Feeding Issue With Alaska Kast Console III

Hi,
I have an Alaska Kast Console III coal stove with an auto heat control box( 1-5 dial). About two weeks ago there was a slight burning smell in the house, to me it smelled like burnt marihuana, and I noticed the stove was going out. I assumed something was stuck in the auger so I stuck my hand into the coal and moved it around in the hopper. It then started to feed again and burn. For the past two weeks though the coal does not seem to burn according to the heat control box. It takes a long time for the burn to slow down when the dial is turned down. Longer than in the past. It seems to be burning hotter than what the dial indicates. Sometimes it will also stop feeding again and I have to move the coal around again to get it feeding properly (I assume). Any ideas on where to start looking for the issue? Thanks

Welcome to the forum,

Sounds like you may have burnt up the control box. Alaska's normally have 120 volt AC plugs on everything. The next time you have a feeding problem, plug the stoker motor directly into an AC outlet. If it runs normally, the control box is the problem.

-Don

StokerDon wrote:Welcome to the forum,

Sounds like you may have burnt up the control box. Alaska's normally have 120 volt AC plugs on everything. The next time you have a feeding problem, plug the stoker motor directly into an AC outlet. If it runs normally, the control box is the problem.

-Don

Forgive me but I only partly follow what you're saying. I understand plugging it directly in to skip the control box, but how would I be able to then tell if its feeding normally?

your going to have to shut down, clear out the hopper. Pull the paddle out and clean under it then grease and reassemble.

A lot of crud builds up under there and stresses the control box and feed motor. Don't wait the box could burn out if this is the case

Doby wrote:your going to have to shut down, clear out the hopper. Pull the paddle out and clean under it then grease and reassemble.

A lot of crud builds up under there and stresses the control box and feed motor. Don't wait the box could burn out if this is the case

Thank you, do you recommend a certain type of grease?

just any grease is fine, grease the shaft and slide it back in don't only rely on the grease fitting. This should be done once a year along with light weight oil on the feed motors shaft and in the little hole on the bearing above the feed motors shaft

Thank you for the replies,
I've also noticed sometimes when I fill the hopper full of coal, it will stop feeding. One thing that seems to fix the problem is to unplug the stove and plug it back in. Otherwise if I stick my hand into the hopper and move the coal around, reaching deep in until I get to the auger, that will sometimes fix it too. Any ideas?

if it still does it after cleaning and grease under the paddle then the gear case on the feeder motor needs replaced most likely a bad gear

Doby wrote:if it still does it after cleaning and grease under the paddle then the gear case on the feeder motor needs replaced most likely a bad gear

I did clean and grease. Ran into the same problem tonight, the burn will not slow down. Suggesting replacing the feeder motor? If I unplug the stove and let it die down then plug it back in it will burn properly. I'm at a loss.

1-5 rheostat control has overheated [smell] and burnt. Time for a new one.

McGiever wrote:1-5 rheostat control has overheated [smell] and burnt. Time for a new one.

Thank you.
Do you think its the rheostat control (the box that has the 1-5 dial) or the motor it plugs in to?

could be either do this test, in back of the feed motor there is a junction box, the cord thats out the back is the feed motor not the one going to the 3 way orange plug, Plug this into any desktop computer cord, this is the the only cord that will fit I have confirmed this will work on my stove. Plugin to 110 outlet, this will make the feed motor run full time and eliminate the control box so be careful and don't leave the stove unattended.

If it don't do it its the 1 to 5 control box

Doby wrote:could be either do this test, in back of the feed motor there is a junction box, the cord thats out the back is the feed motor not the one going to the 3 way orange plug, Plug this into any desktop computer cord, this is the the only cord that will fit I have confirmed this will work on my stove. Plugin to 110 outlet, this will make the feed motor run full time and eliminate the control box so be careful and don't leave the stove unattended.

If it don't do it its the 1 to 5 control box

I just did this. It is still running this way, does that mean it's the control box?

Attached is a photo

You by passed the control box by unplugging it.

If your sure the feed motor started to run when pluged in and then stopped, it should not have, indicating the motor or gear case is bad

Double check