Please Help, I want to smash it...

[SnowMud]

Ok, brand new Ashley/King 5500m ... Braaaand new.. forklift driver dinged it up. $100 bucks back..

not the problem, but can you imagine that?

Ok- middle of the night, I hear a loud bang. Thought it was the cat. In the morning, pellet stove was out with error code 2. I have a manual.. read it many times.

I take the back panel off, find the hairpin on the bottom of the stove.. right behind the auger motor that had popped the pin, fell and smashed on the stove bottom.. I remount motor ( it just hangs there by a pin! ) put pin in- runs ok.

next day SMASH. same thing. pin tore all up this time. I toss their crap hairpin and get my own cottor pin. Auger doesn't work.. error code 5. When the auger fell and smashed, it blew a fuse.
New fuse, auger works... Doesn't stop turning EVEN when the stoves power if OFF completely.. ok.. call the company.. they sending new motor and control board ( lots of buttons not working any more ) The only thing I could really do to keep my family warm ( we are getting over a foot of snow today ) was turn the draft fan all the way high, blower fan high, and just burn.

I counted the time for the drive motor shaft to turn 360 deg... 30 seconds.. That's pumping the pellets. lots of lots of pellets non stop. ( safety switch on hopper still works, and unplug the damn thing is the other thing that will stop it. )

Now I have far surpassed the content of the manual - the company has no idea whats going on, so they sent me some real expensive parts for free..

now I just got error code 1. Tripped high limit sensor.

ok. now that my rant is almost over.. just wondering..

Anyone have the 5500m ? if you do, take the back panel off and watch the auger motor. Does it twist and crank itself around a little bit as its trying to turn? I watched a video from ussc of replacing the auger motor.. was like 2 minutes.. nothing to it. It hangs there from a pin! wtf. Does yours move?

How else would it drop its own pin out and smash on the floor at 3 months old?

Is this stove worth keeping?! I can't sleep at night I think my house is gonna burn down.

How long does it take for ussc to deliver parts?
I clean this thing out, take good care of it, and I thought it was great. Now I want to smash it!
I apologize for a long post, but I don't have time read 700 threads, and the ussc doesn't really know.

Thanks guys.

 

[SnowMud]

The auger spins at same speed on any setting.. need to mention that.

 

[SnowMud]

Sooo.. I kinda need to run this the most I can.. me, my wife, 2 y.o. daughter, and 3 pets are cold. Ive heard some other loud pops.. What else am I ruining while I wait for the parts?

 

[imacman]

No one wants to tell a new owner their stove is a POC, but in this case you might consider returning it and getting something like an Englander.....the best tech service in the industry, and LOTS of people on here that own them.

Factory refurbs are available for a big savings, and carry full warranty, free shipping, and more.

If you're interested, here's the website many people here have bought from:

(broken link removed to http://www.amfmenergy.com/manufacturer-refurbished-stoves.html)

 

[SnowMud]

No one wants to tell a new owner their stove is a POC, but in this case you might consider returning it and getting something like an Englander.....the best tech service in the industry, and LOTS of people on here that own them.

Factory refurbs are available for a big savings, and carry full warranty, free shipping, and more.

If you're interested, here's the website many people here have bought from:

(broken link removed to http://www.amfmenergy.com/manufacturer-refurbished-stoves.html)

You get what you pay for right? Thanks for the link, and winters end was soo close...

 

[DneprDave]

I don't know anything about Ashley/King pellet stoves, but doesn't your house have an alternate source of heat? What did you heat with before you had a pellet stove?

Besides my pellet stove, I have an oil burning forced air furnace and a wood stove.

If my stove wasn't operating properly, I wouldn't use it until it was fixed and switch to one of my alternate heat sources.

Dave

 

[SnowMud]

I don't know anything about Ashley/King pellet stoves, but doesn't your house have an alternate source of heat? What did you heat with before you had a pellet stove?

Besides my pellet stove, I have an oil burning forced air furnace and a wood stove.

If my stove wasn't operating properly, I wouldn't use it until it was fixed and switch to one of my alternate heat sources.

Dave

Just bought my house and it had a pellet stove.. an old craped out one that didn't work. So I bought this beauty. Sure.. I have electric heaters.. soo.. CMP you are welcome..

 

[sinnian]

Sounds like you're from Maine.... Marden's has the refurbished Englanders for $799

 

[DneprDave]

Well there you go! Electric heat, until it's fixed.

What does CMP mean?

Dave

 

[Rubicon 327]

I have a ussc6500 and it will also twist a bit and it also only hangs from the pin as well.

If you are determined to run the stove until the new parts come in and it is feeding way to many pellets I would talk to a USSC Tech about how to slow down the feed rate for your stove as I think you should be able to by changing the factory setting.


I would also recommend getting rid of it and go with an Englander refurb! Everything you read on here is true about Englander's customer service.

 

[ericofmaine]

What does CMP mean?

Dave

Central Maine Power

Eric

 

[bill3rail]

England's Stove Works customer service is unbelievable. Manufacturer's support is worth more than anything when you have no pellet stove!

Bill

 

[ScotL]

CMP is supposed to mean Central Maine Power. But it really refers to a monolithic monopoly, almost like a government, that is strangulating the Maine economy. They are one of the big reasons why Maine is not attractive to new businesses.
No offense intended to anyone who happens to work for them.

 

[MCPO]

I hope you learned a lesson from owning a pellet stove (space heater) that you need to have a workable plan for an alternative heat in place especially when you have a family that depends on you , should it fail . And it will .

 

[SnowMud]

I hope you learned a lesson from owning a pellet stove (space heater) that you need to have a workable plan for an alternative heat in place especially when you have a family that depends on you , should it fail . And it will .

Oh, trust me.. Its going to work if it wants to or not.. and if not? I will set it on fire and it will throw heat then.. I just thought if I laid down $1000 for something brand new.. it would work?? But.. I always have back ups.. that's what we do.

 

[SnowMud]

CMP is supposed to mean Central Maine Power. But it really refers to a monolithic monopoly, almost like a government, that is strangulating the Maine economy. They are one of the big reasons why Maine is not attractive to new businesses.
No offense intended to anyone who happens to work for them.

My brothers house is only 400 sq. ft and super insulated.. over $500 a month for power and a couple electric baseboards...

 

[SnowMud]

I hope you learned a lesson from owning a pellet stove (space heater) that you need to have a workable plan for an alternative heat in place especially when you have a family that depends on you , should it fail . And it will .

And I DID learn a lesson.. more about which pellet stove NOT to buy.. but I do own an electric oven if you know what I mean.. I didn't mean to sound like we were gonna die..

 

[SnowMud]

I have a ussc6500 and it will also twist a bit and it also only hangs from the pin as well.

If you are determined to run the stove until the new parts come in and it is feeding way to many pellets I would talk to a USSC Tech about how to slow down the feed rate for your stove as I think you should be able to by changing the factory setting.


I would also recommend getting rid of it and go with an Englander refurb! Everything you read on here is true about Englander's customer service.

Ok that's what I was hoping.. but If the design isn't terrible.. then pin they gave me was.

 

[skibladerj]

Hello SnowMud, I have a 5500m also a new member but I'll do my best to help you out.

To adjust the feed setting you have to press both the Heat Range and AUX button. This will need to be performed for both the low and high limit. If you press AUX down this will adjust the low feed limit. If you hit the AUX up this will adjust the upper limit. Once you press the up or down Aux button it will display the setting for the respective level. To adjust you use the AUX buttons to increase or decrease that number. Factory setting is 1.75 low and 4.0 on the high end. Currently my stove is set for 1.40low and 3.80 on the high end. Once you have set the low or high limit just hit the ON button to "save" that setting.

 

[skibladerj]

Sorry for the choppy response I just wanted to get you answers ASAP rather than type a super long post.

When ever taking the control panel off UNPLUG the stove I have popped lots of fusing learning this one. The stove is grounded and you will hit a transformer off the stove getting the panel back on. Hence popping the fuse! When you put the stove back together the high temp sensor cable is short and comes unplugged very easy. If this is not plugged in the stove will throw the error 1 code. At least this has happened to me before. If you need photos please let me know ill shut my stove down to take pictures for you.

 

[skibladerj]

Okay so I was able to find a clear picture of the temp sensor on the net so here you go. I circled it in red once you click its more visible. Hope that helps but again I will do my best with all your questions.

p.s my stove uses a cotter pin for the auger motor. I didn't buy the stove new but it was only one season old and im sure the previous owner didn't do anything to the stove.

 

[smwilliamson]

Well there you go! Electric heat, until it's fixed.

What does CMP mean?

Dave

Central Maine Power I'm guessing I too and from Maine

 

[Don2222]

p.s my stove uses a cotter pin for the auger motor. I didn't buy the stove new but it was only one season old and im sure the previous owner didn't do anything to the stove.

I found that the new Breckwell and USSC stoves auger motor hitch pin. (Some say cotter pin) snap easily. So I use the heavier Hudson River hitch pin and when the auger jams all you have to do is cleanout the sawdust. Better pellets would also help alot!

 

[SnowMud]

Thanks a lot guys, I appreciate the help. Mine had a "hairpin" is what ussc calls it.. I now have the cotter pin where you jam it through the hole and bend the two tabs back around the shaft.. way better. got Like 4 electric heaters on.. lifes good. The only problem with adjusting my settings is only half the buttons work now.. all fuses good, but ussc tech told me the board is fried. Ive come to realize its better to spend a little money now, and try to save more later. Im going to take a picture of what the motor did to the pin.

 

[SnowMud]

Okay so I was able to find a clear picture of the temp sensor on the net so here you go. I circled it in red once you click its more visible. Hope that helps but again I will do my best with all your questions.
View attachment 97206
p.s my stove uses a cotter pin for the auger motor. I didn't buy the stove new but it was only one season old and im sure the previous owner didn't do anything to the stove.

Actually I did find this out.. great info thanks.

Also, im definetly going to try and adjust a few settings when I get new parts, for now there is only one setting - full blast.