Hello, my name is Mark and I have a headache called the Thelin Gnome. I love it though, its just a real job trying to get it to function.
I have had more questions than answers about why this thing has done what it has done, and am wondering if there are any "experts" on these beasts that can say they've tried it all and I can get a diagnosis on the thing.
Right now, what I ended up doing is I took the auger motor into my own hands and hooked it up to a 12v power source, and it runs fine. Never clogs, nothing. I even then put a 9v. power source (old adapter) on it, and even then it runs fine, never clogs.
Now when its hooked up to the stove proper, it goes for about 5-15 minutes, then stops. Then the fire goes out. Then it starts up again and floods the chamber, but never starts.
I had problems with the automatic starter shorting out for ??? reason twice. I actually saw the thing spark over to the metal near the connector, so I took it out and left it out a long time ago (also because I got tired of replacing it).
So, the only thing I can think is that there is a switch/sensor that is going out constantly. I changed the T1 and T2 TWICE already, and it worked for a short while then quit but even then it wasn't right when the thing ran.
I use GOOD QUALITY PELLETS, really good ones, and it makes no difference. I have the exhaust set just like Jay told me to back in the day when it ran for almost a year without any problems, and now this. It's been sitting now and then for a long time because I get so mad at it.
So, the main point was this: I am rebuilding this thing from the bottom up, and making it run with a 12v adapter with a switch/controller so that I can reduce the feed, but it won't be hooked up to any sensors. Today I did that and it worked absolutely fine. What this means is that for the sake of safety though I can't run it unless I'm right there or it can over-fire. However rather than having it be a source of conversation about "how pretty that thing is" I'd rather just use it when I am home as an extra source of heat rather than rely on it for my main source of heat. I've also decided if/when the motherboard goes maybe I'd just hard wire the fans up so when its on its one there as well.
If anyone else has done anything like this let me know. Please know--I'm not interested in a bunch of criticism I know the risks of doing what I'm doing, just figuring out some way to use the thing since I paid almost 3 grand for it. All I'm wondering is if they ever got to the bottom of what makes these things so unreliable with the auger feed and start/stop since I've read umpteen posts about similar issues but never really found a post that says "this is it" unequivocally about the start/stop routine. The auger does not clog up ever either with the adapter or when its running, it just stops after 5-15 and then restarts later on.
I'm hoping at least to use it for a while for when the kids go sledding and need to warm up. thanks for any input, stories, or info one what has been the case.
Also, I've cleaned this thing to the point of being able to say it looked like new, inside and out. Not a speck difference that made with start/stop. Again, motor runs fine with the 12v adapter on it, so am just guessing its a flaw with a sensor or something. God bless and hope to hear anything positive!
I have had more questions than answers about why this thing has done what it has done, and am wondering if there are any "experts" on these beasts that can say they've tried it all and I can get a diagnosis on the thing.
Right now, what I ended up doing is I took the auger motor into my own hands and hooked it up to a 12v power source, and it runs fine. Never clogs, nothing. I even then put a 9v. power source (old adapter) on it, and even then it runs fine, never clogs.
Now when its hooked up to the stove proper, it goes for about 5-15 minutes, then stops. Then the fire goes out. Then it starts up again and floods the chamber, but never starts.
I had problems with the automatic starter shorting out for ??? reason twice. I actually saw the thing spark over to the metal near the connector, so I took it out and left it out a long time ago (also because I got tired of replacing it).
So, the only thing I can think is that there is a switch/sensor that is going out constantly. I changed the T1 and T2 TWICE already, and it worked for a short while then quit but even then it wasn't right when the thing ran.
I use GOOD QUALITY PELLETS, really good ones, and it makes no difference. I have the exhaust set just like Jay told me to back in the day when it ran for almost a year without any problems, and now this. It's been sitting now and then for a long time because I get so mad at it.
So, the main point was this: I am rebuilding this thing from the bottom up, and making it run with a 12v adapter with a switch/controller so that I can reduce the feed, but it won't be hooked up to any sensors. Today I did that and it worked absolutely fine. What this means is that for the sake of safety though I can't run it unless I'm right there or it can over-fire. However rather than having it be a source of conversation about "how pretty that thing is" I'd rather just use it when I am home as an extra source of heat rather than rely on it for my main source of heat. I've also decided if/when the motherboard goes maybe I'd just hard wire the fans up so when its on its one there as well.
If anyone else has done anything like this let me know. Please know--I'm not interested in a bunch of criticism I know the risks of doing what I'm doing, just figuring out some way to use the thing since I paid almost 3 grand for it. All I'm wondering is if they ever got to the bottom of what makes these things so unreliable with the auger feed and start/stop since I've read umpteen posts about similar issues but never really found a post that says "this is it" unequivocally about the start/stop routine. The auger does not clog up ever either with the adapter or when its running, it just stops after 5-15 and then restarts later on.
I'm hoping at least to use it for a while for when the kids go sledding and need to warm up. thanks for any input, stories, or info one what has been the case.
Also, I've cleaned this thing to the point of being able to say it looked like new, inside and out. Not a speck difference that made with start/stop. Again, motor runs fine with the 12v adapter on it, so am just guessing its a flaw with a sensor or something. God bless and hope to hear anything positive!
