# Need Advice With My Englander EP 25 Pellet Stove



## Petewood159 (Nov 30, 2011)

Hello All!
I guess I'll start at the beginning. I bought my stove two years ago at my local Lowe's store hoping to save a little money on my heating bills.At best it has run sporadically sometimes it would start and shut off ,other times is won't feed pellets.The beginning of this season I ran about 3 bags of pellets through without any problem then it stopped feeding pellets. I found this web site and started reading about other people having trouble with there auger motors being weak or not running at all so after cleaning and checking everything I figured I must have a week motor. I read that a good upgrade for my unit is a Gleason Avery A901- 1.2 RPM motors so I got on-line and ordered two so I could have a back up spare. Today one of the two motors arrived and I installed it hoping that would be the fix and the stove started but soon stopped feeding pellets again.
I have cleaned out the auger tube several times and and I made a chute cleaner out of a band saw blade to help remove the clogged pellets from chute when it jams. I took the motor out again and it runs fine out of the stove (so did the old one).I took the auger to my pedestal grinder and carefully deburred and smoothed out and sharp edges that I thought might be binding under load in the chute. I put a little lithium grease on the key-way that drives the auger to help it self center.After filing and smoothing everything I reassembled it and it ran for about an hour and made some clicking noises and went into shut down mode .When it throws a code its an " E2 ". Here is a list of things I've done or checked, : I cleaned everything
Checked the vacuum switch
I by passed the hopper switch last season when it stopped working
I checked both blower motors and there fine
I checked the air intake is not blocked from outside
I checked the exhaust air is Free flowing outside.
I have it hooked to a thermostat and the temp is set at max
All the seals appear to be okay
I checked the vacuum hose for cracks and its good.
I would like to leave my unit on all night to help heat my house this winter but so far I haven't been able to keep it running more than maybe a Sunday afternoon. I don't expect to heat my whole house ,just warm up the basement when we are down stairs. I have been using pellets from Lowe's called "Sure Fires" and some bags seem to have quite a bit of saw dust in them .The glass has always be really black and sooty even five miutes after I clean it. I don't know of any company around here that services pellet stoves so I'm on my own with this thing. I can't afford to scrap it and try another brand till I find one that works. I think in two years I run less than twenty bags through this unit so I'm sure its not over used.
Any advice would be greatly appreciated because I'm running out of ideas.
Thanks in advance. 
Pete.


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## GrahamInVa (Nov 30, 2011)

Welcome!

You need to send a PM (private message) to stoveguy2esw (Mike). https://www.hearth.com/econtent/index.php/forums/fort/1590/

He is the head tech guy at englander and can fix you right up. He is very helpful.


In the meantime.. Have you read this?

http://www.englanderstoves.com/help/PelletStove/ecodes04.html

It will explain what E2 is and some troubleshooting tips.


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## smwilliamson (Nov 30, 2011)

Is this stove hooked up outside air? Can you get the uni to run if you bypass BOTH vacuum switches? You may have a bad  combustion motor out of th box.


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## stoveguy2esw (Nov 30, 2011)

by all means , PM me or call our tech support line at 800-245-6489 between 8/5 eastern. we'll get ya straight


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## pauly2110 (Nov 30, 2011)

let me know what was wrong with your stove after the experts help you out, i have had the same stove as you no problems like that yet, the only problem i had was it was sqweeling at times when the augur turned, Scott W. took care of it it during my yearly stove tune-up as he smoothed the auger with a metal sander, i have not run it yet due to the high temps here in mass but looking forward to running it again soon.


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## Petewood159 (Nov 30, 2011)

[quote author="smwilliamson" date="1322677414"]Is this stove hooked up outside air? Can you get the uni to run if you bypass BOTH vacuum switches? You may have a bad  combustion motor out of th box.[/quot

I only see one vacuum switch And yes I'm connected to outside air.
Pete


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## Petewood159 (Nov 30, 2011)

stoveguy2esw said:
			
		

> by all means , PM me or call our tech support line at 800-245-6489 between 8/5 eastern. we'll get ya straight


I'll pm you tonight after I see if I can get it going tonight.
Thanks , Pete.


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## stoveguy2esw (Nov 30, 2011)

the EP only has one vac switch for the door ajar cutout, only the bottom feed 2 auger ESW units have the dual switch setup.

did you call my tech line? was wondering if you had gotten help today i was watching your thread.

if you want, PM me a daytime phone number and i'll call you from the office


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## Petewood159 (Nov 30, 2011)

stoveguy2esw said:
			
		

> the EP only has one vac switch for the door ajar cutout, only the bottom feed 2 auger ESW units have the dual switch setup.
> 
> did you call my tech line? was wondering if you had gotten help today i was watching your thread.
> 
> if you want, PM me a daytime phone number and i'll call you from the office


I work Midnights this month but I'll pm you my home # .


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## mike56 (Dec 1, 2011)

Now that's service where else can you find that?


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## Petewood159 (Dec 1, 2011)

Your right ,no sooner had I send my PM to Mike my Phone started ringing and it was him with some help. 
Mike I took the auger out and the auger thread had broken away from the main shaft. The welds let go, Ill bring it to work tonight and see about getting it welded up again.
Ill try to attach a picture to help .I guess that explains the loud clicking noise my wife heard last night.


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## mbajor (Dec 1, 2011)

I had the same problem when I first installed my stove, the EP 25.  It would run a while then stop feeding the pellets and shut down.  It never broken the auger from the shaft though.  The problems was all the pellet dust would jam the pellets and the auger.  I solved this by vacuuming the pellets before I put them in the hopper.  Haven't had a unplanned shut down since I started doing this.  Just do a search on this site for pellet vac and you should be good to go.  Hope this helps.


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## Petewood159 (Dec 1, 2011)

mbajor said:
			
		

> I had the same problem when I first installed my stove, the EP 25.  It would run a while then stop feeding the pellets and shut down.  It never broken the auger from the shaft though.  The problems was all the pellet dust would jam the pellets and the auger.  I solved this by vacuuming the pellets before I put them in the hopper.  Haven't had a unplanned shut down since I started doing this.  Just do a search on this site for pellet vac and you should be good to go.  Hope this helps.



I've been doing searches to help myself but I didn't know what else to try but Mike has given me a few things to try . After I get the shaft welded I'll get it back together and give her another try and hopefully it will work. Challenges are always the most fun when you find your solution.


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## imacman (Dec 1, 2011)

Glad Mike saw this thread, and is getting the OP straightened out.  

BTW, what brand of pellets are you running through the stove?  

Besides the suggestion that there are excess fines jamming the auger, it's possible that the pellets are causing a "bridge" in the hopper, shutting off the pellet flow, and causing the E-2 error and shutdown.

Seeing the pic of the broken auger, if it were me, I'd add a few extra welds along the shaft.


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## 76brian (Dec 1, 2011)

mike56 said:
			
		

> Now that's service where else can you find that?



Kinda makes me wish I'd have purchased an Englander.


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## ByCo (Dec 1, 2011)

76brian said:
			
		

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I know what you mean, I've been thinking of getting a bigger stove next year. I'm pretty sure it's going to be an Englander.


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## Petewood159 (Dec 1, 2011)

imacman said:
			
		

> Glad Mike saw this thread, and is getting the OP straightened out.
> 
> BTW, what brand of pellets are you running through the stove?
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> ...



Imacman 
I'm running the brand called "Sure Fire".Im trying to find someone close to where I live that sell some of the premium brands like "Oakies" I keep hearing about. I'm at work and I have the auger welded back together and just checking that it still runs true.I put it on a lathe and indicated the screw and it's out about 0.030" .Nothing a skim on the lathe won't fix.
We added an extra weld in the center to give it extra strength.I'll put in back in tomorrow and see if she'll run .
Pete.


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## jmart (Dec 1, 2011)

76brian said:
			
		

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Amazing thread!  
   Since finding this site and learning about Englander Stove Works' great customer service and support, 
I've been confident when cleaning and maintaining both my son's and daughter's pdvc25.
   That's all a _hands-on_ guy/gal needs to learn and to help troubleshoot is a place to go (or call) where 
people are willing to share their experiences--and done cheerfully I might add.
   Thanks Hearth.com folks and Englander Stove Works. 
   Jerry


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## Petewood159 (Dec 1, 2011)

jmart said:
			
		

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It sure is a good feeling to know that your not alone when your having a problem or have a question about your stove. Thanks to all that contribute to this site and help out us new guys with our stoves.
Pete.


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## CTguy9230 (Dec 1, 2011)

jmart said:
			
		

> 76brian said:
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this is my first year with a pellet stove and having to buy what i could afford and that was an Englander...

after reading many posts on here about there service dept and how helpful the other mambers are here...
i feel confident i make a good choice


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## Petewood159 (Dec 6, 2011)

Hey Pellet People
    Just an update on my stove repair.After welding and turning my auger, I re-installed the auger and took Mikes advice and low and behold , We have Fire I think what was happening is the auger never had a set screw to hold the auger centered in the auger tube so it would run out and jam. It's been running for a couple hours and I have my fingers crossed that we got her fixed.
Thanks to Mike from Englander and everyone else for helping a nube like me.
Thanks & Merry Christmas !
Pete.


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## stoveguy2esw (Dec 6, 2011)

76brian said:
			
		

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Pete, glad to hear its up and running, let me know if i can help in the future


 BTW, its never too late to purchase an Englander!! ;-P 


however, the Harman brand is a quality one , great products!, knowing what i know and were i not an ESW employee, given the choice out there Harman would be at or near the top of my list. ya didnt do bad with your selection Brian, you have a great product that will serve you well.

i appreciate the comment though, was danged nice of you!


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