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Author Topic: In a Jam  (Read 1374 times)

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jdmessner

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In a Jam
« on: November 21, 2017, 11:31:26 PM »

Every time I think I've solved a problem, something else happens. I have two augers on the grill. To maintain the temp both need to be going. One of the augers stopped working a while ago. At first I thought it was the sheer pin because it had broken off. Replaced it and figured I was good to go. Worked for a little while and the auger stopped again. This time I decided to replace the motor. The grill worked for a little bit and then the auger stopped. Thought it might be a pellet jam. Cleaned it out and today it was working great for a while and then it stopped again. I'm not sure what to do or what to replace next. Any ideas are appreciated. I'm getting very fustrated with the whole thing. Had a bunch of stuff preped to go, but now it looks like a smokeless Thanksgiving.

 On a more positive note, good things do happen. In a previous post I mentioned that I lost my wedding ring while bagging potatoes at our food pantry. It had been missing for over two weeks and I figured it was long gone. Got a call that a woman found it. She had to rebag her potatoes when she noticed dirt from the potatoes on her floor from a hole in the bag. While switching potatoes from one bag to the next she found the ring! How it kept from going through the hole, the good Lord only knows!!
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Bar-B-Lew

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Re: In a Jam
« Reply #1 on: November 21, 2017, 11:43:53 PM »

I had an issue like that on my Traeger XL one time.  The auger had a burr on it.  When we filed it down, it started to work again.  If I recall correctly, there may have been an issue with it being centered in the auger tube properly too.  Worth a shot to check both of those things.
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tmb2735

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Re: In a Jam
« Reply #2 on: November 21, 2017, 11:55:39 PM »

Sorry for your situation. I'm no expert, but I would test the following. I assume it's the same auger that had the shear pin and motor replaced.

- clean out all pellets and check if you get auger movement. Remove auger if need be. Could be moisture.
- see if you can unhook the motor and check auger movement by hand. My thinking here is a warped or somehow damaged auger.
- In my simple mind there is only s few things that would cause this. Some obstruction that woud cause the auger to shear a pin and or possibly burn out the motor, or the auger itself is binding up.
- Two augers. Two controllers? could be a bad controller.

Don't give up hope, certainly fixable. I'm sure someone with more experience with this will chime in here. 
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jdmessner

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Re: In a Jam
« Reply #3 on: November 22, 2017, 01:15:14 AM »

Sorry for your situation. I'm no expert, but I would test the following. I assume it's the same auger that had the shear pin and motor replaced.

- clean out all pellets and check if you get auger movement. Remove auger if need be. Could be moisture.
- see if you can unhook the motor and check auger movement by hand. My thinking here is a warped or somehow damaged auger.
- In my simple mind there is only s few things that would cause this. Some obstruction that woud cause the auger to shear a pin and or possibly burn out the motor, or the auger itself is binding up.
- Two augers. Two controllers? could be a bad controller.

Don't give up hope, certainly fixable. I'm sure someone with more experience with this will chime in here.

Thanks for the tips. I think Bar-B-Lew might be on to something. It seems like something must be catching it besides a pellet jam. The auger has been completely cleared of pellets a few different times, yet the problem continues. I switched the controlers with the other augers and got the same results, so I don't think it is a controler issue. There very well could be an issue with the auger, it is probably at least 20-25 years old. I'll keep plugging away. Thanks again for the encouragement.
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Kristin Meredith

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Re: In a Jam
« Reply #4 on: November 22, 2017, 07:40:04 AM »

Happy for you about your ring! :clap:
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triplebq

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Re: In a Jam
« Reply #5 on: November 22, 2017, 08:20:15 AM »

Glad you got your ring back.
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Mudflap

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Re: In a Jam
« Reply #6 on: November 22, 2017, 10:32:06 AM »

I had an issue like that on my Traeger XL one time.  The auger had a burr on it.  When we filed it down, it started to work again.  If I recall correctly, there may have been an issue with it being centered in the auger tube properly too.  Worth a shot to check both of those things.

I had the same thing on my GMG. It got a bur on the auger were it past through the bushing and froze up on it. I did the same by clearing the jam and it still would not run until I filed down the auger shaft some with course sand paper. Then it worked. I did notice that when I bolting the motor back to grill that I needed to add small spacer on the top bolts to keep it from tilting  auger downwards some and causing the bind that started the bushing to wear a bur into auger shaft.

Mudflap
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Bar-B-Lew

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Re: In a Jam
« Reply #7 on: November 22, 2017, 10:50:30 AM »

You know, I did not use a spacer, and I think I may need to as well.  Thanks for sharing that information.

It has been several years since I used my Traeger.  I think the last time I fired it up the right firepot was having issues again.  I suspect it was the auger again, and I may need to use that spacer idea.  I will look into that in the Spring.
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jdmessner

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Re: In a Jam
« Reply #8 on: November 22, 2017, 08:44:53 PM »

I did notice that when I bolting the motor back to grill that I needed to add small spacer on the top bolts to keep it from tilting  auger downwards some and causing the bind that started the bushing to wear a bur into auger shaft.

Mudflap

Thanks for the insight. After you posted that I realized the auger does stick out just a little bit further than the other. I had to make some adjustments when adding the new motor because the mounting bracket is different on the older grill. I didn't even think about how it would effect the possition of the auger. Hopefully I can play around with it sometime after the holiday and can get it going in time for Christmas. Hope everyone has a great Thanksgiving, we do have a lot to be thankful for.
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silverbullet

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Re: In a Jam
« Reply #9 on: November 22, 2017, 11:49:17 PM »

Had a similar problem with a GMG JB. It didn't shear a pin (Well it did but wasn't related) The auger would just quit in the middle of a cook. Got to the point where I couldn't trust it. GMG sent me a new auger, auger motor, & controller. Problem solved. Good Luck!!
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