Our castle Serenity suddenly stopped feeding pellets. Switches are good/made and mechanical everything is clean and sound. When it calls for pellets, the auger motor just barely creeps along for an instant and drops a few pellets. It seems the gear motor isn’t getting proper voltage. Motor isn’t hot or making any binding noise. Just curious if anyone else had this similar issue before I start removing the gear motor for bench testing. A new control board for these units seems to run near 400.00.
Castle Serenity auger creeping
- Thread starter Manly
- Start date
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Whitenuckler
Minister of Fire
I'd bypass the vacuum switch just for a test run. Vacuum switches normally do not fail, but it could indicate a vacuum problem.
The auger in my old Castle stove started whining every time it dropped pellets. Replaced it and all was good. They do go bad.
Finally had time to disassemble this stove. The auger and bearings are in good condition. I couldn’t initially fully rotate it by hand as it still had some loose pellets floating around at the bottom of the hopper. Pulled the auger inspected and cleaned everything. I tried to run the gear motor on my bench but nothing but a hum. Guessing it’s looking for a capacitor which I’m thinking is on the controller. I reconnected the motor power plug and started the stove. My question is approximately how long is the run command pulse on each feed? My dvm registers a quick flicker to about 160v then immediately drops out. The motor shaft turns about 10 degrees and the diagnostic light on the control flickers quickly. I’m guessing a main controller issue but not sure. Anyone run into this scenario before? Thanks, Jim
Whitenuckler
Minister of Fire
I don't see awiring diagram but I used the auger part number and found something on Ebay. I think you're right it needs to be hooked up.
Page 29
DIAGNOSTICS:
Your Castle Stove’s controller comes equipped with an on-board diagnostics option that will let you test some components of your stove.
Can you use this screen to run the auger?
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That diagnostic screen just shows its perceived status. The stove has to be powered off in order to open that screen. I disconnected the motor from the auger and ran the stove. Everything seems to work it just seems the run pulse is so short pellets don’t feed.
Whitenuckler
Minister of Fire
Oh, I thought you could actually run motors from that screen, and see the real time status ie run the combustion motor and see the vacuum switch highlight solid. I don't understand how you can open a screen if the stove is powered off? I guess the other option is to find the wires for the auger that come from the control card, unplug them, and put solid 120V on the auger motor. I don't know that stove at all, and did not find the schematic.
Whitenuckler
Minister of Fire
That is true for outputs, but for inputs like the vacuum switch it will be what the stove is actually seeing. Make sure that when the combustion blower is running that diagnostic indicator for vacuum switch is on steady. If the stove was hardwired, the auger would not run unless this switch is closed.
After checking further you can run the auger from the diagnostic screen with the unit in the off mode. The motor starts right up, runs for approximately 1 second, off for approximately 4 seconds, then back on, etc. I cannot find any info for what the run cycle should be. Going to put it back together and see if it moves pellets through. Thinking maybe the auger was jammed. I’ve never had an auger issue with either of my stoves so I’m not sure if it can jam just on pellets without any type of mechanical failure.
Whitenuckler
Minister of Fire
"In the diagnostic mode, you will have the ability to test certain components of your stove to see if they are properly working. By using the ENTER button, you can highlight “Fire,” “Exhaust,” “Blower,” or “Feeder”. When one of these options is highlighted, you can use the SCROLL UP or SCROLL DOWN buttons to unshade or shade in the circle next to the stove component it represents. This manually attempts to turn on these components to see if it works properly"
Ya, I would play with this diagnostic mode and learn it inside out. That will be a great troubleshooting tool. Remember to run the combustion blower and check the vacuum switch indicator. MUST be solid on.
Apparently it was a blocked or jammed auger causing the original problem. It didn’t seem blocked or locked up when I checked it, but once I pulled the auger and cleaned the hopper, it’s running ok. Never had an auger issue before. My Ravelli Francesca jam free 10 years running.
Whitenuckler
Minister of Fire
I have not experienced that yet either. I have always burned what I think are the best pellets I can buy, and have not changed. I do have a strange "distribution box" that takes pellets from the hopper, and puts them onto the auger. I clean that every 3 weeks when I do my regular cleaning to keep it free of fines and pellets. I'm glad you solved it using some troubleshooting and mechanic's fingers.
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