Dumb Question M55 Insert

[brenrn]

We had an M55 installed back in December. It ran great all winter for us. We've had it off for a couple weeks because we ran out of pellets. I tried to fire it back up yesterday and it appears that the hopper is clogged. My dumb question is I have no idea how to get at the hopper since it's an insert. I've tried sticking my hand in with the unit off but my arm isn't long enough and I'm thinking this CANNOT be how it's done LOL! I'm assuming the stove pulls out from the wall but the owner's manual is useless and our installer is closed until tomorrow. I've searched high and low all over the internet and can't find anything. HELP

 

[brenrn]

We had an M55 installed back in December. It ran great all winter for us. We've had it off for a couple weeks because we ran out of pellets. I tried to fire it back up yesterday and it appears that the hopper is clogged. My dumb question is I have no idea how to get at the hopper since it's an insert. I've tried sticking my hand in with the unit off but my arm isn't long enough and I'm thinking this CANNOT be how it's done LOL! I'm assuming the stove pulls out from the wall but the owner's manual is useless and our installer is closed until tomorrow. I've searched high and low all over the internet and can't find anything. HELP

 

[Bill L]

Yes, you need to pull it out and remove the metal top of the stove to get at the auger feed. There are toggle clips on the rails at the bottom. If your stove is elevated, you will need to support it. If it is flush, be careful the metal rollers don't score the heart, I put down a piece of sheet metal. The auger will not feed with the hopper lid open, so if you don't have it closed all the way that may be the problem

 

[brenrn]

Hmmm....I see the metal clips and unclipped them but the stove isn't budging. So frustrated by the lack of an owner's manual! Hopper lid was definitely closed...could hear the auger turning but no pellets are falling.

 

[brenrn]

Got it...just needed a little more elbow grease I guess! Now...how to take the top off? I think this may be beyond my scope...thinking I should wait for my husband to get home

 

[Lake Girl]

Manual
http://enviro.com/custom_content/do...struction M55C-FPI Domestic Owners Manual.pdf

Did you not get one with the stove?? The auger may not be jammed - have you tried using doweling to "stir" the pellets just to make sure they are not bridging (bunching up above the auger). You can try a coat hanger up the drop chute to try to release a pellet jam. Most stoves shut the auger off when the hopper or doors are open so no potential to damage the auger with either of these troubleshooting attempts...

Keep us posted.

 

[brenrn]

Oh, we have the manual. It's useless...it has almost no info in it. Not even a diagram showing how to pull the damn thing out from the wall. My husband is pretty handy and just kind of threw his hands up in the air reading the manual. We've got it pulled out, I've tried stirring the pellets and still nothing. The top appears to be riveted on...are we missing something? How do you remove the top to get at the hopper? I'm thinking this really shouldn't be this complicated! I will try a coat hanger from the bottom and see if that gets us anywhere.

 

[Mt Bob]

You will probably have to pull out auger from back,item 11 in picture holds it in.However you may have to pull motor off to get to screws.If you can hear motor running but shaft is not turning,motor/gearbox assembly may be bad,or the locking collar that attaches shaft to auger has come loose.On most stoves that have this cover-item 28,it can be accessed inside the hopper,under pellets,to clear jambs.Good luck.

 

[brenrn]

I officially give up! I will not be pulling any motor off to get at screws LOL! I will be calling dealer tomorrow I thought I could at least access the hopper, vacuum out the pellets to see if it was clogged up. That's about as far as I'm willing to go but it doesn't seem like I can even do that....so I quit

 

[Bill L]

I'm pretty sure the top piece of sheet metal comes off, the screws are torx head I think. You should be able to see straight down to the bottom of the hopper. My installer opened my feed plate a little last year, that is how they got to it

 

[brenrn]

I'm pretty sure the top piece of sheet metal comes off, the screws are torx head I think. You should be able to see straight down to the bottom of the hopper. My installer opened my feed plate a little last year, that is how they got to it

I too thought the were torx head screws but looked again and decided no. Not being an expert on any sort of screw I had hubby look and he said they appear to be rivets.

 

[brenrn]

Screws on top sheet metal

 

[Mt Bob]

They are torx or allen or spline drive.Can't make anything easy I guess.

 

[Bill L]

That does look like a rivet, maybe it was the back vertical panel panel. here is a pick of the back of mine, it looks like screw heads

 

[Mt Bob]

I believe you are right.If I had to remove them I would not put rivets back in

 

[brenrn]

That does look like a rivet, maybe it was the back vertical panel panel. here is a pick of the back of mine, it looks like screw heads

Yes, the back panel has regular screw heads. The top sheet metal are definitely rivets though. Nothing like making life difficult!