Pellet feed problem -Need help!

[greywolf46]

Turned my totally cleaned Harman P61A for first time this season. Auger motor not feeding pellets. Combustion blower not on. Room temp and stove temp - same result, Test mode - same result. Read somewhere that the vacuum (pressure) switch could be the culprit, so I bypassed the switch and everything started up like normal. Replaced the switch with a new spare and turned stove on - same problem again. Any ideas out there greatly appreciated.

 

[DAKSY]

Check ALL your seals. Door. Hopper. Ash pan. Fines Box.

 

[MtDew]

Yes check and clean the fines box. If you recently cleaned out the fines box double check that you reinstalled the fines box door correctly. Sounds to me you may have sawdust or a blockage in the small tube that connects to the vacuum switch. Can you disconnect the tube from the vac switch and blow thru the tube? Use your own breath or try a quick blow from a can of air used to clean computers and keyboards. The vac switch isn't seeing vacuum to trip the vac switch. Also check your door gaskets

 

[bogieb]

Turned my totally cleaned Harman P61A for first time this season. Auger motor not feeding pellets. Combustion blower not on. Room temp and stove temp - same result, Test mode - same result. Read somewhere that the vacuum (pressure) switch could be the culprit, so I bypassed the switch and everything started up like normal. Replaced the switch with a new spare and turned stove on - same problem again. Any ideas out there greatly appreciated.

I had that issue earlier this fall. Entirely cleaned stove and exhaust (LBT and linteater). The stove would start then no pellets dropped. I finally just emptied the hopper, gently stirred what was left in the throat, and put in a partial bag of smaller pellets (I had been running irregularly sized pellets). That did the trick. I'd guess that a large pellet or two got lodged and kept anything but smaller pellets from dropping. Once I was sure it was feeding/running well, I added in the irregular pellets and it has run fine ever since.

Hopefully your issue is as cheap and easy to fix.

 

[greywolf46]

I had that issue earlier this fall. Entirely cleaned stove and exhaust (LBT and linteater). The stove would start then no pellets dropped. I finally just emptied the hopper, gently stirred what was left in the throat, and put in a partial bag of smaller pellets (I had been running irregularly sized pellets). That did the trick. I'd guess that a large pellet or two got lodged and kept anything but smaller pellets from dropping. Once I was sure it was feeding/running well, I added in the irregular pellets and it has run fine ever since.

Hopefully your issue is as cheap and easy to fix.

Not quite as cheap! turned out to be a bad combustion motor. PITA replacement..had to cut the fan off and do a wiring fix (old unit hardwired in). Can't imagine what a dealer would have charged for that. Thanks for trying to help out.

 

[greywolf46]

Check ALL your seals. Door. Hopper. Ash pan. Fines Box.

Thanks DAKSY..turned out to be a bad combustion motor.

 

[greywolf46]

Yes check and clean the fines box. If you recently cleaned out the fines box double check that you reinstalled the fines box door correctly. Sounds to me you may have sawdust or a blockage in the small tube that connects to the vacuum switch. Can you disconnect the tube from the vac switch and blow thru the tube? Use your own breath or try a quick blow from a can of air used to clean computers and keyboards. The vac switch isn't seeing vacuum to trip the vac switch. Also check your door gaskets

Thought that was it but it turned out to be a bad combustion motor.

 

[bags]

How old is your stove? Just curious.