p68 hot top

altarr said:

so, anyone who has run the p series of stoves from harman knows the top of the stove becomes VERY hot during operation....this can be a problem for a multitude of reasons. mostly because I burn myself frequently whenever I get the chance on the dumbest things. I have not yet done it on this stove, but its only a matter of time. Also, when filling the stove, its hard to not touch this part with the bag or bucket or whatever.

Anyway, I was thinking about fashioning a wooden topper for the stove top...was thinking butcher block or the like.

Has anyone done anything like this?

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I wouldn't suggest wood, it's not cold out really just yet and in mid winter that top will be all the hotter. Wood on a hot surface produces smoke, then fire. On top of our p61 my wife placed a ceramic dragon that holds water, theory being the water evaporates into the house. Well that happens in due time if you put the top on straight but if you cock the top slightly it gets filled every two days. The water is nearly steaming hot and very close to a boil. Pellet dust on the top or a fallen pellet will produce a kind of nutty not quite smokey smell in the house. Don't put wood on there. This dragon ( you could use a pot) is enough to break the idea that I can't work from the angle of over the stove top when filling. I fill the hopper from the side learning to not open the bag full but to just cut a corner of the bag so the pellets funnel out.

altarr said:

so, anyone who has run the p series of stoves from harman knows the top of the stove becomes VERY hot during operation....this can be a problem for a multitude of reasons. mostly because I burn myself frequently whenever I get the chance on the dumbest things. I have not yet done it on this stove, but its only a matter of time. Also, when filling the stove, its hard to not touch this part with the bag or bucket or whatever.

Anyway, I was thinking about fashioning a wooden topper for the stove top...was thinking butcher block or the like.

Has anyone done anything like this?

Click to expand...

Absolutely not.....you'd be looking to start a fire. There are clearances listed for a reason.

altarr said:

so, anyone who has run the p series of stoves from harman knows the top of the stove becomes VERY hot during operation....this can be a problem for a multitude of reasons. mostly because I burn myself frequently whenever I get the chance on the dumbest things. I have not yet done it on this stove, but its only a matter of time. Also, when filling the stove, its hard to not touch this part with the bag or bucket or whatever.

Anyway, I was thinking about fashioning a wooden topper for the stove top...was thinking butcher block or the like.

Has anyone done anything like this?

Click to expand...

Try using gloves and a pail instead of emptying directly from a bag. I would scrape the skin every so often when reaching in to clean a certain area in the stove finally started wearing a pair of gloves and eliminated the trouble. Just have to develop a new habit.

I've always used 5 gallon buckets to fill the hopper. None of the buckets have ever touched the top (or the sides) of the stove. This is going on 7 years with this stove, too. Just gotta pay a little attention to what you are doing. Now, scraping the burn pot without hurting yourself is another topic........

altarr said:

Anyway, I was thinking about fashioning a wooden topper for the stove top...was thinking butcher block or the like.

Has anyone done anything like this?

Click to expand...

I hope that no one has ever done anything like that. That is the second dumbest thing I've heard on the the forum. Hope you have fire insurance!

Tom C.

silverfox103 said:

I hope that no one has ever done anything like that. That is the second dumbest thing I've heard on the the forum. Hope you have fire insurance!

Tom C.

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I'm curious though Thom , what was the first dumbest ?

alternativeheat said:

I'm curious though Thom , what was it he first dumbest ?

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Maybe the cardboard hopper extension?

I knew someone would ask, here you are: https://www.hearth.com/talk/threads/wood-pellet-stove-home-made-hopper-extension.86532/

It is a classic, and the dumbest.

Tom C.

Lol. For some reason I remembered it as cardboard. My bad. Either way it is still pathetic.

mepellet said:

Lol. For some reason I remembered it as cardboard. My bad. Either way it is still pathetic.

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I knew we were talking about the same thing.

Tom

I use a coal hod that I bought off ebay (new) for $20. Works well for me.

I Always pour in from the left side..
taught the Wife to do the same since our stove is cornered..
Actually, we have a 2 quart plastic iced tea pitcher that we use.
we dump with the pitcher till the bag is half full.
by then it;s lighter and easier to dump the rest in.
only takes half minute longer.

Funny how different folks think about these things. For me, the fact that the body and top of the Harman P series stoves radiate heat was one of the biggest selling points, and key contributor to my decision to go with the P68. You're getting more bang for your buck because not only are you distributing heat with the fan, but the stove is also radiating heat, just like a wood stove. For me, this is perfect because in my setup, the stove is beneath a large opening that lets all that radiant heat rise directly up to the floor above.

Maybe it would help if you got a little stool to step on when filling the hopper? Hearth gloves would help too, but the stool may be all that's needed to avoid touching the top. Just a thought.

I built a pellet chest holds about 7 bags and use a 3 quart feed scoop never touch the stove easy fill

Big papa said:

I built a pellet chest holds about 7 bags and use a 3 quart feed scoop never touch the stove easy fill

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What a great idea ! A four bag chest would be ideal for me, retiring soon too means I will have time to build it.

ttdberg said:

For me, this is perfect because in my setup, the stove is beneath a large opening that lets all that radiant heat rise directly up to the floor above.

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Might want to review the difference between radiant and convection heat. Interesting read...
Www.chimneysweepsonline.com/horadiantconv.htm

alternativeheat said:

What a great idea ! A four bag chest would be ideal for me, retiring soon too means I will have time to build it.

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Yeah but 7 bags would be better lol.enjoy Your retirement

Big papa said:

Yeah but 7 bags would be better lol.enjoy Your retirement

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It's kind of a matter of space and 5 bags gets me through most winter storms, one in the hopper( or there abouts)and 4 in the house . What did you make the box out of and what dimensions holds 7 bags ?

Made it out of soft maple will have to remeasure for ya here's a pic goes in upside down not sure why but makes loading the stove easy I still have to stain and finish

Big papa said:

Made it out of soft maple will have to remeasure for ya here's a pic goes in upside down not sure why but makes loading the stove easy I still have to stain and finish

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I think I could buy a half sheet of birch ply since I have some kicking around from building my piano stand already but not quite enough. A 7 bagger would be too large for my space though I think. Thanks for the photo ! I might even have some rough birch in the basement , though if not a guy up the road sells rough hardwoods. I have a thickness planer and nice router table etc etc. So I would probably edge the top with a molded shape of some sort. Stain ? Possibly Black Polyshades same as the piano stand. I like this idea !

I bought a metal pale and holds easily half the bag and then just dump into the hopper. A hot stove and plastic don't mix if you slip.

TonyVideo said:

I bought a metal pale and holds easily half the bag and then just dump into the hopper. A hot stove and plastic don't mix if you slip.

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I have one also, maybe holds 1/3 of a bag. We have groups of people in the house every other week and it's more stylish to have the nicely shaped container there than a bag of pellets.