How long does your burn pot last? Specifically on a harman PC45.

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Ok. After church, we had a family over for lunch, and I did a little playing with the stove after they left.

I'm a little unsure exactly what should be posted, so if I'm discussing something that doesn't belong here, let me know.

I shut the stove down, cleaned it out, installed the small hole combustion plate (to reduce air) and left out the stir stick. My small hole burn pot is in great shape, so I did drill out a few holes on the bottom to 1/8". Not too many though. I left out the stir stick. I'd rather burn without it because it adds extra noise to the stove operation. And I've always been a fan of the KISS principle anyway.

I really appreciate everyone's input. Thanks for all the introductions :)
 
Did you install the open ended tray end to let the ash just drop off the end as in the picture I posted?
 
Unlerss you are running a corn/pellet mix or straight corn, from what I can surmise from the shape of the pot design, you don't need a stirrer and it's one less piece to wear out. In my case with my unit, I need a stirrer all the time, no matter what fuel because of the shap of the pot and the fuel delivery system.

My rule of thumb is 1/8" air holes as well, but not every hole gets enlarged, in fact, my suggestion would be do a few, try the unit and if it seems to warrant a few more, do them.
 
Yes, BB. I think I need to dial down the feed rate some more because it's spilling over the end. Burning pellets, that is.

Yeah, sidecar, I like that idea. I'll drill few for now. I'll update after it has had a little while to burn.
 
d51f0955fdb9d8892fa0caeb4f04a8aa.jpg


Here is a pic shortly after I fired the stove back up. It was ramped up pretty high to catch up from being off for a while.
 
d51f0955fdb9d8892fa0caeb4f04a8aa.jpg


Here is a pic shortly after I fired the stove back up. It was ramped up pretty high to catch up from being off for a while.
Looks pretty fair to me. Did you get the ESP cleaned too.
 
I'm just gonna have to open my wallet (and blow the cobwebs out) and buy myself a Harman too..........._g I do like the design and of course the corn capability.
 
Unlerss you are running a corn/pellet mix or straight corn, from what I can surmise from the shape of the pot design, you don't need a stirrer and it's one less piece to wear out. In my case with my unit, I need a stirrer all the time, no matter what fuel because of the shap of the pot and the fuel delivery system.

My rule of thumb is 1/8" air holes as well, but not every hole gets enlarged, in fact, my suggestion would be do a few, try the unit and if it seems to warrant a few more, do them.
Could someone tell this Harman Owner What a Stirrer is??:oops:
 
Post number 3 graphically illustrates a stirrer/agitator rod in a Harman....
 
I'm sure BB knows as well as Rona but I believe the PC45 comes with an agitator but it's big brother, the 61 don't, but I could be wrong because I don't own one (presently).
 
The stir stick helps the corn to burn more thoroughly.

exactly, does a descent job of it too, drawback being the ash will fly around more

Overlook, back your feed down more, I'm more familare with stove temp but never had fire reach that far to the front.

My understanding of the relation of the temp control and the feed control is that the by lowering the feed you will be forcing the stove to react slower but the fuel will have more time to burn. There's a good sticky entitled "How your Harman works"
 
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I'm sure BB knows as well as Rona but I believe the PC45 comes with an agitator but it's big brother, the 61 don't, but I could be wrong because I don't own one (presently).
The PC45 is the only stove designed to burn straight corn in the Harman line. Their claim is the agitator has to be used to allow the corn to be burned in a efficient manner in order to break the 40,000btu barrier. The other models can burn a blend of corn and pellets but not 100% corn.
 
Fourth year on the Quad and plenty of pot left, no signs of any wear, Third year on the 55trpah and based on how it looks I'd say it'll be good for at least 3 more years. nice thing about the 55 trpah is it is just steel so if it wears I can just cut out the bad part and weld on steel stock, drill some holes and back in business..
 
Tony,
Rona summed it up above. The PC45 has the stirrer because it can burn 100% corn whereas the P43, 61, and 68 do not have a stirrer and the pots are more of a half of a bell curve instead of a flat bottomed pot. The P Series all can burn up to a 50% pellet and 50% corn mix straight from the factory without modifications or adding anything additional other than corn mixed in with pellets. The 45's stirrer simply keys into the end of the auger with two prongs into slots which the auger ends on the P Series do not have. The pot for the stirrer on the PC45 has a hole in an pot end plate for the other end of the stirrer to rotate in holding the forward end in place. Very simple design. Look at the first photos Overlook posted to see this. Next look at the ones right above here and you'll see it all pretty quick as to what is what. Then look at your pot and there it all is.

Looks just like your 61 but imagine where the auger end is that the pot bottom comes out flat from there on the PC45 where the newer pots come out very slightly and then curve up and out again towards the top. The stirrer on the 45 just sticks straight out from the auger end horizontally flat like the bottom of its burn pot.

I have burned this 50 / 50 mix in my 68 and PC45 both. Much the same as burning 100% pellets but with slightly more ash and mess from the corn bi-product or kernels. You also get a little more black greasy / sticky residue with the ash of corn inside everything vs. the light gray fluffy type with pellets. I ran my PC45 just like the 68 without the stirrer while burning the 50 / 50 mix with the same looking set up in the photos right above but with the pellet pot for the 45.

The pellet pot for the 45 has larger holes just the same as your 61's burn pot holes. The corn pot has pin holes about half as large. Overlook had an extra corn pot and since he is burning pellets only he has drilled the pot holes out to 1/8" whereas the corn pot holes are 1/16" or so. When burning corn less air goes thru the pot or I guess air is slowed for a more thorough burn. Corn is hotter to ignite than pellets. Since drilling the holes large in his corn pot Overlook can still burn a 50 / 50 mix as is just like your 61 can.

Besides the burn pot being different and not using the stirrer when burning pellets in the 45 the only other thing that is changed is the exhaust blower cover to a larger holed one like what's on the 61 letting more air go thru and exhaust. You can still use the smaller holed (corn) plate too and burn pellets only, but less air goes out the exhaust. When the 45 is set up to burn 100% pellets it is 50K BTU. I tried to break it down for comparison since I have both types or both stoves. Not much difference between the 61 and PC45. Same box, size, and all. It's the burn pot. stirrer, and igniter location that makes the only difference along with the PC45 being able to burn 100% corn which most don't do anyway. There are likely some CB and other slight differences but to get a quick gist of what I mentioned is what is really different.

Some say the 45 does not burn 100% corn great anyway and when the price of corn went thru the roof it was sidelined in production. Also since the P Series all burn a 50 / 50 mix I guess Harman saw no need to any longer justify the PC45 when the P43 and/or P61 are so closely related. To put it in bizarre terms. The P43 is a small mouth bass. The 61 a large mouth bass. The PC45 can be both with a hybrid of a catfish that eats about any junk. The P68 is a pig in the pond. LOL! Now ya get it!;)
 
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I'm just gonna have to open my wallet (and blow the cobwebs out) and buy myself a Harman too........... I do like the design and of course the corn capability.

WHAT? !!! Have you taken a spill and hit your head?::-)>> LOL! Rona has some for sale....... I think Bio has one for sale too..... Price just went up on mine but it isn't for sale.

Flip, These PC45 stoves can be had for very fair prices now and with a clean and some TLC it's like a new one. Spring is right around the corner and it will be time to shop!
 
I just removed my large hole burn pot. When I get it cleaned up, i will snap a pic with my phone to show everyone the cracks i'm talking about. I think it might be because of the heat. Doesn't steal fatigue under high heat conditions. I didn't really take any materials engineering classes in school, but there's a reason they use firebrick instead of steal. I suppose it might be partially for cost reasons and partially for insulation reasons, but i thought it was also a fatigue issue as well. BTW, Bags has a ton of good input here :) Thanks. As a note, the PC45 is all i know, but it seems that they should have a curved end plate that emulates the other stoves a little better. I still think i have trouble with the "fire" falling off the end of the pot without the end plate on it.
 
Firebrick has higher insulation properties but not much for strength. Higher heat can take the carbon out of steel and degrade it. Hot and cold cycles further stress steel. Ash is a great insulator. Couple ways to keep the degradation of steel down. Move air through and over it or make it heavier to help dissipate the heat.
 
If pellets are still being pushed over the end then dial back on your feed rate about a half of a notch or speed until it stops.

BTW, Bags has a ton of good input

I am a newly educated idiot around here. Just trying to give back for all the help and advice I have gotten. There are many more here with much better knowledge so mine comes last.

Overlook, The burn pots are a wear item and it can be expected that they fail in given time. They are not terribly expensive for brand new ones. Look online for them. My used 45 came with a bunch of parts (new and uselessly old) as the original owner saved them all. Even the junk replaced parts were saved, but that was good because I know what had and had not been done maintenance wise plus he had receipts and records. Big plus in buying a used unit. Point is that there were a couple of pots that had seen a better day. One was warped pretty well letting fire escape from behind it close to the auger and back wall of the fire box. One of the top grates or corn cap was hanging together by threads of metal and looked like a nuke blew it up. Why he saved that I haven't a clue... Scrap metal,,,,,, Barely.

Metal will fatigue with use and heat extremes. Much of this was likely caused by the corn burning more than pellets. Corn burning is more corrosive and rougher on wear parts like the grate, pot, and stirrers. Hence the need for a different type of multi-fuel vent pipe when burning corn instead of pellets. It is to combat the corrosive nature associated with corn.

Get some pics up and I am sure others will let you know all about what is going on or happened to said pot. Nothing is wrong with your 45 at all because the burn pot has seen a better day. It's simply worn out with high mileage. FATIGUE without a doubt. There are a lot of guys that have oodles of first hand experience with corn/pellet burning and the PC45s.

It will take you a little while to get to know your stove. Soon enough everything will make perfect sense and you will recognize what it is telling you. As a side note the pots on the newer P Series run up hill and flare back out flat at the end. They also get wider as they grow longer. The 45's is a straight flat shot. It works fine without a glitch but you need to get it tuned and dialed in. You may need some more holes drilled in the other pot to let the pellets burn more before being ejected. Let Bio and others guide you here since I am not in tune with that modification. They are.
 
If pellets are still being pushed over the end then dial back on your feed rate about a half of a notch or speed until it stops.



I am a newly educated idiot around here. Just trying to give back for all the help and advice I have gotten. There are many more here with much better knowledge so mine comes last.

Overlook, The burn pots are a wear item and it can be expected that they fail in given time. They are not terribly expensive for brand new ones. Look online for them. My used 45 came with a bunch of parts (new and uselessly old) as the original owner saved them all. Even the junk replaced parts were saved, but that was good because I know what had and had not been done maintenance wise plus he had receipts and records. Big plus in buying a used unit. Point is that there were a couple of pots that had seen a better day. One was warped pretty well letting fire escape from behind it close to the auger and back wall of the fire box. One of the top grates or corn cap was hanging together by threads of metal and looked like a nuke blew it up. Why he saved that I haven't a clue... Scrap metal,,,,,, Barely.

Metal will fatigue with use and heat extremes. Much of this was likely caused by the corn burning more than pellets. Corn burning is more corrosive and rougher on wear parts like the grate, pot, and stirrers. Hence the need for a different type of multi-fuel vent pipe when burning corn instead of pellets. It is to combat the corrosive nature associated with corn.

Get some pics up and I am sure others will let you know all about what is going on or happened to said pot. Nothing is wrong with your 45 at all because the burn pot has seen a better day. It's simply worn out with high mileage. FATIGUE without a doubt. There are a lot of guys that have oodles of first hand experience with corn/pellet burning and the PC45s.

It will take you a little while to get to know your stove. Soon enough everything will make perfect sense and you will recognize what it is telling you. As a side note the pots on the newer P Series run up hill and flare back out flat at the end. They also get wider as they grow longer. The 45's is a straight flat shot. It works fine without a glitch but you need to get it tuned and dialed in. You may need some more holes drilled in the other pot to let the pellets burn more before being ejected. Let Bio and others guide you here since I am not in tune with that modification. They are.
 
I've been reading and trying to understand the burn. I'm new to the posting side of the process, but I am in search of some answer Concerning my Harman P43 bought new 10/08. We burn 5 ton of Okies per season and hadn't bought oil since I installed the Harman.
I've had it deep cleaned annually. I scrap, vacuum and empty weekly.
I don't like to complain, but I've had a lot of issues with my Harman (I also have a Napoleon in my parents in law apartment). We have replaced 4 igniters, the mother board (warranty), the combustion blower, the burn pot and now its blowing the fuse. I replaced the fuse, it worked fine on stove temp mode for 2 weeks then the fuse blew. I replaced the fuse, plugged it in and it immediately blew with a flash pop. This is now above my pay grade.
Any thoughts on what may be causing this?
 
I've been reading and trying to understand the burn. I'm new to the posting side of the process, but I am in search of some answer Concerning my Harman P43 bought new 10/08. We burn 5 ton of Okies per season and hadn't bought oil since I installed the Harman.
I've had it deep cleaned annually. I scrap, vacuum and empty weekly.
I don't like to complain, but I've had a lot of issues with my Harman (I also have a Napoleon in my parents in law apartment). We have replaced 4 igniters, the mother board (warranty), the combustion blower, the burn pot and now its blowing the fuse. I replaced the fuse, it worked fine on stove temp mode for 2 weeks then the fuse blew. I replaced the fuse, plugged it in and it immediately blew with a flash pop. This is now above my pay grade.
Any thoughts on what may be causing this?
Start a thread with your stove in the title. Others with same stove can catch the title and help with your particular stove model. The PC45 is a way different stove then the P43 in several things. Welcome to the site:)
 
Tony,
Rona summed it up above. The PC45 has the stirrer because it can burn 100% corn whereas the P43, 61, and 68 do not have a stirrer and the pots are more of a half of a bell curve instead of a flat bottomed pot. The P Series all can burn up to a 50% pellet and 50% corn mix straight from the factory without modifications or adding anything additional other than corn mixed in with pellets. The 45's stirrer simply keys into the end of the auger with two prongs into slots which the auger ends on the P Series do not have. The pot for the stirrer on the PC45 has a hole in an pot end plate for the other end of the stirrer to rotate in holding the forward end in place. Very simple design. Look at the first photos Overlook posted to see this. Next look at the ones right above here and you'll see it all pretty quick as to what is what. Then look at your pot and there it all is.

Looks just like your 61 but imagine where the auger end is that the pot bottom comes out flat from there on the PC45 where the newer pots come out very slightly and then curve up and out again towards the top. The stirrer on the 45 just sticks straight out from the auger end horizontally flat like the bottom of its burn pot.

I have burned this 50 / 50 mix in my 68 and PC45 both. Much the same as burning 100% pellets but with slightly more ash and mess from the corn bi-product or kernels. You also get a little more black greasy / sticky residue with the ash of corn inside everything vs. the light gray fluffy type with pellets. I ran my PC45 just like the 68 without the stirrer while burning the 50 / 50 mix with the same looking set up in the photos right above but with the pellet pot for the 45.

The pellet pot for the 45 has larger holes just the same as your 61's burn pot holes. The corn pot has pin holes about half as large. Overlook had an extra corn pot and since he is burning pellets only he has drilled the pot holes out to 1/8" whereas the corn pot holes are 1/16" or so. When burning corn less air goes thru the pot or I guess air is slowed for a more thorough burn. Corn is hotter to ignite than pellets. Since drilling the holes large in his corn pot Overlook can still burn a 50 / 50 mix as is just like your 61 can.

Besides the burn pot being different and not using the stirrer when burning pellets in the 45 the only other thing that is changed is the exhaust blower cover to a larger holed one like what's on the 61 letting more air go thru and exhaust. You can still use the smaller holed (corn) plate too and burn pellets only, but less air goes out the exhaust. When the 45 is set up to burn 100% pellets it is 50K BTU. I tried to break it down for comparison since I have both types or both stoves. Not much difference between the 61 and PC45. Same box, size, and all. It's the burn pot. stirrer, and igniter location that makes the only difference along with the PC45 being able to burn 100% corn which most don't do anyway. There are likely some CB and other slight differences but to get a quick gist of what I mentioned is what is really different.

Some say the 45 does not burn 100% corn great anyway and when the price of corn went thru the roof it was sidelined in production. Also since the P Series all burn a 50 / 50 mix I guess Harman saw no need to any longer justify the PC45 when the P43 and/or P61 are so closely related. To put it in bizarre terms. The P43 is a small mouth bass. The 61 a large mouth bass. The PC45 can be both with a hybrid of a catfish that eats about any junk. The P68 is a pig in the pond. LOL! Now ya get it!;)
Thanks for the Info...
I Imagine the black grease substance comes from sugar in the corn..
 
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