Kap-

I didn't see how to PM you the pic so I thought I'd start a thread for everyone to see....

Tony

Got the convection fan jammed errors to go away at least for now. 100% corn has been a no-go as of yet. Tried yesterday and I couldn't get it to work, so I went back to the mix and couldn't get that to work either. Finally today, I got the mix to work OK, but it hasn't run on MH or H yet. We'll see and I'll keep messing with it. It is working OK right now on low elevation and +4 flame height. It over flowed the pot at +2 and 0. I've been through one cycle so far at +4 and got a clinker instead of just fluff. Progress!!! Kind of....

Tony

Had another "conv fan jammed" error tonight. It is not jammed!! Why does it keep doing this?!?!?!?

Running 100% corn right now - we shall see how it goes....

Ball valve is open. Attempt #1 failed with a conv fan jammed error. Attempt #2 seems to be going well so far. Both times the stove seems to be running different. I did notice that maybe I didn't have the TC all of the way against the end of the cover before. I know I do now - thinking that might be the difference. We'll see. I'll try 100% corn later this week and see if it works. Will let you know.

Tony

Right up against the pot. That all looks good. Checked the TC - we had one of those wind proof lighters, so it might have been a little hotter. I hit 15 mV pretty quickly and it started to slow down at about 28 mV.

Test firing it as I type. I will update later.

Tony

Working on it today, though not by choice. Started getting conv blower jammed errors. Pulled the blower and cleaned it. Put dielectric grease on the connector as well as connectors for the power supply. Checking TC right now.

Already triple checked everything in the exhaust. Last year I missed the elbow just above the exhaust fan, so I know I got everything. Once again, it is not a lack of air. I have a VERY active flame that also varies alot. The higher I set the feed, the more stable the flame gets, but I cannot get it to run right on straight corn. I can't get it to run right on a mix half of the time anymore.....

Tony

Auger sensor cleaned - didn't make a difference. Haven't tested the TC yet. Will when I have a chance. Do I need to unplug the stove for that?

Been mixing in pellets at a ratio of about 6:1 (corn:pellets). Is working pretty good most of the time. Right now running on the high elevation setting w/flame height at -1. Will probably run fine like that for another day or so and then I will have to tweak it. It's like I'm trying to hit a moving target.

Moisture checked at a little less than 15%. Fire starts fast and burns well, it just won't make a clinker when on 100% corn.

I will. There doesn't appear to be any blockages. The floor looks like it is seating fine. I just can't get it to run on high well. I left home this morning with it on manual medium and it seemed to be working OK.

Should've kept my mouth shut........it's doing an OK job on auto as long as it doesn't have to run too hard. If it kicks into high or MH, it eventually overflows the pot. Once again, the flame is not lazy at all. It seems like it is burning too fast and the coals are getting cold so that the corn can't burn as fast as it is being fed. But I can't seem to find the sweet spot and get it to actually burn well. I'm at a loss right now....

If I can get the screw out. It was being difficult earlier this year. I have other ways, though....

Been running pretty good for the last couple of days and nights. I went back to the low elevation setting and a +3 flame height. It's a little tall on low, but it's running great for now.

Tony

Does the auger assembly have to be removed to check the sensor, or can I get it as it is? It looks like I have to pull the entire assembly.

Well, I thought that swapping out the ceramic cover made a difference, but I'm back at square one. Right now I am experimenting with the high elevation setting to see if that makes a difference. The first attempt was at -1. That didn't work. Trying +2 as I type. -1 looked like the fire was starving for corn.

Oh, and I re-cleaned everything tonight first thing. EVERYTHING...

kappel15 wrote:


Started this season burning pellets - no problems.

Started tearing into it and found that the TC cover had a hole in the end. Replaced it and am trying it again before I do anything else. Hope I didn't dork up the TC....

ARGlock wrote:


You might have some company in the corner - I'm not going to argue with you much. The Lancaster doesn't have all of the fancy bells and whistles. All it really does is one thing - burn corn. Pretty much no matter what. A couple years ago I burned some 19% corn in it. Didn't burn well, but it burned. The AE just laughed at me and spat out an error.

kappel15 wrote:


I'll check that today.

Question, though - I thought all the TC did was sense that there was a fire. Kind of a go/no-go thing. What exactly does the TC do? With a variable output, it sounds like it adjusts based on the actual temp of the fire pot.

kappel15 wrote:


I have - the OAK just recently went back on in an effort to regulate the air.

Corn setting, normal elevation right now (tried both), same hybrid as last year. Pot holes are clean even in the floor. Closing just fine.

It burns good - real good for a short time, but it doesn't seem like it is building a good bed of coals. It just makes fluff that takes up room in the firepot.

Just got home, and as I suspected - min firepot temp. Lots of fluff with a little unburned corn in the pan. No clinker. It doesn't seem to matter what I do, I get the same result. Some settings make it happen faster, some slower.

I have tried to restrict the incoming air a little - set up a ball valve on the outside air kit. It seems like it makes it better, but just prolongs the inevitable.

The lancaster is burning this corn perfectly. There doesn't appear to be anything wrong with the corn. GRRRRRRR....

Tony

I have a question for everybody...I can't seem to find the sweet spot to get the AE to burn right this year. It is clean as a whistle - in fact, it seems like it is burning too good. If I don't have the feed cranked up, I can't make it out of ssmed. But when the feed is that high, it eventually overflows the pot. I am getting a lot of black "popcorn" - fluffy and light ash that is completely burned, but it fills up the pot. I can't seem to get it to form a clinker anymore, just popcorn. The flame is not lazy in any way. With the feed low (at zero) it burns up the corn before the new can get lit. With the feed high (+3 to +5), the flame height is at the top of the baffle.

Help??? Thanks.

Tony

Had to fire up the Mt. Vernon about the same time you did Kap - it's a little frustrating to think that it has only been off for about 4 months, but it sure does feel nice!!

Tony