I'm hoping one of you experienced hombres can help with a question from someone who knows next to nothing about pellet stoves.
The older home we purchase a few years ago came with a Whitfield WP4 Quest. The stove worked fine the first couple years (though it didn't seem to heat our space very well, especially the upstairs).
Then the stove started to have feed issues. The auger would jam, first infrequently, then every couple days, then finally every few minutes. I took it apart and monkeyed with it more times than I can count, tried different pellet brands, and finally bought a new auger motor. That didn't help like I hoped - even with the new motor, the auger would jam and stop feeding. Because Whitfield is extinct, I wasn't able to find parts to replace the auger itself, so I finally got to the point where I 'modified' the auger by cutting and grinding it (just like my grandpa used to fix things :-} ). I was hoping that the issue was pellets jamming between the auger itself and the auger tube. You can guess what happened - I cut off too much of the auger, so the pellets wouldn't feed anymore, even when it would turn.
So, finally my questions -
First, does this sound like a fixable problem, and if so, is there anywhere to source an auger or other parts for a Whitfield? Is this a good stove that is worth repairing?
Secondly, after reading some threads here, it sounds like Harman is a brand people agree is good. I found a Harman P68, supposedly in nearly new condition, on craigslist for $3000. It's 3+ hours away, but I'm willing to drive that for a deal. Should I get the Harman and toss the Whitfield? Would it heat our space better (roughly 2400 sq ft, an older home with not great insulation) and be worth the extra expenditure vs repairing the Whitfield (if it is repairable)?
Thanks for any advice.
The older home we purchase a few years ago came with a Whitfield WP4 Quest. The stove worked fine the first couple years (though it didn't seem to heat our space very well, especially the upstairs).
Then the stove started to have feed issues. The auger would jam, first infrequently, then every couple days, then finally every few minutes. I took it apart and monkeyed with it more times than I can count, tried different pellet brands, and finally bought a new auger motor. That didn't help like I hoped - even with the new motor, the auger would jam and stop feeding. Because Whitfield is extinct, I wasn't able to find parts to replace the auger itself, so I finally got to the point where I 'modified' the auger by cutting and grinding it (just like my grandpa used to fix things :-} ). I was hoping that the issue was pellets jamming between the auger itself and the auger tube. You can guess what happened - I cut off too much of the auger, so the pellets wouldn't feed anymore, even when it would turn.
So, finally my questions -
First, does this sound like a fixable problem, and if so, is there anywhere to source an auger or other parts for a Whitfield? Is this a good stove that is worth repairing?
Secondly, after reading some threads here, it sounds like Harman is a brand people agree is good. I found a Harman P68, supposedly in nearly new condition, on craigslist for $3000. It's 3+ hours away, but I'm willing to drive that for a deal. Should I get the Harman and toss the Whitfield? Would it heat our space better (roughly 2400 sq ft, an older home with not great insulation) and be worth the extra expenditure vs repairing the Whitfield (if it is repairable)?
Thanks for any advice.
