Harman accentra insert

[jlongo1115]

Hey everyone I have a few questions for you. I picked up a 2006 Harman accentra insert and have yet to perfect the heating output. Ok this is a 42,000 btu stove and I am trying to heat about 1600 square ft(main level) open floor plan, 9 ft ceilings new construction with 6 inch insulation. The stove I purchased I installed and immediately had no auger so I started cleaning. I got to the back of the stove and took the wing nuts off the exhaust flue and saw that there was about 6 inches of soot encasing the esp. So I cleaned it all out and wiped down the probe(gently) and put it all back together. Now for the test ..... whala I had auger power and the auto start lit right up. So I start messing with controls and I find that the air being blown out into the room is the same strength on high or low (stove sensing) so I took the unit back out and propped it up and guess what? The fan was completely encased in what looked to be like my puppy rotweiller. So I pulled the fan out and started cleaning it and man was it nasty! So now I plug it back in and the fan blows much harder but once it hits about half way between low and high it doesn't blow any harder is this normal? Also I have my stove on high feed setting, temp all the way up, and blower on high with auto start and my house is only about 68 degrees on the main level and not even hot right next to the stove. Is there anything else I could be missing? I did notice that the exhaust flue has a insulation type gasket where the esp is and it was ripped would that do anything? I took off the burn pot plates and scraped everything inside the stove clean. My flame is pretty big going up into what looks like where the fan blows out but the heat is just not that hot. I am using garbage super high ash home depot americanpellets wood fibersto pellets because its all that was readily available to get this up and running. I am ordering a ton of oakies tomorrow but will they make that much of a difference? I have a brand new 30ft stainless 4in exhaust pipe installed and it is clean. I think that's about all I can think of right now so let me know what you guys think.
Thanks so mu h in advance for your time I really appreciate it.
James

 

[SmokeyTheBear]

Used stoves need a full cleaning including all blowers.

But with an insert you also have to make sure you are not sending heat up the chimney and heating the brick work, how did you block off the flue and did you use any non flammable insulation on top of the block off plate, the flue must be sealed to the block off plate.

 

[jlongo1115]

I did not block it off at all. I was going to just stuff insulation up there around the pipe. Do you really lose that much up the chimney? What should o do or buy? Also how do you clean the exhaust blowers? Is there anything else I should do?

 

[jlongo1115]

Also I just noticed the air blowing out in the left side of the stove is barely warm but the air on the right is HOT!!. So I was looking at the flame and on the right the flame was going up into the top of the stove and being sucked in through the vents and the left side flame was just as high but not being sicked in. What could be blocked? Also the right heat plate is white color and the left is black like it isn't getting as hot as the right one that is white from all the ash.

 

[SmokeyTheBear]

Did you scrap and clean out the holes in the burn pot, clean the area around the igniter, and the fines box on the stove?

Is your flame guide where it belongs?

I'll leave the instructions on the combustion blower to someone who has actually cleaned it, Harman makes it fairly easy to service their stoves.

Usually a block off plate is made from sheet metal and the flue run up through, it the insulation can go on top of the plate you can also make it out of two pieces that you join together. But the flue needs to be sealed to the plate and the plate needs to be sealed to the chimney. The sealant is to stop air flow and the insulation to block heat transfer via conduction through the sheet metal.

Chimneys are noted for causing upward airflow, the normal plate at the top needs sealing as well to keep the water out, even with a sealed top plate is is possible for an airflow to be established in the chimney.

 

[jlongo1115]

Ok do yes I scraped the burn pot and the holes. I took off the flame guide and scraped that. I took off the compass plate and scraped that. I took off the right and left heat exchanger plates and cleaned them with a wire brush. I vacuumed out the holes behind the heat exchangers but I dint know how far back they go or what they were responsible for so that could be my problem and if one of those is clogged. I can't believe I didn't notice before that the air being blown out in the left is atleast 50 degrees cooler then the air on the right.

 

[SmokeyTheBear]

Ok do yes I scraped the burn pot and the holes. I took off the flame guide and scraped that. I took off the compass plate and scraped that. I took off the right and left heat exchanger plates and cleaned them with a wire brush. I vacuumed out the holes behind the heat exchangers but I dint know how far back they go or what they were responsible for so that could be my problem and if one of those is clogged. I can't believe I didn't notice before that the air being blown out in the left is atleast 50 degrees cooler then the air on the right.

You could have crud in the convection air path other than what you found at the blower.

I wasn't kidding when I said used stoves need a really good cleaning, in fact a tear down cleaning. As a general rule all gaskets should be checked and if you can't check them using the dollar bill test you replace them.

Frequently the reason the stove is being sold is because the owner didn't pay attention to keeping the stove clean, and that is far more complicated than just cleaning the burn pot, emptying the ash pan, and cleaning the door glass.

The stove is so dirty it no longer burns well so the owner gets frustrated and sells it. You get a good deal provided the stove wasn't physically ruined by the abuse it took.

Yes, not keeping the stove cleaned properly can lead to metal damage, and all sorts of component part failures..

 

[jlongo1115]

Ok what is the dollar bill test and where do I do it? Lol. Also can anyone give me detailed tear down instructions on how to clean everything? The manual has basic cleaning but how do I clean all the convection paths? I am pretty handy so I think I can do this fairly easily it would just be easier with some direction.
Thanks for everything
James

 

[LIpelletpig]

Couple of issues you mention...

1. Yes the fan speed is variable so once about 1/2-3/4 the fan is rather high. If its completely off and not working it could be dust on the resistor dial that needs to be cleaned. If that doesn't seem to work the board would need replacement. Not what I'm thinking in your case.
2. Yes the two holes on either side of the stove below the plates need to be cleaned out on routine maintenance. Judging by the way you describe the stove condition this was not done.
3. The heat exchangers behind the plates need to be spotless to get a high heat output. Any soot on them is an insulator. It drops heat output significantly in my opinion.
4. GO TO THE HARMAN WEBSITE and print out the cleaning & maintenance for the Harman Accentra Insert. Read it from front to back and then re-read it and follow the instructions on how to clean all the blowers in the stove.

Hope that helps!

 

[SmokeyTheBear]

Ok what is the dollar bill test and where do I do it? Lol. Also can anyone give me detailed tear down instructions on how to clean everything? The manual has basic cleaning but how do I clean all the convection paths? I am pretty handy so I think I can do this fairly easily it would just be easier with some direction.
Thanks for everything
James

You close a dollar bill sized piece of paper between the gasket and the surface it goes against at two separated points on each side of the door and then remove it, it should come out but present resistance to being pulled out. It must present resistance at all test points.

If it doesn't then you have a bad gasket, a loose latch, or the door is misaligned.

 

[jlongo1115]

Ok, I got a little anxious and have the thing half apart as we speak lol. I will let you know how it goes Hahahahaha.
Thanks
Guys your the best!

 

[jlongo1115]

Ok so I pulled apart everything that I could get into and vacuumed it all out. I cleaned everywhere I could see. I took out all the fans and cleaned the blades and stuck vacuums down all the intake and exhaust ports. I scraped the heat exchangers so well with a wire brush that they look brand new. So I put it all back together and fired her up. As soon as the blower kicked on more dog hair blew out the vents so I figured that was a sign that things were moving along. So I waited a few minutes and still no heat out of the left side of the stove. When I say left I mean my left just so you know. Its borderline cold air and the right is piping hot. Help me out guys I am stumped and want this thing to run properly..

 

[jp0469]

The right side exhaust tube (as you're facing the stove) takes a direct straight line right to the exhaust fan but the left hand one goes straight back about a foot and then takes a 90 degree right hand turn and goes along the back of the stove to get to the exhaust fan area. You have to shove something fairly flexible and long to break through whatever is clogging that left hand tube. Given the condition of the stove as you describe it, it sounds like this was never done and the cold left side is definitely symptomatic of a clog back there.

 

[SmokeyTheBear]

Also you might want to remove the convection blower and use an air compressor to blow out the distribution air path, be prepared for a few dogs worth of crud to exit the stove.

 

[Trickyrick]

The right side exhaust tube (as you're facing the stove) takes a direct straight line right to the exhaust fan but the left hand one goes straight back about a foot and then takes a 90 degree right hand turn and goes along the back of the stove to get to the exhaust fan area. You have to shove something fairly flexible and long to break through whatever is clogging that left hand tube. Given the condition of the stove as you describe it, it sounds like this was never done and the cold left side is definitely symptomatic of a clog back there.

I second this. Your issue is that the left side is clogged shut. I clean mine every week and run a tool through those channels once a month and you woudl be amazed to see how much ash gets stuck just past the 90 degree bend.

For you the easiest solution is to take it outside and use an aircompressor on it with a flex head or get the cleanout tool and be ready for lots of work.

You will know your clean when you blow through it and soot comes out the exhaust.

 

[Thewoodsman]

Sorry to read about your troubles I too had a used Accentra insert installed last month a 2007 model. The dealer installed unit but did not put any insulation, or plate blocking off where damper was he just ran flex pipe down chimney to stove.( Starting to think about this but have not had any problems with heat even on the really cold days.) Stove was cleaned well but I still did a cleaning myself. To get the left side (your left when looking at stove) exhaust channel really cleaned ,dealer did stress this you need a special brush about 2 and 1/2 feet long with brush at end.Dealer should have in stock since they come with stove, along with cleaning tool for scraping.Also I fashioned a rubber hose about half inch in dia. Three feet long attached to vacuum with duct tape I brushed and vacuumed chamber really good. You can see hose and brush bottoming out on other end if you use a flashlight and look down right side chamber. Hope you get things running smooth soon as clog sounds like the problem.

 

[jlongo1115]

Yeah I hope I get it out. I just got home with a new 8ftinvoice snake to break up the blockage and a 6 ft 1 1/2 inch hose to attach to my shop vacation to get in there really well. I will let you know in about an hour lol.

 

[Reno605]

Hope you fare better than I did.

My blockage had me pulling the insert, hauling it outside (fortunately nice Oct day) and coming at it via the cover opening on the exhaust using everything I could find that I could get into the opening taking several hours of attacking it from both ends to clear it well enough to get the brush through.

Cause, two I believe. First cleaning instructions of the time did not specify forcing the cleaning brush full length into the left exhaust, see updated ones do. Second, goo in the stove, checking stove one day found stove with lots of moisture under ash pan like some other material came through stove and melted. Believe this to be primary cause as what blocked my exhaust was rock hard.

Since, I have adapted like others I see, besides brushing the exhausts I also have also taped a length of small garden hose to my vacuum which is able to go full length even through left exhaust. Feel better believing this also sucking up at least some of the fly ash that makes its way all the way to the fan.

 

[jlongo1115]

Ok guys so here goes. I did exactly as the last guy above did and went at it with everything I had. I was using the snake jamming it in the left port when finally my employee goes utt ohh I think you broke threw the wall. I was thinking that there was no way I broke through steel so I shined the light in and sure enough I busted through a wall of hardened ash that was as hard as concrete. I kept going in from both sides until all was removed. It took about 2I hours with the snake and the long vacuum that I rigged to get it all but I did. I powered her ip and immediately I could tell the difference. Before the flame was only going to the right and was dim on the left now it was huge! ! I had hot air from both sides and instantly felt warmth. So I was running it on full blast for the last 4guy days 6a on feed and high on fan getting my main level which is aboutii 1600 sqt to about 67 and my upstairs was at 64the with all my bedroom doors shut and my lower level door shut also so that the heat would stay in the main level. I was still using oil (hydro air )in to heat the lower level and the upstairs while we slept. So now I just got home and settings arr as follows, feed on 3, fan on low -mexand and temp on stove sensing 4 and my lower level is 69, my main level is
75 and my upstairs with all doors open a whopping 74. Now my main level thermostat is about 50ft away from the stove and it is about 80+ in my family room where the stove is located. I am so happy now with this purchase I just can't believe that the guy before me took such bad care of it. In the end I got a heck of a deal with a few hours of labor . Thanks guys I appreciate all your help I couldn't have done it without you.
ps. I too had that wet ash in the left exhaust port, I really am puzzled as to how it got there with a wall of thick rock blocking it off from the main exhaust.

 

[SmokeyTheBear]

He he.

A clean stove is a happy, safe, and warm stove.

About the crap in the works, par for the course if cleaning is not attended to on a regular basis. As for the stuff being damp in there well plenty of moisture in the air will do that as will improper installation (failure to properly seal block off plate, flue, top plate, and wrong termination cap setup will also allow water into the works).

Enjoy the heat, you now know more about your stove and installation than most stove owners. Keep it up by stashing away some pellets and you are on the way to being awarded your OINKS and rewarded with a warm house.

Enjoy the heat.

 

[jp0469]

Great to hear that you got it running the way it should. You got yourself a nice stove there, enjoy it.

 

[Trickyrick]

Ok guys so here goes. I did exactly as the last guy above did and went at it with everything I had. I was using the snake jamming it in the left port when finally my employee goes utt ohh I think you broke threw the wall. I was thinking that there was no way I broke through steel so I shined the light in and sure enough I busted through a wall of hardened ash that was as hard as concrete. I kept going in from both sides until all was removed. It took about 2I hours with the snake and the long vacuum that I rigged to get it all but I did. I powered her ip and immediately I could tell the difference. Before the flame was only going to the right and was dim on the left now it was huge! ! I had hot air from both sides and instantly felt warmth. So I was running it on full blast for the last 4guy days 6a on feed and high on fan getting my main level which is aboutii 1600 sqt to about 67 and my upstairs was at 64the with all my bedroom doors shut and my lower level door shut also so that the heat would stay in the main level. I was still using oil (hydro air )in to heat the lower level and the upstairs while we slept. So now I just got home and settings arr as follows, feed on 3, fan on low -mexand and temp on stove sensing 4 and my lower level is 69, my main level is
75 and my upstairs with all doors open a whopping 74. Now my main level thermostat is about 50ft away from the stove and it is about 80+ in my family room where the stove is located. I am so happy now with this purchase I just can't believe that the guy before me took such bad care of it. In the end I got a heck of a deal with a few hours of labor . Thanks guys I appreciate all your help I couldn't have done it without you.
ps. I too had that wet ash in the left exhaust port, I really am puzzled as to how it got there with a wall of thick rock blocking it off from the main exhaust.

Glad it worked out. There are som many things that people do not understand how to maintain and when they stop working, blame their equipment and sell their stuff. I can't tell you how many things I pick up a couple years old and all they need is 3 to 4 hours of clean up and your running like new. We are spoiled by our cars. Stick gas in it, take it someplace to have a $50 service and everything runs great... We (the general population) have lost the ability and the desire to fix stuff ourselves. We hand it off to others to fix or treat it as disposable.

 

[jlongo1115]

I couldn't agree more, and thank god for those people because without them I would not have food on my table and a roof over my head . You have no idea the easy things wives pay me good money to do because they say their husbands aren't capable lol.

So last night was my first night with the NEW stove and I couldn't be happier. I have it set on the lowest setting it will possibly go on and it is still borderline hot. I never thought this stove would heat 3600 sq/ft easily. I think the 6 in insulation really helps out. Now I have a question for you all, what pellets are you all running and what have you tried and not been happy with? I was going to get a ton of oakies there is a place in bristol, ct that has them for $290a ton. What about new england pellets are they good because bristol is about an hour from me but there is a local guy who has the new england for $275/ton. Let me know your opinions and whay you think would burn best in my stove.
Thanks guys

 

[Trickyrick]

I couldn't agree more, and thank god for those people because without them I would not have food on my table and a roof over my head . You have no idea the easy things wives pay me good money to do because they say their husbands aren't capable lol.

So last night was my first night with the NEW stove and I couldn't be happier. I have it set on the lowest setting it will possibly go on and it is still borderline hot. I never thought this stove would heat 3600 sq/ft easily. I think the 6 in insulation really helps out. Now I have a question for you all, what pellets are you all running and what have you tried and not been happy with? I was going to get a ton of oakies there is a place in bristol, ct that has them for $290a ton. What about new england pellets are they good because bristol is about an hour from me but there is a local guy who has the new england for $275/ton. Let me know your opinions and whay you think would burn best in my stove.
Thanks guys

I have used Oakies with great success, NEWP have been very ashy and marginal heat, Hardwood heats were good heat but the ash was just a little clumpy, Green teams are second only to Oakies, and Sumersets this year are running a very close 3rd. AWF, winter warmth and many of the other box brands have been low to med heat and very ashy. One of the biggest concerns is that I clean out the ash pan and clean out the insie of the stove and heat exchanger every week. If things get to ashy that pan fills up in less than a week well you are stuck cleaning more often.

I would start with the sumersets and and have some oakies for really cold nights.

If you can get green teams or Hardwood heats then try those too.

 

[jlongo1115]

Ok great thanks, I picked up 20a bags of great american pellet today and so far I have been very impressed. I can get oakies, great american, new england, hammers hot ones and that's about it for anything good.