Fusing your Harman pellet stove ignitor - save the board fuse and power?

[Don2222]

Hello

Many times when the Harman ignitor dies it shorts out and blows the circuit board fuse.
This fuse is 6 or 7 amps and when it goes, the stove has no power. Since there is no power the stove cannot be started manually.

Therefore, If it had a seperate fuse like other brand stoves, the ignitor fuse would pop and the stove could still be started manually.

An inline fuse holder from Home Depot can easily be added in series with the yellow ignitor wire in the back of the stove. An AGC 5 amp fuse that must be purchased seperatly can be installed.

Any damaging short caused by the ignitor will blow this fuse. The stove will still run fine and can be started manually.

Pic 1 - Fuse holder and Fuses
Pic 2 - Original Ignitor wires coiled up.
(Note: splice into right side of coiled yellow wire closest to the control panel. This way the wires can still be pulled into the air inlet tube for ignitor replacement when needed)
Pic 3 - Quick disconnect clips from Home Depot used for connections. Easy to remove or change.
Pic 4 - Fuse holder tucked up and away from any heated parts, but can easily be pulled back down for servicing.

 

[heat seeker]

Great idea ! I plan on using, perhaps, a 3 amp fuse, well below my ignitor's current draw. Just a little more protection for the board, IMO.

 

[Don2222]

Great idea ! I plan on using, perhaps, a 3 amp fuse, well below my ignitor's current draw. Just a little more protection for the board, IMO.

Very good, let us know how it works out?

 

[the-dude]

Very good idea!

 

[Bioburner]

Dude your ignition system is a pressure system with an air pump.

 

[Don2222]

Dude your ignition system is a pressure system with an air pump.

Hello
You can still install a seperate fuse in the PC-45 for the Air Pump and the 450 Watt Ignitor. The yelow wire feeds them both so you can put a 5amp fuse in there.

See red arrow in diagram below
Click to Enlarge

 

[Mt Bob]

I'm still trying to figure out what a "sepearte fuse" is,in the poll question?

 

[tjnamtiw]

Great idea! Quads don't have a separate fuse either.

 

[Don2222]

Great idea! Quads don't have a separate fuse either.

Hello

Yes, I am thinking of putting one in my Contour/SantaFe
See red arrow to black wire below:

Click pic to Enlarge

 

[heat seeker]

Very good, let us know how it works out?

Will do.

 

[zrtmatos]

I have an Accentra that has not started automatically for about a month now. It does start manually if I use starting gel. Is the culprit a bad ignitor probably? I have already cleaned out the insides of the ignitor area repeatedly. It is about 8 years old. Have had it running well until this one time. Opinions please?

 

[Luv2burnPellets]

Yes, sounds like bad igniter. You can check it with a voltmeter. You did very well to get 8 yrs from it.

 

[zrtmatos]

How can I check the old ignitor using a voltmeter. Luv2burnPellets? Newbie on this. I was going to attach an old cord to it and try plugging it in to see if it works off the stove. How does a voltmeter help with this diagnosis?

 

[MountainSean]

How can I check the old ignitor using a voltmeter. Luv2burnPellets? Newbie on this. I was going to attach an old cord to it and try plugging it in to see if it works off the stove. How does a voltmeter help with this diagnosis?

You check the resistance on an Ohm test. You should get mid 30's for resistance. If you get infinite resistance then you know the igniter is bad. Testing with a power cord works too though I usually tell people to take it out of the stove to do that, one slip or connection popping loose and you will need a new igniter and a new control board.

 

[zrtmatos]

Yes I was planning on testing it out of the stove. Thanks.

 

[tjnamtiw]

Hello

Yes, I am thinking of putting one in my Contour/SantaFe
See red arrow to black wire below:

Click pic to Enlarge

Yep, an in-line fuse right there would be super simple.

 

[heat seeker]

Okay, I installed the fuse and holder today. Just cut the red wire and insert fuseholder. The red wire is the feed to the ignitor, and the white goes to the neutral terminal block. Note that the wiring diagram on the stove has them reversed, and that it shows the high limit switch wrong, but at least mentions that it's NC.
Pics:

 

[Don2222]

Okay, I installed the fuse and holder today. Just cut the red wire and insert fuseholder. The red wire is the feed to the ignitor, and the white goes to the neutral terminal block. Note that the wiring diagram on the stove has them reversed, and that it shows the high limit switch wrong, but at least mentions that it's NC.
Pics:

Nice Job HS ! ! !

 

[heat seeker]

Thank you! I have started the stove twice now, and it works fine. Now hoping that, if the ignitor shorts out, the 4 amp fuse will go before the 6 amp fuse. Seems like it should!

Total coast was under $6 for fuse holder and 5 fuses. The shrink tubing and solder I already had.

When I read the first post, I had a "DUH" moment - why didn't I think of that! Great idea!

 

[stovelark]

Hello, normally Don, I don't like modifying anything from the factory, but this time you're suggesting a great idea. Well done.