How do I clean my Englander PDV auger?

[nhgirl]

Hi,

I'm fairly certain that I've got an auger clog in my Englander PDV stove; neither auger will turn, although I can see (and hear) that the auger motor is trying. I've been burning Energex pellets in two stoves, and both have had clinker issues, so that's the basis of my hunch...

My question is this: how exactly do I get into the auger chambers to clean them? I need idiot instructions here, so please start at the beginning. Go in through the back? Remove the motors? Don't? I have a few hours tonight to figure this out, and I'm going to be crouched in the dirt cellar, pregnant, and probably surly. So *any* help you can offer will be greatly appreciated.

Thanks.

 

[Lorne41]

Hello,
England Stove Works has a website with the info that you need, the link info is below:

http://www.englanderstoves.com/help/PelletStove/feedprob04.html

Cut paste and copy the link info into your browser location bar and hit enter( or click on above link) and it should take you to the England Stove Works website or just go to their website www.englanderstoves.com. They have a great website with a lot of troubleshooting info and they have a customer service line that's available during working hours. It's 1-800-245-6489.
They have a staff of competent people that can help you. Some of their company people monitor this website and will help you out here also.
Good Luck!----Lorne.

 

[packerfan]

Seems weird to me that both augers aren't working, but once you do get them going, make sure you clean the carbon build up on the inside of the lower auger tube. The carbon usually just buils up on the end area of the tube, I just chip it off with an old screw driver once a week when I shut it down for cleaning.

 

[nhgirl]

Thanks--I actually did get both augers out, cleaned, and back in last night, with the result that the upper auger works but the bottom one still doesn't. I guess that means the next inquiry is electrical; is there a fuse somewhere there that could blow or does it sound like that auger motor must have gone? The latter might explain the suddenness of the problem...

 

[packerfan]

Did you see if the lower auger would run when you pulled it from the stove? Another way to check it is to attach the wires from the top auger motor to the bottom one to see if that will run it. The wires may not reach, so you may have to at least pull the lower auger again to test it this way. Remember that if you attach the top motor wires to the lower motor, that the motor will only turn intermittently, as the top auger doesn't have constant power when running the stove.

If the motor won't turn after trying it out on the other wires, it is probably time for a new one. Englander sells them on their website, and you may also be able to get the motor at a place like Grainger for a little bit cheaper.

 

[nhgirl]

Hmmm. I did not try that, but what would be the cause in that case? A fuse?

I probably shouldn't go with my hunches (I was wrong last time), but the stove is almost 10 years old, and it seems likely that a motor would be going by now. I actually work at a shop that may have a replacement lying around, so I think I'm going to try my luck with that. Supposed to be below zero again tonight, so some heat in the cellar would be a nice thing.

Thanks!

 

[stoveguy2esw]

Hmmm. I did not try that, but what would be the cause in that case? A fuse?

I probably shouldn't go with my hunches (I was wrong last time), but the stove is almost 10 years old, and it seems likely that a motor would be going by now. I actually work at a shop that may have a replacement lying around, so I think I'm going to try my luck with that. Supposed to be below zero again tonight, so some heat in the cellar would be a nice thing.

Thanks!

if you are still having trouble with the stove , call my shop 800-245-6489 and work with one of my techs, or PM me a daytime number and i'll have you contacted

 

[nhgirl]

Geez, now I'm sorry I didn't call you.

I replaced the lower auger motor and everything seemed to be going well--lower auger turning constantly (if very slowly), upper auger turning intermittently. But, went down to check the stove yesterday morning, and, while it sounded like it was running, it was obvious there hadn't been a fire in the firepot for quite a while. So... I checked the guts of the thing, and found that the upper auger motor wouldn't really turn--it felt seized somehow. Removed both augers to clean and make sure there was an unobstructed path--the top came out with a lot of sawdust (Energex pellets are crap this year), and when reinstalled seemed loose and fine. Started again, figuring it might have been a coincidence, but this morning...no fire.

What there was, however, was an immobile and RED HOT lower auger. No fire in the pot, no unburned pellets. How on earth would the lower auger get hot enough to glow? (Especially with no fire in the pot?) And what could explain first, the lower auger not working, then the upper auger seizing, then the lower auger not working again? Like I said, I know my pellets aren't great, but they're burning alright in a Quadrafire that I have upstairs (just a lot of clinkers)--and they did fine in this same stove last week. I'm sure I'm missing something, but I'm baffled.

 

[nhgirl]

Sigh. Update.

So it's supposed to be -10 tonight. I decided to put in a heroic effort to get the stove running, but since I'm back, you can see it didn't work.

I did, I think, solve the mystery of the glowing red auger. Tonight, I turned the stove on with no pellets in it and watched. Both augers turned as they were supposed to. Dumped a few scoops of pellets into the hopper, and watched them start to feed properly into the burn pot. Armed with a little optimism, I tossed in a handful, used my handy lighter gel, lit the thing, and shut the door. Both heat and blower were set on 3.

Came down 5 minutes later, and the auger had stopped (blower still going); when I opened the door, I was surprised to find the burn area overfilled. On a relight attempt (at 5, as the manual recommends for cold starts), the auger did not start turning at all, and the fire died down. My conclusion: the auger motor I just put in was bad (like the original one), occasionally working and causing an overfeed--when it stops running, the fire in the pot burns up into the shaft surrounding the auger and rendering it, well, hot.

I'm just really bummed about seeing my breath in the cellar. Hopefully no frozen pipes by the time I can call one of Mike's techs in the morning.

 

[nhgirl]

I'm not going to count my chickens before they've hatched, but the fact is that at this second (and it could change at any time), I have a pellet stove downstairs that has two augers turning as they're supposed to.

Mike, whatever Englander is paying you, it isn't enough.

For this latest fix, and at Mike's patient instruction, I took WD-40 to the auger motor. (I'm sorry--the names of the various parts escape me, so Mike would have to give you the details.) I decided to start with the original motor, because I know it worked up until a week ago, and after ten minutes or so with WD, q-tips, and a screwdriver, that seized little part (I think it was a rotor of some sort) suddenly released and started spinning freely.

Went back downstairs, and, again thanks to Mike, tried out the three motors without going to the insane trouble of installing every one of them. (Wow, I'm dumb.) The one I had just put in (Motor #2) didn't turn at all. But #1 and #3 did, so I stuck with my original. Put it back in, tightened the set screw, hooked it up, and the auger started turning. I lit a fire, put a few pellets in the hopper, and I'm giving it 5 minutes before I go back down and check. Fingers are tightly crossed, but even if it doesn't work, major thanks to Mike (and a tech I talked to this morning) for being so patient and helpful. This brand now has my vote, for customer service alone.

 

[stoveguy2esw]

ok, now you will want to monitor the unit for a bit to ensure it doesnt just last a few hours. another little hint, if the motor lasts a few hours and gives up again being extrememly hot, switch it and the top mptor once it cools , the upper motor is likley fresh as a daisy and would be able to handle the continuous run with no problem , and the weakened lower motor should last quite a while on the top where it doesnt run enough to get overheated and stop working. make sure you have the wiring righ when you do this though or the top auger could overrun the lower if the wires are backwards and the lower runs as the top should and vice versa.

 

[nhgirl]

Do you *ever* go home?

Will do. Right now, it's cranking happily along at 6, and I'm trying to resist the urge to sit down there with it in the dirt all evening. Realistically, I know I'll check it every 20 minutes or so.

What an excellent idea to swap those two. And thank you again.

Kate

 

[stoveguy2esw]

Do you *ever* go home?



Kate

actually i am home now, i just peek in a bit in the evenings and saw your post and remembered i hadnt suggested that to you when we talked today.