Quadrafire pellets do not auto light! Could be this simple fix

[Don2222]

Hello
CB1200 Classic Bay 1200 wood pellet stove does not spark up and light on fire. The burn pot feels warm from the loop igniter getting hot?
In this case there is hard ash stuck in the oblong hole in the bottom front side of the burn pot blocking the heated air coming in from the igniter to light the pellets!
Using a small mirror and a 90 degree pick probe to clear out the harden ash.
Sometimes there are just stuck pellets.
Harbor Freight Pic Set

https://www.harborfreight.com/mini-pick-and-hook-set-63697.html

Pic 1 - clogged Igniter hole in Fire Pot
Pic 2 - 90 Degree Pick Probe
Pic 3 - clearing ash
Pic 4 - no more clog
Pic 5 - Auro lite Fire !

 

[Spaz]

Damn man clean that sucker. That's discussing.

 

[Don2222]

The pics were taken on purpose before the cleaning to show what the problem is. Then it cleaned up nice and works like new.

 

[zrock]

Were those pellets wet? they sorta look like they were wet and some point and falling apart.

 

[Don2222]

Were those pellets wet? they sorta look like they were wet and some point and falling apart.

Good question?
Not that I know of. However moisture content without a good analyzer is hard to properly determine. A bag of pellets just off the production line is most likely close to the advertised moisture content. However in the bag’s travel to a customer and its storage along the way and how the customer stores the pellets can certainly change the moisture percentage by the time it is poured into the pellet stove. I am still hoping for an inexpensive portable pellet moisture meter similar to the size of a wood moisture meter to positively identify the moisture content of what is seen here. Therefore you could be correct!
I just worked on a stove today that was totally jammed up with no foreign objects in the entire auger chute. After the pellets were removed the auger turned freely with no issues! See pic below and I see absolutely no other cause but moisture!