Adding a 'Shutdown' Switch to the Auger Motor Circuit

[MarkF48]

Harman XXV (2011)...... I usually shutdown the stove nightly by setting the temperature mode switch at the 'OFF' position and most times it reliably shuts down in an hour or less. Occasionally, as Harman stoves do, the 'OFF' position fails and the stove continues to feed pellets at a very slow rate and fails a full shutdown (cleaning the ESP and exhaust pipe usually is the remedy when this starts to occur). On the few times this has occurred I've open the hopper lid which has the switch which drops power to the auger motor circuit and gives a positive shutdown to the stove. Opening the hopper lid does appear to change the air flow in the stove and the manual mentions the possibility of a 'back burn', so I'm not real keen relying on this method as a means to shutdown the stove.

The Harman manual states the best way to shutdown the stove is let it run out of pellets or alternately use the 'Mode' selection to 'OFF'. My stove hopper is usually pretty full. Letting it run out of pellets to shut the stove down is not really an option, so I'm contemplating mounting a toggle switch in a mini project box mounted at the top rear of the stove and wiring into the auger motor circuit to stop the pellet feed.. The auger motor wiring is easily accessible and has quick connect spade connectors that would make bridging in a switch easy. The stove would throw an out of pellet error which can be reset with the 'Mode' control to restart.

Anyone see any issues with this plan?

 

[Mt Bob]

My experience with the not shutting down is board going bad, mostly rare, or as you said, dirty stove. Usually, from my experience, turn to off, after it has been running in low burn for a while, and a ash pile builds and sits in front of probe. Nothing wrong with your switch Idea., except I would probably just drill a hole somewhere, and mount it in the sheet metal, perhaps beside where the room temp probe comes out. Would not hurt to add a inline fuse, down at your motor connections, in case someone other than you messes with your stove. If you cannot figure out which wire is the hot, just add 2 inline fuses.

 

[Golfeur]

me instead of cutting auger I would cut the draft switch