Harman P-38 and 43 stove users check your auger...........

...........maybe even all Harman owners.
I shut the stove for a good cleaning today , mainly to replace the auger. Take a gander at the picture (link) of both the old and new auger and you will see immediately why.
The old one burned away to a razor thin edge and a good 1/2 " shortened and I see obvious evidence of burnback or pellet smoldering into the second flight which is close to the drop chute. Of course the Harmans have a slide plate for additional hopper fire safety but i would still be concerned.
This after 8 yrs and approx no more than 15 tons of pellets thru it from day one.
The new one is slightly different with a notch on the end, hopefully to prevent this from recurring.

http://www.pbase.com/johnd1/image/141040870

m159267 said:

Did you have the fire-pot that contained the bottom row of vents (near the auger tip)? My auger is pretty sharp on the end like yours. I will look closer at it next chance I get. My fire-pot does contain the bottom row of vents which I currently have plugged with roofing nails. I guess I have put about 3-4 tons through it.

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No. I had for checked for those holes years ago. My burn pot does NOT have those bottom row of holes near the auger tip.
And fortunately the auger shaft and slide plate is clean as a whistle.
I`m so glad I noticed the thin auger tip some weeks ago since few if any dealers stock them. Regardless , the nearest Harman dealer iin the Pittsfield Ma area just went out of business.
It took nearly a month to get it from a stove parts store in Montana. $137.50 shipped. Old auger came out and new one went in quite easy.

Lousyweather said:

the yellow(ish) deposit on the old auger....I would pull out the slide plate and inspect it....possible early "gummy stove syndrome"....make sure the slide plate is clean. Not all that bad looking an auger....the center shaft is still intact and uneroded. You are right though in that the flight of the auger is pretty worn out.

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Actually the yellowish stuff is the early stages of gumming. It won`t wipe clean with a rag or brush. I think I would have to scrape it or wire brush it to remove it the pellet dust buildup..