feeder not working ... motor just buzzing

[Mark44]

when the feeder is supposed to go off it just makes a buzzing noise, but the spinner plate doesn't turn.

swapped out motors - assumed the motor was fried.

never assume. the new motor makes the same buzzing sound and doesn't spin the plate. GRRRRR!

this is a Monarch deer feeder with a 12v battery and motor. ideas?

[RickH78]

Is the spin plate moving freely? I had my bind up with dirt and some funk from protein feed. Cleaned it and sprayed some oil on it and it worked fine. Other than that I don't know.

[Patton]

Check your battery too, that's the issue alot of the time

[Mark44]

supposedly the battery is new and fine ... my buddy replaced it a few weeks ago....

honestly, I wonder if the batt isn't down and so it can't provide enough juice to spin and so we're getting the buzz sound.

[TexaswBOWhunter]

supposedly the battery is new and fine ... my buddy replaced it a few weeks ago....

honestly, I wonder if the batt isn't down and so it can't provide enough juice to spin and so we're getting the buzz sound.

If the spinner spins freely by hand, the battery would be my next thing to check, use a volt meter to make sure that you have proper voltage everywhere too... Could be a bad cable as well....

[Horitexan]

Never used a Monarch but we run 57 On Time feeders year-round, and when you get that noise (with ours) it's either low batteries or the 'micro switch' is bad. We call it a 'micro switch' but what I'm talking about is the electronics between the clock & batteries and the motor. On Time has different components for each and they're each easily replaceable and have a lifetime warranty.

Don't know if you can isolate the problem with yours, but what I do to diagnose that this is tge problem, and not tge batteries, is connect the motor to the battery source, directly. If the motor spins properly, doing this, the proem
Is NOT the battery or motor- so it has to be the electronics that send power to the motor.

Hope this helps!

[cricman]

The battery could be low, or, as horitexan said, the timer might be defective, and the internal relay and switch might not be sending the proper voltage to the motor. Also, Is the motor spinning when its not connected to the spinner plate? If it is, you might have a defective spinner plate. I had a spinner plate go bad, and the motor spun the spinner plate shaft adapter, but the crimp that fixes the shaft adapter to the plate got loose. I re-crimped the plate to shaft adapter and was good to go!

cricman

[Greywolf in Hawaii]

Throw it away and get a Cabelas digital feeder, I bought for for my birthday, it's the best feeder I've used (12 yrs plus) the rechargeable last 2-3 months
each feeding has it's own run time, not a preset 3-5 seconds like the others, digital read out, easy to set.

My Tecomonty feeders are dying after 5 yrs so I'm replacing all with the cabela's green digital ones.

[ashx2]

Does the spinner plate have a set-screw that could be loose from the shaft of the motor? Have you noticed whether the shaft of the motor is spinning when the buzzing noise is occurring or not?

Mine did this several years ago. The weight of the corn on the plate kept it from spinning, but the shaft was spinning freely within the spinnerplate. Tightened it up and it worked just fine.

Maybe it'll be that easy for you.

Good luck!

Greg

[alec73065]

I put in some of the cheap batteries a while back and they lasted 2 weeks. My feeder was doing the same thing on opening morning. Switched back to duracell's and they last 3-4 months

[Blood Trail]

Mark, call them up. They stand behind their products.

[dawgkllr]

does the spinner plate have a set-screw that could be loose from the shaft of the motor? Have you noticed whether the shaft of the motor is spinning when the buzzing noise is occurring or not?

Mine did this several years ago. The weight of the corn on the plate kept it from spinning, but the shaft was spinning freely within the spinnerplate. Tightened it up and it worked just fine.

Maybe it'll be that easy for you.

Good luck!

Greg

x 2

[biggen]

Battery

[JEG8233]

Its probally your battery, or you have a loose connection between your battery and timer. Thats usually what happens with our monarchs make that noise.

[leasecommander]

Probably the battery, go get a cheap voltage meter at Radioshack and keep it in your stuff, I did that years ago and it sure helps diagnose stuff in the field.
Good Luck