Need help with Accentra FS feeder cover

[missrobo]

Have an accentra-2 FS, opened up the side panel to get to the feeder chamber, removed the wing nut, directions says slide the cover off, well...........used moderate pressure won't slide. The working area is very tight, the cover looks too big to easily remove. Anyone else run into this. Am I missing something? Oh, I'm trying to clean out fines from the feeder mechanism, manual says it should be done once a year and never did do it last year. Any help, suggestions would be appreciated, thanks

 

[Delta-T]

its probably just stuck. Theres a gasket that seats between the two pieces of metal that can be tacky the first time you open it. Bang on it with something, it'll come off. There's not really anything you can hurt on the feeder box.

 

[Lousyweather]

i am sure you did this, but make sure you unplug the unit first! That feeder cover is in close proximity to electronics......not bad with the Accentra FS, but a P-series stove, that thing is maybe 2" from the circuit board!

 

[cac4]

found exactly the same thing. won't budge. can't get a hand on it...impossible! I just gave up.

 

[Lousyweather]

well, dont give up! Pry it from the lower edge....theres a tab on the top side that holds it on top....pry it near the wing nut.

It NEEDS to be cleaned out, since eventually it will completely pack with dust and not allow your gearmotor to move the slide plate, causing the infamous "no feed" issue. This ISNT covered under warrantee, and when the stove guy comes out to "fix" it, you'll be on the hook for a service call.

 

[Souzafone]

Do yourself a favor and cover the distribution fan on the bottom with a towel, when you get the cover off the fines will dump all over it, then blow all over your room when you turn it on next. The cover pulls straight back, right over the stud the wing nut mounts on. Give it a tap on the side, there's foam on the inside of the cover that acts as a gasket against the box, it's probably stuck if you've never taken it off. It does need to get done or you'll have problems.

 

[missrobo]

Thanks for the help with the feeder cover, but once you take the cover off, did you find it very close to that little fan, and how did you have any room to manuver that cover out of the way so you could vacuum the fines. I'll take another try at it.

 

[Lousyweather]

Your best bet is to remove the gearbox and motor.....its a grey box with a gear on it..its the grae on the left, facing the back of the stove.....4 screws hold it onto the bracket.....sounds involved, but its not....remove the sprocket by loosening the set screw, this takes the sprocket and chain out of the way....then, 4 screws take the gearbox off....will give you easier access....

 

[missrobo]

Okay, I'll give it a try after Thanksgiving, have the family for dinner, will work on it on Friday. Taking all of that apart makes me nervous but will let you know how it works out. Hopefully it does sound harder than it is.

 

[cac4]

Ok, pellet geeks: now, for extra credit...what size is the wing-nut that holds the plate on? because on my last attempt, I did manage to get it off...and it dropped into the abyss, likely never to be seen again. :-/
and yet...the cover plate seems to be as firmly attached as it was before the nut came off.

I'm giving it another go, thisafternoon. stove is in shut-down mode, now. I'm thinking that it might be wise to run down to the hardware store for a replacement wingnut, while I'm waiting.

 

[Lousyweather]

elementary.....5/16"

 

[cac4]

Ok. mission accomplished!

Am I crazy, or did I see that some newer models don't have the auger motor off to the side w/ the chain mechanism? Anyway, that motor bracket is really holding that plate in place. it can't move with that attached. not that I can see. I tried to get it off again...did get it to come "loose", but there is so little room in there, there's no way to get it off, completely. So, I took the gear and the motor off...plate practically fell off, as soon as the bracket was out of the way. There was about a tablespoon or 2 of fines in there. (I installed the stove 1 year ago this weekend!) So...not a big deal, but I can see that it would fill up, eventually. Vacuumed it out...all back together now. boy, it really is a PITA to get in there...corner install, close to minimum clearances.

anyway, thanks for bringing this up, and thanks for the clarified instructions! one less thing to worry/wonder about.

 

[missrobo]

Chuck, how long did it take you to do this PITA clean out of the feeder? Guess I will also have to take that gear thing apart.

 

[cac4]

oh...not too long. maybe 15-20 minutes, with the requisite head-scratching, and so forth. Next time, it'll be more like 5 or 10. 1 set-screw, 4 screws, and a wing-nut.

 

[missrobo]

Louseyweather I can take the 4 screws off that hold the gear box but you said "….remove the sprocket by loosening the set screw " how do you do that?

 

[imacman]

....but you said "….remove the sprocket by loosening the set screw " how do you do that?

Most set screws on motor shafts use Allen wrenches for removal, if that's what you were asking.

 

[Lousyweather]

Miss.....maybe I wasnt clear enough...the only thing held in place by SET screws are the sprockets.....the gearmotor is held in place by 4 hex headed screws, all with a slot of a screwdriver s well. When I rmeove them, I just use a socket...its easier. FWIW, I removed the feeder cover on a FS Accentra today, didnt remove the gearmotor at all! Its close, but do-able!

 

[missrobo]

Thanks guys...I did it.........managed to remove the feeder cover without taking the gear box off, really didn't want to take that whole thing apart. Quite a bit of fines in there, glad I finally cleaned it out......couldn't have done it without all your help, thanks again.