P43/68 Combustion/Exhaust Fan

[Kevin1024]

should this fan spin freely when not in use? I'm troubleshooting an issue and realized it does not spin manually. What does this mean?

 

[Funnydirt14]

Should spin very freely with or without power. Sounds like bearings need lubed at the least. Possibly a new fan. How old is it?

 

[Kevin1024]

Should spin very freely with or without power. Sounds like bearings need lubed at the least. Possibly a new fan. How old is it?

Three months. Won't spin during test mode.

 

[Bioburner]

Should easily turn. May never have been lubed when assembled If I get a stiff wind mine will turn when I am cleaning and emptying the ash bin.
Could something have gotten into the rear fan cage?

 

[bogieb]

Should easily turn. May never have been lubed when assembled If I get a stiff wind mine will turn when I am cleaning and emptying the ash bin.
Could something have gotten into the rear fan cage?

Mine will turn with the vacuum nozzle near it (naturally, with the vacuum on), and I have to hold it while brushing off ash since it will spin from just the brush.

 

[Kevin1024]

Should easily turn. May never have been lubed when assembled If I get a stiff wind mine will turn when I am cleaning and emptying the ash bin.
Could something have gotten into the rear fan cage?

In fact it did. So I just got back up and in there and saw three broken pellets lodged up there. It now looks as though the blade(fan) is uneven almost rubbing up against the back of the stove. Would that do it? Maybe why I can't get the pellet feed going?

 

[Kevin1024]

In fact it did. So I just got back up and in there and saw three broken pellets lodged up there. It now looks as though the blade(fan) is uneven almost rubbing up against the back of the stove. Would that do it? Maybe why I can't get the pellet feed going?

We are talking about the small fan, correct on the bottom right rear of the stove from the back?

 

[Funnydirt14]

The new fan motors don't have a fan on the back of the motor anymore. The older combustion motors had fans at either end. Neither should be touching anything. Your stove won't feed pellets if the combustion motor isn't working.

 

[Kevin1024]

The new fan motors don't have a fan on the back of the motor anymore. The older combustion motors had fans at either end. Neither should be touching anything. Your stove won't feed pellets if the combustion motor isn't working.

Yeah. Mine is a 2012. I got it new as a leftover believe it or not but the fan is definitely rubbing against the stove. I found some pellets caught up in there. I'm assuming that's what bent the fan blade.

 

[bags]

Are you accessing the fan from behind the plate that comes off behind the ash pan? That's the exhaust. As mentioned it should turn easily and not touch or rub anything. Have you checked the set screw that holds the fan blade onto the shaft?

How much of the rod or shaft end is sticking out past the hub of the fan blades? That should almost be flush but they is some play there. If your blades are bent try to carefully bend them back into place. If broken or really messed up order a new one.

 

[Kevin1024]

Guys. Look at the pic. This is what I'm referring to. It's at the lower right hand corner of my p43. It's a 2012 model. Isn't that the combustion blower? It had a few broken pellets in the cage and bent the fan blades to where they are now rubbing against the rear of the stove. It doesn't spin freely nor at all in test mode. I'm assuming that's why my pellets won't feed either in test mode?

 

[Bioburner]

Bingo. I would get a needle forceps and get the pellets out and the blades carefully bent back to position.

 

[Funnydirt14]

I would do this and would add that your motor stopped because of loose pellets getting between the stove and the hopper and lodging in your combustion motor. I use a coal bucket to load my hopper so there is no spilled pellets.

Bingo. I would get a needle forceps and get the pellets out and the blades carefully bent back to position.

 

[Bioburner]

No other design has a gap between the hopper and stove body to allow pellets to fall into the works. Seen several times the room fan with pellets but usually the exhaust fan guard blocks the errant pellet or two. I know that keeping a air gap helps keep the bin cool but a simple lip could prevent falling pellets but maybe the idea is to keep the motor area cooler when in fireplace mode by letting the air naturally flow up out of the mechanical area. One can look down from the top and see the exhaust fan and on the pc45 the igniter tube

 

[Funnydirt14]

Glad to see negative comments were deleted from this conversation. I was a little confused on what was being talked about, but if you read the thread (all the thread) then you will see that it is the back of the stove and not the inside of the combustion chamber. And yes dust and pellets can get to the outside of all the motors on the back.

 

[Kevin1024]

Glad to see negative comments were deleted from this conversation. I was a little confused on what was being talked about, but if you read the thread (all the thread) then you will see that it is the back of the stove and not the inside of the combustion chamber. And yes dust and pellets can get to the outside of all the motors on the back.