Harman PB105 Owners

wil lanfear said:

If this is the case, lower the feed rate a tad, watch to see if it stops the overfeeding, lower it again if needed. The key to resolving this issue is to pull up a chair next to the boiler and watch what is happening or get the dealer out to check it out.

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I agree 100% problem is ...it rarely happens when your watching.

wil lanfear said:

Shorter pellets feed faster than longer pellets

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BINGO...Thinking back this is exactly what has been my problem. Heck ...I'm so cheap , the sawdust I clean out of the auger...I pour them back in the hopper. If I paid for it and it came in the bag, it goes in the hopper. guess I'll have to re-evaluate that practice

Not an installer myself, so I wouldn't know about that wire screen. I do know that I don't have one and a plugged exhaust is bad. I don't know what purpose that screen is supposed to serve, other than to plug up, restrict your air flow, and make the stove run poorly. Maybe there's a good reason for it. All I know is I don't have it.

Screen is to keep critters from crawling in (non-burning time). My screens openings are not that fine, so it has never ever come close to plugging up.

I would think if yours is plugged your vent cleanings have been neglected or have a major issue with the boiler.

Creosote would be caused by incomplete combustion either from a leaky gasket or poor combustion blower/venting flow (low draft). I believe a member here had creosote problems on his PB105 a year or so ago and it was a bad gasket. Have you or your installer checked the draft as specified in the manual? I believe the specs are no more than .85 inches WC on high speed and .25-.35 inches WC on low speed. You test this by turning the feed knob to test and hooking up a magnehelic or manometer to the bolt hole above the glass.

Here is the link: https://www.hearth.com/talk/threads/pb105-creosote-problem.57643/

My guess is that "part" of you issue is that you have insufficient draft. You have a pellet boiler not a stove, and should have a significant vertical rise at termination.

Chris04626 said:

it rises up from the boiler quite a bit and then straight out the wall

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Rise needs to be at termination

mine is up 5 feet , then a "t" , then 4 feet straight out to a down pointing screened end (one inch squares) works great

I think its quite possible that the issue that your having is directly with not enough air for good combustion. If the screen on the vent is plugging up after only a month use, it certainly wants me to believe this is where the isue is. Have you removed the cover under the hopper and made sure that the flapper in the intake air is not sticking patially closed or maybe an obstruction? Have you removed the combustion air motor to look for an obstruction? When the Harman reps inspected my boiler as to why I was having a burnpot bubble issue, they adjusted the draft so as the motor runs at full speed as long as fire is in the burnpot. I said," hey, that was adjusted to the spec in the owners manual," the response from them was,"we know but the burnpot needs more air passing through it."

Chris04626 said:

Chris04626 Feeling the Heat Joined: Sep 19, 2008 Messages: 404 Loc: Maine i just talked with the dealer and he again mentioned cleaning the esp

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He said that ... more then likely a dirty esp will trip a code (status lights blinking) He also said unburned pellets in ash pan is normal too...NOT

Chris04626 said:

and also told me to check the combustion fan

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told you???
Chris..new boiler = warrantee Apply pressure. also post your dealers name here.

Chris04626 said:

I bought it at Evergreen Home & Hearth in Ellsworth, Maine

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Hi Chris, I'm following this tread since a while and I also did see your tread in the boiler room.
I second IceGuy's opinion.

I don't know the law in Maine, but I would write a certified letter to your installer, telling him what is not working properly and giving him x-number of days to solve it.
If he does not step up you take it to the next level, in Mass that would be SCC, up to $7,000.

I assume you are probably for around or more then $10,000 into this pellet boiler endeavor.
If you pay that much you may expect something that does the job for you.

Don't delay this any longer.

Just my 2 cents.

Good luck!

Chris04626 said:

any tips to clean the combustion blower, i have that off and its covered, the blades in behind the blades on the play in stick cresotle i have been scrubbing but i dunno if it will ever come clean. Thoughts on how to clean it?

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first thing I would do is take of the impeller (allen wrench needed) depending on how thick, I would use anything from gasoline to a propane torch..(not at same time).creosote..NOT my experience. mine has always cleaned nicely with a wire brush (once removed)