The loudest Harman auger squeal we ever heard caught on video!

[Don2222]

Hello
This is an 11 year old Harman insert with all original parts.
This is it! Removing the auger and wire wheeling the Auger and Auger chute and installing a brand new auger motor did nothing to change that wicked loud squeal! Just listen to this!

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What to do now?

 

[jackman]

I couldn't tell exactly but it appears the auger is not turning. Are you sure it's the auger and not the distribution or combustion blowers? I would test each motor on it's own using test leads to see if that isolates the culprit.

 

[rich2500]

Sounds like a bearing to me.

 

[Don2222]

Sounds like a bearing to me.

There is a big sealed bearing on the back end of the auger and when I spin it by hand out of the stove, I hear a slight clicking noise.
However it can also be the fact that the fins are not thoroughly welded on to the shaft and when it expands when running it the hot stove and rubs very slightly against the inside of the auger tube, the frequency it rubs at creates the very high pitch whine.

 

[Don2222]

I couldn't tell exactly but it appears the auger is not turning. Are you sure it's the auger and not the distribution or combustion blowers? I would test each motor on it's own using test leads to see if that isolates the culprit.

The other motors are fine and if The auger stops turning the noise stops. So definitely the auger.

 

[jackman]

There is a big sealed bearing on the back end of the auger and when I spin it by hand out of the stove, I hear a slight clicking noise.

The auger should spin freely and smoothly on that bearing. I would go ahead and replace it if you are hearing noise. That may also solve the singing auger syndrome which some augers are known for.

 

[Don2222]

The auger should spin freely and smoothly on that bearing. I would go ahead and replace it if you are hearing noise. That may also solve the singing auger syndrome which some augers are known for.

The new auger has slightly smaller diameter fins and 3 weld spots with an extra one in the middle instead of just 2 at each end that the original auger has!!
The auger bearing is nice and quiet too.
1st pic - new auger on right and old auger on left

 

[Washed-Up]

A bit of deflection in the old auger maybe?

 

[Don2222]

A bit of deflection in the old auger maybe?

Maybe, the fins not being held down in the middle and the diameter of the fins being a bit larger could easily expand with the heat. A cheap fix would be to grind the fins down on a bench grinder and adding a good weld in the center. However any uneven grinding may make the auger out of balance so a new auger is the best solution. Since the bearing was making noise that was not good either.