Quadra Fire Santa Fe Insert

[maycraft19]

The feed motor on my Santa Fe insert is making a really load noise everytime it kicks on. Stove still functions fine but I am guessing the motor will fail soon. My question is, can I remove the feed assembly without having to pull the stove out? It looks like I can reach the motor but want to make sure there is enough room to remove the assembly before I start. How likely is it that I can rebuild the assembly without replacing the whole thing (bushings, motor etc.)?

Also, should I be able to do my cleaning maintenance without pulling the stove out?

 

[tjnamtiw]

You can do all of your daily and weekly cleaning without pulling it out if you get a small hose or tubing to attach to the end of your vacuum cleaner and feed that hose into the area of the combustion blower (stove unplugged, of course). Putting the tubing back there will suck up any ash around the blower impeller and while it's back there, give the vertical exhaust pipe some thumps with a rubber hammer. You'll see a LOT more ash get sucked up!
As for removing the auger motor, you'll have to pull the stove out. At least I did. The auger is too long to allow you to pull the whole thing out. Could it be the auger itself making the noise on some extra fines or a hard foreign object? You'll still have to pull it out to see, though. Not a fun job since you also have to disconnect the exhaust pipe at the junction where the two ammo box type clips are located. On the plus side, it's easy to get it out once you have access.

 

[maycraft19]

It could be something rubbing against the auger. I have not pulled the stove out since it was installed last year. How difficult is it to pull the insert?

 

[tjnamtiw]

You have to take off the right side access door held on with a magnet and reach in and unsnap the exhaust connection. Then just start walking it out if you are doing it alone. If you have help, you can just pull it straight out. A piece of sheet metal slid under it would make life easier.

 

[mralias]

Watch the electrical cord that you don't pull the stove over it and drag on top of it.

 

[tjnamtiw]

If you've never pulled it out, it's probably time to clean the exhaust piping anyway! One less thing to do next month at the end of the season! Let us know what you find.

 

[maycraft19]

Ok, so I took the trim piece off, pulled the stove out a little bit (maybe an inch), and disconnected the clamps on the exhaust assembly. The flange wont budge, will I need to use a screwdriver to pry the gasket off? Can you disconnect the exhaust without replacing the gasket?

 

[tjnamtiw]

Ok, so I took the trim piece off, pulled the stove out a little bit (maybe an inch), and disconnected the clamps on the exhaust assembly. The flange wont budge, will I need to use a screwdriver to pry the gasket off? Can you disconnect the exhaust without replacing the gasket?

Yea, after that long, you'll have to pry the flange loose. At that point, you'll know if you need a new gasket or not! Since it didn't come loose, if it were me, I'd put the clamps back on and order a new gasket. Mine came loose without a problem but ONLY because I had a spare!! ha ha
You could also form a gasket from high temperature silicone by putting wax paper on the stove side, squirt a bead of silicone all the way around, and clamp it back together. After it cures, remove the wax paper and voila, a new gasket.

 

[maycraft19]

So I pulled the stove out far enough to remove the feeder assembly, how can I test the feeder outside the stove, like on a test bench? How do I put 110 ac to it??

 

[maycraft19]

Are the clamps the only thing that holds the flange together?

 

[tjnamtiw]

Are the clamps the only thing that holds the flange together?

It is on both of my Quads. Look for bolts, just in case, but that's all I have are the two clamps that WILL snap your knuckles every time! Thinking about my silicone gasket fix, I would just put the top flange onto the silicone and not clamp it so that you had some thickness to compress.