Pleasant Hearth Auger Woes

[jboogy_603]

Hello! My name is Jason. This is my first post.

I just purchased my first home, and it came with a Pleasant Hearth PH50CABPS. Before trying to fire the stove for the first time, I read the manual and thoroughly cleaned the entire unit. This included removing the pellets from the hopper and auger shaft, removing the side panels, and cleaning inside the unit, as well.

According to the manual, I must "prime" the unit first by turning the dial from off to max, back to off, and back to max. The light on the control unit turns solid green and appears to be in the priming mode.

Here's where I ran into trouble - the auger turns for about 1/2 revolution and then stops for 5 seconds. It does this sequence for the entire two minutes of the prime cycle. At this rate, it did not fill the burn pot with pellets, so there was nothing to ignite.

I read through the manual again, Googled the heck out of this issue, and tried the following:

- completely cleaned the unit and inspected the auger shaft for debris
- used a jumper to bypass the lid switch
- used a jumper to bypass the vacuum switch

I haven't moved in yet, so during my next visit to the house, I plan on trying to jump the snap disc. I will also remove the motor and test it on the bench.

Is there anything else that I should be trying? Has anyone dealt with this issue before?

Thanks!

Jason

 

[johneh]

Welcome to the forum
Try doing the prim again
before jumping any snap discs
Sometimes it takes more than one prim cycle

 

[jboogy_603]

Welcome to the forum
Try doing the prim again
before jumping any snap discs
Sometimes it takes more than one prim cycle

Hi there - thank you for your reply.

I tried priming it a few different times. Each time, the auger would only spin 1/2 rotation, stop, 1/2 rotation, stop, for two minutes.

Should the auger spin constantly during the priming phase? In other words, is this behavior I'm experiencing normal, or is it, in fact, an issue?

Thanks!

J

 

[johneh]

Has it primed enough to start dropping pellets?

 

[jboogy_603]

Has it primed enough to start dropping pellets?

No. I went back and watched a video that I took of it working, and it's not making a 1/2 turn as I wrote in my first post, but maybe only 1/8 of a full revolution.

It probably only makes one-and-a-half full revolutions when priming, nowhere near enough rotations to carry pellets up the auger.

I imagine the priming mode would run the auger continuously for two minutes, filling the auger and the burn pot. Again, this runs, stops, runs, stops, etc.

 

[johneh]

If it does not go into prim mode most likely the control board is faulty.
Turn the heat control to max and start the stove it should prim within the normal start-up
time (normally 15 min.) The stove will probably show a missed ignition fault
Restart the stove hope fully pellets are dropping (turn it off max ) do not want to overload the burn pot
Does the stove fire up and burn for more than 15 min

 

[Ctwoodtick]

I wonder if the auger is stuck- maybe a pellet or two jamming it up. I’ve had a similar issue before. On a whim, I tapped the auger with a rubber mallet. I bit of that and it began working as normal.
Don’t do this with a metal hammer

 

[jboogy_603]

Thanks for your reply!

I'll be back onsite tomorrow and will take another look at the auger. I imagine if the motor failed, it wouldn't spin at all. So, a stuck auger remains a possibility.

The stove did sit for about 2 months without use here in NH. When I first cleared the auger, some pellets were in there that picked up some moisture and were stuck there.

I also called Pleasant Hearth's support a few minutes ago, and they were useless. She put me on a three-minute hold to tell me, "Check the hopper switch."

I wonder if the auger is stuck- maybe a pellet or two jamming it up. I’ve had a similar issue before. On a whim, I tapped the auger with a rubber mallet. I bit of that and it began working as normal.
Don’t do this with a metal hammer

 

[jboogy_603]

I wonder if the auger is stuck- maybe a pellet or two jamming it up. I’ve had a similar issue before. On a whim, I tapped the auger with a rubber mallet. I bit of that and it began working as normal.
Don’t do this with a metal hammer

On second thought, I could freely spin the auger by hand.

 

[Ctwoodtick]

On second thought, I could freely spin the auger by hand.

Ok got it. Not stuck then.

 

[jboogy_603]

If it does not go into prim mode most likely the control board is faulty.
Turn the heat control to max and start the stove it should prim within the normal start-up
time (normally 15 min.) The stove will probably show a missed ignition fault
Restart the stove hope fully pellets are dropping (turn it off max ) do not want to overload the burn pot
Does the stove fire up and burn for more than 15 min

I'll be back over there tomorrow. I'll give this a shot then. I'll report back after. Thanks!

 

[johneh]

You could spin the auger by hand was the auger motor attached?
If you can spin the auger by hand it is not attached to the feed motor
Possible hitch pin missing or broken

 

[jboogy_603]

You could spin the auger by hand was the auger motor attached?
If you can spin the auger by hand it is not attached to the feed motor
Possible hitch pin missing or broken

Yes. The pin is in there and attached.

I could only spin the auger as far as the motor would let me. So I could spin it about one full rotation before the motor rested against something inside the unit.

Can I upload videos to a post? If not, I can throw up a YouTube link. I'll try to grab some video tomorrow.

You mentioned just turning the stove on and seeing what happens. Should I manually add pellets to the burn pot and then just turn the stove on? Or just turn it to max and see what she does?

Thanks again for helping me out. I appreciate it!

 

[Ctwoodtick]

Yes you can add videos.

Yes, you can just add some pellets to the burn pot to do a test. Worst case, the auger is not working and you turn the stove off. That shoud engage the exhaust fan which should get all the smoke created in the stove out.

 

[jboogy_603]

Yes you can add videos.

Yes, you can just add some pellets to the burn pot to do a test. Worst case, the auger is not working and you turn the stove off. That shoud engage the exhaust fan which should get all the smoke created in the stove out.

Sounds good! I'll be back it at tomorrow afternoon. I'll report back.

 

[jboogy_603]

Ok gents, I manually loaded up the burn pot after priming it a few times to fill the auger. I then cranked it to max as you suggested and, no sh!t, she is making heat!

Now… to solve the noisy convection fan : )

Thanks for your help! I don’t think there was anything wrong, just a lack of understanding of the stoves operation on my end. I appreciate you helping me walk through it.

J

 

[johneh]

Glade to hear it's working
That fan may have 2 D oiler holes The oil holes look like the Letter D
Just 1 or 2 drops of oil

 

[jboogy_603]

Awesome! Once it cools I’ll take a peek.