Fines??????

I think my P61 could burn crushed leaves. You wouldn't believe the crap pellets I've dumped in the hopper, even swollen and decomposing pellets. I did mix them in with good ones but even so, we hear these horror stories about some stoves being fussy.

I recently poured in a couple of damaged bags of GS where 1/3-1/2 of each bag was sawdust (hey, $1/bag - figured if it wouldn't burn I had cheap cat litter). The P61a didn't even blink - just burned the stuff the same as if it was full of whole pellets. The fines box on that stove almost always has a full fines box when I clean it. Interestingly, even though I am burning the same pellets in my P43 (except the damaged GS), I almost never find any fines in there.

hmmm..
I get lot of fines and small broken pellet bits in my P61A no matter what pellets I burn and I burn the good stuff..
usually clean it out once a month. burning 24/7

I gave up with Woodpellets after using them for many, many years. I was buying from Agway forever, before their bankrupcy. WoodPellets.com's best started to have had lots and lots of fines over the years. But worse I would loose half or a full bag from tears in the bags and the pellets becoming saw dust. I have 5 bags from then I need to get rid of. I now have a local pool place that has been there for years that sells stoves and pellets during the winter. They deliver a different brand. They burn real nice. Grabbed a few bags to try in Nov. If you have a problem, they'll take the bag(s) back. The other problem with WoodPellets, they are now stored at a company some 20 miles away. They only have this huge 10" wide lift. Before they would have this small one like in Home Depot. This new one does not fit my "off to the side" driveway storage. Three years now they either dug up my lawn with this monster truck or the previous year could not fit it in this parking spot. Then this Oct finding these bad bags in sealed pallets, that was it. Called these new guys.

I get fines and small pellet chunks in my P68 and PC45. Nothing to worry about but they always have some in the fines box. It is mainly dust too. Not much but some.

I have only burned hardwood pellets. Somersets, Pro Pellets, and Greenway. I can't even find any softwoods but would buy some just to try them out.

Really, I could care less about no fines or a lot of fines during the one ton cleans because I clean the box out regardless. As long as that puppy is running and pumping heat I'm content.

bags said:

I get fines and small pellet chunks in my P68 and PC45. Nothing to worry about but they always have some in the fines box. It is mainly dust too. Not much but some.

I have only burned hardwood pellets. Somersets, Pro Pellets, and Greenway. I can't even find any softwoods but would buy some just to try them out.

Really, I could care less about no fines or a lot of fines during the one ton cleans because I clean the box out regardless. As long as that puppy is running and pumping heat I'm content.

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yep...
not problem with fines... gonna be there eventually...
as long as the box gets cleaned out reguarly.....

Hi guys, I have a Harman P38/43 and the fines box I clean regularly. I bought some crap pellets (a lot of fines and little pieces) even though I’m sifting the pellets prior to putting them in the hopper, inevitably that darn deflector in the fines box gets wonky..jammed up, cocked with small pellet pieces, sawdust, under the bottom of it and it makes clicky/clunky noises and keeps the shaft for the slide plate from making a full sweep. My guess is it maybe got tweaked in there. My thought is to remove the darn deflector, any harm in doing so since I clean it every week anyway? (I’m getting good at it too!). Why why why didn’t they just mount the control panel on the next panel back so the fines box is easily accessible without removal (I may have to modify it).

Jasmine said:

Hi guys, I have a Harman P38/43 and the fines box I clean regularly. I bought some crap pellets (a lot of fines and little pieces) even though I’m sifting the pellets prior to putting them in the hopper, inevitably that darn deflector in the fines box gets wonky..jammed up, cocked with small pellet pieces, sawdust, under the bottom of it and it makes clicky/clunky noises and keeps the shaft for the slide plate from making a full sweep. My guess is it maybe got tweaked in there. My thought is to remove the darn deflector, any harm in doing so since I clean it every week anyway? (I’m getting good at it too!). Why why why didn’t they just mount the control panel on the next panel back so the fines box is easily accessible without removal (I may have to modify it).

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Not sure how you are getting at the fines box that the control panel would be in your way.

Removing and leaving the slider plate off is kind of a fire hazard . It carries out the timing of the pellet drop and blocks the hopper in case of an auger burn back on shut down. I know my P61 burns back a ways along the auger on shut down, last thing I want is a fuel source from the hopper coming along too and feeding the fire too.. Hopper fires were a problem in early bottom feed designs, that slider is part of the answer Harman designed in............

alternativeheat said:

Not sure how you are getting at the fines box that the control panel would be in your way.

Removing and leaving the slider plate off is kind of a fire hazard . It carries out the timing of the pellet drop and blocks the hopper in case of an auger burn back on shut down. I know my P61 burns back a ways along the auger on shut down, last thing I want is a fuel source from the hopper coming along too and feeding the fire too.. Hopper fires were a problem in early bottom feed designs, that slider is part of the answer Harman designed in............

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Thank you for the response. The fines box is directly behind the control panel on this model. Once I remove the control panel, there is a direct shot without being a contortionist to get at the wing nut and vacuum out the fines.
My question - can eliminate the deflector (not the slider plate). Maybe I’m calling it the wrong term? The slider plate (under the hopper but in the fines box) is crucial to the stove operation and slides via the cam bearing paddle arm to deliver the pellets to the auger. The deflector is a tin type piece that tucks under that paddle pivot point. (This is inside the fines box at the bottom). I hope that description helps (wish I took a pic).

Jasmine said:

Thank you for the response. The fines box is directly behind the control panel on this model. Once I remove the control panel, there is a direct shot without being a contortionist to get at the wing nut and vacuum out the fines.

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I did that the first time I cleaned my P61a and thought it was a really stupid set up. The next time I cleaned I realized that the plate below it comes off once the screws are loosened (superman put them on during the stove install - LOL). The first couple of times it was a pain (I get the contortionist label you used) to clean the fines box that way. After practice, and now having two stoves with that set up, I can do it easily without even looking.

maybe I am missing something here [nothing new but,
I remove the lower right cowl or cover, loosening the 2 bolts that hold it on,
then lay on my side with the vacuum nozzle in one hand, and other hand remove the cover to the fines box..
interesting procedure about removing the control panel... remove the screw, 3 knobs then twist the panel out..
prob won't do it that way but u learn something new here all the time....
not sure about a fire hazzard by permant removal of that metal plate you are pertaining to..?

Dealers used to remove and discard the deflector.I do not know why.I do know they quit making and selling the deflector many years ago.It may be tricky to remove.