Grain Comfort corn stove auger back feed issue

[kingdad]

I just fired this up for the 2nd year now and it worked perfect through the first 2 hoppers then it started back burning into the auger tube and popping/heating the burn before it drops into box. I've completely cleaned it as best I could. I changed hopper gasket, door gasket, and removed auger and cleaned tube. I now have tried whole corn from 2 different local stores and the local grain company I usually get my bulk from. They all are doing it. I'm confused on what to do or try to fix the problem.

 

[ARC]

Best guess would be you have a blockage in the venting. Have you tried sucking out with leaf blower?

Could also be exhaust blower impeller rotted off or blower going, corn is very corrosive the fins/impeller on my stove looked like a cheese grater after two years. Now every year I burn straight pellets last two weeks of heating season and clean extremely at the end of the season to include removing exhaust blower and wiping it down with fogging oil. If you notice the venting is lined with stainless steel but the impellers are only galvanized.

 

[kingdad]

There is no thermostat it's all feed control and fan speed other than on off switch and feed timer but that's inside the back of some. It's manual light and nothing digital fire starts like normal and stays that way until the corn starts popping in sight tube before it reaches the drop. Worked 100% fine last year and the first 2 days of this year then it's been doing this.

 

[kingdad]

ARC
I sucked it out with a shop vac, pulled auger and cleaned all that and tube as well. I'm pulling it from the wall and taking back off to see if something happened but I'm running out of ideas plus it's getting cold here in Indiana

 

[ARC]

I sucked it out with a shop vac

When you say you sucked it out with shop vac do you mean you used hose and vacuumed what you could reach? Or did you hook it to vent out side and true sucked it out. I can vacuum alot of the ash out of my venting but twice a year I suck out with the leaf blower and am always surprised on how much more comes out. Usually around January stove starts acting dirty even after a good cleaning. That is when I know I am missing some ash blockage somewhere. My ash vac has really good suction but it is no where near as strong as the suction of the leaf blower. If you do try the leaf blower remember it is suck from outside, not blow, lol.

 

[kingdad]

Just with hose and vacuum. I never heard of the leaf blower technique. I'm so new to all this, as it's only my second year and never been around them before I bought a used one. I did just remove it from pipe again and noticed and exhaust pipe there was a whole lot of ash that I thought I sucked out before. It's possible I could've missed this and it's my whole issue. I would feel extremely stupid but yet oh so thankful if it was lol.

 

[ARC]

Lots of little corners ash can get caught in don't feel bad sometimes they are really hard to get to.

 

[kingdad]

So far after vacuuming out the area I missed it's ran for a little over an hour without problem so far thankfully. I'll post another update on about another hour or so. Thank you so for the support and knowledge y'all are amazing.

 

[kingdad]

Well 18 hours later stove is running great. Thank you for the help and guidance. I feel dumb but happy at the same time.

 

[johneh]

A clean stove is a happy stove