Pellet Fan

Please login or register.

Login with username, password and session length
Advanced search  

News:

Welcome to Pellet Fan!

Pages: [1]   Go Down

Author Topic: In a Jam  (Read 1318 times)

0 Members and 1 Guest are viewing this topic.

jdmessner

  • Friends Want you to cook way to much.
  • ******
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 1035
  • Evart, MI
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!!
Logged
"If it is not food ~ It's FUN!" - Happy Kyne proprietor of the Bun and Run, Fernwood Ohio

Bar-B-Lew

  • Global Moderator
  • You don't Drink the Kool-aid anymore.
  • ***
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 6867
  • Schnecksville, PA
    • Bar-B-Lews Blog
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.
Logged
MAK 2*, Memphis Elite, Traeger XL, Blaz'n Grand Slam, Pit Boss Copperhead 5, Weber Genesis II 435 SS, Sizzle Q SQ180

tmb2735

  • Knows what a Pellet Is.
  • *
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 24
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. 
Logged

jdmessner

  • Friends Want you to cook way to much.
  • ******
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 1035
  • Evart, MI
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.
Logged
"If it is not food ~ It's FUN!" - Happy Kyne proprietor of the Bun and Run, Fernwood Ohio

Kristin Meredith

  • Administrator
  • You are starting to smell like smoke.
  • *
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 3332
Re: In a Jam
« Reply #4 on: November 22, 2017, 07:40:04 AM »

Happy for you about your ring! :clap:
Logged

triplebq

  • Friends Want you to cook way to much.
  • ******
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 1220
  • If you are looking you ain't cooking
Re: In a Jam
« Reply #5 on: November 22, 2017, 08:20:15 AM »

Glad you got your ring back.
Logged
Orion Smoker Blaz'n Grid Iron Cookshack FEC-120 Cookshack Charbroiler CB036

Mudflap

  • Digging the Pellet Smoke.
  • ****
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 399
  • Sunset in Harrisburg Oregon
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
Logged
Just want to cook good food. DB GMG

Bar-B-Lew

  • Global Moderator
  • You don't Drink the Kool-aid anymore.
  • ***
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 6867
  • Schnecksville, PA
    • Bar-B-Lews Blog
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.
Logged
MAK 2*, Memphis Elite, Traeger XL, Blaz'n Grand Slam, Pit Boss Copperhead 5, Weber Genesis II 435 SS, Sizzle Q SQ180

jdmessner

  • Friends Want you to cook way to much.
  • ******
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 1035
  • Evart, MI
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.
Logged
"If it is not food ~ It's FUN!" - Happy Kyne proprietor of the Bun and Run, Fernwood Ohio

silverbullet

  • Digging the Pellet Smoke.
  • ****
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 320
  • I thought my House was Child Proof then one got in
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!!
Logged
GMG DC Camp Chef WW24
Pages: [1]   Go Up