A failed 10 year old Bronze auger bearing in Enviro, Lopi, Avalon..vs a failed 17 year old nylatron!

Hello

Which is better? The Nylatron has my vote.

Finally a real life issue with a SAE 841 oil impregnated bronze auger bearing like the ones used in Enviro, Lopi, Avalon.. ETC vs a failed Whitfield Nylatron Auger bearing with pics!
These pics tell the story and show proof! A tit for tat comparison. They both are leaking sawdust!
This can be a very dangerous condition since the convection (room) bllower will pull in the sawdust and send it thru the hot stove. This can result in hot embers coming out the front heat exhanger tubes and could set the house on fire. The only condition I know of where a pellet stove could possibly cause a fire. I have seen stoves this way for a few years and not cause a fire. I do not know of any cases where this condition did cause a fire.

Case 1

17 year old Whitfied Advantage Insert Nylatron bearing with a 3/4" diameter stainless steel auger. The large diameter auger seems to crunch the pellets thru better and is more reliable. Stove is a one owner stove purchased brand new 17 years ago and the auger was never serviced with original auger, bearing and auger motor.
The stove and liner was professionally cleaned and a new circuit board and surge protecter was installed.
The stove worked but a mound of saw dust under auger in bottom of the stove and the auger feed on heat level one was so poor it did not work on heat level 1 anymore!

A new bearing was installed for $25, problem fixed. plus the labor for the auger service of cleaning, buffing the auger and grinding out the burrs and the "Dry Moly" lube.
A new 1 RPM auger motor was also installed for good measure.

Case 2
10 Year old Enviro Empress Insert Brass Bearing with a 5/8" diameter stainless steel auger. The 5/8" diameter auger is better than the 1/2" diameter augers that frequently fail, but do not last as long as the 3/4" augers. The stove has been in the house for 10 years and purchased new but not by current owner.
Stove needed a new convection blower because the squirrel cage was full of sawdust!
After stove and chimney was cleaned, a new room blower and new low limit snap disk was installed.
It became clear when another pile of sawdust was found under the auger motor that there was an auger bearing issue!

A new bearing and ennd plate had to be installed for $82 dollars plus the labor for the auger service of cleaning, buffing the auger and grinding out the burrs and the "Dry Moly" lube.
A new 1 RPM auger motor was suggested but not installed, the original motor was still running.


1st pic -
Left - 17 year old Whitfied Advantage Insert Nylatron bearing leaking saw dust.
See inside top edge no longer a sharp edge but worn down to a slant!
Right - 10 Year old Enviro Empress. Top fat edge completely gone, body of bearing stuck to auger shaft and rotating in end plate!