P61 not feeding pellets

[freebird77]

Could they be jammed up in the slide plate? When the tech came out and put in the new parts several weeks ago, he had trouble with the pellets feeding at first. (Burning crappy Pa. pellets this year, some are quite long.)
I remember he took the cleaning tool and mashed them around quite a few times in the hopper until things got going ok. That was Oct. and had no trouble until I got home yesterday. The stove was running but not up to temp. Later I tried mashing the pellets down and around in the hopper, but you can see that the auger is only putting a few into the burn pot. Should I empty the hopper and pull the slide plate, or what do you all think? I appreciate any advice. Thank you.

 

[mjbrown]

empty out the hopper and vac around the slide plate.

if you are still getting long pellets, pour them into a pail and break them up with a hammer or something...just dont pulverize them.

one thing i have noticed with my P38...dont pack them down in the hopper, that will also stop the feed.most of what i have found with my stove is sawdust binding the slide plate.


hope this helps.

mike

 

[freebird77]

Thanks, Mj,
Going to clean it out today.

 

[mjbrown]

freebird,
how have you made out with your stove?

hope you got things straightened out

mike

 

[freebird77]

Mike, Cleaned it all out yetrday and emptied the hopper, cleaned flue, pulled slide plate, which looked good, and everything seems ok. I think the pellets probably damned up in the hopper hole again. But I know these Pa. pellets are crapola. Way more ash then the Armstrongs I burnt last year. Doug

 

[GVA]

Was the slide plate in correctly?
step facing up..

 

[freebird77]

Yep, looks good as new. The stove seems to be feeding ok now.