Overview
The average pellet stove auger feed motor will last approximately 6-8 seasons running fairly consistently in season during moderate to severe climates. Same goes for agitator/stirrer motors used in select multi-fuel stoves. We have seen some go 10+ years, and some go in under a year, but the average is 6-8 seasons. As the auger feed motor is getting towards the end of its life it may have abnormal noises while in operation, frequent auger jams, inconsistency in pellet delivery to the burnpot/firepot, it may be leaking grease, or stop working all together.
Testing
The auger feed and agitator motor can be ‘Bench Tested’. Testing it outside the stove can allow you to ensure the motor itself is bad and not something else in the stove (most units have safety switches and features that will not allow the auger motor to run if there is a safety concern or if the device/switch itself is faulty.) To run a bench test simply get an old 2 wire cord, snip the ends and put female connectors on the wires. Connect the cord wires to the auger motor wires or leads on the motor (doesn’t matter which connects to which) and plug into a normal 120v wall outlet.
With a pliers you can grip the shaft to see if there is good torque; use a rag so you don’t mangle the shaft with your pliers. With proper auger motor torque you shouldn’t be able to stop the shaft from turning with your hand. If you have a DC auger motor, you can use a 12V cordless drill battery for bench testing by creating a test cord to the auger motor leads that makes solid connection with the 12V battery power points.
Reversing
Depending on the make and model stove you have, some require a clockwise rotation auger motor and some require a counter clockwise rotation motor. We determine direction of the motor when facing the motor shaft; not all manufacturers or hearth distributers determine direction this way. In the event you need to reverse the direction on your auger motor, you can watch our video below along with the step-by-step instructions here.
1. Unscrew the four screws holding the armature and magnet in place.
2. Remove the armature *Be sure not to lose the plastic washers on the armature*
3. Take the black magnet and flip it completely upside down.
4. Replace your armature *Be sure the plastic washers are in place*
5. Re-screw the four screws back into place.
6. This will reverse the polarity of the motor and cause the shaft to spin the opposite direction.
Earth Sense offers OEM, aftermarket, and import auger motor options for most manufacturers and models. OEM auger motors are Original Equipment Manufacturer and are either ordered direct from the manufacturer or they are ordered factory direct. Our aftermarket motors are made by Gleason Avery right here in the USA and are the highest quality and strongest built motors we have come across. Gleason Avery motors are needle point sealed ball bearing and built to to last. Our Pellethead Replacement motors (PH motors) are import replacement motors.
These motors will be sealed bearing and have been tested for performance and longevity. PH motors are reliable, cost efficient and will provide the best savings. Most replacement auger motors whether they are OEM or aftermarket no longer use the rear plastic cooling fan as the original motor did. These motors run cool enough during operation where the cooling fan is not needed or required. Factory OEM motors will have the factory replacement warranty which can be 30 days, 90 days, or 1 year depending on the manufacturer. Most of our aftermarket and PH motors will have a full 1 year warranty.
All orders include lifetime technical support. With a combined 100+ years in pellet stove technical service and support, we are the pellet stove experts and are happy to work with you to get your stove back up in proper operation.
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So my motor on my pelpro sound very load every other delivery of pellets and I doesn’t deliver pellets even either. This would be the motor not the auger or cheap pellets?
Wayne,
Thanks for contacting us. In 99% of the cases if the feed motor is loud and/or intermittently delivering pellets it would be an issue with the feed/auger motor itself not your auger shaft or fuel. We offer a super premium needle ball bearing motor as replacement which is superior to the original factory OEM motor. Here is a link to that motor. Any other questions we are happy to assist.
Thanks again,
Taylor-ESESstoves
I have a Walnock Hersey EF2 Pellet Stove.I have bypassed the the chimney exhaust switch,The problem I am having is that the Auger motor does not turn.However if plugged directly in AC socket it will turn.
I plugged the Auger motor wires to the exhaust motor and it works fine so there is power on the Auger wires.Could the Auger motor be faulty?This problem started intermittently by stopping to feed pellets from time to time but now it is completely dead.
Christian,
Thanks for contacting us, happy to assist. Sounds like you have the Enviro Fire EF2 model. If your auger motor turns when running it to direct AC power, the auger motor is good. In most cases this would either be the vacuum switch or high limit switch not allowing the auger motor to operate. Both can be bypassed to troubleshoot and determine where the root of the issue is. I will email you direct as well and we will assist in finding where the issue is. Thanks for contacting us.
Taylor-ESESstoves
I have a Quadra fire castle pellet insert auger motor is brand new and still won’t work is there a way to bypass vacuum to see if that is the problem
Bob,
Thanks for contacting us. For testing purposes only the Vacuum switch can be bypassed. The High Limit Switch is the other safety device in the stove that can prevent the auger motor from turning. That switch can be bypassed as well for testing. To bypass you would pull the two lead wires off the switch and connect them together. The best way is to create a jumper wire – take a short piece of wire and put a male spade connector on either end. Connect the two lead wires together. MAKE SURE the stove is unplugged when doing this.
Keep us posted, we are happy to assist.
Thanks,
Taylor-ESESstoves
I have a tubo fire 2001 pellet stove.FIRST ISSUE NOT SURE WHO MAKES THIS PARTICULAR STOVE.SECOND the sugar motor runs when I test it outside of stove but when hooked back up it doesn’t , I checked all wiering and electricity is present to motor but won’t run when reconnected .Any ideas on this
Bob, Thanks for contacting us. We have never heard of a Turbo Fire pellet stove before. Most pellet stoves are similar in the sense that they have a vacuum switch and a high limit switch, both of which can prevent the auger motor from turning if they felt there was a safety issue or if the switch, switches were faulty. For testing purposes you can bypass these switches one at a time to help troubleshoot. To bypass you would pull the two lead wires off the switch and connect them together. The best way is to create a jumper wire – take a short piece of wire and put a male spade connector on either end. Connect the two lead wires together. MAKE SURE the stove is unplugged when doing this.
Hope that helps, keep us posted.
Thanks,
Taylor-ESESstoves
We are having the same problem with our pellet stove. How do we bypass to troubleshoot?
Hey Carole,
I have spoken to our parts manager, Matt Roe. He has indicated that he has emailed you direct regarding your message here. We are happy to assist, you can reach Matt direct at [email protected] or [email protected]. Happy to troubleshoot the issue with you and get you the best price on any replacement parts you may require.
Thanks again.
My pellet stove has 2 augers. The upper auger that feeds the lower runs intermitanly. Like every 10-15 seconds and only for a fraction of a second. Is this normal? It seem like the lower auger doesn’t get enough pellets and the fire goes out.
I have a 1992 Winrich Dynasty Pellet stove and the auger works manual but does not automatic feed and the stove goes out. The motor is making a squealing noise. Do I need to replace the auger motor? Should I be looking for something else before I replace it?
Hi Lori,
This sounds like multiple issues. The control board tells the auger motor when to turn on and off. If it no longer does this automatically you may have need to replace/upgrade that control board. We do offer a replacement kit for the Winrich, it is part number MAR11. The squealing noise you hear may be a result of the auger motor itself. I would isolate the motor to see if it is the problem and not another component within the stove. Does the sound go away the moment the auger motor stops? You could also try “bench testing” the motor away from the stove.
Best,
ESES
Steve,
Thanks for contacting us, apologies on our delay here as there were some glitches not allowing us to see the pending blog messages. It would depend on the make and model of your stove, only a small handful of manufacturers used a dual auger system such as the Englander line of units. Most auger motor feed systems are designed to run intermittently based on the control board settings and/or thermostat settings. Your issue could potentially be a weak auger motor or an issue with the circuit board not giving proper signal to the auger motor. If you are still having difficulties let us know and we’ll see how we can assist.
Thanks,
Taylor-ESESstoves
Lennox pellet auger starts with the stove but runs continually not intermittent. Cycling thru heat output will put it in intermittent feed untill next startup.
Probably bad control ?
Gary,
Thanks for contacting us. During start-up it will feed more frequent, however it should not be continually running. If you verified that the auger motor is running constant without stopping, in 99% of the cases, yes that would be a control board issue. If you need assistance getting the correct part please let us know. We generally stock all Whitfield/Lennox parts and guarantee the best prices. Any other questions please let us know.
Thanks,
Taylor-ESESstoves
I have a Whitfield pellet stove insert. At the end of the season last year I cleaned it and left it ready for this season. I started it today but the pellets are not dropping. How do I test the auger motor or the safety switches you all talk about. Any info would be great. Thanks
Hey Greg,
Thanks for contacting us, happy to assist. Yes, the best thing will be to test the auger motor direct to see if it’s an issue with the motor itself. If the motor is good, you can then check the vacuum switch and your limit switches to help troubleshoot where the problem is. Here are a couple links that will help you. Any other questions please let us know, we’ll make sure you get back up and running 100%.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rlmiCYI2WPk&t=2s
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FDVkbsHS95U
Thanks,
Taylor-ESESstoves
I have a brand new enviro m-55 and it won’t feed pellets. Took apart and see the auger motor turning but auger itself only turns a hair and then falls back so no progress. Took apart cover and no jams. Cleaned out anyway and no change.
Corey,
Thanks for contacting us. That’s very strange, especially since you cleaned everything out. I would suggest pulling the auger motor completely off. If there is no fuel in the hopper, you should be able to rotate the auger shaft by hand or with a normal pliers. If the auger shaft still is not rotating, I would suggest completely pulling out the auger shaft as there must be something lodged or jammed. If the auger shaft spins freely, I would then suggest running the auger motor to direct power and doing a torque test. Video link below on running the auger motor direct. For the torque test you can simply take a pliers and wrap a cloth around the motor shaft. Grip the pliers on the shaft. Give direct power. You should not be able to stop that shaft from turning with just your hand if torque is proper. Could potentially be a weak auger motor gear causing the issue. Any other questions please let us know, we are happy to assist. Should you need any replacement parts let us know and we will work to get you the right ones at the best price.
Testing a motor direct – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rlmiCYI2WPk&t=5s
Thanks,
I have an Englander stove, dual auger motors. We’ve been having problems with it shutting off. We took everything apart and cleaned it. We left the back off so we could monitor it’s progress. It ran for 4 hours, it started making noise about 45 minutes before it shut off. The lower auger motor was very hot to the touch the upper was not even warm.
Hey Ann,
Thanks for contacting us. Based on what you are describing it does sound like there is an issue with that lower auger motor. Englander stoves have been notorious for auger motor failures on the factory motors. Most Englander models will use a 1 RPM Counter Clockwise Auger Motor, However select models will use a 2 RPM and some a 4 RPM.
Here are links to the most common 1 RPM Auger Motor Replacement for Englander. You can also find the others on our site based on your model should the 1 RPM not be correct.
Any other questions just let us know.
Needle Ball Bearing USA Replacement – https://pellethead.com/product/england-stove-works-englander-auger-feed-fuel-motor-1-rpm-counter-clockwise-aftermarket/
Sealed Bearing Import Replacement – https://pellethead.com/product/pellethead-replacement-england-stove-works-englander-auger-feed-fuel-motor-1-rpm-counter-clockwise/
Thanks,
I put brand new augar motor top and bottom I spent 3 hrs on the phone with new England stove and found my vacuum switch was bad I replaced it my pellets on start up was feed very fast the the top augar stops completely dont know what I’m doing wrong
Thanks for contacting us Joanie. Most Englander models will use a 1 RPM Counter Clockwise Motor for both the Upper & Lower, however some models do use a 2 RPM Clockwise, and some use a 4 RPM Clockwise. First off I would suggest you want to make sure the new auger motors you put in are indeed the correct RPM for your model. We can help verify that if you want to let us know which model you have. Generally during start-up more pellets will feed, if it seems overly excessive it could be an issue with the control/circuit board. I suggest making sure that the unit is thoroughly cleaned as well as the venting and making sure all door gasket seals are tight. Any blockage of ash or leak in the gaskets will slow down combustion air and will cause the stove to appear that it’s feeding to much fuel. Both of the augers are designed to run intermittent based on what the control board is signaling. If your top auger motor is stopping completely, it could be the new vacuum switch is shutting it down (again you will want to check ash build-up, gasket seals, and ensure your combustion blower appears to be operating correctly – if proper pressure is not sensed it will trip that switch and shut off the auger motor). It could also be the high limit switch or the control board. Always check the simple things first – In over 90% of the cases, the issues you are having are being caused by ash build-up in the stove and/or venting and/or gasket seals not sealing tightly around the firebox door and ash pan door if applicable.
Hope that helps.
Thanks,
I have bought 2 motors from you in the last month. The first one lasted 2 weeks and the 2nd has lasted 5 days. It is breaking the gears. I have a Whitfield Advantage stove. Any ideas?
Good morning Tabatha,
Thanks for contacting us. Very sorry to hear of the troubles going on, we are happy to help. It would be extremely rare to have two motor failures like this in such a short amount of time. Let’s take a closer look at what might be causing these augers to bind and gears to break. Two things I think we should inspect closely. 1. The Auger End Plate with the Bushing. Depending on the year of your Advantage model and specific model, you will either have an auger end plate with a brass bushing or Nylatron Bushing. Overtime this bushing wears out and can cause the auger to tweak creating a bind and higher tension on the motor then what can be handled by the motor. This would be the main thing we want to look at. 2. It’s important we check the auger shaft itself by fully pulling it out of the stove. We want to first off make sure there is nothing foreign inside the auger shaft area and secondly we want to thoroughly inspect the auger shaft itself. We have seen cases where the flight of that auger shaft can get worn over time causing play/slop. This causes fuel to become easily jammed putting higher strain on the auger motor. Let us know what you find and let us know the exact Advantage model you have (Advantage II-T, Advantage Plus, Advantage III, Etc..) so we can assist properly and get you the right parts should you need any.
Happy to assist and get you back to 100%.
Thanks,
ESESstoves
I have a QuadraFire Castile insert and my auger motor is making a loud squeaking noise when it feeds pellets. Any idea what it could be? Auger motor was just replaced i January of 2018.
John,
Thanks for contacting us, happy to assist. If you just recently replaced the motor it’s more than likely not coming from the motor itself. Generally motor issue noises will not be squeaking sounds. It is probably something though within the feed assembly system. Could be the nylon feed block bearing or something foreign in the auger shaft that the auger is having resistance with. My suggestions would be to completely clean out the hopper and then pull out the entire feed system – Auger Motor, Auger, etc.. as the full assembly. You can wire that to direct power to pinpoint where the noise is coming from. Thoroughly inspect the auger shaft and auger tube to ensure nothing foreign is in there. Let us know what you find, we are happy to assist. We do offer and stock all Quadra-Fire parts should you happen to need anything. We guarantee the best price and fastest shipping with lifetime tech support.
Hope that helps.
Thanks,
ESESstoves
Please watch this vid of my noise. I have a quadrafire 1200i.
Let me know what you think it is, the motor or shaft.
https://youtu.be/sXhmMvzAims
Thanks for contacting us Jason. Wow, that is quite the noise to say the least. That definitely does not sound like an auger motor noise to me. Generally an auger motor noise will be a slight squeal or squeaking. That is a metal on metal grinding noise from what I can hear. I would suggest completely pulling out the auger assembly and closely inspecting the auger shaft and the auger tube that the shaft runs inside. Once pulled out you can also create a test cord and run that auger motor to direct power so you can hear it operate outside of the unit. This will let you know for sure if it’s an issue with the motor or an issue with the motor and feed spring when inside of the unit. From what I can hear in the video, it’s either something foreign that has gotten in there or the flight of the auger shaft has gotten tweaked and is creating heavy restriction within. We do offer the auger as well as the complete feed and spring assembly should you end up needing any feed system replacement parts.
Happy to help however we can.
Thanks,
ESESstoves
Hi – Hope you can help. I have a 10 year old Lopi Leyden. Recently, pellets have been getting caught between the auger blade and the auger cover jamming the auger and stopping the feed process. Do you think the auger motor could be losing torque and thereby keeping the auger blade from breaking through the jammed pellets.
I’ll try to attach a photo. Hope it works.
/Users/billjanecole/Desktop/Jammed Auger.jpg
Hey Bill, thanks for contacting us, happy to assist.
It would be good to inspect the auger flight itself. You want to make sure there isn’t an issue there or a ton of slop between the auger flight and auger cover. It’s probably fine, but good to inspect. More than likely it is your auger motor and it has lost it’s torque over the years.
If you need a new auger motor links are below.
USA Replacement- https://pellethead.com/product/travis-industries-lopi-avalon-auger-feed-motor-1-rpm-clockwise/
Any other questions please let us know.
Thanks,
ESESstoves
My issue is similar. The augar is turning around but pellets are keeping it from continuing to turn. I think the it’s lost its strength/torque to cut right through them and force the turning. How do I fix it or do we have to replace something? It’s a The Earth Stove model hp 40. I’ve tried Google but it just won’t help with my particular pellet stove. I hope you can help.
Thanks for contacting us, happy to assist. If I understand correctly, your auger motor is turning, however it is getting jammed up when pellets are in the auger shaft and hopper. It never hurts to clean out the hopper and to pull out the auger shaft to do a good cleaning just to ensure there are no foreign objects or heavy fines build-up. The flights on the auger shaft can wear down allowing pellets to easily jam. Double check the auger shaft and see if there is any ‘slop’ in the auger shaft housing. Over time the torque of the auger motor will become weak. Depending on the year of your Earth Stove HP40, some had a 1 RPM cup motor and a 6 RPM auger motor. Double check the motor label when pulling it out to ensure you are ordering the correct RPM motor you require. Here are links for reference.
https://pellethead.com/product/earth-stove-traeger-homewarmer-pellet-stove-furnace-auger-feed-cup-motor-1-rpm-clockwise-aftermarket/
https://pellethead.com/product/earth-stove-traeger-homewarmer-auger-feed-fuel-motor-6-rpm-clockwise-aftermarket/
Keep us posted, happy to help.
Hi, I have an older Harman Accentra with a chain drive that the motor just went out on. I know you sell a direct replacement, however, we rarely set the feed rate over 1 of 6 or we would need to open a window or door. Would going to a slower RPM replacement motor be a viable option to gain more adjustability within a useable feed rate range? If so, what RPM would you recommend?
Brandon, thanks for contacting us – we are happy to help. You will want to stay with the factory 4RPM auger motor for your Accentra. The feed adjuster dial is more of a governor for the stove. It basically allows you to set the the max fuel the stove can feed to. Ultimately, your heat output is determined by your temp setting and room probe. Based on your situation I would suggest you use room temp mode, set your desired temp, leave the unit on auto ignition and make sure your room probe is placed properly. This way it will maintain your set temperature without you getting cooked out of the room no matter where you have the feed adjuster set.
Here is a video that we did that covers the Harman controls in more detail which may be helpful for you: https://youtu.be/cZErnzd53IA
Link to the auger motor:
OEM: Harman 4 RPM Counter Clockwise Auger Feed Motor 2
Aftermarket: https://pellethead.com/product/harman-4-rpm-counter-clockwise-auger-feed-motor/
Any other questions please let us know.
Thanks,
ESESstoves
I have a vg5770 vogelzang the auger continues to run even when off I need help getting a control board I notice there is 2 boards wich one is most likely to go..
Jason,
Thanks for contacting us. Yes, the Vogelzang VG5770 has two boards. Unfortunately we do not currently stock the control boards for this model. I would suggest you contact USSC (United States Stove Company) direct so you can get a precise answer on which board to replace based on the issue you are experiencing.
Sorry we couldn’t be of further assistance.
Thanks,
ESESstoves
Have you ever dealt with an Austroflamm? I’m having same symptoms, but nobody sells it in the US, nobody has experience servicing it, and I can’t find any instruction or repair manual. Any advice?
Hey Kirk,
Sure thing. We sold and serviced Austroflamm for several years. We do still offer some parts for their models. What kind of symptoms or issues are you experiencing? Also, what Austroflamm model do you have – Integra, Integra II, Integra III or Wega?
Happy to help.