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Rarely, you may get some pellets that pulverize into sawdust during start-up but
once running they are solid enough to feed fine. If the fire has burned fully down
into the elbow without the auger starting to turn, you may plunge your blade
screwdriver into the bottom of the elbow towards the front of the auger to break up
the sawdust clog. Wear protective gloves and be careful. If this does not resolve
things with one or two tries, proceed to procedures discussed below.
During Continuous Running - The jam that we are discussing now is one that
happens after you have been burning for weeks. All winter long you polished the
auger flutes and the tube interior as the pellets work like pumice. The longer you
run the stove the smoother the feed of pellets and less resistance for the gear motor.
But now something has slammed on the brakes. More than nine out of tens times
it is a carbon clog that causes the pellets to form a ˝log jam. The auger may
continue to push on the jam, crushing the pellets and packing the front end of the
auger with compressed sawdust.
If the stove is still trying to feed pellets, this is one time when it is okay to shut
down the stove. Scoop out as many pellet as you can from the hopper. When
finished be sure that the hopper lid in securely back in place.
Clean out the burn pot and hopper the best that you can. Any muck in the bottom of
the auger tube could just be damp pellets and ash from smothering the fire. Pieces
of plastic or foreign objects are more troublesome. (You should not have to pull
the auger unless you have a bit of metal, etc. jammed.) Once you have cleaned the
burn pot and feed elbow, you will be able to see the front end of the auger at the
bottom of the burn pot and feed elbow. Feel the inside of the elbow in front of the
auger. That is usually where creosote collects. The carbon at the bottom of the
elbow may be smooth. Look in there with a flashlight. Vacuum as many of the
pellets as you can from hopper ˇ s feed chute. The front end and back end should
now be clear of pellets, crud and carbon or creosote.
Once you have everything cleaned, see if you can break loose the auger. If you put
a steady firm force on the motor lever, the motor ˇ s gears will rotate backwards and
you can move the motor to the downward position. (If you bend the lever, you are
pushing too hard - be patient).
From the downward position, rock gear motor left and right to work on whatever is
clogging the auger. Do not be too aggressive. If you make some progress, then you
are in good shape. It is probably carbon buildup at the front end of the auger tube.
Place a shallow baking tin or old towel under the auger. If you get a drip, it will be
back by the motor. Pour two tablespoons of vegetable oil in the elbow and two
Let the stove cool.
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