Replacement combustion blower for Quadrafire Mt Vernon AE insert

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smwilliamson

The Stove Guy
Hearth Supporter
Anyone having to replace this blower with the new OEM blower is in for a surprise, and not the good kind. The old Torrington blower used 6 offset posts to slip through and lock with a twist then the 11/32 nuts tightened down. The new Huayi blower isn't so. It uses 6 Phillips head screws to pass through the 6 outer edge evenly spaced static holes. The 6 offset holes actually still exist but they use those to secure this big ole fat gasket that immediately separates from the screws as soon as you undo it because there are no washers holding the gasket....so the screws just tear through it. So you have a few options, none good.

If you do a simple motor switch and don't change the housing, you cannot use that honking gasket because the gasket has the offset impeller patern like the old housing but it's upside down and the gasket cannot fit over the old threaded screws and allow the motor to slip through it. You can install and use the gasket mounting holes to mount on the posts but you cannot use the gasket.

If you want to use the gasket you have to change the whole stupid housing, which doesn't have the quick lock on it for the liner, so that has to be taken off the old housing and reattached and siliconed to the new housing. 1/2 hr to 45 minute process , THEN you have to fiddle with the gasket and Aleign it perfect to get 6 screws through its preformed holes and into the new housing all while at an angle away from you, while supporting the weight of the motor with one hand and holding the gasket and screws with the other totally in the blind through the 6 inches of workspace they offer on this Felix unit. Wtf HHT? Stupid stupid stupid stupid stupid. A simple motor switch that should take 5 minutes takes at least and hour or more, completely frustrated the whole time. Oh, and when your all done....it gets better, cause now you have to Aleign that liner connection back up and hope that the installer left enough slack in the line to allow for it. But, if it's a spring loaded liner your doomed. Now get out the ladder, climb on the roof, release the top plate, hope the liner doesn't fall down the flue (now it's a two person job), come back down, make the connection, go back up secure the top. Then come on back down again. And don't drop your tools down the ash trap that the old installer removed the door from so the stupid unit could sit flat in the fire box.

All in, 3.5 hrs. Motor was $350 plus shipping, labor was $460 and my day schedule was totally wrecked. One more reason I hate the Mt Vernon AE insert. Good for you HHT. Another well thought out disaster.
 
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Wow ... sorry to hear that. Guess it would be the same on the Mt Vernon AE without the additional frustration of the liner and ash trap. What did the homeowner say?
 
Three years behind but your post is very relevant to me today. Will say I’m not looking forward to going down the path of a full assembly replacement. I disassembled the existing Torrington blower motor and currently waiting on my father to come over with a bearing puller. The man is a retired mechanical engineer and has every tool I never thought I’d need. Replacement 608Z bearings to be delivered this week. If we can get the new bearings on it’ll be a great way of saving myself $500. The replacement assembly is expensive and your description of the job is beyond my DIY capabilities.

[Hearth.com] Replacement combustion blower for Quadrafire Mt Vernon AE insert
[Hearth.com] Replacement combustion blower for Quadrafire Mt Vernon AE insert
 
I took the blades off(metric allen) so I could get at bolts that hold motor to bracket. Spun motor so wire harness was on top, and holes lined up. I did call Quad and growl. Doubt if it did any good. Their other exhaust motors are made by a new supplier also, and those holes don't line up either. kap
 
It always happens when a Mfr uses a new vendor to do their items. I got a Castille for my downstairs free recently (a 2009 model, "it wouldn't work anymore") from a customer at work. I took her home, gave her a good cleaning and preparation, the only thing I could not save was the combustion blower. This stove was all original, even the control board, and motors. The wiring harness was still factory bundled up. I was amazed at its' condition. I did invest in a new quad exh blower and found it would not go on the original screws in the exh housing. Not a biggie, hobbled out the openings and got her all set. Have always loved the 1200 classic bay, but thought the Castille was just so-so, have amended my view. I run it on medium manujal mode (thermostat set up to 90), the past two weeks, I've burnt little wood, but have almost ran this pellet stove constantly. Have been impressed...
 
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Reactions: kappel15
Three years behind but your post is very relevant to me today. Will say I’m not looking forward to going down the path of a full assembly replacement. I disassembled the existing Torrington blower motor and currently waiting on my father to come over with a bearing puller. The man is a retired mechanical engineer and has every tool I never thought I’d need. Replacement 608Z bearings to be delivered this week. If we can get the new bearings on it’ll be a great way of saving myself $500. The replacement assembly is expensive and your description of the job is beyond my DIY capabilities.

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How did this project turn out? Were you able to replace the bearings? I found the blower for $220 on amazon. I wonder if we can find the motor (without the catcher) for even cheaper somewhere.
 
How did this project turn out? Were you able to replace the bearings? I found the blower for $220 on amazon. I wonder if we can find the motor (without the catcher) for even cheaper somewhere.
You caught me doing e-mail here this morning so I saw your post come through.....As for the project, I was able to replace the bearing, but after putting it all back together, the motor was unbalanced. I don't know if I bent the shaft or what, but I did not think to make any sort of initial alignment marks. I considered having a professional try to balance the motor but I abandoned that plan.
So....I ended up purchasing a new motor and blower assembly for $200 from a shop in Montana (tax free). I only ended up replacing the motor, not the entire exhaust assembly. I didn't want to mess with the exhaust pipe. The new gasket gave me some trouble so I reused the original. As others of stated, the orientation of the motor is "upside down" in that the wires on the new motor are on the back/bottom instead of the top as the original motor. Despite that, I was able to line up the holes and get it installed. Wires were just barely long enough but it all works great.

[Hearth.com] Replacement combustion blower for Quadrafire Mt Vernon AE insert
 
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