P43 hopper extension install problem

Hopefully Mountain View will get back to you today ... don't forget, you're two hours ahead of them on the east coast!

Someone should be along with a 43 to help. There's a fair number of them on the site.
Welcome

Glad they did get back to you ... no numbers in the owners manual or on the Harman site?

I got that same hopper extension and had the same problem with my P43. I just took out the two front latches from the corners, installed one of them where the current lid latch hole was. I did have issues with trying to get it so there were no gaps (using a flashlight to check for gaps), so ended up just using a bit of RTV to tighten it up.

A real pain in my patootie as I had gotten this ordered by the "local" dealer. It was $20-30 cheaper thru the dealer than the internet. I had already figured out the people I dealt with weren't the brightest bulbs, and "local" for me isn't within a couple of miles, so I decided to just deal with it on my own. The latch is different, but does work without any modification.

The dealer told me I didn't need the relocation kit even though I told them I had the mechanical push button (me being the stupid girl and all, they wouldn't listen to me). I ended up just putting in a flat piece of metal to hold it down at all times. Dealer also had no clue about the size of the air inlet pipe of the stove (insisted it was 2" even though I measured it before I went in looking for flex pipe the correct size). Too bad that the dealer is clueless - I will never go back there again.

Anyway, you can make the set up work fairly easily. If you need more guidance, let me know (although I work during day, so answers might take some time).

When you do these extensions do you remove the hopper lid and then reattach it up onto the new extension? I am picturing drilling the rivets on the hinge and then re-popping it.

On the 45 you just open the lid and put on the extension.

Bioburner said:

On the 45 you just open the lid and put on the extension.

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Imagine it's the same for all P Series. That's goofy though. Having the OEM lid just flapping or hanging back there. I'd take mine off. Looks like drilling out 5 rivets on the 68 would take care of that. My 45 has 7 rivets. Same set up but for some reason the 45 is double riveted on both the left and right. I'm not really needing any extensions but can see where they'ed be nice. Not real crazy on the bumped up look at all but I could get over that with the extended burns and such.

Getting a couple days of burn or the weekend is what its for.
Ron I think had one made by a local sheet metal guy and then used the original stoves lid. Very cheap then. Smart way to go and can make it a bit taller or get crafty and see if one can make a humped back for more volume without height.

Both the P43 and P61 have the lids hanging back there. doesn't matter - you can't see them anyway. I don't have to keep track of them in case I want to sell the stove later also. Can easily remove hopper extension, close lid, and I have two items to put on CL - no damage to either.

bags said:

When you do these extensions do you remove the hopper lid and then reattach it up onto the new extension? I am picturing drilling the rivets on the hinge and then re-popping it.

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For the money an extension costs, it dang well better come with a lid of its own

Yeah I looked them up. I had forgotten what they go for. OUCH! I'm in the wrong business. There's about $30 bucks in metal and a knob. I'll even throw in another $10 bucks for paint. Nice profit margin there............. The ones I saw were like $260 to $270. That's just brutal for what that damn thing is.

Is the extension for the hopper lid switch included?

Lake Girl said:

Is the extension for the hopper lid switch included?

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He doesn't have a mechanical switch, he has a vacuum switch - and no, the extension isn't provided with the hopper switch extension. That is another $100 or so.

bogieb said:

He doesn't have a mechanical switch, he has a vacuum switch - and no, the extension isn't provided with the hopper switch extension. That is another $100 or so.

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$100 for a piece of rod ?

OT I know but This thread brought to mind the guy who decided to build his own hopper extension. Out of plywood

alternativeheat said:

$100 for a piece of rod ?

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To be fair, there are also electrical wires (beats me why a mechanical needs wires, but it does) - at least for my P61a it is. Hey, and there is a metal cage around that rod that keeps the pellets from fouling the mechanism.

scajjr2 said:

Didn't hear from them today, guess Harman hasn't gotten back to them yet

Yeah it was expensive but since switching to the Vermonts they seem to be "stickier" than the Greene Team hardwoods and cling to the hopper sides (tried the wax paper rub and furniture polish, neither did much). So figured the extension should let more fall during the day. We're gone from 7am to 5pm or later and on cold days last year came home to almost empty auger area. Only had it go out once but figure the extension is good insurance.

Sam

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Love my extensions. I'm away at least 12 hours a day, sometimes that turns nto 18 hours, so love that I don't have to worry about running out of pellets.

I certainly didn't get one of those in the one I got - good of you to suggest it to them!

Don't forget the extension has to be sealed to the original hopper. Is there a gasket on the extension and the lid ??