A pellet stove burns pellets made from compressed wood waste and from agricultural waste. A container, known as the hopper, stores these pellets, and a motorized auger inside the hopper feeds the pellets to the burn box for a continual source of heat. Debris and foreign objects can find their way into the hopper and cause the auger to jam. The auger bushing and motor can also fail. Cleaning the hopper, removing and replacing the auger and installing a new motor and bushing can repair a pellet stove auger that won’t turn.
Unplug the pellet stove from the electrical outlet. Open the hopper door on the top of the stove and remove the remaining pellets from the hopper bin.
Look inside the hopper for a removable auger cover. Most pellet stoves do not have a removable auger cover, but you can see a portion of the auger at the bottom of the hopper. Remove the screws that hold the cover over the auger if applicable and remove the auger cover from the hopper.
Vacuum the area around the auger with a wet-dry vacuum to remove any debris or foreign objects that might cause the auger to jam. Use your fingers to rotate the auger to expose any pellets hidden beneath the auger.
Plug the pellet stove into the wall outlet and start the auger. If the auger doesn’t rotate but you can hear the motor attempting to spin the auger, turn off the auger and unplug the stove.
Remove the screws holding the rear panel to the back of the pellet stove. Rotate auger motor to expose the set screw holding the motor to the end of the auger.
Loosen the set screws with an adjustable wrench or a socket set. Slide the motor off the auger.
Try to rotate the auger with your fingers. If the auger is difficult to spin, the brass bushing spins with the auger or you can move the auger in and out. Replace the auger brass bushing and bushing plate, as this can cause the bushing to act as a break and stop the auger from spinning.
Remove the nuts holding the bushing plate to the bottom of the auger with pliers. Pull the plate from the auger and the bottom of the hopper.
Pull the auger from the hopper and inspect it for any damage to the end of the auger of the auger blades. Replace the auger if the end of the auger or the auger blades appear damaged.
Clean the auger housing with a nylon bottle brush to loosen any debris stuck to the sides of the auger housing. Use the wet-dry vacuum to remove the debris brushed from the auger housing.
Clean the top of the auger with a nonlubricating spray degreaser. Wipe the end of the auger with a soft cloth.
Insert the auger into the auger housing. Install a new auger end plate gasket to the bottom of the hopper and around the auger opening.
Install the replacement bushing plate with the new bushing onto the bottom of the auger and hopper. Secure the bushing plate with the screws you removed from the original bushing plate.
Set the auger motor on a stable surface and plug the stove into the electrical outlet. Turn the auger on to see if the motor shaft spins. If the shaft doesn’t spin, replace the auger motor.
Unplug the pellet stove and pull the two wire connectors from the auger motor. Slide the wire connectors onto replacement auger motor terminals.
Line the flat side of the auger motor shaft up with the set screw opening in the side of the auger collar. Push the motor into the end of the auger. Insert the set screw in the opening and tighten it.
Replace the back of the pellet stove. If you removed the cover from you auger inside the hopper, replace the cover and seal around the edges of the cover with high-temperature silicone.
Load the hopper with pellets, and plug the stove into the wall outlet.
Your Planting Articles
Things You Will Need
- Wet-dry vacuum
- Adjustable wrench or socket set
- Replacement auger
- Nylon bottle brush
- Nonlubricating spray degreaser
- Soft cloth
- Auger end plate gasket
- Replacement bushing plate and bushing
- Replacement auger motor
- High-temperature silicone
- Travis Industries: Pellet Stove Service Guide
- Northline Express.com: Pellet Stove Frequently Asked Questions
- You Tube: WoodHeatStoves: Whitfield Pellet Stove Auger Motor Troubleshooting and Replacement
- England’s Stove Works: Replacing your Auger Motors and/or Aligning Your Augers
- Energy.gov: Wood and Pellet Heating
- Jupiterimages/Photos.com/Getty Images