The Hampton GC60 is a bad stove! Don't recommend it

[kneedles]

I purchased a GC60 Hampton wood pellet stove in December 2011. Since that date, I have had to have 3 new augur motors replaced, the pulley which turns the rod is frozen solid.
The stove was professionally installed. Purchased it from Clarke's Ace Hardware in Ellicott City, MD. I live in College Park, MD. and the ONLY service provider lives in Pennsylania. He drove down and charged me almost $200 to work on the stove for 45 minutes, installed a new sensor, which didn't fix the stove. He left and decided that it was the augur motor. He tightened the screw that turns the pulley, and after he left, I heard metal breaking, and found the pulley frozen.
No one wants to fix this stove, no one wants to be accountable for selling a bad product. This stove is a lemon!

 

[Fsappo]

I would only buy a pellet stove from a local dealer who will be willing to service the stove, even if that narrowed down my selection. This is unless I was 100% prepared to diagnose and repair the stove myself. Sorry you are having these issues. Have you tried contacting Regency?

 

[Peterfield]

See if you can find an independent pellet service person near you. There are a couple of good ones near my home area and I wouldn't hesitate to call one if needed. I know you're under warranty but maybe a new set of eyes might help your situation.

 

[kneedles]

I purchased a GC60 Hampton wood pellet stove in December 2011. Since that date, I have had to have 3 new augur motors replaced, the pulley which turns the rod is frozen solid.
The stove was professionally installed. Purchased it from Clarke's Ace Hardware in Ellicott City, MD. I live in College Park, MD. and the ONLY service provider lives in Pennsylania. He drove down and charged me almost $200 to work on the stove for 45 minutes, installed a new sensor, which didn't fix the stove. He left and decided that it was the augur motor. He tightened the screw that turns the pulley, and after he left, I heard metal breaking, and found the pulley frozen.
No one wants to fix this stove, no one wants to be accountable for selling a bad product. This stove is a lemon!

Clarke's Hardware was the closest. Even the businesses who Regency lists don't service stoves. Found out after the fact. Come from the Midwest where the business services their products and fixes problems. Here they are only interested in taking your money. The company they recommended didn't have any problem taking almost $300, not only not fixing the stove, but tightening the adjustment screw enough, they caused the pulley gearbox to freeze. When I called him back to tell him the stove still didn't work, and now had the added problem, the reply was "I've never seen this problem before, with a tone of I won't be back to fix the stove. You're on your own". This is the only way we are heating our home, and I am a full time caregiver. As to Regency, so far no response.

 

[kneedles]

See if you can find an independent pellet service person near you. There are a couple of good ones near my home area and I wouldn't hesitate to call one if needed. I know you're under warranty but maybe a new set of eyes might help your situation.

I have emailed and phoned every stove and pellet place I can find, with no service replies. And after getting burned the the company that Clarke's recommended, and being on a fixed income, I just don't have many options. And from the number of problems I have seen in reviews, it is quite apparent that this stove is poorly designed and Regency doest back up what they profess to on their website.

 

[Fsappo]

How about try to fix it yourself? Use us as a resource? Some of us are Regency dealers and may be able to forward your questions via email to some of the brains at FPI?

 

[kneedles]

How about try to fix it yourself? Use us as a resource? Some of us are Regency dealers and may be able to forward your questions via email to some of the brains at FPI?

I have myself installed two new augur motors, and installed a new circuit board and face plate, tested the vacuum switch and the compressor sensor. The guy who came out to fix the stove, but only messed it up more, hammered out the compression sensor and put in a new one. He tightened some screw so the pulley for the rod would turn. Heard metal breaking after he left and now the pulley is frozen. The stove shuts itself off, the augur motor keeps slipping down and disengages. Sounds like I need to replace the bushing on the augur. It is just one thing after another.

 

[Fsappo]

I never looked inside one of those stoves. Maybe someone else can chime in, but for an auger motor to come "unhinged" like that normally stems from a jam someplace. Can you get your hand in there and move the actual auger around? Is it loose? I'm going to check Regencys dealer section of the website and see if they have any updates or addendum's for that stove. Manufacturer date sometimes in 2011?

 

[kneedles]

I never looked inside one of those stoves. Maybe someone else can chime in, but for an auger motor to come "unhinged" like that normally stems from a jam someplace. Can you get your hand in there and move the actual auger around? Is it loose? I'm going to check Regencys dealer section of the website and see if they have any updates or addendum's for that stove. Manufacturer date sometimes in 2011?

No jam. Took all of the pellets out of hopper, as well as plates, and augur rod moves freely. It turns when on, but at some point slips down and disengages. That is why I am thinking that bushing has gone bad. But now with the pulley frozen, probably requires new gearbox.

 

[Fsappo]

Nothing on the tech site about this. may send the link to this thread to Tony at Regency, if you don't mind.

 

[kneedles]

No problem. Any help is better than I have had since I bought this stove.

 

[stoveguy2esw]

How about try to fix it yourself? Use us as a resource? Some of us are Regency dealers and may be able to forward your questions via email to some of the brains at FPI?

im down for some suggestive help if i can , though i do not know their system at all i know pellet stoves in general quite well, i'll keep an eye on thhis thread and try to help as best i can

 

[Fsappo]

Ok, shot off an email to my go to guy at FPI. I'll keep you posted in this thread, as it may help others with the same stove.

 

[kneedles]

Thanks much for your assistance.

 

[gfreek]

Post your problems on the Regency Facebook page. Maybe that will get their attention..

https://www.facebook.com/RegencyFireplace

 

[JimEvansCT]

I just installed a GC60 hope you get this taken care of.

 

[SidecarFlip]

Clarke's Hardware was the closest. Even the businesses who Regency lists don't service stoves. Found out after the fact. Come from the Midwest where the business services their products and fixes problems. Here they are only interested in taking your money. The company they recommended didn't have any problem taking almost $300, not only not fixing the stove, but tightening the adjustment screw enough, they caused the pulley gearbox to freeze. When I called him back to tell him the stove still didn't work, and now had the added problem, the reply was "I've never seen this problem before, with a tone of I won't be back to fix the stove. You're on your own". This is the only way we are heating our home, and I am a full time caregiver. As to Regency, so far no response.

Really? In Maryland? You might try turning your central furnace back on until you get it fixed.

 

[Fsappo]

Ok, Kneedles, PM me with your contact info, name, address, serial# etc. We may have help on the way.

 

[smwilliamson]

If you are on the third auger motor...if the coil is getting fried...when the auger motor is removed from the stove and powered directly and it just freezes up, and with the pellet hopper empty and the auger motor removed you can freely spin the auger...then you have a bad mother board. If the auger does not spin freely with hopper empty and motor removed, then a bushing or flighting will be suspect and that resistance is killing your motors. Not a terribly hard problem to sort out.

About the rake... The rod needs to be removed from the rake. I'm assuming you have a freestanding unit. With the baffle and cast wall removed and the rod disconnected the rake should glide up and down the tubes without hang ups...but you need to pull it back and forth with two hands to keep it in plane. If it gets stuck, it's usually a tube that has slightly warped or twisted. If so, with a large flat head screw driver between the affected area of the tube, slightly twist prying the tube apart so the rake can go up and down.

Place the rod on a flat surface and roll it. It should roll without wobbling. If it does...straighten it out in a vice.

Put it all back together and make sure the rod it TIGHT with the bolts. Make sure the upper baffle is inserted propery and that the baffle has not warped or lifted in the center.

After all of this has been done, and the stove still acts up...then I'm guessing you have a lemon. However, do what I suggested and the problem will reveal itself.

I've found that many issues aren't any one ah ha moment but rather a few simple issues that when put together lead to major complications.

Good luck

 

[Fsappo]

Been a few days, never heard back from him with the contact info. Maybe he fixed

 

[kneedles]

The rod is not the problem. The pulley is frozen. Won't turn by hand. The technician at All heat Turned A Screw And Said That Was Why The Stove Was Not working. Instead, he caused the gearbox that manages the pulley to be stripped. When he started the stove, and left, I heard metal breaking. So now I have a stove with a bad augur motor, a bad gear box, etc.
I just replaced a bushing, a gasket, and an augur motor on my 15 year old Whitfield, and it puts out more heat, runs quietly.
It is not that I can't repair the stove, I don't think I should have to invest $300 or more every year to keep this $3500 stove running.

 

[SmokeyTheBear]

There was a problem with the controller cable getting against the blower motor and melting leading to all sorts of not so funny symptoms.

https://www.hearth.com/talk/threads/hampton-gci60-control-panel-problem.94852/#post-1279069

kneedles

That post has a picture can you confirm if your controller cables are properly secured and have not been rubbing against hot items in the stove.

A partially melted controller cable can have the stove doing things it should not be doing such as overheating and warping items.

As for the service you are getting seems to be par for the course.

I see more than one problem here, the biggest one is the service they can't find the cause of the symptoms.

 

[Fsappo]

Again, I have a tech at FPI watching this thread, said he had someone local to help the OP and we are simply waiting 2 weeks now for the customers contact info.

 

[kneedles]

Again, I have a tech at FPI watching this thread, said he had someone local to help the OP and we are simply waiting 2 weeks now for the customers contact info.

Thought I would fill you in on what has happened. Regency refuses to assume any responsibility for the stove. Said I had to pay for all parts and labor. The stove went through an augur motor every year, had to buy a new panel face and faceplate because they went bad the third year.
Thank god, I still had my old Whitfield in the basement. Replaced the bushing for the augur motor, and it started right up. Got a neighbor to help me get it up the basement steps.
Clarke's said over three months ago that they would pick it up on one of their deliveries. I would have to pay for parts, but they would do the labor. Never heard from them again. I would have been in a world of hurt, if I had not rebuilt my Whitfield. If there is anyone interested in this stoce, contact me via email and we can talk terms. Will never buy anything from Regency again, nor will I recommend any product they have.

 

[SidecarFlip]

I thought my speeeling was bad..................