Harmon insert dismal performance.

[rickwai]

Is there anyone that could possibly post a couple of pictures of what my flame SHOULD look like? Give me a reference of what to try for.

The flame should look like Bart Simpsons Hair when burning on a 4!
It should go straight up and be approx. at the center of the medallion

 

[rickwai]

If you have fresh air hooked up to it unhook it and check the flapper at the intake to make sure it is not stuck closed and run it like that. If flue is clean and tubes and behind plates are clean it seems like it is from the intake. You cleaned out under the igniter area? Also take a mirror and make sure the rows of holes in the burn pot are not clogged. Stove is starving for air

 

[bogieb]

Although a different stove, a P61a, it should look close to this.

 

[Sako7STW]

My next plan of attack is replacing the door seal since we for sure know it is not sealing. I can the kit for the FS model. Is it the same kit for the insert like I have?

I am going to pull the stove farther out, now that my wife is back from her business trip and can help me with it. I will check the intake dampner and make sure it is open and then hopefully weather permits, I will get the flue cleaned out.

 

[fmsm]

Google LEAF BLOWER TRICK and try that. That should suck out all of your ash and relieve any blockages.

 

[alternativeheat]

My next plan of attack is replacing the door seal since we for sure know it is not sealing. I can the kit for the FS model. Is it the same kit for the insert like I have?

I am going to pull the stove farther out, now that my wife is back from her business trip and can help me with it. I will check the intake dampner and make sure it is open and then hopefully weather permits, I will get the flue cleaned out.

The damper is automatic, you just need to make sure it swings freely. Also just clamp down the OAK line tight enough to hold it, over cranking the clamp for that can distort the collar just enough to bind the damper while the clamp is tight. And as soon as you loosen it the damper is free again, causing deception.

Door gasket material I just match at the local hardware store and buy it there.

If your vent hasn't been cleaned you need to get to it, lol. Glad to hear your wife is home safe and sound. When we bought our P61a we really wanted the 52i insert but we aren't young and both have had back issues, the P61 won for it's simplicity to maintain. But those inserts sure are pretty ! It's OK, we're more used to a stove on the hearth anyway, loving the P61a.

 

[Sako7STW]

Ok so here is the update. I checked the flapper on the intake and it was fine.then I found a 10' pellet stove flue cleaning brush and cleaned out the flue. The fire is now much more active and putting out better heat for sure. Here is a picture of the flame now. The camera darkened it for some reason. The flame is much brighter than it appears in the photo

 

[Mt Bob]

Ok so here is the update. I checked the flapper on the intake and it was fine.then I found a 10' pellet stove flue cleaning brush and cleaned out the flue. The fire is now much more active and putting out better heat for sure. Here is a picture of the flame now. The camera darkened it for some reason. The flame is much brighter than it appears in the photo

That is great,you have made progress.But,having a 10 foot brush,does it go to the top of the chimney?And,you would be surprised at how many chimney tops get plugged.And,you never answered if the chimney flue was properly blocked off.Got to think of the whole picture.

 

[alternativeheat]

Why does that flame look like it's waving off to the right I wonder.

 

[Peterfield]

Comparing the picture of your flame with that of my stove right now, I'd say your flame still has that lazy swirl versus fingers of whitish flame extending straight upwards. The good news is the more time you've spent cleaning out sections of the flue, the more heat your stove is producing and the better the flame has shown in your pics. That would tell me you're on the right track and when the entire length of the flue pipe has been thoroughly cleaned, the stove will perform even better than it does now.

 

[Sako7STW]

Sorry, your right, I did not answer your question. Yes it does have a propper block plate and I was able to clean to the plate. I did get on the roof to check the chimney. It was too tall for me to be able to see in and work on.

For some reason the flame does always go to the right. I am thinking it has a leaking door gasket and it's reaching for air. I hope to replace the door gasket today if I don't get a rashing of headaches again.

Honestly, I was gassed at work earlier this week with H2S and have been home. Yesterday was the first day I felt up to trying to get up there. I would have had to get on the steep pitched section of the roof to get any higher and my head was not having it. Infact, kinda funny, I trapped myself on the roof. Every time I would go to step on the ladder I would get dizzy. I literally had to move the ladder into our trees so I could use the branches to steady myself so I could get down. It was over an hour trying to figure out what to do. I thought I was going to have to wait for my wife to get home LOL. So here is a lesson for ya. Don't get on the roof without your phone if your alone. Don't get around H2S either. Here is a pic of the house so you can see what I mean.

 

[Sako7STW]

So here is the latest update. I think we have achieved max performance. Well atleast for now. After further research I adjusted the potentiometer for the line voltage going to the intake blower to Max. (I am at 7000ft). It wasn't much. Only about a quarter turn to Max.

Then I replaced the door seal. I think that was a major contributeing factor. It has now burned 13 hours and the glass is still clean

I really want to say THANK YOU to all of you for your help. I have really learned alot on this journey from you all. I think if I do anything else I want to put a new sensor in it but money is a little tight right now so it may wait till next season.

 

[Harmanizer]

Flame looks much better.Good luck.

 

[UNhappyMagnumOwner]

I just bought a St.Croix fireplace insert which has very low hours of use. It was first commissioned to service while a 4400 sq foot home was being built. After the house was completed a water to air heat pump was installed and the St.Croix unit was decommissioned. It has been moved into and out of 3 places before being delivered here to my basement.
My question is how to test the unit before I install it. From what I can see besides dust this unit seems new.

 

[bags]

I just bought a St.Croix fireplace insert which has very low hours of use. It was first commissioned to service while a 4400 sq foot home was being built. After the house was completed a water to air heat pump was installed and the St.Croix unit was decommissioned. It has been moved into and out of 3 places before being delivered here to my basement.
My question is how to test the unit before I install it. From what I can see besides dust this unit seems new.

Do you have a way to do a temporary install to run it? Give it a good clean and going over beforehand and then fire it up and let it cycle etc; For example when i brought home a used PC45 I rolled it into my garages. I was lucky because it was cold and I had some older beaten up wooden garage doors. So I used a hole saw and whacked a hole into a panel of the door for the exhaust knowing I was replacing the garage doors.

I hung out there and burned it many times while it was set up like that. Then screwed a piece of plywood over the hole when I brought it in. Yeah a lil' hill billy, I know but it worked great and accomplished what I wanted. Plus I live up in the woods and no one sees my garage or house for that matter. even from the main road.

For example do you have a garage or shed you can put it in? Then place a stove adapter and say a 2' section of pipe onto it and fire it up?