I have an older (1993?) Breckwell P32 Cadet stove that was given to me. I have had it for 3 seasons now with no problems. Yesterday morning I lit off the stove and it ran about an hour. I noticed the auger motor start making a strange sound, then a few minutes later the motor stopped and started making a loud hum. At first I thought it may be a jammed pellet in the auger. After turning the stove off and allowing time to cool I started removing pellets from the hopper. I then removed the stove and checked the motor assy. and coupling for and physical damage. I saw nothing that may cause the motor to jam. I then removed the top of the hopper by using a 1/8" drill bit drilling out the rivets, this allows you to see the bottom portion of the auger. After using a shop vac to remove the remaining pellets I checked for anything jamming the auger, there was nothing found. I then suspected the gear box. After removing the motor/gearbox assy. I took apart the gear box. All the gears looked fine (no broken gears or foreign objects). I then removed the motor from the gearbox and using a pigtail I applied power to the motor ( DO NOT TRY AND TURN THE GEARS BY "HAND" WITH THE MOTOR ATTACHED, you may strip the gears). The motor just hummed and did not turn. I started making phone calls to the local stove shops. Being January 2nd, most of the shops were closed for the holiday or the ones that were open would have to order the motor. I figured there was nothing to loose so I took apart the motor (this is a C frame "skeleton" motor and there is not much to them). I first removed the rear bearing, then removed the armature and checked for any physical damage to the armature and stator, it all looked good. I then removed the motor from the gearbox housing (there are 4 screws, 2 go through the end bearing and 2 through the frame, the motor is slightly pressed onto the gearbox housing, just a bit of rocking will release it). I noticed there was a washer loose on the gearbox housing. This washer holds in the brass bearing, oil felt, a spring washer and a thrust washer. I looked at the motor and noticed some fresh wear marks on the 2 large copper wires that supply power to the stator. I found my problem!
This washer is suppose to be pressed into the bearing housing and it had come loose causing a "short" against the copper wires. After many attempts to press the washer back into place with a pair of channel locks I finally used a vice and a socket just a little smaller than the washer and pressed the washer back into the motor housing. Be sure to have the bearing in the proper position before doing this. I put the motor back together and tested it, it worked fine! I put all the parts back together again, riveted the top of the hopper back in place and reinstalled the stove. It's been over 24 hrs now and the stove is working just fine! This saved me well over $150.
A few words of advice. There are many small washers, gears and bushings in the gearbox and motor assy. Be sure to remember where they go, take notes, pictures or a drawing. With the gearbox taken apart it is a god time to clean and use fresh grease (I used a high quality lithium grease), also lube the motor bearings with some 20W oil (end bearing and the felt...only a little oil is needed as well as the grease...don't over do it). Clean the stator with some alcohol and a clean rag, just wipe off the armature with a clean rag no alcohol. When pressing the washer back into the gearbox housing do not use too much pressure as it will damage the housing, also be careful not to bend or damage the gear shafts pressed into the bearing housing. You may need to file down the coupling shaft to split the 2 gearbox housings apart. There will be a slight mar where the setscrew hits the flat of the shaft, do not over file! If you drilled out the rivets on the hopper, be sure to vacuum out all the pieces of the rivets that may have fallen into the hopper. If the rivet did not completely drill out just use a pair of pliers the bottom of the rivet to remove, be careful not to bend the sheet metal. It's also a good time to vacuum out the back of the stove and the exhaust tube. Be sure not to disconnect any wires or pressure tubing. Unplug the stove or turn off the breaker before working around electricity or moving parts, wear eye protection and watch for sharp metal edges.
This was the case of my problems with the auger motor. You may have a different problem.
I am by no means a Stove repair person. I'm actually a 25 year veteran HVAC service technician. Anyone with some mechanical know how should be able to do this.
I hope this can help someone. Thinking back now I wish I would have taken some pictures to help explain things better.
Richard
This washer is suppose to be pressed into the bearing housing and it had come loose causing a "short" against the copper wires. After many attempts to press the washer back into place with a pair of channel locks I finally used a vice and a socket just a little smaller than the washer and pressed the washer back into the motor housing. Be sure to have the bearing in the proper position before doing this. I put the motor back together and tested it, it worked fine! I put all the parts back together again, riveted the top of the hopper back in place and reinstalled the stove. It's been over 24 hrs now and the stove is working just fine! This saved me well over $150.
A few words of advice. There are many small washers, gears and bushings in the gearbox and motor assy. Be sure to remember where they go, take notes, pictures or a drawing. With the gearbox taken apart it is a god time to clean and use fresh grease (I used a high quality lithium grease), also lube the motor bearings with some 20W oil (end bearing and the felt...only a little oil is needed as well as the grease...don't over do it). Clean the stator with some alcohol and a clean rag, just wipe off the armature with a clean rag no alcohol. When pressing the washer back into the gearbox housing do not use too much pressure as it will damage the housing, also be careful not to bend or damage the gear shafts pressed into the bearing housing. You may need to file down the coupling shaft to split the 2 gearbox housings apart. There will be a slight mar where the setscrew hits the flat of the shaft, do not over file! If you drilled out the rivets on the hopper, be sure to vacuum out all the pieces of the rivets that may have fallen into the hopper. If the rivet did not completely drill out just use a pair of pliers the bottom of the rivet to remove, be careful not to bend the sheet metal. It's also a good time to vacuum out the back of the stove and the exhaust tube. Be sure not to disconnect any wires or pressure tubing. Unplug the stove or turn off the breaker before working around electricity or moving parts, wear eye protection and watch for sharp metal edges.
This was the case of my problems with the auger motor. You may have a different problem.
I am by no means a Stove repair person. I'm actually a 25 year veteran HVAC service technician. Anyone with some mechanical know how should be able to do this.
I hope this can help someone. Thinking back now I wish I would have taken some pictures to help explain things better.
Richard
