still heats and I hate to tear it down this month and end up with problems getting it running again. I may wait a month but my wife is bothered by the noise when it kicks up. I have natural gas furnace and also electric baseboards but with sub zero wind chills here along Lake Superior the furnace stays on 24hrs and needs supplemental heat, hate to kick on the electric.

 

[RMO]

My Leyden came with the house I bought in 2020, I've used if for supplemental heat without trouble until about a week ago when it started making a rattling noise which seems to be coming from the exhaust motor but it is not constant and seems to get more frequent and louder after the stove is at high temp. When started stone cold this morning it ran for over an hour without the rattle, until I turned if off the feed, and the fans keep running .

I'd attempt to replace the motor if I can find the correct replacement, I see part number 93005535 in the manual. Searching came up with prices ranging from $85 to about $$200 for 'replacements' of that part number but it appears the lower prices may be 6 vs 7" motors and need different mounting adapter plates..... Has anyone ordered one of these motors and had it work out.? I see Amazon has the Lopi brand and the PelletStorePro brand for $169/$149 plus $12 shipping. My stove still heats and I hate to tear it down this month and end up with problems getting it running again. I may wait a month but my wife is bothered by the noise when it kicks up. I have natural gas furnace and also electric baseboards but with sub zero wind chills here along Lake Superior the furnace stays on 24hrs and needs supplemental heat, hate to kick on the electric.

have you tried blowing all of the dust from the fan blades both on the back of the exhaust fan and the one that is inside the clean out opening for the exhaust fan. Also I read on another site that alot of times, those fans do not need to be replaced, they just need to be removed, get all the dust and such blown off both of the fan blades and in the housing that are part of that system and oiling them--as I mention in an answer to a prior question, that site also said that there should be oil ports on the exhaust fan motor and that oiling them might get rid of the problem that you are experiencing without replacing the fan motor. But it also mentioned that some of the exhaust fans had been put in upside down so that the oil ports are on the bottom and the only way to fix that is to take the fan motor off and find those ports, and when you put the fan back on, rotate it so that the ports are on the top, not the bottom. Last year my stove was doing what you are talking about, but every time I had a technician come and check it out, it wouldn't happen..lol...but I have tried cleaning the fan blades --both of them on the exhaust with a fine small brush and I also tried putting 3 in 1 oil on what I could get at since i personally could not get the fan motor off (waiting for a technician), and making sure that the exhaust port--the small port prior to where it hooks into your venting to go out side, is clear of ash and that your outside vent is also clear of ash--both should be cleaned regularly. I use the small hose (long clear tube with the bottle plug end) that came with the cleaning tools for the lopi to clean that port from the inside--hook it to a vacuum and push it into the port that is above the fan blades in the exhaust clean out (my stove sits at an angle so that is why I need to do that to clean out that vent elbow that is inside the house; and a brush and/or vacuum to clean the exhaust system outside. have lots of other probably unnecessary tips, but I have had my lopi leyden 15 years now and because I have kept it probably cleaner than most people, this year is the first year of any significant issues.

 

[gibbs906]

have you tried blowing all of the dust from the fan blades both on the back of the exhaust fan and the one that is inside the clean out opening for the exhaust fan. Also I read on another site that alot of times, those fans do not need to be replaced, they just need to be removed, get all the dust and such blown off both of the fan blades and in the housing that are part of that system and oiling them--as I mention in an answer to a prior question, that site also said that there should be oil ports on the exhaust fan motor and that oiling them might get rid of the problem that you are experiencing without replacing the fan motor. But it also mentioned that some of the exhaust fans had been put in upside down so that the oil ports are on the bottom and the only way to fix that is to take the fan motor off and find those ports, and when you put the fan back on, rotate it so that the ports are on the top, not the bottom. Last year my stove was doing what you are talking about, but every time I had a technician come and check it out, it wouldn't happen..lol...but I have tried cleaning the fan blades --both of them on the exhaust with a fine small brush and I also tried putting 3 in 1 oil on what I could get at since i personally could not get the fan motor off (waiting for a technician), and making sure that the exhaust port--the small port prior to where it hooks into your venting to go out side, is clear of ash and that your outside vent is also clear of ash--both should be cleaned regularly. I use the small hose (long clear tube with the bottle plug end) that came with the cleaning tools for the lopi to clean that port from the inside--hook it to a vacuum and push it into the port that is above the fan blades in the exhaust clean out (my stove sits at an angle so that is why I need to do that to clean out that vent elbow that is inside the house; and a brush and/or vacuum to clean the exhaust system outside. have lots of other probably unnecessary tips, but I have had my lopi leyden 15 years now and because I have kept it probably cleaner than most people, this year is the first year of any significant issues.

Thanks for your input. All the vents were remarkably clear of ash. I have very good oak pellets that burn very hot, the only real ash buildup I found was behind the firebrick inside,and pulling the metal tabs. The rear blower area was clear, just sooty inside the access cover. The motors had some lint but nothing that should really matter. My wife had enough of the noise this morning so I spent a couple hours pulling out the motor w/ fan, a real pain twisting and bending and squeezing around the corner to get at that motor. A friend also suggested lubing the motor, but it says right on the motor 'no oiling'. It spins freely, there is some in-out play on the fan shaft. It is such a hassle for me to swap this in and out with my big fingers and tight space that I have no appetite for experiments, I am 76 years old. I ordered a new Lopi blower kit on Amazon for $169. It says its for the Yankee stove but the part number is the same as in my manual and the picture looks identical. I can't imagine any other source for that noise except bearings so I've opted for a new unit. I'll hang on to the old one for a while, it may be worth something to someone,. It's a Fasco motor.

It will be a week or maybe more before I get the new unit but luck has it that we will have a nice warm up to above freezing for a few days here along Lake Superior. My natural gas furnace struggles to keep the temp up much above 60 when wind chills go below zero, Had a tech check it out last year he says burners look good so no worries running 24hrs in coldest weather. I only use the pellet stove to kick up the temp during the daytime, only need 3 or 4 bags a week with the hot pellets I get at Meijers for 5.99/bag.

Thanks again for your input.

 

[gibbs906]

My Leyden came with the house I bought in 2020, I've used if for supplemental heat without trouble until about a week ago when it started making a rattling noise which seems to be coming from the exhaust motor but it is not constant and seems to get more frequent and louder after the stove is at high temp. When started stone cold this morning it ran for over an hour without the rattle, until I turned if off the feed, and the fans keep running .

I'd attempt to replace the motor if I can find the correct replacement, I see part number 93005535 in the manual. Searching came up with prices ranging from $85 to about $$200 for 'replacements' of that part number but it appears the lower prices may be 6 vs 7" motors and need different mounting adapter plates..... Has anyone ordered one of these motors and had it work out.? I see Amazon has the Lopi brand and the PelletStorePro brand for $169/$149 plus $12 shipping. My stove still heats and I hate to tear it down this month and end up with problems getting it running again. I may wait a month but my wife is bothered by the noise when it kicks up. I have natural gas furnace and also electric baseboards but with sub zero wind chills here along Lake Superior the furnace stays on 24hrs and needs supplemental heat, hate to kick on the electric.

Today I received a new blower kit and was able to get it installed. The nuts for the 7" plate are 11/32", I had to use a flexible ratchet extension to get at a couple of them. There is still a rattle noise that comes and goes, but not as bad or loud as before. Very hard to believe it is the brand new motor but the noise is certainly coming from the exhaust blower area. There's a dealer in town so I'll go ask them if they are familiar with the problem but I'm not very optimistic about that. If the noise gets worse again I have a natural gas furnace so I can lean on that more until I decide what to do next. I keep the house at 69deg with the furnace and just use the pellets when we want additional heat ... which keeps the furnace from coming on.

 

[gibbs906]

Today I received a new blower kit and was able to get it installed. The nuts for the 7" plate are 11/32", I had to use a flexible ratchet extension to get at a couple of them. There is still a rattle noise that comes and goes, but not as bad or loud as before. Very hard to believe it is the brand new motor but the noise is certainly coming from the exhaust blower area. There's a dealer in town so I'll go ask them if they are familiar with the problem but I'm not very optimistic about that. If the noise gets worse again I have a natural gas furnace so I can lean on that more until I decide what to do next. I keep the house at 69deg with the furnace and just use the pellets when we want additional heat ... which keeps the furnace from coming on.

The noise (rattle) went away. I was going to go back to work from the other side and so cleared away some stuff in that area including a power strip that the remote receiver was plugged in to. I moved the power strip to another outlet and plugged the receiver into the wall, same outlet as the stove plug. I also put the holder on top of the stove, it has a strong magnet and I'd had it stuck on that side, where the circulation motor is inside. I am wondering if it had been causing some vibration of the motor there. Shortly after I started the stove it gave a few rattles but quickly went away and has been silent for a couple hours now. So it seems I have a used exhaust blower kit (without gasket) available if anyone needs one let me know. The new blower kit had a thick silicone gasket which I am glad to have installed. Don't mind spending the money on a new kit with all the knowledge I've picked up with research. There is still a bit of hum noise, probably from the new motor. I am wondering if the fan mounting plate nuts should be torqued to insure balance.