Mt Vernon Quadrafire issues again!

[actionjackson208]

You guys and girls have been able to help me out greatly in the past with issues I've had with my older model Quadrafire Pellet stove. Its the older Mt.Vernon Quad, not the AE model. Most recently I posted issues with it shutting down and being quite temperamental. You recommended a thorough cleaning in which I bought the shop vac ash vacuum and removed all the inner panels and cleaned it very good. Since then it worked great for about a week-week & 1/2. Then it shut off in the middle of the night on me. So I checked everything, making sure the vacuum was good, snap disc's etc. Its clean, thermocouple is fine, but the same problem keeps occurring, it won't drop pellets. So with the side panel off, I can hear what sounds like the auger motor making sort of a raspy sound? (for lack of better comparison) almost like its maybe having trouble turning. So I lightly tapped on it with the rubber handle of a screwdriver then it began dropping pellets again. It ran for about 12 hours then shut down. So now I'm having the same issue again. do you think the motor is on its way out? I took the 4 screws out that I though was holding it onto the auger itself and i wiggled it back and forth and pellets dropped. Then I screwed it back on and fired it up and it still has that strange raspy sound and dropped pellets again for a few minutes. Enough to get a fire started. Then the same thing happened again. Any ideas? Your opinions mean a lot and are quite helpful. I've read through the owners manual and troubleshooting diagram. I've also searched the forum for comparable issues but found nothing exactly like this

 

[Lake Girl]

Auger making a raspy sound - like metal rubbing? Is the set screw on the auger collar tight? Is the feed system bearing worn?
http://www.stove-parts-unlimited.com/Mt-Vernon-Parts-s/363.htm
They don't provide a real good exploded view in the manual but here's the auger assembly parts list (broken link removed to https://woodheatstoves.com/free/Quadrafire_Part_Lists/mt_vernon.pdf)

Hopefully other Quad owners will chime in with other potentials...

 

[kappel15]

You can pull the auger assy. to see if the auger is secure to the shaft. Also check and see if the auger is running backwards when not feeding pellets. This means it is turning counter clockwise. If it is, you need a new capacitor for the auger motor. You can get a capacitor jumper part # 230-2150. If not, it is probably time for a new auger motor. kap

 

[Bkins]

I'd pull the augar motor and assembly out and hook up to 110 and see if it turns, makes the noise your hearing, and will turn when you put a hand load on it. As I remember it only takes 2 nuts to get the shaft and motor out. Be careful not to drop the nuts. Taking it out will allow you to make sure there is nothing binding the augar and make sure the augar is tightly attached to the motor. I've often wondered if I have a capacitor issue with mine as every so often it will not start on a relight using a thermostat. This seems to always happen during the night but it only happens once in a great while so I just put up with it. Probably should just put in the capacitor kit in and be done with it.

As always unplug the stove before taking aything apart.

 

[actionjackson208]

Thanks for the input everyone. It worked through the night without my pulling the auger assembly out. I watched a you tube video where a guy took his auger assembly out and cleaned all the dust out and it looks easy. Since it ran since 9pm last night and is still running, I'm going to leave it alone for the time being. Its also 8 degrees here in NJ so I want to keep it blazing! Once it stops again, Its strange because once it starts dropping pellets, it doesn't make that noise anymore. Hopefully if and when I have to take the auger out it will just be real dusty and a good vacuuming may take care of the issue. Bkins, there is a capacitor kit already installed on it and yes, I always unplug it before doing anything to it. Thanks again

 

[Bkins]

I wish you luck that it keeps running during our cold weather. Stoves always seem to go down when you most need them.

Post back if you continue to have your problem as it sounds like your augar motor may be weak or something weird is in your augar tube assembly.