Still Looking for Help...

[debbiels1979]

As I recently posted, I cannot get my Mount Vernon pellet stove to drop pellets. I have done everything I can think of including cleaning everything I can think of. I have tinkered with the auger and nothing. The stove comes on and the red light is on in the back it just won't drop pellets. Please, if anyone can help, I would deeply appreciate it.

 

[moralleper]

do you get a green light in the control box after the stove starts? if not then it might be an issue with the thermocouple.

 

[debbiels1979]

My stove was installed in late 2004/early 2005 and so my stove doesn't have the control box you are speaking of. Thanks anyway...

 

[BIGISLANDHIKERS]

I have the new AE model so I'm not sure how much help I can be. Have you verified that there is not an auger jam? I have had long pellets jam mine. My wall control unit gave me an auger jam error. Does you model have a fire pot thermocoupler? Mine sticks out about an inch over the firepot.

BIH

 

[debbiels1979]

I was hoping that maybe it was just a jam in the auger but I fiddled with it and can't seem to find any jam. I do have that thermocoupler thing but not sure what it does or how it could be causing a problem with dropping pellets? I appreciate any help anyone can give!!

 

[stoveguy2esw]

I was hoping that maybe it was just a jam in the auger but I fiddled with it and can't seem to find any jam. I do have that thermocoupler thing but not sure what it does or how it could be causing a problem with dropping pellets? I appreciate any help anyone can give!!

will it feed at all , or shut down after it runs a while? is the auger motor getting hot? is it getting current? could be a bad motor, or possibly a door open interrupt , if vacuum , find the switch , follow the vacuum tube to its opening and clear it out and retry, i have seen this fail to feed in several vac sensor equipped units , including ours , if the vac tube gets blocked some it will not run, clearing that usually fixes fail to feed problems if the unit is so equipped

 

[moralleper]

The thermocouple tells the stove that there is fire and that it is hot enough for the stove to start dropping pellets. are you sure that there is not a small plastic looking box with circuts in it? my stove is a 2005/2006 model and I do not think that they are that much different. my control box is on the right side of this stove inside the side door.

 

[debbiels1979]

The thermocouple tells the stove that there is fire and that it is hot enough for the stove to start dropping pellets. are you sure that there is not a small plastic looking box with circuts in it? my stove is a 2005/2006 model and I do not think that they are that much different. my control box is on the right side of this stove inside the side door.

Ok. My confusion. I know with those new AE models they have some sort of computerized control that shows errors and what not. That is what I thought you were referring to. Inside the panel on the right side, there is a plastic looking thing with wires running out of it. I am assuming that is what you are referring to. I know on that plastic peice there is a small button-like thing that you just barely tap and it is suppose to reset or something along those lines. I have tried touching that and nothing. Is there something more I can do back there??

 

[begreen]

The reset button is just below the heat output knob (low, med, high, quad). It should be labeled Reset. To reset, push the button firmly and deliberately for about 1-2 seconds.

Debbie, do you have a copy of the manual? Can you go to pages 22-25 and read through the descriptions and pick the one or ones that best describe what you are seeing now? Then tell us which one best describes the situation you are seeing.

 

[debbiels1979]

Yes I am well familiar with the reset button.

In the troubleshooting section, what best fits it is "Call light on. No fire.
No fuel in firepot."

 

[cakewalk]

Sounds like you need to call someone who is familiar with the stove to do a full service.

It could be a lot of things but it sounds like you are not to knowledgeable about how the stove works and that could get you into more trouble.

Have you tested with a meter to see if any power is coming from the controls to the auger circuit.
have you tested to see if the auger is getting any power?
Have you tested any limits switches to see if they are open or closed ?
have you tested the vacuum switch circuit and or Jumped the circuit?

Have you clean the FLUE and the BLOWERS and the Ash collection CHAMBERS?
Have you cleared the hose from the pressure switch to where it connect to the stove for blockage or broken hose?
Have you check the seal to the doors
Have you pulled the auger motor off the stove Taken all the pellets out of the hopper and backed off the auger by hand or Pliars to clear any jam and to see if turns freely.
If you dont understand what Im talking about or have no idea what Im saying it would be best to find someone who does.

 

[begreen]

Yes, unless one is skilled with electrical testing, I won't advise testing these circuits. The damage can be worse than the original problem (especially if someone gets a serious shock!).

Debbie, while waiting, you might want to check the auger to motor connection with no pellets in the hopper. If the motor shaft is turning when the system is calling for heat, but the auger is not, either the auger tube is plugged or the set screws on the coupler are loose and need tightening, or both.

 

[debbiels1979]

Yes, unless one is skilled with electrical testing, I won't advise testing these circuits. The damage can be worse than the original problem (especially if someone gets a serious shock!).

Debbie, while waiting, you might want to check the auger to motor connection with no pellets in the hopper. If the motor shaft is turning when the system is calling for heat, but the auger is not, either the auger tube is plugged or the set screws on the coupler are loose and need tightening, or both.

Thanks for all of your advice. The service guy just left and as I had suspected the whole time, it was just an auger jam that I couldn't get to. Luckily, I got a really nice guy and he didn't try to milk it and charged me for only an hour and 45 minutes which included 45 minutes drive time each way. I was very happy with a $150 bill than $300 of $400 bill. I truely do thank you because you tried to help while some others just told me I didn't know what I was doing when in reality I knew what the problem was it was just getting to it.

Thank you again and hopefully I won't have anymore problems this season!! Happy New Year everyone!

 

[Xena]

Glad to hear it's back up and running.
You lucked out getting someone over there that fast
especially during the holiday season.
Hopefully you watched him so you can unjam it if/when it happens again.

I read through the posts and didn't see anyone tell
you that you didn't know what you were doing.
All I saw was a bunch of people really trying to point
you in the direction of resolving it.

Have a good one!

 

[debbiels1979]

Well maybe I took a little offense to the one who said I wasn't knowledgeable about my stove when I know otherwise. This is the first problem in three years that I haven't been able to correct myself so I guess that isn't too bad of a track record!

 

[Cath]

I was hoping that maybe it was just a jam in the auger but I fiddled with it and can't seem to find any jam. I do have that thermocoupler thing but not sure what it does or how it could be causing a problem with dropping pellets? I appreciate any help anyone can give!!

Sounds like you need to call someone who is familiar with the stove to do a full service.

It could be a lot of things but it sounds like you are not to knowledgeable about how the stove works and that could get you into more trouble.
...
If you dont understand what Im talking about or have no idea what Im saying it would be best to find someone who does.

debbie,
I would have guessed that you were familiar with your stove but not the current model. However, the highlighted portion of your statement above may be what had "cakewalk / Jim W." wondering.

Notwithstanding his working assumption that you weren't familiar with the stove, he did qualify his assumption with the word "if" and since he was trying to save you from inadvertently making things worse I wouldn't judge him too harshly.

I'm glad the repair didn't cost as much as you feared and that it is working again. It's well worth the money if you got a good look at how he managed to repair it.

~Cath

 

[debbiels1979]

Well my patience was wearing thin and with kids and family here for the holidays it just wasn't a good time for a stove malfunction. I don't mean to harm to anyone. I was just relieved to know that the problem was fixed and that it was what I thought it was the whole time.

 

[tinkabranc]

Were you able to see what he did to fix it for you incase it happens again?
If it was me, I would have stuck to him like glue and picked his brain while he
was there. :lol:

glad to hear you are up and running again!

 

[debbiels1979]

Were you able to see what he did to fix it for you incase it happens again?
If it was me, I would have stuck to him like glue and picked his brain while he
was there. :lol:

glad to hear you are up and running again!

Yeah I saw what he did. The jam was up further inside the stove than what I have ventured before. The service guy commended me on not tempting fate and taking matters into my own hand. He was telling me that so many people think they know more about their stove than what they do and turn a $100 problem into a $500 or $600 problem!

She is running good now. As a matter of fact, I am sitting infront of her right now enjoying the nice warm air!

 

[begreen]

I give you a lot of credit for sticking through the explanations given the circumstances of you, company and children all a bit colder than they want to be. It's really good to know you're warm again.

 

[debbiels1979]

Thanks! We are nice and warm tonight!