Need help!!! Popping sound in the hopper of our 2100......

[Daisy1985]

We have a 2100 and this is our 2nd year with it, now for some reason, the corn in the hopper is sweating alot and also sticking to the sides. Now it sounds like it's "popping" and the corn is really dark at the base near the auger. (I cleaned the hopper out this afternoon.) Could it be the corn is just too wet?? We don't have a tester so not sure what the moisture is. Any ideas???

Thanks!
Deanna

[bbarnett]

The popping sound could be an indication of your auger bushing seizing up due to corn dust and debris finding its way between the auger shaft and bushing. You could also have something stuck on the auger flight as well.
Clean corn is good corn.

A good test for dry versus wet corn is to crush several kernels with pliers. If it cracks apart then the corn is dry enough to burn. If it smashes then its wet.

I get some condensation after placing cold corn strait from the outdoor bin directly into my stove hopper. I have found that if I let it warm up in buckets before using I eliminate the condensation in the hopper.

Hope this helps!
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Amaizablaze 4100
Negative Pressure
Kan-Burn

[tallcorn]

How are things in "P" ville? I have a cousin there.
Read this link. It sounds like that tube that blows air down the feed chute is plugged. I think all their models have that tube. That will cause moisture to form in the hopper. It wouldn't hurt to get your corn tested for moisture. There was a lot of "wet" corn this fall. It should be 15% or less if you got it from a grain dealer but sometimes they blend it and you may have some higher than that.

http://forum.iburncorn.com/viewtopic.php?t=10536
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Countryside 3500P (pedestal version) used 8-9 yrs, 24/7 during days requiring heat. All original motors. Burns moldy corn, and pellets equally well. Burn it if you got it.

[Daisy1985]

Pville is great - you need to let me know who your cousin is sometime. I've lived here all my life. Have you eaten at the Checkerboard - great place if you like GREAT pizza and onion rings!!

We've shut down the stove for the night. It was giving me a headache. The blizzard is blowing directly out of the east, which is where our exhaust is, my husband thinks that might part of the problem. Since we shut it down, my headache went away. I've cleaned the thing out and am not completely sure that I got the whole thing cleaned at the end of last season. Does anybody know of any videos or clips of cleaning a 2100? I've tried to do a search and really didn't come up with anything.

I think we are going to tear the stove down tomorrow and see if there is a blockage somewhere. Especially since I won't be going to work cuz of the blizzard, at least I hope I won't be going tomorrow. It is NASTY out there. 2-3' drifts in front of the garage.

[command_z]

Tallcorn is right on. That hole must be kept open or exhaust will travel back up to the hopper. I use a length of 14 ga copper wire to clean it.

Also the exhaust may be getting dirty. This also will push exhaust back into the hopper. I will tell you how I clean out my exhaust. It works like a dream but use this method at risk of ash blowing around the room. If done correctly it will NOT blow ash around the room. Use your leaf blower to blow into the exhaust clean out in the the burn chamber. My blower nozzle is too big to fit into the clean out. I took a piece of light weight plastic tube that would fit into the clean out and added it to my blower nozzle with duct tape. Push it into the clean out as far as it will go and turn blower on in short bursts. As soon as you can determine that ash will not blow around, use longer bursts. The exhaust will clean out very quickly and the condensation problem will go away. I do this 3-4 times a year will great success.
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You can pour syrup on poop...but that don't make it pancakes

Amaizablaze 2100 since 2005

[tallcorn]

[Daisy1985]

Eddy was a great guy!!! Dave is a great guy too. His youngest son was in my class in high school. I see him around K'ville on his bike (of course during summer) with his dog on there with him. I haven't talked to him in YEARS!!! My dad used to do alot of business with Dave. Do gotta say, what a nut! He cracks me up!!

Thanks for all the suggestions, we will hopefully get it torn apart today and figure out if it was just something plugged.

Since we have 4-5' drifts in front of the garage, I doubt if I am able to go to work today. DARN!!! LOL!!

[Swizzle]

[tallcorn]

Daisy1985, here is another post with some information you may be able to use.

http://forum.iburncorn.com/viewtopic.php?t=11914
_________________
Countryside 3500P (pedestal version) used 8-9 yrs, 24/7 during days requiring heat. All original motors. Burns moldy corn, and pellets equally well. Burn it if you got it.