Would appreciate help diagnosing problem with Harman XXV

[wcraigcarter]

Hello Fellow Pellet Stove Fans,
I recently moved to France from the US and moved my Harman XXV with me. It worked fine with a step-down transformer until this autumn.

This fall, a crow got lodged in the flue and died there. I believe I was able to retrieve all of the debris. Subsequently, I changed the cap on the chimney top to prevent unlucky crows from falling in.

Trying to start the Harman this winter, the auger didn't turn. Thinking that I would need to change the chimney cap again to improve the draft, I tested this idea by by-passing the pressure switch. The auger motor started and the igniter warmed, however I couldn't get the stove to burn.

During the test mode, the combustion fan light is on, but the combustion fan doesn't turn. Is this evidence that my combustion motor has failed? Or is it indicative of something else as well? Should the combustion motor run/blow during test mode?

There is also a small cylindrical fan near the combustion fan, this doesn't turn in test mode either.

Trying manual ignition, I get smoke pouring out the front, which makes me think that the draw is insufficient, but could this also be the combustion motor?

I am a bit stuck! There are no Harman services in France... any help would be deeply appreciated. Thanks, Craig Carter

 

[rickwai]

Your combustion fan is probably bad. did the bird feathers get lodged in the blades? can you turn the fan blade by hand?

 

[wcraigcarter]

Thanks!
Yes, I can turn it by hand. But, i will try and remove the combustion fan and see if there are any obstructions tomorrow.

Would you know if there is a way to determine whether it is the fan or the motherboard? I may have to go buy a voltmeter?

I very much appreciate your taking the time to answer.
Craig

 

[heat seeker]

I don't know if the motor should run during test mode, but I think it should.

I believe that you can hook the motor up to 115VAC directly to see if it runs okay. If it does, the board, or more likely a connection, is bad. I don't know how many fuses your control has, but maybe one is bad. Most controls seem to have one fuse for the whole thing.
The move may have loosened a connector, and it's just now losing contact. I'd follow the wiring and reseat any and all connectors, including the one(s) on the control board.

 

[wcraigcarter]

Wow! Great forum.
I'll try the advice and report back. Many grateful thanks, Craig

 

[smwilliamson]

No draft =no pellet feed. Impeller fins that rub on the shrike may prevent the motor from starting

 

[wcraigcarter]

Hello, I am wondering how to take out my combustion motor without destroying it and am hoping for some advice.

I have taken the combustion motor out and disconnected the ground wire. However, the hot and neutral wires are stuck into adjacent plastic sleeves.

It seems that if I yank out these two wires out of their plastic sleeves, then I will never be able to get them back in again. Is that correct?

I have put a picture of the combustion motor here (http://pruffle.mit.edu/~ccarter/Harman/) which show the two wires and the sleeve.

The goal here is hook the motor directly to a power source and see if the motor is bad or not.

 

[wcraigcarter]

Quick follow up to the above, it appears that there may be disconnects that are farther back, but there is a group of wires that are bundled together with plastic quick-ties. I suppose that I should dismantle the bundle and look for those connectors?

Hoping for some advice before I make a mistake that I will regret!

 

[Lousyweather]

Bonjour!

dont disconnect the wires directly on the motor, rather, follow the wires and disconnect them at the blade connectors.....you will need to cut some zip ties to do so....then, without even removing the motor, make a pigtail and connect it up to 120v AC....not sure how the power is in France, although I know it is different......Harman actually makes stoves for the French market with different its power situation than the US. Above posters are right....diagnose the combustion fan first, as if it does not run, neither will the feeder. And yes, the combustion blower will run on high in TEST mode for the first minute.

Au Revoir!

 

[lbcynya]

One other issue you might face is the fact that the motors are 60 Hz and Europe runs on 50 Hz... This means everything will run slower which could lead to overheating...

 

[wcraigcarter]

Bonjour and Hello,
Thanks everyone. I connected the combustion motor to a 120Vac source.... and nothing. I don't think that it is the 50Hz--60Hz mismatch as it did work for a couple years.

So, I'll order a combustion motor and hope for the best that a new one will solve it. I'm not sure why it might have failed, perhaps debris from the dead crow was lodged into the fan, but it looks clean.

Merci infinement and thanks a million,
Craig

 

[heat seeker]

A tip for your new motor - when you do your spring cleaning, blow out the motor windings. Dust collects in there and blocks the cooling air flow. Heat is an enemy of motors.