Ok, so about 2 weeks ago I did the big clean on the stove and cleaned every nook and cranny that I am aware of. My husband reluctantly was able to replace the ignitor and distribution fan (both covered under electrical warranty) and when all done that day we fired it up and it worked like a champ. Haven't touched it since. Went to turn it on just now because its gonna get cold tonight and nothing really happens besides a quiet humming sound. The fans dont start, the clanging of the plate area that sucks fresh air doesn't happen and the pellets don't feed. There is also no blinking (error) from the status light. Anyone have any clue? Can this really be happening after it worked fine and the warranty expires on Monday?
Help with Harman P68 please
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swalz
Feeling the Heat
did you check the vacuum switch?
Mine did the same thing and I found the vacuum hose had broke right before the switch, just cut it back a little then pushed it back on. Also try unplugging it for a few minutes then plugging it back in.
Mine did the same thing and I found the vacuum hose had broke right before the switch, just cut it back a little then pushed it back on. Also try unplugging it for a few minutes then plugging it back in.
My husband thinks its something with the feed mechanism but we don't know what. Can't really tell where to look for a jam. It's just bizarre that we tested it after cleaning and changing those parts and now somehow it doesnt work. Where would we look for a jam of a foreign object or pellets? Or any other ideas? Could something with the room sensing probe cause this, although like I said, it was fine 2 weeks ago.
When you put the feed adjuster on test, the blower comes on but nothing else happens...then as soon as you put the feed adjuster on any number the blower shuts off, nothing else happens and there are no blinking error lights.
When you put the feed adjuster on test, the blower comes on but nothing else happens...then as soon as you put the feed adjuster on any number the blower shuts off, nothing else happens and there are no blinking error lights.
heat seeker
Minister of Fire
newf lover
Minister of Fire
Trying to get this bumped up for you. I'm not that handy, but I am logical. I would be surprised if it was a jam. The fans would be at least operating on test mode, even if there was a jam, and they apparently are not. Do any of the lights come on when the stove is turned on? Not error codes, just lights showing they are getting power? Sounds like an electrical issue.
I believe so. We have tried everything. Playing with feed adjusting, turning on high, making sure room sensing probe is ok...unplugged it for a bit. When you plug it in you just hear a low humming sound, when we put the feed adjuster on test and then back to 3, the blower shuts off. This has never happened before. We aren't that mechanincally inclined but my husband thinks the auger might be jammed. We aren't sure how to get to it. Hate to call the dealer because the 3 yr mechanical and electrical warranty expires on monday and even so he charges $100 just to come out. We just cleaned and tested the stove and replaced the ignitor and distribution fan and it worked fine 2 weeks ago.
CelciusMaximus
Member
In the meantime I will look at my manual.....again.
CelciusMaximus
Member
MountainSean
Credo Quia Absurdum
The vacuum switch would be a round plastic thing in the back of the stove that sort of resembles a hockey puck. Look for a rubber (Silicon) hose leading from it to a port either on the combustion blower housing or the back of the stove. You should be able to bypass the vacuum switch by jumping it out (be sure to unplug the stove before messing with anything electrical) and then fire it up again and see if it works. I don't have any of my manuals here so I cant give any instructions on how to remove the auger shaft or check it for jams.
MountainSean
Credo Quia Absurdum
You pull it completely off and blow through it to see if it is clear of obstructions. You can also blow through it into the stove (not into the puck) to make sure the port itself isn't blocked. You can blow lightly on the hockey puck end and listen for a light click from the vacuum switch which is it clicking over from the vacuum you are creating. Just be careful not to give it too much force, those switches are pretty sensitive and usually work at around 2 millibars of pressure and blowing too hard can break them.
Ugh, I tugged at the hose a bit and it doesn't seem to want to come off. I'm afraid I'll do more harm then good if I break it trying to get it off. It's clear and doesn't look to have anything in it. I guess it's a call to the dealer Monday with a hefty bill more then likely. We only know so much about the stove. Three year old stove and ignitor went, then distribution fan, now what? To think I spent extra on a Harman because they were better...I don't know about that. I don't want to pay what propane costs but it's times like these that I miss setting the thermostat and forgetting about it. 
Checked this, checked that, went to bed cold and with a headache. Called the dealer this morning and he had my husband do some things and he is pretty sure its the circuit board. He is coming out Monday (the last day of our warranty) $100 charge but we will be warm again. 3 yrs bad ignitor, bad distribution fan, bad circuit board. Maybe we got a lemon but I'm thinking there won't be another Harman in our future. Anyone care to share what a P68 costs in their area? We paid $3540 for ours...the stove alone.
did you check & clean the vent pipe going outside? if there is an obstruction the unit will not feed any pellets and the other blower will not come on until the unit gets warm on the inside. It takes about 45 minutes to get any error code (except the 4 blink which happens pretty much instantly if the room sensor is not plugged in). Make sure you have the unit plugged into a surge suppressor (power spike #1 killer of control boards). Good luck.
when u put it in test mode does the auger turn and feed pellets? u will need a flashlight to see into the firepot since this stove has the mirror glass. make sure ash door and fire door are closed and the hopper lid. if these are open the pressure switch is not engaged and will not let the auger motor run.
In test mode check to see if the combustion fan is actually running. 2 ways to do this remove the rear panel on the left side and look to see if the blades are turning. or remove the ash drawer, check to see if you can spin the fan blades on the combustion fan blades which are behind the ash drawer if this turns easy, then leave the ash drawer out and close the ash door , put it in test mode, shine flashlight in to see if the blades will turn. I have seen people clean the stove and by mistake bend one of the fins on the blade and this prevents the fan turning. also make sure the soot in behind the blades is cleaned off as it will built up and prevent it fromm turning.
a pellet can fall into the the cooling blades on the combustion fan in the back of the stove. if u say there is a humming noise then that will indicate a motor trying to run but something is preventing it from doing so.
In test mode check to see if the combustion fan is actually running. 2 ways to do this remove the rear panel on the left side and look to see if the blades are turning. or remove the ash drawer, check to see if you can spin the fan blades on the combustion fan blades which are behind the ash drawer if this turns easy, then leave the ash drawer out and close the ash door , put it in test mode, shine flashlight in to see if the blades will turn. I have seen people clean the stove and by mistake bend one of the fins on the blade and this prevents the fan turning. also make sure the soot in behind the blades is cleaned off as it will built up and prevent it fromm turning.
a pellet can fall into the the cooling blades on the combustion fan in the back of the stove. if u say there is a humming noise then that will indicate a motor trying to run but something is preventing it from doing so.
Thanks Dingees, I'll check the things you mentioned for the heck of it. The combustion fan does come on in test mode and the second you put the pellet feed on a number the fan shuts off and you hear the quiet humming sound. Odd thing is that 2weeks ago after major cleaning and replacing the parts we fired up the stove and it worked great. Shut it down and it sat for 2 weeks not being used because it wasn't cold and then went to turn it on friday and it wouldnt work. Dealer is scheduled to come out tomorrow at 12. Of all the things we did and checked....we cant figure it out. It will cost $100 and the rest covered by warranty but I've missed my stove the last 2 cold nights.
what u may hear in test is the distribution fan that comes on high speed, and this is louder than the combustion fan which is different, and when u set the dial to the feed setting the distribution fan goes off and the combustion fan may be the humming niose that u hear. get down on the floor on the left side rear and is this where the humming noise comes from??
Any updates on the problem? Was the dealer able to fix the problem and it so, please describe what the problem was and how they fixed it?
Many thanks!
Many thanks!
The problems were 3 seperate issues, it was all kinda bizarre. The dealer did come and fix it. It cost us $100 but there is no way we would have ever figured it all out. We did get a new vacuum switch out of it but he had put that on before he found the last problem and said after finding the loose part he really couldn't be sure if the vacuum switch was bad or not.
Problem # 1-No draft and no idea why after having the stove 3 yrs (4th season) and never had a problem before.
#2 The combustion fan was seized, all he did was spin it with his finger and it was fine, no idea how or why out of no where it seizes.
#3 There is a plate in the back of our stove near the feed mechanism, the husband took it off to vacuum the fines that collect back there and possibly knocked a part loose and for the life of me I can't remember what the part was called and strange thing is the stove worked after we cleaned it so we don't know how or when the part got loosened.
I wish we were more mechanically inclined. We learn more about the stove each season, they are pretty complex if you ask me.
The stove got a complete cleaning several weeks ago at which time my husband put on a new ignitor (failed 2nd season) and new distribution fan (failed last spring) and we fire up the stove after all this and it fired right up, ignitor worked, distribution fan worked and burned nice and hot because it was all clean. Then it sat for 2 weeks because it was warm out. Then went to fire it up last friday when it was cold and that's when it wouldn't work. I'm hoping now we are good to go with no more problems since our 3 yr electrical and mechanical warranty is expired as of midnight tonight.
Problem # 1-No draft and no idea why after having the stove 3 yrs (4th season) and never had a problem before.
#2 The combustion fan was seized, all he did was spin it with his finger and it was fine, no idea how or why out of no where it seizes.
#3 There is a plate in the back of our stove near the feed mechanism, the husband took it off to vacuum the fines that collect back there and possibly knocked a part loose and for the life of me I can't remember what the part was called and strange thing is the stove worked after we cleaned it so we don't know how or when the part got loosened.
I wish we were more mechanically inclined. We learn more about the stove each season, they are pretty complex if you ask me.
The stove got a complete cleaning several weeks ago at which time my husband put on a new ignitor (failed 2nd season) and new distribution fan (failed last spring) and we fire up the stove after all this and it fired right up, ignitor worked, distribution fan worked and burned nice and hot because it was all clean. Then it sat for 2 weeks because it was warm out. Then went to fire it up last friday when it was cold and that's when it wouldn't work. I'm hoping now we are good to go with no more problems since our 3 yr electrical and mechanical warranty is expired as of midnight tonight.
By the way, thanks again to those that tried to help. I think Dingees and Mountain Sean were on to part of the problem for sure. I wish with their help I could have somehow figured it out but even if I did I don't think we ever would have noticed the little loose part behind that plate on our own. Glad to have it running. We have been cold the last 3 nights!
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