Am i missing something here??

[stanleyjohn]

Ive had my Harman wood stove for 6 years now and the only thing i have replaced so far is the door gasket.I burn between 2 and 3 cords of seasoned wood each year and have the liner cleaned each year! stove vacuumed out and the fan cleaned and lubed.Someone has suggested cleaning out the afterburner section of the stove which i have never done except for some vacuuming threw the intake holes and the bottom part that exposes the afterburner section.Anyone ever take apart the back section of the stove where the afterburner is for cleaning? is it needed.Stove seems to be working as good as day one.

 

[mellow]

With the horror stories on here about how fragile that refractory is I would have a replacement on hand if I did anything.

 

[bholler]

Ive had my Harman wood stove for 6 years now and the only thing i have replaced so far is the door gasket.I burn between 2 and 3 cords of seasoned wood each year and have the liner cleaned each year! stove vacuumed out and the fan cleaned and lubed.Someone has suggested cleaning out the afterburner section of the stove which i have never done except for some vacuuming threw the intake holes and the bottom part that exposes the afterburner section.Anyone ever take apart the back section of the stove where the afterburner is for cleaning? is it needed.Stove seems to be working as good as day one.

if it is still working well for you i wouldn't mess with it. I am just very surprised that the after burner is not clogged yet. You are also not burning nearly as much as most of our customers so that will mean less cleaning needed but after 12 to 18 cords i would expect to have to clean the secondary combustion chamber for sure.

 

[bholler]

I just have to ask do you really want to let it go until it is clogged and no longer working properly in the middle of the winter to have to tear it down. I personally would prefer to check it now to make sure it will make it through the season.

 

[velvetfoot]

Afterburner chamber? Expensive refractory? These are foreign concepts to me.
Is there a catalytic converter involved?

 

[mellow]

Is there a catalytic converter involved?

This is a downdraft stove, uses a refractory as a chamber to mix air with at high temperatures to reburn the smoke.

 

[mellow]

The afterburner is right up there with Cats in pricing however: http://www.stove-parts-unlimited.co...00-Ceramic-Fiber-Afterburner-p/3-40-05171.htm

 

[stanleyjohn]

yes! not cheap to replace! and very fragile.I will keep doing what i have been doing for now since all seems to be working ok.Worst that can happen is the fiber fails and then needs replacing.I can still use the stove with the damper opened and air control all the way in till i get it fixed.

 

[branchburner]

I used to suggest cleaning every few years, but now say "if it ain't broke don't fix it." But if you see the performance worsen, that's surely what it is.

I'm giving my Harman the year off and running a Jotul this winter. After five years, seems like all the cast-refractory firebrick pieces started cracking this past season. Not sure if I ran the stove too hard, but didn't seem like it. But I recall one person posting here who said all his cast pieces were busting after only two seasons. Too much $.

 

[stanleyjohn]

From alittle research i see that the afterburner section is built somewhat different on my fa200 insert verses the tl300 and other more current harman stoves.Maybe the older type like i have wouldn't clog up with ash as much as the newer ones.

 

[bholler]

From alittle research i see that the afterburner section is built somewhat different on my fa200 insert verses the tl300 and other more current harman stoves.Maybe the older type like i have wouldn't clog up with ash as much as the newer ones.

not from what i have seen but yours seems to be working i really am not sure why

 

[stanleyjohn]

not from what i have seen but yours seems to be working i really am not sure why

Maybe lots of TLC LOL. I will keep in touch here on how its working this year.