Not everyone has a local pellet stove repair guy they can call to come fix a problem. Many of us are left with one of two choices: fix it ourselves or freeze. You may run your pellet stove 24/7 during the winter as some of my friends in Montana do.
If you're reading this it means you have taken on the challenge yourself and may need some assistance. Here are the basics behind fixing your stove.#1 UNPLUG YOUR STOVE BEFORE YOU REMOVE ANY PARTS! However you will need it plugged in to test.When it comes to an Auger Motor, an Exhaust (Combustion fan) or a Convection fan that is not working; you want to determine if the motor has failed or if it's not getting any power.
What really helps out a lot is if you have a Multi-meter with a A/C volts setting. If you do, start the stove and put the leads on the motor and see if you have 120 volts. If you are testing an auger motor the voltage will be turning off and on. If you're testing any other motor the voltage may be as low as 10 volts. The important thing is that you are getting some voltage.
What if you don't have a Multi-meter or don't know how to use one. Because the motors all run on 120 volts you can plug them directly into a wall socket to test them. To do this, head on down to your local hardware store and get everything you need to make a power cord that has test clips on the end (to connect to your motor). Make sure your stove is unplugged before you power up any motor.
If you do the above test and the motor does nothing, great! You have a bad motor and I can help you get a new one. If notyou may need to seek professional help. One thing to check is the Vacuum switch. The Vacuum switch will turn the auger motor off if the chimney gets backed up with ash. If you know for sure that the chimney is clear you can bypass the Vacuum switch by taking the two wires off the switch and connect them together. Make sure you have the stove unplugged when you do this or you will get shocked.
One other item that can cause the auger motor to stop feeding is the hi limit sensor. This sensor shuts the auger off if the stove gets too hot. If the sensor goes bad it could be the cause of your problem but is extremely rare.
Needless to say, I have most all sensors and motors you need for just about any pellet stove listed on my eBay storehttp://stores.ebay.com/store=16777311 and I'm available for emails or phone calls if you need further assistance.