Sharing a Harman Cleaning tip

Tonyray · Jan 20, 2014

have read about turning your Harman on "Test" while brushing the inside of the stove therefore using the exhaust to pull out dust and keeping it from ending up in your living space...Never tried it.. but, I shut my P61A down this am to give it my 7-10 day cleaning. As u know, depending on how hot the stove is or how much the burnpot is full with pellets, it The Harmans can run any where from 30 minutes to over an hour till it is completly cooled down... I came back to my stove about half hour after shutting it off and while the blower was still running, I opened the door, looked inside and didn't see any hot red embers in the burnpot.. whoolah! got the bright idea of using that cooling down time and started with my 2" paint brush, brushing the heat exchangers, all the walls, creavices, hidden ledges etc, pretty much brushed everything down to the burn pot level as the exhaust was still running...started scraping the burn pot and just as I reached for the vacuum, it shut down for good..
In the past I used to wait the whole time for the stove to do complete shutdown which has been an hour..
Now I use that cool down time to jump ahead with my brushing, keeping all the fine dust from getting into the living room.
note: I assume if you do the "test" method, it will only run for a short period and would have to keep doing the test mode till your done brushing?

P38X2 · Jan 20, 2014

I've never understood the whole put it in "test" mode thing. Doesn't the auger feed pellets and distribution blower blow crap all over the place?

Just put it to "on" and set the igniter, if you have one, to manual. The combustion motor runs and keeps enough negative pressure in there to keep dust to a minimum.

Tonyray · Jan 20, 2014

P38X2 said:
I've never understood the whole put it in "test" mode thing. Doesn't the auger feed pellets and distribution blower blow crap all over the place?

Just put it to "on" and set the igniter, if you have one, to manual. The combustion motor runs and keeps enough negative pressure in there to keep dust to a minimum.

never did test mode to clean so I wouldn't know..
I'm just taking advantage of the exhaust mode during the eventual shut down phase which is
same result I assume..

HEMI · Jan 20, 2014

with the door open the auger doesnt turn, and yes the distribution blower is on but no ash comes out of the stove in the mode for it to blow anything in the living space. i always have the vac in one hand when brushing the ash anyways just to catch any dust that might

Ctcarl · Jan 20, 2014

I always thought the test mode is good if it's been off a while so the auger isn't dry. I trun my p35i off when me and the wife are wrking and daughter in school.after i get home I do the vac really quick then do test mode then when that's don't put what setting I want.when I did my weekly cleaning I used the paint brush first then the vac. Didn't have a issue of dust in the house.

lightyear · Jan 20, 2014

I have found that letting it "cool down"after turning it to off, letting it run for 30 minutes then opening the door to scrape the burn pot and get the black hardened crust off usually it shuts down by itself after I close the door.

Tonyray said:
have read about turning your Harman on "Test" while brushing the inside of the stove therefore using the exhaust to pull out dust and keeping it from ending up in your living space...Never tried it.. but, I shut my P61A down this am to give it my 7-10 day cleaning. As u know, depending on how hot the stove is or how much the burnpot is full with pellets, it The Harmans can run any where from 30 minutes to over an hour till it is completly cooled down... I came back to my stove about half hour after shutting it off and while the blower was still running, I opened the door, looked inside and didn't see any hot red embers in the burnpot.. whoolah! got the bright idea of using that cooling down time and started with my 2" paint brush, brushing the heat exchangers, all the walls, creavices, hidden ledges etc, pretty much brushed everything down to the burn pot level as the exhaust was still running...started scraping the burn pot and just as I reached for the vacuum, it shut down for good..
In the past I used to wait the whole time for the stove to do complete shutdown which has been an hour..
Now I use that cool down time to jump ahead with my brushing, keeping all the fine dust from getting into the living room.
note: I assume if you do the "test" method, it will only run for a short period and would have to keep doing the test mode till your done brushing?

I

HarmanManP43 · Jan 20, 2014

Tonyray said:
have read about turning your Harman on "Test" while brushing the inside of the stove therefore using the exhaust to pull out dust and keeping it from ending up in your living space...Never tried it.. but, I shut my P61A down this am to give it my 7-10 day cleaning. As u know, depending on how hot the stove is or how much the burnpot is full with pellets, it The Harmans can run any where from 30 minutes to over an hour till it is completly cooled down... I came back to my stove about half hour after shutting it off and while the blower was still running, I opened the door, looked inside and didn't see any hot red embers in the burnpot.. whoolah! got the bright idea of using that cooling down time and started with my 2" paint brush, brushing the heat exchangers, all the walls, creavices, hidden ledges etc, pretty much brushed everything down to the burn pot level as the exhaust was still running...started scraping the burn pot and just as I reached for the vacuum, it shut down for good..
In the past I used to wait the whole time for the stove to do complete shutdown which has been an hour..
Now I use that cool down time to jump ahead with my brushing, keeping all the fine dust from getting into the living room.
note: I assume if you do the "test" method, it will only run for a short period and would have to keep doing the test mode till your done brushing?

Works like a charm i found it out by accident one day and other people seem to have caught on!

Tonyray · Jan 20, 2014

HarmanManP43 said:
Works like a charm i found it out by accident one day and other people seem to have caught on!

yes but,
if shutting down to clean during cold spell,[ assuming your stove has been running non-stop, you must wait till stove is completly shut down before doing the test button. correct?
this way is to NOT WAIT till the stove is shut down completly and take advantage of the exhaust during shut down time to save time and get back up running, assuming you are doing a good thorough cleaning..
or am I missing something here?

HarmanManP43 · Jan 20, 2014

Tonyray said:
yes but,
if shutting down to clean during cold spell,[ assuming your stove has been running non-stop, you must wait till stove is completly shut down before doing the test button. correct?
my way is to NOT WAIT till the stove is shut down completly and take advantage of the exhaust during shut down time to save time..
or am I missing something here?

No your way is actually how i found out about it. Once you open the door the fan speed with increase a bit and then you can clean the stove in your own time. As soon as you close the door the ESP is now cold and the stove senses negative pressure in the stove and shuts everything down.

One day i waited too long and it had completely shut down so i just used test mode instead. Either way works great and has the same outcome, a clean stove AND house!

P.S i have used TEST mode while the stove was near the end of its shutdown with no negative effects.

lbcynya · Jan 20, 2014

P38X2 said:
I've never understood the whole put it in "test" mode thing. Doesn't the auger feed pellets and distribution blower blow crap all over the place?

Just put it to "on" and set the igniter, if you have one, to manual. The combustion motor runs and keeps enough negative pressure in there to keep dust to a minimum.

They essentially do the same thing. Yes, what you refer to is "Gen 2" of the "test mode" concept. I prefer this method since the distribution blower doesn't run. Also, when done cleaning, shut the door, flick the igniter switch and she'll take right off.

Tonyray · Jan 20, 2014

HarmanManP43 said:
No your way is actually how i found out about it. Once you open the door the fan speed with increase a bit and then you can clean the stove in your own time. As soon as you close the door the ESP is now cold and the stove senses negative pressure in the stove and shuts everything down.

One day i waited too long and it had completely shut down so i just used test mode instead. Either way works great and has the same outcome, a clean stove AND house!

P.S i have used TEST mode while the stove was near the end of its shutdown with no negative effects.

agreed...

P38X2 · Jan 20, 2014

I'm not saying using test mode is bad. Hopefully I didn't come across that way. It may go back to the days of running my 2 knob P38, where IIRC, the only way to clean it dust free was with the stove set to "on"

I have noticed that even if you let the stove cool down and shut itself off, there's usually glowing embers deep in the pot. A potentially dangerous situation when vacuuming, ash vac or not, IMO.

Tonyray · Jan 20, 2014

P38X2 said:
I'm not saying using test mode is bad. Hopefully I didn't come across that way. It may go back to the days of running my 2 knob P38, where IIRC, the only way to clean it dust free was with the stove set to "on"

I have noticed that even if you let the stove cool down and shut itself off, there's usually glowing embers deep in the pot. A potentially dangerous situation when vacuuming, ash vac or not, IMO.

came across fine Minister O F..
If a few glowing embers are present, just pull them into the ash bin..
by the time your done brushing all the ash/dust on the walls and heat exchanger and everything above the burn pot, , all should be ok to vacuum..

boo boo · Jan 20, 2014

P38X2 said:
I've never understood the whole put it in "test" mode thing. Doesn't the auger feed pellets and distribution blower blow crap all over the place?

Just put it to "on" and set the igniter, if you have one, to manual. The combustion motor runs and keeps enough negative pressure in there to keep dust to a minimum.

The test mode works great. I got the hint from the sticky on how your Harman works. After the cool down open the door and put it in the test mode for the cleaning. You can see the dust ash getting pulled down towards the exhaust. Make sure you take it out of the test before closing the door or your auger will start

boo boo · Jan 20, 2014

P38X2 said:
I have noticed that even if you let the stove cool down and shut itself off, there's usually glowing embers deep in the pot. A potentially dangerous situation when vacuuming, ash vac or not

Agreed. I would not chance it. Hell even after a two hour cool down and cold to the touch I leave my vacuum outside for 24 hours after a cleaning. I remember seeing a melted vacuum on here somewhere

railfanron · Jan 20, 2014

After a cool down the way I do it is: Open the door and put the stove on test mode and then immediately put it back to the original setting. This runs the combustion fan and turns OFF the convection fan. No blowing into the room.
Ron

bbfarm · Jan 21, 2014

I wonder if that trick would work on all stoves? I don't have a test mode on mine.

I empty my ash pan and vacuum immediately when done into a metal 30 gallon garbage can with a lid we keep outside

reallyte · Jan 21, 2014

I would think this applies to all stoves. I shut my down and once the flames are gone with minimal embers I start my brushing/dumping the pot. Keeps alot of dust out of my face

Luv2burnPellets · Jan 21, 2014

I have a Harmon p68. I always run in room temp mode. If I find the stove is cold and off, I open the hopper lid, turn the room temp knob to off, then turn the knob to L position and the combustion blower starts up. Then I open the stove door and take all the time I need to clean. The blower never shuts off! If the stove is hot and running, I will lift the hopper lid, the blower continues running, and wait 30 to 45 minutes for it to shut down and cool off, open the stove door and clean all I want while the blower keeps running. When finished cleaning, I close the hopper lid, ( and doors ), turn the knob to off position to reset it, and then back to L or H position.

SwineFlue · Jan 21, 2014

reallyte said:
I would think this applies to all stoves. I shut my down and once the flames are gone with minimal embers I start my brushing/dumping the pot. Keeps alot of dust out of my face

On your Quad, cycle the thermostat's call for heat on then off again to turn on the blower.

reallyte · Jan 21, 2014

SwineFlue said:
On your Quad, cycle the thermostat's call for heat on then off again to turn on the blower.

Yup that works too if the blower turns off before I am done. Since I run it 24/7 usually can get it brushed out within the shutdown cycle.

heat seeker · Jan 21, 2014

bbfarm said:
I wonder if that trick would work on all stoves? I don't have a test mode on mine.

I empty my ash pan and vacuum immediately when done into a metal 30 gallon garbage can with a lid we keep outside

I put in a switch that bypasses the POF switch. After the stove is cool, I flip the switch. Both blowers come on, the auger does not run, nor the VersaGrate. I pull both ash trap covers off, and no dust gets into the room when I brush the stove down. Remember to flip the switch off when done. I also run the fans when emptying the ash bin, so no dust from down there gets into the room.

Sharing a Harman Cleaning tip

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