Jan, 2012

I came home to find my pellet stove not running.  There were no pellets in the fire grate... still warm.  I start it and hear the auger motor running but no pellets falling.  I see the small auger motor running when the "feed" light goes on.  I scoop out all the pellets and find out that the motor is running, but not turning the auger.  Three minutes after I turn off the stove and unplug it, I have the motor out and a replacement in (I bought two spares dirt cheap on E-bay back in 2008) and restart the stove.  One large alan wrench (1/4") is needed. Watching the auger from the back I see it's now turning (FYI - the auger turns awfully slow even on #3 heat setting, so watch carefully).   Five minutes later I have a nice fire.  I take the old auger apart.. and find the first gear (fiber) stripped.

 I guess after 14 years, it gave up.  Good thing I keep spares, as it's going to be 12 to 20 degrees this week !

Warning: the auger is pretty powerful due to the slow gearing.  So don't get your fingers in that feeder bin and have have the auger grab it.  THE  AUGER WILL NOT REVERSE !  Only loosening the 1/4" alan screw will allow the auger to turn backwards.   There have been reports of items getting stuck in the auger.  Plastic from extra pellet bags and junk in the bags.  So you would have to unscrew that alan wrench to spin it in any direction.

P.S. a week later and no problems with the stove.  I'm wondering, I had problems back in Dec with the stove almost going out on low.  I bet the auger was skipping a bit back then.