hmmmm...top auger dead?

[cdodge04]

I got up this morning and turned my down to 1-3 to let it run through the day and keep the house just warm enough so the oil wouldn't kick on. I got home this afternoon and the stove was off, there was a load of unburned pellets in the burn pot. I'm assuming it just didn't feed fast enough and the stove went out. So I went through and cleaned everything up so that I could get the stove going again. Picked all the pellets out of the burn pot, which was a PITA because of the ash haha. Got everything up and running the stove was purring along behind me. All of a sudden I heard the blower shut off. I turned around to see that there was no flame in the burn pot. The bottom auger was turning but no pellets were feeding into the pot. I watched for a minute and knew that something was wrong with the top auger. I shut the stove off and of course I had just filled the hopper so I had to pick 40 lbs of pellets out of the hopper and checked the top auger. I figured it was just jammed, but I can grab the top auger and spin it a little bit. That being said I'm pretty sure the top auger isn't jammed...I have 90 days to return the stove to Lowes to exchange it for another. I've been really busy lately so I don't feel like spending a whole lot of time trying to swap parts out right now...it's much easier and quicker to just take the stove back and get a new one.

When I take this one back I'm actually considering getting the 2200 sq ft model. Is there a large difference between the 2200 sq ft englander/summers heat and the 1500 sq ft one as far as pellet consumption goes?

-Chad

 

[Panhandler]

Did you check for Error Code on control panel?

 

[cdodge04]

No error codes...

 

[rap69ri]

Chad,

You may just need to adjust your Low Fuel Feed and the Low Burn Air for a better burn in the low settings. Mine are 3-8-1 and it burns great on low, but your settings may vary with the brand of pellets.

 

[cdodge04]

I'm starting to get a bit annoyed with the stove. It puts out great heat, but over the last week I seem to be having a lot of issues with it. A week or so ago it was making a squeeling noise in the to auger and the room blower was making a sickly sound. I tore everything apart, cleaned it all out and found nothing out of the ordinary. Since then the noise in the top auger has stopped, but the room blower still makes a really high pitched noise, but not on any sort of regular basis. Tonight the top auger just stopped working, I messed with it a bit and the top auger seems to be spinning now. However now that I got the top auger spinning, even on a setting a heat setting of 5 and the room blower on 9 the flames are barely even jumping out of the burn pot.....infact now that I turn around and look at it, it's gone out....again. The blower is barely blowing warm air into the room. I can hear the blower pick up as I go up through the speeds 4-5-6-7-8-9. The air coming out is barely warm and the blower continues to make weird noises now.

I took all the pellets out of the stove earlier and did a dry run, the stove ran through it's 20 minute start up cycle and then ended in the E-2 code as it is suppose to. I usually have my 3 bottom buttons set on 5-6-1...the stove has run beautifully until just a week ago, now the problems just seem to be getting worse and worse.

 

[cdodge04]

Thanks for the replies guys. I actually have tried messing with the LFF and LBA a little tonight. That doesn't seem to be helping either. Not sure why I'm having all this trouble all of a sudden.

 

[rap69ri]

I'm starting to get a bit annoyed with the stove. It puts out great heat, but over the last week I seem to be having a lot of issues with it. A week or so ago it was making a squeeling noise in the to auger and the room blower was making a sickly sound. I tore everything apart, cleaned it all out and found nothing out of the ordinary. Since then the noise in the top auger has stopped, but the room blower still makes a really high pitched noise, but not on any sort of regular basis. Tonight the top auger just stopped working, I messed with it a bit and the top auger seems to be spinning now. However now that I got the top auger spinning, even on a setting a heat setting of 5 and the room blower on 9 the flames are barely even jumping out of the burn pot.....infact now that I turn around and look at it, it's gone out....again. The blower is barely blowing warm air into the room. I can hear the blower pick up as I go up through the speeds 4-5-6-7-8-9. The air coming out is barely warm and the blower continues to make weird noises now.

I took all the pellets out of the stove earlier and did a dry run, the stove ran through it's 20 minute start up cycle and then ended in the E-2 code as it is suppose to. I usually have my 3 bottom buttons set on 5-6-1...the stove has run beautifully until just a week ago, now the problems just seem to be getting worse and worse.

I would definitely be aggravated as well. It sounds like it's actually the combustion blower that's the issue. If that's weak you'll have a small, lazy flame. One of your earlier posts had led to the combustion blower, but we figured it was just dirty. It sounds like you need to call Englander and get a new blower, or return the stove to Lowe's for a replacement. Don't give up on the brand, not every part in every stove can be good everytime.

 

[cdodge04]

Thanks for the reply again Rap.

I'm thinking it may be the blower as well I got the stove going again and I'm running it on 6-9 take a look at the attached photo thats the flame in the stove right now. Usually I can't hold my hand in front of the stove when its on 3-6 for or even 2-5 for very long. The heat coming out of the stove right now is so low that I can have my face about 8 inches in front of the stove with the air blowing right on me and I don't have to take my face away.

I think I'll load the old hog up and take it back for a replacement tomorrow. I'm definitely not giving up on Englander, I really like the stove. Can't make a perfect product every time.


EDIT: Photo is 6-9 not 9-9 sorry about that.

 

[rap69ri]

Flame definitely seems small and lazy, but it's tough to tell from just a picture.

 

[Panhandler]

If it's a new stove and you can return it, I would. If it's under warranty, return it. That's what a warranty is for.