Harman P68 won't light

[Harman Lover 007]

Cover the top of the pellets by squirting it all over them. Light it with door open for about a minute. Close the door and turn stove on

 

[Stebb]

ESP that's there goes white to black, so should be the same. Will first try cleaning and reinstalling same.

 

[Harman Lover 007]

ESP that's there goes white to black, so should be the same. Will first try cleaning and reinstalling same.

Ok sounds good. You're gonna lose me in a little bit but there are many Harman guys here. Try to keep the fire going by adding a few pellets at a time. If in ten or fifteen minutes it doesn't feed by itself that means the ESP isn't sending a signal to the control board to turn on the distribution blower and to automatically feed pellets. Since you've got an ESP, might as well try that....good luck.

 

[Harman Lover 007]

If you have a bad ESP it should be flashing the status light 3 times.....

 

[Stebb]

Just replaced ESP with new one.

 

[Stebb]

Started fire in manual mode, burned for about 5 mins., then snuffed itself out with smoke. Exhaust fan going the whole time, but no distribution fan. Solid red status light, no blinking. Since I just replaced ESP probe, could it be a board malfunction?

 

[Stebb]

Bought a replacement board, but haven't put in yet.

 

[Harman Lover 007]

Started fire in manual mode, burned for about 5 mins., then snuffed itself out with smoke. Exhaust fan going the whole time, but no distribution fan. Solid red status light, no blinking. Since I just replaced ESP probe, could it be a board malfunction?

I'm still suspicious of your venting. If so much smoke chokes out the fire it's either your venting or possibly your combustion blower not operating properly. When you take the venting apart are you able to see a clear path all the way from the stove to the termination outside?

 

[JDenyer236]

Do you have a screen at the end of your vent? Could be plugged there. Pull your ash pan and remove the combustion fan cover. Check to see
if it's clean and spins freely. While your in there check the exhaust passage and make sure that is clean as well. Also remove the cover plate from the burn pot and clean out any ash from the ignitor area.

 

[Harman Lover 007]

Stebb. Any update?

 

[Bridgeman]

Check your door gasket and make sure you have a good seal before you do anything else.

 

[Stebb]

Sorry. Been outside getting beds ready for garlic. Yes, I checked the venting all the way. In fact, took the dragon head off the top because my brush came off the handle. Had to drop a garden stake down to dislodge it. Always clean ash from igniter chamber, so not an issue. Gaskets passed the dollar test.

 

[Stebb]

I hear the exhaust fan running, but after fire is going and I close the door, smoke starts to build up in the chamber, and shortly snuffs out the flame. Can smell the smoke and creosote in the house. The wife is not happy. Spent the night in the barn with the dog.

 

[SteveB]

Last spring my P43 quit lighting on me. Couldn't get it to light and burn even with good pellets, gel, torch, you name it I tried it. Wouldn't burn pellets. Found out that a lot of the holes in the burn plate were plugged shut with carbon. Not enough air coming from underneath the pellets i guess. Cleaned the holes out with a piece of wire and it started right up and burned great! Make sure your fines box is cleaned out too.

 

[Dhosh]

My Englander 24-pdv is manual light only. Destructions say to 'place a handful of pellets in the burn pt, then spread a small amount of fire starter over the handful of pellets in the burn pot and ignite them. Wait a few minutes priort to closing the door on the unit and pressing the 'on' touch pad on the control board. If the door is closed before the pellets are burning thoroughly, the ehaust blower could put out the fire'.

I tested exactly that. I used about a tablespoon of jell on the pellets, light it with a long match, until the gell was all 'lit up', and closed the door. The fire snuffed out when I started pressed the 'on' button. Shut off, waited for everythig to 'stop', and re-did, except left the door open a crack until the pellets themselves were lit .. not just the jell burning. Then, slowly closed the door, ad pressed the 'on' button. The fire flutters for a little bit, but then straightens out and goes to a 'sharp' flame.

I'd be concerned about the black gooey stuff, but otherwise, you might just be closing the door too soon.

Of course, I've only lit mine 3 times now. 1 was the first test above!

 

[Dhosh]

Sometimes, a night in the barn with the dog, isn't all bad .... ;-)

 

[Harman Lover 007]

I hear the exhaust fan running, but after fire is going and I close the door, smoke starts to build up in the chamber, and shortly snuffs out the flame. Can smell the smoke and creosote in the house. The wife is not happy. Spent the night in the barn with the dog.

Man, this isn't getting any easier....what do the combustion fan and fan blades look like? Pull the ash pan and open the cover where the comb fan is. Make sure that shaft isn't broken or the fan blades somehow screwed up. Check it for proper operation in test mode. Are you SURE you have no blockage on the intake side? Right at the back of the stove, check the intake flapper to see if it's free...

 

[Stebb]

Puzzler for sure. Checked the flex pipe out, but didn't check the back of the stove. I assume the intake flapper is right at the connection to the stove. Did pull the combustion fan and cleaned it. Was spinning freely. Distribution fan had a little build up on the blades, but was spinning ok.

 

[Stebb]

If I were to change the board, there are two dip switch settings for the 68. How do I know which feeder I have? UL feeder 6 rpm or -2 feeder 4 rpm?

 

[dhall28]

look at you fines box cover, if it is a big plate with a wing nut holding it on in the middle of the plate it is a 4rpm model, if you have a smaller cover plate with the wing nut only holding on the bottom edge of the plate you have a 6rpm motor. you can also look at the sticker on the auger motor which will say how many rpm's the thing is, or you can look at the serial number. Pre Serial Number 008280309 is 4rpm, Post Serial Number 008280309 is 6rpm

 

[Stebb]

Thanks d. Big plate, wing nut in middle. Must be 4 rpm.

 

[beantownmessenger]

Fuel issues ? Bad ( cheap hardwood ) pellets ?

 

[Stebb]

Don't think so. The kids are burning the same pellets next door, with no issues.