Just putting in an update. I patched in a fan controller and slowing down the fan some did increase my heat output (with the added benefit of getting rid of the slight hum the blower would sometimes make at full speed). Examining the IR thermometer, it seems to actually read a little above where the red beam hits, so I believe I finally got it to the point of being about 400F when at a setting of 3. That was all the past week of fiddling.

Today I shut it down for cleaning and found some tools to finally swap out the auger. I have to say, the multifuel auger must feed pellets like crazy, as I fired it up and set it for 2 and checked an hour later. The spot above the door was reading somewhere in the neighborhood of 530F and the flame was much bigger than a setting of 5 with the old auger.

So in conclusion, while I have no idea what the exhaust temps are now, the blower by default seems to possibly have been a little too powerful to get maximum heat (but it might keep the glass cleaner longer). The replacement auger also seems to feed pellets at a much faster pace (maybe a little more than 2x). While no two stoves probably can produce the exact same heat output, I put this here as a reference/data point.

Drysun, Auger should deliver exactly same fuel as original auger. I think you were sent wrong one. The differance in auger was only continuous flute and section removed at one end. Pitch should be the same. Glad your getting heat but don't get it too hot with higher settings.

I suspect something may be up with the electronics. Sparta said it was on backorder and I had to wait for them to get it direct from Nesco before they sent it out. It is a full corkscrew on the auger all the way to the end and looks to have the same angle as the original auger. It's on about a setting of 2 right now (because it's cold out, so it's probably equivalent to 4 or 5 with my old auger) and it runs for about 2 seconds and pauses for 4 seconds. I'll have to dig, but I thought the pause period was much longer, hence the higher feed rate right now.

Edit:
Well, 4 second pause seems correct according to the old forums. I know the brass bearing wasn't gummed up as it was clean when I swapped augers and I had cleaned it at the start of the season. It's the only thing I changed during the last cleaning and the pellets are the same. Very strange.

Picture of the two augers for comparison.

tfgrower wrote:


I do not understand why the auger should be changed if the amount of pellets delivered is the same. What does it DO differently?

Darn good question. I have no idea what it does differently, but if you figure it out, let me know!

I can tell for sure it is feeding faster as the old auger the hopper would last me about 24 hours on a setting of "2" (this includes me mounding up the pellets every so often when it creates that funnel after several hours). This time, I filled it up and it went about 18-19 hours.

"I do not understand why the auger should be changed if the amount of pellets delivered is the same. What does it DO differently?"

That's a good question since the new auger also works with corn ,(multi-fuel). The only thing I can think of is the continuous flutes helps with Prevention of pellet bridging since pellets aren't so freeflowing. Maybe the continuous flutes break alot of kernals?
Merry Christmas fellas

The old auger looks like the flute at the end of the break is short and may not of picked up many pellets on way up. It also looks thin and very worn. Or it's made that way so it doesn't shear corn .

I'll look at mine, It's brand new.
I think it picks up pellets better with full flutes
It looks that way because it's turned just right I quess.

drysun wrote:


# 2 setting is about 2# an hour which is correct at 18-19 hrs. 20 hrs would be perfect. I think the new auger is working correctly.