Lopi Leyden Auger Motor Jam

[CT-Mike]

So the stove shutdown the other night, after running beautifully for days since installing the Skytech 3301P.

Burnpot was completely empty. Manually filled the pot by hand and re-started, everything worked great until the fire went out. Seems the auger is jammed, and today was when I finally had time to look into it.

Emptied all the pellets out of the hopper, didn't see anything obvious.

Took off the auger cover and still nothing obvious. I need to pick up some hi-temp silicone for when it's time to put the cover back on.

Next step is to figure where I can check for voltage to the auger motor and hit the manual button and see if it is getting power.

Can't turn the motor by hand, but I think this is normal as it seems to be a torque type motor.

Anyone have any other ideas?

Thanks,

Mike

PS: Looking for good plans for a pellet sifter if anyone has any.

 

[muss]

A couple winters ago i had the same problem & i poked & jabbed with a bbq fork . Had to do it on seversl occasions. Haven't had a jam since which leaves me to beleive there was a "particle" or bunched up fines in there. I have a Lopi Leyden also. Good luck, Muss

 

[imacman]

Are you sure that the vacuum line and/or switch isn't plugged, or the stove doesn't just need a VERY good cleaning?

Do you have a power "test" cord like many of us have made to check motors? Just an old lamp cord with spade connections on the end (see pic)....disconnect wires from auger motor, connect test cord, plug in wall....either it will run or it won't. If it does, the vacuum switch/system is the most likely culprit.

EDIT: do a search for vacuum pellet cleaner for the one many have made.

 

[CT-Mike]

I am not sure that the vacuum switch isn't plugged, will have to find out how to check that. Scott just installed the stove back in mid-September and he cleaned everything then. I do clean the stove weekly and have probably only burned a total of 10 bags of Greene Teams.

 

[imacman]

Jump the wires on the vacuum switch (carefully & w/ power off) so switch is no longer part of the system. If connecting the wires together solves the problem, you know either the switch is bad, or vacuum lines are plugged.

 

[CT-Mike]

Yup, thanks imacman. Was just thinking the same thing. I will let you know how things turn out.

 

[CT-Mike]

Well it doesn't appear to be the vacuum switch as I can hear it pick up and drop out when connecting/disconnecting the tubing. I also should've mentioned that the auger doesn't turn when holding down the manual auger button. So I am back to a jam that I can't find or a lack of power.

Still working on it, the boss is unhappy because it is cold upstairs.

 

[imacman]

Make & use the test power cord...that eliminates the auger motor as a problem.

BTW, just because you hear the switch click doesn't mean 100% that it's working correctly....jump the switch .

 

[CT-Mike]

Thanks for the additional tips, I will check and get back to you.

 

[CT-Mike]

I checked the voltage being applied to the auger motor, 3.5 volts or so, goes up to 6.7 volts when I hold the manual auger switch. Doesn't seem right, but it makes me reluctant to apply 120 VAC directly to the motor as I am afraid of burning it out.

EDIT: Well it helps to have the hopper lid closed when checking voltage to the auger. Once I figured that out (doh!), I was able to verify the motor is getting 120VAC.

Moving on the jumpering out the vacuum switch.

 

[CT-Mike]

Well it appears that it must've been a jam. Once I figured out the hopper cover limit switch (smacks palm to forehead), the auger turns just fine.

Now I just need to run out and get some hi-temp RTV to put the flight cover back on.

 

[CT-Mike]

At least I learned a lot more about my stove.

Thanks for the help imacman. (Posted from my MBP - guess you could say I am an Apple fanboi - gave up PC's a couple years ago and will never go back).

 

[imacman]

....Posted from my MBP - guess you could say I am an Apple fanboi - gave up PC's a couple years ago and will never go back).

Smart man.

Glad you have the stove issue figured out.

 

[CT-Mike]

Yup, the wife and I both have iPhones, I have a 1st gen iPad, she just got an iPad mini for her birthday, have a 27" iMac in the home office, and a 17" MBP for portable use, plus a couple of iPod's floating around. I should own Apple stock.

 

[imacman]

....have a 27" iMac in the home office.....

Same as mine.

 

[zrtmatos]

This is all good to know and have now learned for when it happens to me. Hope not.

 

[tumbles]

Same thing happened to me. Then I pushed the little gold button down for good! Will not happen again! Makes it easier to fill it as well because I do not have to worry about the fire going out.

 

[CT-Mike]

Same thing happened to me. Then I pushed the little gold button down for good! Will not happen again! Makes it easier to fill it as well because I do not have to worry about the fire going out.

I take it you just jumpered out the hopper cover switch? Not sure if I want to do that.

 

[richkorn]

So was there a jam or was it because the hopper lid was open and not pushing on the interlock switch?

 

[CT-Mike]

No, there was definitely a jam. The auger did not spin at all prior to emptying out the hopper and removing the flight cover. Went out and picked up some hight-temp RTV and new door gasket for the wood-burning insert. Got that put back together and fired up this evening. Will finish up the Leyden in the morning.

 

[richkorn]

I got jams when I first got stove but that was because of the metal flapper that they had in the chute. I think they got rid of that after numerous complaints. I removed mine and never had problem since. That was 4 years ago. Leyden is great pellet stove and looks very nice.