Great loss after 14 years.

[MButkus]

After 14 years my stove's auger motor decided to give it up. I guess it's the year 2012 that scared it !
I came home to find my Whitfield Avantage II pellet stove out. No pellets in the pot, still warm. I turn it on and hear the auger motor.
I pull out all the pellets and find out the auger is not turning. Five minutes later I have a replacement auger, I bought back in 2008,
installed and a fire started. A week later and all is still running smooth.
After fixing this auger motor with a fiber washer after the first 7 years, it strips a gear after 14....

Where's the quality anymore !
(broken link removed to http://www.butkus.org/whitfield_operate/whitfield_auger_replacement.htm)

Besides the low heat sensor that lasts only 4-5 year.. everything is original.
I love hearing people replacing auger motors and fans in other brands every 2 -3 years.....

I just happen to stop by a pellet stove store and look at a Quadrafire.. then check the web about all the complaints.

My wife said, after I replaced the motor..."see ... look at another stove (woman) and I'll show you trouble !"

I have a spare room and exhaust fan.. just in case. And still another auger motor from a company that went out of business in 2008.

 

[Bank]

R.I.P. good auger...Get a new one and get back up on the horse!

 

[SmokeyTheBear]

Sorry to hear of the loss of a trusted friend, happy to see you were prepared and the workhorse is back up and heating.

 

[PJPellet]

Glad to hear you are back up and running too. I am currently in the process of stocking up on spare parts for my stove. Things don't break when it's convenient.

 

[imacman]

RIP, old auger friend.....you were a good one. :sick:

 

[stellep]

I have a 97 Whitfield Quest from new. Over the years, I've replaced 2 ignitors, 1 baffle and 1 firebrick(this year -- it seemed brittle and for cosmetic reasons but not necessary). Everything else is original. It's pumping out 220 on idle right now with Green Supremes. I too am amazed when folks replace parts after only 1-2-3 years.

 

[Murphy118]

I'm only on my third season burning, but I had to get a small cabinet to set by the stove to house the cleaning gadgets i need and the spare parts I have on hand. So far I have 2 auger motors, 2 locking collars, 1 ignitor, rope gasket to do the whole stove, silicone, at least 2 sets of replacement gaskets for the fans and burn pot, and a sheet of gasket material to make my own if and when the time comes.
I work as a Maint. manager at a food processing plant and I know first hand that things NEVER break when it is convenient. And as my screen name shows, I am a firm beliver in "Murphy's Law".

Nothing is as easy as it looks.
Everything takes longer than you think it will.
If anything can go wrong, it will, at the worst possible moment.

http://www.murphys-laws.com/murphy/murphy-laws.html

John
aka "Murphy"

 

[slls]

And who ever heard of stocking parts for an oil furnace. You can call most any oil repair outfit 24/7
and they will come out and fix it, try that with a pellet stove.