Help needed from Service Techs Pls

[Mr Fixit]

I have a customer with a Savannah Saranac that keeps breaking auger pins, I think the total number of auger pins broken in the last 14 months is in the double digits. I have chaanged auger bushings, auger, auger motor, pellets, thoroughly inspected the auger chute for signs of wear against the auger, and cannot seem to get a handle on why this 1 machine keeps breaking auger pins. Obviously, the pins are meant to break to protect the auger motor, but the rate at which this stove breaks pins is rediculous. Amyone else had similar problems? How was it resolved?

 

[hearthtools]

I have a customer with a Savannah Saranac that keeps breaking auger pins, I think the total number of auger pins broken in the last 14 months is in the double digits. I have chaanged auger bushings, auger, auger motor, pellets, thoroughly inspected the auger chute for signs of wear against the auger, and cannot seem to get a handle on why this 1 machine keeps breaking auger pins. Obviously, the pins are meant to break to protect the auger motor, but the rate at which this stove breaks pins is rediculous. Amyone else had similar problems? How was it resolved?

I say put a harder pin in.
the thermo Protection of the motor will protect it.
Unless it is a DC motor then I have seen them torqe so much they twist the auger motor shaft off.

 

[krooser]

Ditto what Rod said...

 

[MSmith66]

I have come across also. I have seen the auger motor snap the shaft on the motor, twist the pin so bad that you would not know it is a pin. Make sure you look at the specs on the motor and make sure it is a 1.5rpm.

 

[jamesdjs]

I have a customer with a Savannah Saranac that keeps breaking auger pins, I think the total number of auger pins broken in the last 14 months is in the double digits. I have chaanged auger bushings, auger, auger motor, pellets, thoroughly inspected the auger chute for signs of wear against the auger, and cannot seem to get a handle on why this 1 machine keeps breaking auger pins. Obviously, the pins are meant to break to protect the auger motor, but the rate at which this stove breaks pins is rediculous. Amyone else had similar problems? How was it resolved?

In order for the shear pin to operate properly the hole that the shear pin goes through has to be straight.
If the hole is oblong then the shear pin can twist when the auger motor turns on. this put stress on the pin and it will snap.
You can measure the OD of a new pin and rotate the auger shaft 90 degrees and drill a new shear pin hole.
Or purchase a new assembly where the shear pin is located.

 

[DAKSY]

I have a customer with a Savannah Saranac that keeps breaking auger pins, I think the total number of auger pins broken in the last 14 months is in the double digits. I have chaanged auger bushings, auger, auger motor, pellets, thoroughly inspected the auger chute for signs of wear against the auger, and cannot seem to get a handle on why this 1 machine keeps breaking auger pins. Obviously, the pins are meant to break to protect the auger motor, but the rate at which this stove breaks pins is rediculous. Amyone else had similar problems? How was it resolved?

In order for the shear pin to operate properly the hole that the shear pin goes through has to be straight.
If the hole is oblong then the shear pin can twist when the auger motor turns on. this put stress on the pin and it will snap.
You can measure the OD of a new pin and rotate the auger shaft 90 degrees and drill a new shear pin hole.
Or purchase a new assembly where the shear pin is located.

Or ream the existing hole back to round & step up to the next size pin.

 

[Mr Fixit]

I have actually changed the auger and the motor, this should have eliminated the oblong hole... unless the hole was oblonged again by a loose pin as suggested. Good advice- thank you all.

 

[stoveguy2esw]

are you finding a lot of sawdust at he top of the auger tube , could be longer pellets causing jams, top feed stoves are succeptible to this depending on th esize of the opening at the top of the auger tube. pellets dont drop and accumulate in the top of the tube causing a jam which could be breaking your shear pin.

just a thought

 

[Mr Fixit]

ya the pellet dust was the first thing I checked. I come across stoves all the time with augers jammed by pellet dust. That is the reason I suggested to the owner to change pellets, hoping that would correct the problem. I was going to try a stronger shear pin, as suggested in previous posts, but after thinking about it I do not think that will help, the reason being that the auger motor brace is actually bent and twisted before the pin actually breaks. A stronger pin will just compound that problem.
The one thing I did notice with this stove is what I thought was a slightly larger space between the leading edge of the fin on the auger and the bottom of the auger housing. My thought was that a pellet may get lodged between the 2 and seize the auger, but wouldn't one think that the pellet would crush before breaking the shear pin and bending the steel auger brace?