Mt. Vernon Quadra Fire AE Funny Noise Starting Up

Hello everyone. This is my first post here and I must say that I am no means any kind of a pellet stove expert. We bought our home in 2014 and the previous owners had installed a Quadra Fire AE in 2012 so I did have to learn a little. Mainly how to keep it clean which I did and do. So this year comes around and I gave it a good cleaning and then I set it to start turning on around 6am and the first few mornings were very quiet and everything worked great. Then after about a week it began to make a weird noise when it first starts up and it lasts for about 10 minutes in various forms. The most consistent way to describe it would be how it sounds when you hear and see a pregnant woman having an ultra sound for the baby. I am enclosing a sound file I tried to get. There should be no need to download it as you should be able to click on it and hear it. Any ideas on what this noise could be? Thank you for any help.

Box

 

Whens the last time you pulled your combustion blower out?

Oh, and as you are looking at the stove, what side is the noise coming from?

 

The noise seems to be coming more from the left side. I honestly have never pulled out the combustion blower. Is that the fan? If it's the fan I know that after the stove gets going and it's blowing out hot air it is quiet. Thank you for replying.

 

Yes...that would be the convection blower if it's the left side looking at the stove. I would take the side cover off and start up the stove and see what's going on.

If you have time, I would at the very least pull the combustion blower out and take a look inside. The gasket on that blower should have and orange color and those are reusable provided you are careful and don't tear it removing the blower.

 

Thanks. I will give it a shot in a couple of days. Been tied up caring for my dog but I surely will give it a try when things settle down here. Thank you.

 

In first 10 mintues, only things running are the auger motor and the exhaust fan. You can eliminate the auger motor just by lifting hopper lid, which shuts off auger motor. If sound quits, you know this is it. Otherwise like mentioned above, pull exhaust fan and clean it and housing, to see if this helps. I had to replace my exhaust fan last year, and mine is a 2006. But beware as they changed suppliers and there are two sets of holes. To make the ones you want to work, you have to pull things apart on fan assy. so you can twist it to where the wire harness is on top, and re-assemble. The allen screw is metric. Other wise you have to change the housing too. kap

 

I did get the right side off and it's not the fan. I think it's the auger. I have a video of it here and when the little shaft in the middle of this video starts to turn thats when the noise starts up.

 

Video won't work.Might want to check and make sure the auger is attached good to shaft and not slipping. And these auger motors will make noise till they hit SSMed.. All that technology to make one of the quietest stoves on the market, but don't make a better and quieter auger motor. Motor could be going bad too, if it doesn't quiet down after ssmed. kap

 

Can you give the video one more shot. I may have set it to private. Ive had the stove for 4 years now and only about a month ago this started. I will try to look at the auger. Thanks.

 

Video works now. Try squirting some 3 in 1 oil into the end of that motor shaft & see what happens.

 

Thank you. I need to get some. WD40 would not do it? Pretty sure I have some of that but I need some 3-1 anyway.

 

Remember all you have to do is lift hopper lid to verify it is the auger motor, if it stops. And if it keeps making the noise after ssmed., it is time for a new auger motor. kap

 

If you're going to get some anyways, get the 3 in 1 in the Blue can (made for electric motor bearings).

WD 40 might quiet the bearing (or not), but effects won't last too long.

 

It did stop when I would lift the lid. Have not heard a peep though since I put in some oil. I am planning on a new mother though. Thanks.

 

So far so good as it's been almost three days. I am pretty much planning on a new motor though if it acts up again. Thanks.