P68 Auger wires wrapped around auger shaft!!

[XJma]

So this afternoon the P68 shut down while I was playing with the kids. I thought it must have run out of pellets, and so I went and filled it up, but it wasn't quite empty. Hmm. Turned it off then on and walked away thinking it would start back up in a few minutes. It didn't.

I cleaned out the burn pot and saw fresh pellets in the auger flights. Put the feed rate on test, and the auger didn't spin. It's in a corner, so access to the back panels is only so so. Took the panels off and noticed that the wires that feed the auger were wrapped around the shaft, badly. One wire was broken and badly mangled in many spots. It was also pulled off the pressure switch, and the pressure switch is broken in half and dangling.

Tomorrow I will grab a new pressure switch and butt splice some new THHN wire in for the bad section, and hopefully all will be well again. There isn't much of anything in my town, but we do have a Harmon dealer!! Has anyone had this issue happen before?? I couldn't spin the auger by hand, I'm wondering if there could have been some sort of other failure that caused the auger and the linkage that goes back and forth to grab the wire, or is it just bum luck?? Anyone else had this issue before?? It was a PITA to unwrap the wire from the auger shaft!!

 

[DAKSY]

I would guess that the retainer bolt(s) on the auger motor loosened
& allowed the motor to rotate, wrapping the wires as it turned.
New one on me, tho...

 

[XJma]

Well I cut out the bad sections of wire, spliced in some good new solid THHN which helps keep the wires up and away from the moving parts of the auger motor and that linkage that moves the hopper plate back and forth, and all is well. The vacuum switch was ripped in half, I put it back together and taped it up, and the stove runs! I looked at the wiring diagram and the wire that got pulled hardest and broke in two heads right up front to the igniter, but it didn't do any damage! Auger motor is working like a champ, so it looks like I lucked out!!

Wish me luck!!

 

[Bioburner]

Sounds like you made your own luck and got things stuck back together.
Stay warm