Advance2 smoke in hopper

[flashbang]

Second season using my Advance2 and two months into it I am getting smoke in the hopper. No issues last year and same pennington Natures Heat pellets. When it's 3/4 to full of pellets it is hard to see but when the lid id open it smells like smoke. 1/2 full to next to empty it is so bad that smoke detectors go off when the lid is open for more than 30 seconds. Dealer had me clean it again and try different pellets, did it with same results. flue goes 2 feet then outside building to a tee then 6 feet up with a jet cap, all cleaned to a mirror right to the stoves' comb. blower. Hopper is sealed at all fold joints and I siliconed where it sits on the feed box. I notice the slide plate has cresote on the front edge where it never did before.
Well the dealers tech is on vacation so I called Harmon and they said it needs a new feeder weldment box with a modification the dealer will do to the box. He would not tell me the apparently top secret "mod" the dealer will do. Called the dealer and he is ordering the feeder weldment box.
Anyone have this happen?
Thanks

 

[rickwa]

i have done 3 of them. harman is taking care of parts and labor. they are also adding a tube from intake air to the back of feeder housing dealer will take care of it for you should cost you nothing

 

[flashbang]

I also understand that the burn pot with the 5 holes (which I have) near the base is a cause of the auger tube to crack. Fire in the tube and on the auger tip overheats the tube. This is also a cause of heavy clinkers at the base of the burn pot by the auger tube and on the auger tip. I wonder if this "kit" includes the new burn pot without the 5 holes.
These are not my pics but show the different burn pots

 

[Bxpellet]

The modification with the tube was done on my Advance, it solved the problem with smoke in the hopper This was done the last season.

 

[tinkabranc]

Harman's "dealer only and/or proprietary information" excuses are killing me.
Getting a straight up answers from my local dealer lately is like pulling teeth from a chicken.

I've got two stoves with the 5 hole burnpot that I am monitoring, now add in the possibility
I also need a tube on the air intake on the Advance... OMG

 

[rickwa]

the kit does not come with the new burn pot but the directions with the kit say to discard burnpot if it is one with 5 holes in the bottom and replace it. these hard parts of the stove have a 6 year wearranty so remember that.

 

[flashbang]

Thanks for the info. I hope my dealer knows this or at least read the instructions before making the trip without all the parts. I also understand that two gaskets and silicone is needed as the hopper has to be removed.

 

[rickwa]

kit comes with 2 burn pot gaskets, he will have to supply the silicone. he should take the stove back to his shop to do the repair or at least out in your garage. it is a dirty job and takes 6+hrs to do. the ones i did, we took the stove back to the shop and did it there.

 

[Dougsey]

Maybe it's the pics but the new burn pot looks different than the old one.... the way it angles down to the auger is more of a straight ramp.

 

[flashbang]

It's the pics. The pot are the same but for the 5 holes at the bottom. Seems like Hamon saw the error or "defect" in design of the Advance and now not only have a Advance2 but also a new model advance with new manual, hopper switch, direct drive auger, feeder weldment,feeder air intake to name a few and did away with the hopper muffler which I could not find on mine.
Also the warrenty I have: 6/3 years gold
"Harman Home Heating warrants its products to be free from defects in material or workmanship, in normal use and service, for a period of 6 years from the date of sales invoice and for mechanical and electrical failures, in normal use and service, for a period of 3 years from the date of sales invoice."
Is now convoluted depending on the failure.
(broken link removed to http://hearthnhome.com/downloads/installManuals/advance.pdf)

 

[rickwa]

i got your message. the burn pot replacement is in the video. if your dealer watches the video that comes with the feeder he wont be able to miss it. dont let him leave your old burn pot in. if he has any doubt he needs to call harman and tell them, and they will send him a burnpot for your stove.

 

[flashbang]

i got your message. the burn pot replacement is in the video. if your dealer watches the video that comes with the feeder he wont be able to miss it. dont let him leave your old burn pot in. if he has any doubt he needs to call harman and tell them, and they will send him a burnpot for your stove.

Thank you.

 

[Lousyweather]

i got your message. the burn pot replacement is in the video. if your dealer watches the video that comes with the feeder he wont be able to miss it. dont let him leave your old burn pot in. if he has any doubt he needs to call harman and tell them, and they will send him a burnpot for your stove.

we've had a hard time getting replacement burn pots though, not to mention auger weldment, if that needs replaced too.....the burnpot weldments are a very easy thing to replace, auger weldments, not so easy!

 

[Bxpellet]

What year was these burn pots with 5 holes, I got my Advance 3 years ago and I was looking yesterday and I don't have them, there is no manufacture date on my tag in the back. is it a code in the serial number?

 

[investor7952]

i have done 3 of them. harman is taking care of parts and labor. they are also adding a tube from intake air to the back of feeder housing dealer will take care of it for you should cost you nothing

Just wanted to know if this is just specific to that model? I have a Harman Accentra 2 insert. I havent had a problem but it is only season 2 for me.

 

[rickwa]

not every stove has a problem. i dont know exactly what causes the problem just if there is a smoke in the hopper issue , install this replacement feeder