Lopi Pioneer PS - Heritage Bay PS - Combustion fan vibrates and blade scrapes plenum on start up?

[Don2222]

Hello

I am in the process of rebuilding a Lopi Pioneer PS (Heritage Bay PS). It has the older control panel with the 2 knobs for feed rate and fan speed.
It was sitting on an outside back porch for a while. The hopper lid handle had water in it. There were some soggy muchy pellets in the hopper too!

On the back the tag says:
The serial # is 2101-217326

Report No 476-1407-00
May 1997

The date of manufacturer was May 1997! ! !

That would make it 15 years old.
I am amazed it is that old! The only difference on a new one is the control panel!

All the components seem to work.

The combustion fan is vibrating and the screws on the shock mount were loose. When I tightened those screws the fan blades started scraping the exhuast plenum when starting up. It still vibrates too unless I put my hand on it, then it stops.

How should this be fixed?

 

[TheMightyMoe]

No personal experiance, just a boiler tech. If the screws are lined up, and the motor is lined up, and nothing is loose to hit the blades, sounds like the fan has come loose on the shaft. Is there room for adjustment for the fan on the motor shaft? Should be a little allen key. Another trick is, run the motor without the fan, if the motor isnt vibrating, it's probably the blades.

 

[Don2222]

No personal experiance, just a boiler tech. If the screws are lined up, and the motor is lined up, and nothing is loose to hit the blades, sounds like the fan has come loose on the shaft. Is there room for adjustment for the fan on the motor shaft? Should be a little allen key. Another trick is, run the motor without the fan, if the motor isnt vibrating, it's probably the blades.

Thanks for the info, I will check and let you know. The stove was in my paint shop for 3 days getting cleaned and I just painted the last coat! Hurray! Then it will be re-assembled and new gaskets put on the door and ash pan. That will not take long!
Then go into my testing house for final test and debug. In there I will remove the fan and check it out.

 

[DexterDay]

Is this one you bought? Or is this a first official rebuild for your company?

May be whooped bearings... My Englander had an original blower from 96. Sometimes it would spin nice, others, not so nice.... Can you wiggle the motor housing and/or vane assembly?

 

[Don2222]

Is this one you bought? Or is this a first official rebuild for your company?

May be whooped bearings... My Englander had an original blower from 96. Sometimes it would spin nice, others, not so nice.... Can you wiggle the motor housing and/or vane assembly?

Hi Dexter

This is the 1st rebuild for me for a friend that dropped it off! Wow it is a win win situation! This stove was DOA but built like a tank! It was beat up and left on an outside porch! However it is one of the best stoves I have seen to resuscitate! As you can see on the control panel it can be used in Auto-On/Off mode on a T-Stat and has nice knobs to control heat and fan settings. The settings are displayed with LED lights! The brand new Pioneer stove sold today is no different except the all digital control panel. The stove new sells for $2,902.00 see > http://www.hearthsidedistributors.com/s.nl/it.A/id.49537/.f
My friend at the stove shoppe said that so many customer's loved those knobs that Lopi is coming out with a new panel with knobs on it again! ! ! !

I am painting the firebrick Surf Sand with white mortar! The grill and door trim will be Flat Aluminum header paint I got at Pep Boys Auto Parts store. This will give it a modern new look. With a new 7/8" graphite impregnated door gasket and new ash pan gasket and High temp orange silicon rubber gaskets for the outside ash traps this will be better than new!

I just got the gaskets in tonight and need a little more paint on one side. Had 2 cans of Satin Black and used them both up! Then into the shed for blower removal and test. I will try your suggestion and thanks for your comments! It may be best to get a new exhaust blower so we will see!

 

[Dafinny]

Hello

I am in the process of rebuilding a Lopi Pioneer PS (Heritage Bay PS). It has the older control panel with the 2 knobs for feed rate and fan speed.
It was sitting on an outside back porch for a while. The hopper lid handle had water in it. There were some soggy muchy pellets in the hopper too!

On the back the tag says:
The serial # is 2101-217326

Report No 476-1407-00
May 1997

The date of manufacturer was May 1997! ! !

That would make it 15 years old.
I am amazed it is that old! The only difference on a new one is the control panel!

All the components seem to work.

The combustion fan is vibrating and the screws on the shock mount were loose. When I tightened those screws the fan blades started scraping the exhuast plenum when starting up. It still vibrates too unless I put my hand on it, then it stops.

How should this be fixed?

Hi, I know this is an old thread but you are the only person I have found via Google that has the same exact stove as I do. I got mine pretty much in the same condition as you also. I live in Northern Maine and we are headed into the -25 temps.............

I know nothing about this stove really. I am a 52 year old woman and this stove was given to me in September and boy it was a rust bucket. I had to work pretty hard to get the rust off it and paint it up and get it working right with what it had..... (I am poor.. but rich) I winged it the entire time. I also installed it by myself which I am pretty proud of............anyway I digress. I got a bunch of questions I hope you can help me with.

How many BTU's is this unit?
Does your entire stove get hot especially on the left side?
Where do you get replacement parts?
How much of an area are you heating?


I listen to it everyday and hear something new which is basically just tightening screws........ I am just looking for someone with the same unit.

Thanks so much,
Chris