Quadrafire Castile Insert Feed Motor Loud

[sydflash]

Anyone have any recommendations on what I can do about a loud feed motor?

My insert was bought in 2007.

On the first use of this season the auger motor is much much louder than it was in the past.

I removed the entire feed assembly unit to check to see if there was anything physically wrong with it but it looks fine.

Anyone know if I should lubricate any particular part of the assembly?

Any recommend what to use for lubrication?

Also, the replacement part numbers are different depending where I look... anyone have any insight there? Does the age of the stove matter here?

Thanks in advance for any help!

 

[kappel15]

The auger motors are all sealed units. No lubricating after the fact. Your stove calls for an auger motor part # 812-4421. Quad has changed things so much, I can't keep track of em. I would call a Quad dealer to see what part # is for your stove to be safe. Some of the after market motors have different #'s but are not as good. Some of them motors can be a real bugger to get off the auger. I usually buy the whole assy. kap

 

[whit]

The auger motors are all sealed units. No lubricating after the fact. Your stove calls for an auger motor part # 812-4421. Quad has changed things so much, I can't keep track of em. I would call a Quad dealer to see what part # is for your stove to be safe. Some of the after market motors have different #'s but are not as good. Some of them motors can be a real bugger to get off the auger. I usually buy the whole assy. kap

I have the instructions for that part number right here, as I just swapped it for the auger motor in a 2008 Santa Fe. It's just removing the assembly as you've already done, then removing the old motor from the shaft (hex key in my case, and not difficult, but maybe I was lucky seeing what Kap says), and four screws, putting the new one in its place, and ... silence. At first I was worried it wasn't working, but then the pellets dropped. Feels heavier than the original; definitely a different make. The old one was straining a bit each time it started, for it seems like forever.

 

[sydflash]

Thanks for the responses!

I am alway weary of putting new money into an old appliance for fear of having to replace the whole thing shortly after.

What is the expected life of a pellet stove?

Is it worth buying a new motor, or am I at a point where other things will start failing?

I was thinking of just reinstalling the one I have and using it until it becomes too loud or quits.

 

[whit]

Is it worth buying a new motor, or am I at a point where other things will start failing?

Can't speak to other things failing, since I've only had the one pellet stove. But replacing the auger motor was worth it, not just for the silence, but it's feeding the flame more evenly now. The uneven feeding of the old one was sometimes starving it, and sometimes leading to over firing -- not dangerously so, but enough to make the exhaust pipe put out a deep tone. You can find the genuine part for about $160, and it's a better part than the older stoves came with.

 

[sydflash]

So I reinstalled the feed motor and assembly and it is as quiet as new for now. In fact, it is so quiet I couldn't even tell it was working for a while. Maybe uninstalling redistributed the lube in the sealed motor (not sure this is a thing) or maybe there was something in the feed tube that was making it work harder but got vac'd up and I didn't notice. Either way, a big thanks to kappel and whit for the responses! I will follow up if the motor gets loud agan.

 

[Austin95]

I am wondering what peoples thoughts are on the quadrafire castile pellet insert? i am looking at getting a pellet insert, due to the small size of our fireplace our options are limited. We are first time pellet stove owners so any feed back is appreciated.