Accentra not feeding pellets - HELP

I have an Harman Accentra pellet stove. It has been nothing but problems each heating season with one thing going wrong after another. I can't tell you how many parts have been replaced all work done by Harman dealer technician. This is my 3rd season. This stove came with the house and it is 5 years old.

Problem: This season it is auger that won't turn and no pellets are dropping into burn pot. All lights come on except for Feeder motor light. I thoroughly clean the stove each month and take off all panels and follow manufacturer's instructions. Here is what was done last Spring.:

Comustion Fan replaced
Auger motor replaced
ESP Probe replaced
Pressure switch replaced
Advanced timing on start up by +21 sec for auger
Checked all wiring

Note: I burn high quality clean pellets. Last night I was able to move the auger back and forth a little so it appears not to be jammed.

These are typical annual repairs and this stove is getting expensive to own. To say that I am frustrated to the max is an understatement. Any help would be appreciated. I have an old disabled dog down in the basement during the day and that is where the stove is. It's cold down there and I'm having trouble getting a Harman tech to even return my call for help.

So here I am new to this forum and I hope I can maybe fix it myself with help.

Thanks.

Marg

kinsman stoves [email said:

[email protected][/email]]Welcome aboard

1.) Please tell me where the stove is located in the house. i.e basment, front room
2.) Please tell me what every part that is in the venting. Start with the adapter on the back of the stove. What is the diameter?

We will go from there but I am betting the first round of adult beverages on a bad install. Just the first round, we will go from there.

Eric

Click to expand...

The pipe was installed by a Harman technician. It is screwed together at the joints. Stove is in the basement. Pipe is about 4-5 tall and goes out the wood part of the basement wall. House is raised ranch, full sized windows in basement. I cleaned the vent pipe this fall with stiff brush. But where the pipe comes out of the stove there is a T pipe, another words the ashes will fall to the bottom of the T pipe and you unscrew the bottom plate on the T pipe to remove ashes. Problem is I can't budge it or unscrew it to empty ash. Is there something I can spray on it?

Other thing the rope like stuff in door to seal the door is not looking too good, kind of flat. Should I replace that and if so how do you install new rope. It's that white stuff. Do you use a glue or just push it in the grove in the front door?

The diameter is about 3 inches. But I will measure it. It is not a wider width. Looks narrow.

The stove works fine for months. Then defaults. I am now wondering if it is a power surge that is killing my stove. We have many here in Maine and a lot recently. I will pick one up. I start the stove on Auto and then sometimes I put it on Manual after it is lit to save on pellets. I do cleanings and take good care of it.

Thanks for your help. I hope I can learn more like where the fuse box is so I can check those.

Marg

76brian said:

What high quality clean pellets do you burn? Just curious

Click to expand...

Energex. I get them at a local truck stop. These pellets are very clean absolutely no dust or fines.

Put out good heat too.

Marg

kinsman stoves [email said:

[email protected][/email]]

Marg said:

kinsman stoves [email said:

[email protected][/email]]Welcome aboard

1.) Please tell me where the stove is located in the house. i.e basment, front room
2.) Please tell me what every part that is in the venting. Start with the adapter on the back of the stove. What is the diameter?

We will go from there but I am betting the first round of adult beverages on a bad install. Just the first round, we will go from there.

Eric

Click to expand...

The pipe was installed by a Harman technician. It is screwed together at the joints. Stove is in the basement. Pipe is about 4-5 tall and goes out the wood part of the basement wall. House is raised ranch, full sized windows in basement. I cleaned the vent pipe this fall with stiff brush. But where the pipe comes out of the stove there is a T pipe, another words the ashes will fall to the bottom of the T pipe and you unscrew the bottom plate on the T pipe to remove ashes. Problem is I can't budge it or unscrew it to empty ash. Is there something I can spray on it?

Other thing the rope like stuff in door to seal the door is not looking too good, kind of flat. Should I replace that and if so how do you install new rope. It's that white stuff. Do you use a glue or just push it in the grove in the front door?

The diameter is about 3 inches. But I will measure it. It is not a wider width. Looks narrow.

The stove works fine for months. Then defaults. I am now wondering if it is a power surge that is killing my stove. We have many here in Maine and a lot recently. I will pick one up. I start the stove on Auto and then sometimes I put it on Manual after it is lit to save on pellets. I do cleanings and take good care of it.

Thanks for your help. I hope I can learn more like where the fuse box is so I can check those.

Marg

Click to expand...

Just because a Harman Dealer installed it does not make it right.

I am sure you are over the evl (refer to the owners manual, install section) The pipe needs to be clean and this needs to be a full cleaning not just a couple areas or a brush. The brush will compact the ash if you do not get the tcap off. If the "Dealer" is replacing all the parts that you have mentioned I would call another Dealer. I would not worry about pellets at this point.

Eric

Yes I am a Harman Dealer. I can help but it will be better to call me between 9a-5p. 330-448-0300.

Click to expand...

Hi Eric:
I worked with a very good technician tonight for 1 1/2 hrs that another Harman dealer recommended. After some trouble shooting we found the problem. The chain on the auger in back of stove had come off. He walked me through getting it back on and we tightened the tension on it. I will work on cleaning the vent better and will get the cap off. Can I use WD 40 to help loosen it? Or I can use what another person mentioned here.

Anyway I have now a good technician who doesn't mind helping me to fix things over the phone before having to pay for a service call.

Thanks to all who have posted. I am learning so much on this forum and the support is great. I also hooked up the surge protector. It will be interesting to see how it does from here. If the chain does come off again the tech said I may just have to replace the bracket on the tension thing.

I also noticed that I was using pellets that are long, instead of short little ones. I tried a different brand that the place had. But I will go back to using Energex. With the longer pellets the auger sounds like it is cutting a bit hard and makes a noise. See what happens with Energex pellets.

I have not had that technician that worked on it last season back in my house. I don't think he knew what he was doing. I still have the parts that he took out and my new technician can look at them, maybe see if anything was ever wrong with them.

Thanks again.
Marg

imacman said:

Marg said:

.......you unscrew the bottom plate on the T pipe to remove ashes. Problem is I can't budge it or unscrew it to empty ash. Is there something I can spray on it?

Other thing the rope like stuff in door to seal the door is not looking too good, kind of flat.....

Click to expand...

Hi Marg. I'll put my 2 cents in here, but stick w/ Eric at Kinsman Stoves....he's a certified tech, and he'll get you straightened out. Some pics of the stove install and exhaust piping might make things easier to understand too.

As for the T-Cap, some people have had success getting them off using a rubber strap-wrench. If you DO get it off, go to the auto parts store and buy a small tube of "Anti-Seize".....wipe a thin coating of this on the parts of the cap that go into the T....should make removing it next time MUCH easier.

The rope gasket on the door may be flattened, but that doesn't automatically mean it's leaking. Do the "dollar bill" test......take a dollar (or a piece of regular paper the same size as a dollar) and put it between the door and the stove, and close the door completely.....you should not be able to pull the paper or dollar out.

Check the seal all around the door....if you find a spot where the paper will pull out fairly easy, THEN you may have to replace it. If not, you're good to go.

Click to expand...

Thanks for the tip. I'll pick up some of that Anti -Seize. I was going to use WD 40 but not sure if that was ok or not.

Won't touch gasket. Stove fixed. The chain on the auger on back side of stove came off. The tech I spoke with tonight walked me through trouble shooting over the phone. It's up and running great now.

Thanks again.

Marg