25 pdvc upper auger motor continuously runs?

[kenstogie]

it seems as though my upper auger motor was cycling on
for longer than it should be so I took the back off and checked it out. the spindle of the motor that you can feel on the back spinning doesnt always spin even though its making the "upper augrr moter sound" for what seems like forever.


I think that probably my upper auger motor is going bad ( was actually the lower auger motor that I rotated.)


I just would like confirmation from maybe some people in the know or that had this issue and if theres a way to squeeze a week out of it while a new one comes.


Are there are any good spots online to purchase one?

 

[SmokeyTheBear]

The upper auger should only have power to it in spurts, you don't by any chance have the wires for the augers reversed do you (in that when you swapped things you also swapped more than just the motors?

 

[kenstogie]

Dont think so. It has worked fine for months, this is a new condition.

 

[SmokeyTheBear]

If it is running longer than it should be it isn't the motor that is the problem.

If you have a multimeter set it to measure ac voltage chosing a scale that has 130 volts within it and measure across the motor terminals. With the stove off, cool, and unplugged attach the meter to the top auger motor terminals, plug the stove back in and fire it up.

You should see 120 volts (line voltage at your house) appearing from time to time once the stove is out of start up.

First we have to know what the motor is seeing for power, how often, and for how long.

Let us know what you get.

 

[kenstogie]

What I found while the stove is running......

120 V intermittently (actually 117-120) let me explain...

I noticed that while the motor below was spinning it did read 120v but only did this for about 1/2-3/4 sec approx. All other times it was nothing.

(broken image removed)



So this got me to thinking/observing and just becoming one with my pellet stove...



***** What was really happening*****

There were a couple of things happening...

-----Creosote or whatever you call "that black crusty rock like material that builds up in the end of the bottom auger tube" built up to the point that caused the bottom motor to strain but not constantly. This made me assume that it was from the top auger motor but I was wrong.
---- the lytherm or "that white heat resistant gasket material" that I had placed between the auger motor and the bracket (to make a quieter unit and prevent vibration) had worn at the contact point causing the motor noise to resonate and it made it louder but did it gradually.


The fix???
Pull the lower auger, clean the junk, sandwich another piece of lytherm between the motor and bracket realizing that although it does quiet things down it doesn't last forever.
Quiet as a church mouse now.

*When you change the heat range on the 25PDVC the top auger changes the cycle on time but this doesn't happen instantly like I assumed it actually takes a moment or two.

I can take the back off the 25PDVC, pluck the motor, b/auger, then clean it and put it all back together in about an hour.

 

[SmokeyTheBear]

He he.

That worked out well for you.

I've been known to tell people to become one with their air flows.

See what happens when you really go poking around, you find out what is actually going on.

Stove controllers have a set procedure for changing heat levels because they have to keep things somewhat in balance and not allow the stove to out run the convection systems ability to remove any additional heat produced or the stove from causing its own air/fuel mixture issues. This may involve paying attention to a temperature sensing system. I have no idea what England's controller does.

 

[CT Pellet]

Someone needs a yoga mat.

 

[kenstogie]

Before anyone asks I did clean both the auger and tube in the beginning of the season. I am thinking that getting an extra exhaust fan, room fan and auger motor might be a good idea.