Has anybody connected the fresh air hose to a Harman stove?

I recently purchased a Harman 25th Anniversary stove and am anxious to get the stove up an running and see what it can do to help defray my annual home heating costs (using oil heat).

After thoroughly reading the installation manual and checking local codes, I want to install the fresh air intake instead of relying on combustion air from inside the house. This will allow me locate the exhaust port closer to my window (18" vs 48") and according to what I've read will reduce the likelihood of the unit smoking into the house in the case of a power failure.

I was wondering if anybody in this group has installed a fresh air intake on the Harman XXV (or any other Harman model?

There is little information in the instruction manual other than that a "2 3/8" I.D. noncombustible flex pipe" should be used. So I located a ready-made fresh air kit that includes the correct size pipe. When I went to check the fit, it is much smaller than the intake port on the stove.

The kit comes with adjustable clamps for both ends of the pipe. Unless I find a reducer fitting for the stove, there is no way to connect the
pipe to the intake.

In looking for answers in the HarmanPelletUsers forum, here, and on the internet in general, the only answer I could find was a person that thought it was not necessary to fully seal the outside air pipe to the intake. They decided to use metal duct tape to connect the pipe to the intake.

Any ideas or advice would be greatly appreciated!

Thanks,

Mike

The XXV manual lists two official Harman parts (the flex pipe - part# 1-00-08543 and an inlet cover part# 1-10-08542). I found a kit that is made by Englander that included the pipe, cover, clamps and both interior and exterior trim pieces:

http://www.englanderstoves.com/store/Pellet_Vent_Pipe.html (kit is shown at the bottom of the page)

The kit is available online and through many hardware stores.

Based on some of the responses I'm getting, I'm wondering if an airtight seal to the outside air is even necessary?

Thanks to everyone who has replied. I really appreciate the quick responses!

Mike

By the way, the intake flange on my XXV is notched in 2-3 spots (can't remember off the top of my head). It looks to me like it is designed to fit another piece? After all, why would the manufacturer go to the trouble to notch the flange (or design the casting with the notches) without a reason?

From the description on Harman's official part (the flex pipe) it doesn't mention any connector or clamps being included. Just wondering if there is a Harman adapter part that fits on the flange that might possibly mate to these notches?

I consider myself a tech/mechanically-savvy person. I'll get this thing to fit by finding an adapter and if I can't find one ready-made, I'll get my buddy to weld a custom part... but it seems like somebody else would have gone through this before me and already developed a solution. I hate to "re-design the wheel".

For what its worth, I solved the problem with a $2.98 part from Advance Auto Parts. The part #548505 (2-1/2" I.D. to 2" O.D. Adapter) is found in the muffler section. I spent 10 minutes smoothing the 2-1/2" end on my bench grinder. I removed the outside air connector from my stove (3 sheet metal screws). With a block of wood and a tap with a hammer I seated the part perfectly inside the flange of the connector. Pictures of the connector seated inside the Harman flange are attached.

The part works for my situation, but might not for others depending on what diameter pipe is used to supply the fresh air. My kit fits perfectly over a 2" O.D. pipe using the adjustable pipe clamp included in my outside air kit. The Harman XXV outside air connector has a 2-1/2" I.D., so as long as you find the right size to fit the I.D. of your outside air pipe you should be good to go.

If anybody cares, I will update this thread as soon as my stove is up and running (waiting on one exhaust pipe section yet).

Thanks again for everyone's help.

Mike