Changing Covex motor on Dorlet 45

[rick31797]

I have had this stove 6 yrs and it was bought new , run about 8 hrs a day , so now at start up I get a bit of smoke and the fan is noisy, after 5 mins or so it quiets down and runs normal for the rest of the day .
so I am assuming at start up the fans are not running at proper RPM ,and that’s why I see some smoke . But it starts up fine as far as flame goes ,

I cannot find any video on changing this motor but I see and read the comments here .
it looks to me like a NOT so easy job .

The intake side is a bit confusing, it looks like I need to release the knob that controls the air
intake , so I can get the side panel off .
If anybody has did this and has any suggestions, I would like to hear them .

 

[rick31797]

Dorlet 45 convex motor. Picture of air intake side and air intake knob control

 

[SidecarFlip]

Sounds to me like dry bearings. Time to take it apart and lubricate them or if really bad, replace them. 6 years is a good run for bearings that have gotten no attention. While I don't have your unit, my bearings get serviced every spring.

 

[MalcolmH]

It is a Combex motor, they don't look to bad to do but you will need a lot of silicon and separation from the exhaust vent. The intake draft Knob has a small set screw(flat head) loosen it and you will be able remove it to access the lower side panels and then remove the rear panel to make access easier, you will also need to open the hinged magnetic latched side cabinets, there is a safety screw holding them in place near the front, and start unscrewing and scraping. I have a bigger version of it called the Flame FP45(not sure why the gave a bigger stove the same number) it shares the exact same parts as the Drolet ECO 45 & 55 and Osburn. Here is another option before you replace it, see attached, mine would make the noise at strat up and go away quickly.
Ive had puff's of smoke come out of mine on ignition, they are not air tight stoves, a new ignitor fixed that, a delayed ignition will leak smoke when it bursts into flames. the other thought is have you brushed the exhaust blades off, its not easy to get to but needs to be done.

you will find other experiences if you seraph "Combex" motor Flame fp 45 or Drolet Eco 55 or drooled Eco 45

How to repair your combex.pdf

 

[rick31797]

Sounds to me like dry bearings. Time to take it apart and lubricate them or if really bad, replace them. 6 years is a good run for bearings that have gotten no attention. While I don't have your unit, my bearings get serviced every spring.

The manual says that both exhaust and combustion have sleeve bearings that are permanently sealed .
Are you taking these bearings out and putting in new ones

 

[rick31797]

It is a Combex motor, they don't look to bad to do but you will need a lot of silicon and separation from the exhaust vent. The intake draft Knob has a small set screw(flat head) loosen it and you will be able remove it to access the lower side panels and then remove the rear panel to make access easier, you will also need to open the hinged magnetic latched side cabinets, there is a safety screw holding them in place near the front, and start unscrewing and scraping. I have a bigger version of it called the Flame FP45(not sure why the gave a bigger stove the same number) it shares the exact same parts as the Drolet ECO 45 & 55 and Osburn. Here is another option before you replace it, see attached, mine would make the noise at strat up and go away quickly.
Ive had puff's of smoke come out of mine on ignition, they are not air tight stoves, a new ignitor fixed that, a delayed ignition will leak smoke when it bursts into flames. the other thought is have you brushed the exhaust blades off, its not easy to get to but needs to be done.

you will find other experiences if you seraph "Combex" motor Flame fp 45 or Drolet Eco 55 or drooled Eco 45

How to repair your combex.pdf

Thanks for the information, I have never had this stove leak smoke tell now and it doesn’t last very long , but the noise coming from the motor sounds like it’s going , especially as it changing RPM it gets quieter so I know the noise is coming from the motor but now that I got it opened up I may start it up so I can get a closer look at what’s going on at start up .
I would think 6 yrs of running it must be getting close to needing replacing .

 

[MalcolmH]

Mine is a 2008 previous owner had the TSB above performed in 2014 the year I got it and the combex motor removed and cleaned, stove is going on 12 years no oiling original motor but it can be oiled with 3in1 blindly. I burn 24/7 5 months a year in a dusty shop, no issues, I was getting smoke on ignition because of a bad ignitor. The combex actually uses a intake fan and exhaust fan on 1 shaft so they spin at the same rate, I guess if the blades of the exhaust fan are plugged or vent pipe, perhaps the intake side could over power it forcing smoke out of the stove, but what I'm getting at is these fans turn at the same speed so I doubt there is a motor problem and likely clogged exhaust fan blades or slow ignitor, there is no speed variation for the combex motor only the convection fans which is almost unnoticeable, the convection fans don't turn on until the stove is up to temp. Use the KISS rule to sort this out, a bit of smoke upon ignition is usually because of a slow ignition that bursts into flames letting out a puff of smoke.

 

[rick31797]

Mine is a 2008 previous owner had the TSB above performed in 2014 the year I got it and the combex motor removed and cleaned, stove is going on 12 years no oiling original motor but it can be oiled with 3in1 blindly. I burn 24/7 5 months a year in a dusty shop, no issues, I was getting smoke on ignition because of a bad ignitor. The combex actually uses a intake fan and exhaust fan on 1 shaft so they spin at the same rate, I guess if the blades of the exhaust fan are plugged or vent pipe, perhaps the intake side could over power it forcing smoke out of the stove, but what I'm getting at is these fans turn at the same speed so I doubt there is a motor problem and likely clogged exhaust fan blades or slow ignitor, there is no speed variation for the combex motor only the convection fans which is almost unnoticeable, the convection fans don't turn on until the stove is up to temp. Use the KISS rule to sort this out, a bit of smoke upon ignition is usually because of a slow ignition that bursts into flames letting out a puff of smoke.

I may have it all wrong , your right , the difference in the fan speed are the convection fans coming on ... I got it open and I will take a look tomorrow.. could be the ignition...
the fan blades on exhaust side don’t look to bad , but I will clean them ...the fan blade on input side look like new .
I did notice the convection fan Filters dirty , so I have clean them ...
it would probably be easier just to put a new ignition in it ... also I see no codes coming up ..

 

[Don2222]

I have had this stove 6 yrs and it was bought new , run about 8 hrs a day , so now at start up I get a bit of smoke and the fan is noisy, after 5 mins or so it quiets down and runs normal for the rest of the day .
so I am assuming at start up the fans are not running at proper RPM ,and that’s why I see some smoke . But it starts up fine as far as flame goes ,

I cannot find any video on changing this motor but I see and read the comments here .
it looks to me like a NOT so easy job .

The intake side is a bit confusing, it looks like I need to release the knob that controls the air
intake , so I can get the side panel off .
If anybody has did this and has any suggestions, I would like to hear them .

I changed the same Combex Blower in a Flame Energy FP-45. Both your Drolet 45 and the FP 45 are made by SBI - Stove Builders International and I am an authorized service agent for them.
You just have to keep removing bolts until the blower comes out. There are quite a few of them. It took me half the day to do it.
Yes the first item is taking the damper knob off with a screw driver.
I also changed the igniter and that is a bit tricky too.
Good luck

 

[rick31797]

I changed the same Combex Blower in a Flame Energy FP-45. Both your Drolet 45 and the FP 45 are made by SBI - Stove Builders International and I am an authorized service agent for them.
You just have to keep removing bolts until the blower comes out. There are quite a few of them. It took me half the day to do it.
Yes the first item is taking the damper knob off with a screw driver.
I also changed the igniter and that is a bit tricky too.
Good luck

While I have it all apart does it make any sense while changing the blower , to do the igniter ...would it be easier while the blower is out...Thanks

 

[MalcolmH]

The ignitor on the FP45 is not hard to change at all, I assume yours is the same, mine did not throw a code either always lite but was smokey sometimes, new OE ignitor and ignition vastly improved, the stove is only capable of flagging a false start for completely dead ignitor, or short. I wouldn't change the Combex motor unless your sure it is a problem for reasons mentioned above, and its not the issue I attached above, next I would use this cleaning info to make sure there is no obstructions in the exhaust path.

 

[Don2222]

The igniter can be changed with the combex blower installed, I have done that but you have to go in from the side. With the blower out there is Alot more room to change the igniter making it a bit easier. See diagram below. Click on pic to enlarge