Hi. Never had this issue before when opening the hopper door of Harman P68 i can sometime see smoke and other times smell it. I clean the stove about every 7-10 days (clean exhaust pipe,remove plate under burn pot,clean esp probe, brush off vacuum fan behind ash pan, clean fine plate once month,) Having said that could it be the combustion blower is on its way out? Maybe not enough power to blow all the exhaust out? The only thing I can notice is the smoke when opening the hopper lid and the flame seems like it's not as strong as it was in the past. This all just recently started so hoping somone has experience with this in the past and can steer me in the right direction. Thanks
P68 Smoke from hopper?
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If you have done all the mentioned cleaning then last to check would be your door and ash pan gaskets. Do the dollar bill test.
Do you have access to a draft meter?
Do you have access to a draft meter?
I replaced the door gasket last year dollar bill test is fine very hard to pull out. The ash pan gasket I haven't tested probably since the fall I don't think there is a problem with it but will check it on next shut down. Don't have access to a draft meter.
TonyVideo
Feeling the Heat
I had this happen once. Realized it was a very windy day outside and normally the combustion fan keeps up. The wind was directly coming from the same side of the house and was about 20mph. When the door is shut the combustion fan provides a negative pressure in the stove. When I opened the door more air was coming in the OAK faster than what the combustion fan was putting out. This is when I opened the door. In your case I would check your door and ash pan door seals as well. You should never be getting smoke smell when opening the hopper. A draft meter check as suggested would more than likely give you the answer.
If the problem is during high winds its likey what Tony sudgested. If not...
I guess my last test before shelling out for a new combustion fan would just be to check the ash pan gasket and use a cheapo voltmeter to make sure the blower is getting the correct voltage from the control board. If these all check out then i would feel confident to replace it.
I do recommend a draft meter though. 30 bucks on amazon can't go wrong and will help you diagnose most problems!
This is what i use.
http://www.amazon.com/Dwyer-0-005-1-0-260-4000-Probes-Carrying/dp/B009P8OKVS
Cheap and does the trick.
Good luck.
I guess my last test before shelling out for a new combustion fan would just be to check the ash pan gasket and use a cheapo voltmeter to make sure the blower is getting the correct voltage from the control board. If these all check out then i would feel confident to replace it.
I do recommend a draft meter though. 30 bucks on amazon can't go wrong and will help you diagnose most problems!
This is what i use.
http://www.amazon.com/Dwyer-0-005-1-0-260-4000-Probes-Carrying/dp/B009P8OKVS
Cheap and does the trick.
Good luck.
TonyVideo
Feeling the Heat
For my P43 in the manual it says low draft of WC Pressure of -0.35 to -0.45 static pressure and high draft it is -0.55 to -0.6 static pressure
I self installed so i bought the meter to adjust the low draft setting via the set screw in the control board. There is a 14mm nut on the left hand side of the P43 and P68 which you remove and put the probe in there. I test it after every clean take 2 mins. Lets me know everything is working as it should be!
The manual has all the relevent numbers, as i'm telling you these on memory.
I self installed so i bought the meter to adjust the low draft setting via the set screw in the control board. There is a 14mm nut on the left hand side of the P43 and P68 which you remove and put the probe in there. I test it after every clean take 2 mins. Lets me know everything is working as it should be!
The manual has all the relevent numbers, as i'm telling you these on memory.
http://www.amazon.com/Dwyer-0-005-1-0-260-4000-Probes-Carrying/dp/B009P8OKVS
Nothing fancy but seems accurate enough.
TonyVideo
Feeling the Heat
It's very windy today but the issue has been getting worse over the last week or so. There were days it wasn't windy so I can't blame the wind, if it were I would have noticed it a long time ago.
Thanks for the info I'll see if I can get a voltmeter on it. Don't know much about how to test it would it be from the fan or at the control board? I'd be okay with replacing the blower motor if my logic in thinking it may cause the smoke issue is correct.
Your logic is sound, i would just get the stove going full power and then test the voltage across the combustion motor at the motor. Should be around 120V.
I will say 9 times out of 10 it's bad gaskets, this is good as they are cheap! So just be sure to rule them out as the last thing yuo want to do is replace the blower and then find it doesn't fix your issue.
I will say 9 times out of 10 it's bad gaskets, this is good as they are cheap! So just be sure to rule them out as the last thing yuo want to do is replace the blower and then find it doesn't fix your issue.
Bad gasket would sure work for me. Will shut it down tonight and check the ash pan gasket. Thanks!
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