Quadrafire Feed issue

[Smcc]

Hello All,
I have a 5 or 6 year old Mount Vernon Quad that is having feed issues. The auger seems to get clogged after about an hour of running. I’ve checked the basics like the vacuum switch, snap disc 2, the auger movement, the voltage out of the controller and everything seems fine. I’ve pulled the auger (checked the set screw) and cleaned the hopper but none of this solved the problem. After about an hour the flame height is all over the place and often the stove will shut down but the command from the controller telling the auger to move is still present. But no pellets are dropping. I’m using Lignetics pellets in the white bag but plan on switching bands tonight. What I’m I missing? Any idea’s would be much appreciated.

Also should the gasket on the glass door make a complete square? Mine only has the gasket on the two sides and the bottom, not the top.

 

[kinsmanstoves]

AE or OE unit?

 

[Smcc]

I believe it's an OE

 

[kinsmanstoves]

I would be looking at another motor if you checked everything else.

Eric

 

[Harvey Schneider]

I believe it's an OE

If there is a capacitor on the auger motor it may be the culprit. The motor can't decide which way to run without it.

 

[kinsmanstoves]

They no longer make the capacitor as a stand alone part, you must buy the entire set up.

 

[Bkins]

As a owner of one of these stoves and all I've got to say is: "You have got to be kidding me" It is a $1 part, if that.

 

[Harvey Schneider]

They no longer make the capacitor as a stand alone part, you must buy the entire set up.

If you can read the markings on the cap you can buy one from an electronics distributor like Mouser or Digikey.

 

[Smcc]

Thanks for the responses guys.

I will pop in a new cap to be sure. I did remove the red wire on one side of the cap and didn't see a change in the auger movement. It continued to move in both directions.

 

[Smcc]

Any thoughts about the door gasket odd how they wouldn't put full gasket on the glass door.

 

[DexterDay]

Any thoughts about the door gasket odd how they wouldn't put full gasket on the glass door.

Thats the airwash. No gasket there

 

[Smcc]

Thanks. I was just reading through some old threads and it seems a failed cap will cause the auger motor to reverse. This is what I am seeing. Thought that was odd but didn't know what the normal motion was.

 

[Smcc]

Installed a new cap and everything is back to normal. For those of you who don't want to buy the jumper kit the capacitor is a metalized Polly 250v 394k. Thanks for all your help guys.

 

[Harvey Schneider]

394k doesn't sound like a cap designation. uF, nF, pF are normal units of measure for caps.

 

[Smcc]

That was the designation on the componant that failed. I found one with the same designation in an old power supply. The measured capacitance was about .39uF on the replacement. The EE at my work also had questions about the values, Perhaps it's not a capacitor?

It's working great now.

 

[SmokeyTheBear]

It is a part number or fraction of a part number.

 

[Harvey Schneider]

I see it now. It's an encoded part value.
394k is 39 x 10^4 nano-Farads = 0.39 micro-Farads, and the k is 10% tolerance.