How To Test and Reverse Direction on Your Pellet Stove Auger Feed Motor
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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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: http://pellethead.com/product/harman-4-rpm-counter-clockwise-auger-feed-motor-2/
Aftermarket: http://pellethead.com/product/harman-4-rpm-counter-clockwise-auger-feed-motor/
Any other questions please let us know.
Thanks,
ESESstoves