6039t American harvester

[Brockjn]

I have an American harvester 6039t and am having trouble with the settings. I've been reading the post on here and everybody has a manual damper they pull back and forth and I do not. I can not get the stove to not filll up. ( sure it doesn't fill up on heat range 2 but that doesn't heat the house) It runs great on heat range 4 room fan 9 combustion fan 4 auger setting at 1. It runs great for 8 hours but if fills up slowly. I've tried combustion fan at settings 4-9. Is there a way I can put a damper in this model? How many tines does everybody else's agitator have? Mine has 5, 3 on one side and two on the other. But it builds up in the corners of burn pot. Any help would be great and greatly appreciated. I live in Wisconsin its -15 degrees here and I have a 1600 sq ft house one level. Thanks again

 

[Bioburner]

Hopefully sooner than latter someone with like kind stove will chime in.
Welcome
In the mean time fill in your signature with some details like Stove make, install date, venting details, how many tons and what brand of pellets your attempting to burn. Will make it easier for others to help without having to ask you more ???s

 

[Brockjn]

Make and model= American harvester model 6039T. Brand of pellets=Bear Mountain 8900 btu rating. Installed August 2014. In between 2 & 3 tons so far this winter. The venting I didn't know how to explain so it is shown in the picture

 

[SidecarFlip]

The early models had no draft slide but it is refitable and sold on the USSC site. Makes a nice addition for controlability in addition to the outside air kit which I consider mandatory.

You didn't pay much attention to clearance to combustibles for your vent pipe, you are way too close to the sheetrock...... I would have gone directly through the wall and did the vertical ourtside. Less joints inside, less chance of leakage and easier to clean. Nothing worse than an inside cleanout Tee and fly ash.

Don't quite get what you mean by 'fill up'. You do not want the pot to fill up with pellets or corn, you want the pot to just have a light layer of fuel in the bottom, nothing more. A pot filling up is indicative of a blocked vent, ashed up interior or not enough combustion air.

Finally, where is the side cover? There are live electrical wires open to fingers there..... and don't expect the stove to heat 1500 plus square feet in minus temps. It don't put out that many BTU's and ir's a space heater not a central furnace. Mine augments the central furnace, it don't replace it and never will.

 

[Brockjn]

The early models had no draft slide but it is refitable and sold on the USSC site. Makes a nice addition for controlability in addition to the outside air kit which I consider mandatory.

You didn't pay much attention to clearance to combustibles for your vent pipe, you are way too close to the sheetrock...... I would have gone directly through the wall and did the vertical ourtside. Less joints inside, less chance of leakage and easier to clean. Nothing worse than an inside cleanout Tee and fly ash.

Don't quite get what you mean by 'fill up'. You do not want the pot to fill up with pellets or corn, you want the pot to just have a light layer of fuel in the bottom, nothing more. A pot filling up is indicative of a blocked vent, ashed up interior or not enough combustion air.

Finally, where is the side cover? There are live electrical wires open to fingers there..... and don't expect the stove to heat 1500 plus square feet in minus temps. It don't put out that many BTU's and ir's a space heater not a central furnace. Mine augments the central furnace, it don't replace it and never will.

Thank you for the reply. I have the side cover off because I was replacing all gaskets in the exhaust motor. The reason it's not a direct out A) is because there was a wood stove where it is before we bought this house and that's where the hole was to tap into the existing chimney that wasn't being used B) I also live in a berm home (home built into the ground) and my walls are 12" thick.

There were times a couple months ago this unit had no problem heating the house with out issues. Even in negative temps. My agitator broke and I had the one with 7 tines. Ordered part from us stove company and I recieved a 5 tine agitator. Me being naive and new to prllet stoves I assumed maybe it was an upgrade. But it built up in the corners of the pot and no matter what I did with the combustion air it kept falling behind and the pot continued to fill up and agitator would no longer turn. Even if I turned heat range down.


There is good news here though. And I feel kind of dumb after the loss of sleep I've had for a few days because all of the cleanings I've done to this unit I have never vacuumed the hopper out and it had a ton of sawdust on the auger. So I cleaned that and put old agitator in even though it has 6 tines it won't build up in the corners. Wish me luck and thanks again for the info. I think I will be getting the damper option.

 

[Owen1508]

The early models had no draft slide but it is refitable and sold on the USSC site. Makes a nice addition for controlability in addition to the outside air kit which I consider mandatory.

You didn't pay much attention to clearance to combustibles for your vent pipe, you are way too close to the sheetrock...... I would have gone directly through the wall and did the vertical ourtside. Less joints inside, less chance of leakage and easier to clean. Nothing worse than an inside cleanout Tee and fly ash.

Don't quite get what you mean by 'fill up'. You do not want the pot to fill up with pellets or corn, you want the pot to just have a light layer of fuel in the bottom, nothing more. A pot filling up is indicative of a blocked vent, ashed up interior or not enough combustion air.

Finally, where is the side cover? There are live electrical wires open to fingers there..... and don't expect the stove to heat 1500 plus square feet in minus temps. It don't put out that many BTU's and ir's a space heater not a central furnace. Mine augments the central furnace, it don't replace it and never will.

I agree with flip an OAK will help you greatly. Also the damper kit is a no charge I can get for you PM me if you'd like it. But IMHO once you put in the OAK the damper won't be needed. Also check below the burnpot, there is a 2" intake. Make sure the cap is off of it.

 

[SidecarFlip]

Lets distill it a bit.

First off, on the vent....

Are you feeding the vent into an existing masonry chimney (outside). Thats a no-no because the stove is too efficient and can't maintain the required flue temperature fot proper draw.

Secondly, the 7 finger versus the 5, the 5 is the later version (that I have) and yes, it tends to push a semi-hard chunk of ash towards the outer edge of the firepot, no issue, I put on a welding glove, take an old kitchen fork and scoop it out, about once a day at most.

 

[SidecarFlip]

Actually, you can pull the cap and drill a few 3/8 holes it it and replace it. That gives you enough secondary air. I'm still curious about how it's vented. If it's vented into a masonry flue direct, that could be the issue right there.

 

[Brockjn]

It is vented continuously through the pipe. It doesn't stop at the chimney hole. That pipe that goes into the wall also goes all the way up the chimney. I had a professional install it. Where do I get an OAK at? I put the seven tine agitator back in and cleaned saw dust out of hopper. It seems to be working great for the past 6 hours very little buildup on burn pot. And house is at 70 degrees. My heat rate now is 3 auger speed of 1 combustion "exhaust fan" at 7 and room fan at 9.

I looked at us stove company and can't find the outside air kit. Can I ask where u got yours?

Also there is no cap on intake under burn pot

 

[SidecarFlip]

Also there is no cap on intake under burn pot

With no fresh air kit, there should be. It's factory installed.

PM Owen on this site (he posted as well earlier) he works at USSC. He's in Customer service I think...lol, he'll get you one. Actually, it is on the USSC site under 6039-41 pellet/multifuel stoves. Seen it there before.

If you have a 4 button board (which I presume you do), I'd do a system reset first off (by pressing and holding the 'Aux up and down buttons together for 5 seconds, with the board hot and the unit plugged in of course.. That will return the board to the factory parameters (if it's not there for some reason). Then set the Heat Range at 5, room fan on 9, draft fan on 'Auto' and 'Aux' which is the agitator on 1, if you are running pellets only. In fact, leave the AUX on '1' no matter what the other settings are, if running pellets. 1 produces less agitator revolutions which produces less ash movement. The agitator is really designed for corn burning in a non-clinker pot.

If you don't have a 4 button board, order one up, it's a good investment and it's widely adjustable parameter wise.

Been running your stove for over 10 years, no issue btw.

I imagine with your cleanout inside, behind the stove, deep cleanings (which should be done at least monthly) are on the infrequent side, if at all. You really need to suck the heck out of the venting and get the fly ash out, it will probably run a whole lot better.

When you clean the inside of the stove, it's real important to pull both angled metal doors, left and tight of the burn pot pedestal and get in there with a bottle brush and get the ash from behind the wall.

I've never replaced the glass wool gasket on the CA fan housing. First time I opened mine up (for spring cleaning), I tossed the gasket and switched to red rtv for a seal. That was about 9 removals ago.

I still don't like that pipe so close to the sheetrock. It's against my judgement for a safe install and it really limits your access to the backside of the stove. Mine is a good 2 feet farther out than yours is.

If it had been me and my stove, I'd have taken my SDS hammerdrill and bored right through the existing chimmney and ran the vent all the way through with a termination hood on the end. Would have been a ton cheaper and easier to service.

 

[Brockjn]

With no fresh air kit, there should be. It's factory installed.

PM Owen on this site (he posted as well earlier) he works at USSC. He's in Customer service I think...lol, he'll get you one. Actually, it is on the USSC site under 6039-41 pellet/multifuel stoves. Seen it there before.

If you have a 4 button board (which I presume you do), I'd do a system reset first off (by pressing and holding the 'Aux up and down buttons together for 5 seconds, with the board hot and the unit plugged in of course.. That will return the board to the factory parameters (if it's not there for some reason). Then set the Heat Range at 5, room fan on 9, draft fan on 'Auto' and 'Aux' which is the agitator on 1, if you are running pellets only. In fact, leave the AUX on '1' no matter what the other settings are, if running pellets. 1 produces less agitator revolutions which produces less ash movement. The agitator is really designed for corn burning in a non-clinker pot.

If you don't have a 4 button board, order one up, it's a good investment and it's widely adjustable parameter wise.

Been running your stove for over 10 years, no issue btw.

I imagine with your cleanout inside, behind the stove, deep cleanings (which should be done at least monthly) are on the infrequent side, if at all. You really need to suck the heck out of the venting and get the fly ash out, it will probably run a whole lot better.

When you clean the inside of the stove, it's real important to pull both angled metal doors, left and tight of the burn pot pedestal and get in there with a bottle brush and get the ash from behind the wall.

I've never replaced the glass wool gasket on the CA fan housing. First time I opened mine up (for spring cleaning), I tossed the gasket and switched to red rtv for a seal. That was about 9 removals ago.

I still don't like that pipe so close to the sheetrock. It's against my judgement for a safe install and it really limits your access to the backside of the stove. Mine is a good 2 feet farther out than yours is.

If it had been me and my stove, I'd have taken my SDS hammerdrill and bored right through the existing chimmney and ran the vent all the way through with a termination hood on the end. Would have been a ton cheaper and easier to service.

Is this fresh air kit come in from the outdoors? Or can you get it from inside the house? I'd rather get air from inside of the house due to the possibility of a cold draft.

I only have the three button board.

 

[SidecarFlip]

That explains why you are missing some things (like a draft slide for instance). The early models of the stoves came with the three button board. USSC has the 4 button on the website and candidly, the only reason I upgraded was I roasted my 3 button and the 4 button was a plug and play replacement with much better operational parameters and more user friendly features so I got one.

Mine came with the FAK (Fresh air kit) in the box however (also known as an OAK outside air kit) on this site.....

I pull my combustion air from outside and thats my preference, why use heated air to feed the fire oxygen when outside air don't need to be heated (and the stove isn't a heater powerhouse anyway )so why pee the heated air up the vent....

I like the 4 button, I can change the fueling alogrithms to fit exactly my heating scenarios, set the draft fan or the room air blower exactly like I want them and the agitator too.

I don't believe any other make has such flexability in custom settings.... Not even Hardone, oops, I mean Harman....lol

 

[Brockjn]

Wow if that's your stove it looks nothing like mine lol. The four button is 350.00 bucks although I'm sure it's very user friendly just tough for me to part with ha!

 

[Bioburner]

Harman, keeping it simple for the rest of us or those who dont want the headache.
If I want to play with fire I will do it for $$$

 

[SidecarFlip]

Harman, keeping it simple for the rest of us or those who dont want the headache.
If I want to play with fire I will do it for $$$

The is nothing simple about the mechanics of a Harman and the control components are also more complex. You have some serious mechanical parts, I have an auger.

I don't like playing with fire, I like keeping my butt warm, at a reasonable price point and you and I both know that replacement parts aren't cheap, especially control boards....

Just say'in.....

 

[SidecarFlip]

Wow if that's your stove it looks nothing like mine lol. The four button is 350.00 bucks although I'm sure it's very user friendly just tough for me to part with ha!

There are a couple different models but they all operate basically the same. The unit is really a Countryside Magnum clone with some 'improvements', most noteably the board is upgraded and the safety mechanisms are improved.

Variations are... Pedestal model in 3 and 4 button with or without draft slide, 'Queene Anne model in 3 or 4 button with or without draft slide. Far as I know, all the stoves ship from USSC with the fresh air kit included btw. My personal preference is the pedestal model (over the Queen Anne model) because the ash drawer is 5 times as large. It's not as asthetically 'pretty' but I'm not into a pretty face, I'm into practicality.

I tell everyone the same thing. Start a 'rainy day' fund when you get the stove for parts down the road. I put $150 bucks a year in a Mason jar for parts because at some point, you will be purchasing parts, thats a given because it's a mechanical device and mechanical devices wear out.

Mine hasn't been without issues, I've replaced the viewing glass once, agitator motor 2 times (it's in an extremely hostile atmosphere of high heat), The board one time (I roasted the original board with a voltage spike) a couple agitators (not a biggie because I make and sell them on Flea-Bay, one backer (fake brick) panel and a burn pot (I also make burn pots so that came from the shop).

Depending on your level of DIY, backer boards can be made at home too. (for any stove).

That 150 a year makes the pain of purchase a lot less.

 

[Bioburner]

Wow if that's your stove it looks nothing like mine lol. The four button is 350.00 bucks although I'm sure it's very user friendly just tough for me to part with ha!

I see the conundrum with that as I see the 6039 and 6041 stoves around MN for an asking price of around $500 working. So you buy one for a parts machine you get the board, auger motor assembly with auger, a burn pot assembly, a stirrer motor assembly, exhaust fan, vacuum switch and a door assembly with glass that's around $275 I think.

 

[SidecarFlip]

I see the conundrum with that as I see the 6039 and 6041 stoves around MN for an asking price of around $500 working. So you buy one for a parts machine you get the board, auger motor assembly with auger, a burn pot assembly, a stirrer motor assembly, exhaust fan, vacuum switch and a door assembly with glass that's around $275 I think.

Problem with that is it's the 'pig in a poke' scenario. You have no idea when the USED components will crap out and you and I both know the maintenance level on mechanical components is somewhere south of acceptable. The word 'working' encompasses a wide range......

I've looked at some on CL and the ones I've looked at are not pretty faces.....(though the owners 'think' they are).

Besides if Harman keeps going in their present direction, they will become extinct or become an offshore product.

Snowing here btw.

 

[Bioburner]

Some of the HHT products are being farmed out if I heard right

 

[SidecarFlip]

I believe thats an ongoing thing. Has to do with labor costs and enviromental restraints, least I think it does.....

I know the cast iron door on my +10 year old unit is Chinese (says so on the inside 'made in China'. Don't believe thats China, Michigan either. (there is an East China Michigan btw).

The gummit has about put every grey iron foundry in the country out of business, you cannot be competitive (with China) when you have to exist under suffocating enviromental restraints and regulations.

I bet a percentage of the Harman components come here in containers too.

All about being 'World Class' and 'globalizarion' and getting it cheap and selling it high. Capitalism at it's finest....

Still snowing here.....

 

[Bioburner]

There was a report that several news agencies and farm show programs talking about the worlds food producers need to increase food production by 70% as over 800 million people mostly in asia are not meeting their daily nutritional needs.

 

[SidecarFlip]

I'll take on a few more 'tennants' in the feedlot.

Really thats a complex scenario all attributable t esponsible procreation.....

Snowing harder here........

 

[Brockjn]

Well you guys bring up very valid points about my current stove. I'm very green when it comes to these pellet stoves at which point I should probably tell you guys when I bought this house I had about 10-20 chords of wood in the existing barn for the previous wood burning stove. I traded the previous owner who flipped houses for the wood for this prllet stove. This is my first year dealing with the intricacies of it. Piecing parts and opinions together and seeing what works best. My home being much different from the traditional home carries greater difficulties. Outside air kit will have to be in home. Is that possible? Thanks again guys your help is really helping believe it or not!

 

[SidecarFlip]

Don't connect it, leave the inlet tube open. I take it the wall that the stove is on is earth bermed so running the FAK/OAK would be difficult (as in boring through the earth to connect it).

You do know that in as much as you are in Wisconsin, corn is a real possibility for heating and that stove is corn capable? Corn yields almost a third again as many BTU's per volume as rhe very best wood pellets do and right now, corn is a pretty good bargain.

A good mix in the American Harvest stoves is a 50-50 mix of corn and pellets. That eliminates the heavy clinkering that a corn only burn makes plus it will allow you to run the cheapest pellets you can buy with no heat loss or excessive ash buiuldup. The corn must test at or below 12% moisture and must be cleaned corn, I use cleaned for feed corn myself, delivered from the elevator with no additional cleaning. I keep mine in above grounf grain storage tanks but it's possible to store corn in about anything, from empty 55 gallon drums with lids to assembled wooden storage boxes to IBC totes.

We have good friends that live in mid-michigan that heated their 3500 square foot multi level brick home (partially bermed) with wood from the property for years that have now switched to wood pellets / corn in a central furnace (hot air) and love it. Lots less work. Wood is fun when you are young but gets old quick. I know. I heated my home in Ohio with wood for 15 years. Summertime was wood time for winter burning, almost a full time job it seemed like and my wife was never keen on the bugs that came in with the wood either.

 

[Brockjn]

Exactly right why I don't want to run an outside air kit through the house. I'm almost tempted to find a little fan and put it behind that hole in back o stove. I know sounds jerry rigged but I though about it lol. But yes I grew up on a farm with 2000 acres with a wood shed and after doing that for 14 years I really don't want to deal with splitting drying and stacking wood. I'll stack pellet bags all day but wood Nahh... I'm over it lol!