US Stove Company Pellet Stove 5500M-issues

[MizzzCat]

We installed our stove end of October and hardly an evening has gone by without some issue or another going wrong.. We just want to plug the darn thing in, put some pellets in and be warm..we just can't go thro the winters like this being our only sourse of heat.
Here is our typical evening.. turn stove on; works good for about an hour-pin breaks, we hand feed stove to keep warm. Next evening after work; my husband moves the stove out, I take the pellets out of the hopper, he gets super frustrated trying to get the motor off the auger shaft. He then turns the auger to get all the pellets out of the housing.. I think it is about 50/50 if the pellets are stuck or not. He gets even more frustrated trying to get the new pin in the shaft. We check the motor, make sure the auger is turning, put pellets back in and start the stove.. The next evening we turn it back on and the pin breaks and the cycle starts all over again. Or we come in from outside chores and it is throwing an E2 error and we have to shut it down and start it up again because it isn't feeding pellets. He then has to take the motor back off and do it all over again..
I’ve replaced the motherboard they’ve sent, moved the slider to several different places and I’ve been working with someone at the Stove Company and we are doing everything correctly; the stove just isn’t working. Anyone have any suggestions?

 

[novah]

I think you keep breaking the pin because the auger is jamming. You said you are working with the stove company so I am surprised they didn't come to that conclusion. Call them back and ask how to check for causes of jamming.

 

[MizzzCat]

We’ve been at that conclusion for quite some time and have done everything they’ve suggested and more to try to figure it out.. We’ve also moved the slider to every possible place and I’m certain the motor is going to burn out from all this taking it off and putting it back on-sometimes we don’t hear the pin break and it works it way down and drops to the hearth. It is frustrating as they don’t have Service Reps to come diagnose the issue further or replace parts and it’s not like I can just pick up the stove, take it to the store and exchange it and it is a lengthy process to “apply” for a refund.. In the meantime; we shiver!


I was just hoping someone out there might have any more suggestions..

 

[skibladerj]

Is your auger held in with a shear pin or a cotter pin? Mine has a cotter pin.

 

[MizzzCat]

Cotter pin.. We've even tried a nail thro the hole.. that was the last one; broke in less than an hour.. And when we go to take the darn motor off, the auger really doesn't seem to be jammed.. I mean; US Stove Co approved the kind/type of pellets we're using.. Back in early Nov, they had us send them pics of the stove installation, inside and out, pellets etc..

 

[skibladerj]

inside the hopper can you move the auger up and down a small amount ?

 

[MizzzCat]

No... when we put the motor back onto the auger shaft, it secures it in one place.. There is a slider inside the hopper that we have moved and secured every position there is to no avaiable.

 

[skibladerj]

The auger should have some play or float in it ... i will lkat mne when i get home from work

 

[mipellet1]

I have a 5502 that I just got I am new to the whole pellet word. I like it when I am getting the heat out of it I have a two story house 1400 sq ft yesterday I had it running good in the after noon then as the night went on I keep loosing heat out of every room including the room it was in temp drop. last night was the first night I have left it on all night wanted to trust my stove first. with this I don't have a thermoset hook to it so it is just set it to more heat or less. when it was going good and the room it was in was 77 the rest of the house 70. but as the night wore on I was loosing degrees everywhere I even turn it up before I hit the sack 6 hours ago now it is just above 60 in rooms around it and up stairs. In the afternoon it was in the 20 and now 17 is that a big enough difference that I have to turn the heat higher at night then I do during the day. Thanks for the help I have already learn a lot here.

 

[skibladerj]

Several factors can impact heat output. The main being ash build up in the stove. That being said your pellets would have to be crazy high ash to make a difference in that short amount of time. Its was probably both the stoce and your house losing heat. Best way i have to moniter my stove is with a magnetic stove thermometer.

 

[mipellet1]

ok thanks for the tip. I am completely new did a week or so worth of research before I bought I just hoping I can get it figured out so I don't have to call the propane man again so sick of that bill. I have been on all the websites I can find on these stove this is by far the best.