Brand New Harmon Accentra 52i-TC Not Feeding

[btbam006]

Hey everyone. My family just got a new 52i-TC installed only a couple of months ago. Everything has been working just fine, only recently started using it on a regular basis, but I have been doing the cleaning typically prior to the notice displaying on the screen, trying to keep it very clean.

The other day my wife said that the flame slowly dwindled to nothing (while it was on constant burn) and she was unable to restart it. When I got home, some of my initial findings were that there were no pellets even in the auger screw, and when I would turn it on, the auger screw would never spin.

Digging a little bit deeper, I pulled all of the pellets out of the hopper, the feeder door was shut, otherwise, I could not feel or see any obstructions. In the test menu, when I turn the fan on, the pressure switch closes properly. When I turn the auger on, nothing os turning. When I try to ignite under constant burn and then go into diagnostic mode, it shows the feed motor as ON and the feed rate at 37%, but nothing is moving. The feed door at the bottom of the hopper is closed and the auger is not spinning.

Our local dealer who installed this will not be able to come and look at it until January 6, which is extremely irritating on its own. We were looking forward to burning pellets all winter instead of expensive oil so this is very frustrating that it is already broken.

Has anyone experienced this or have any suggestions for me to try? I am extremely handy and am more than capable of testing or checking things out. I did quickly pull the unit out and check any cabling, fuses and stuff. Cables all seem in tact, I checked the ground from the feeder assembly and it’s a good ground, fuse is fine (wouldn’t power if it wasn’t I guess). Any help is greatly appreciated! I’d prefer to get this running before Christmas if I can, but if it will require a warranty replacement feeder assembly or something, obviously that’s out of my hands. Thanks in advance!

 

[gfreek]

Welcome...So others should come aboard here, but is there a hopper switch, all doors fully closed with no obstructions, you know how to use a multimeter to test for voltage at the auger motor when auger lite is on ??

 

[btbam006]

I turned on the combustion fan, ensured the pressure switch closed, probed the black wire feeding to the auger motor at the main board and it reads 120V once I turn on the auger on the control screen.

 

[gfreek]

I turned on the combustion fan, ensured the pressure switch closed, probed the black wire feeding to the auger motor at the main board and it reads 120V once I turn on the auger on the control screen.

View attachment 305436

Power at black and sky blue wires at the auger motor ?

 

[Mt Bob]

Unless you can slide the inset out yourself, not much you can check or do.

 

[btbam006]

Yeah, it seems there is no way to check those wires at the motor, they are integrated into the unit.

On another note, our neighbor got the same exact unit installed in their house the day before we got ours, it turns out theirs broke last week as well. Really not happy with Harmon… we paid a premium price for a premium product, and what are the odds that 2 units within the same week go bad and they are barely 2 months old… terrible. Is this possibly a call on Harmons part to utilize cheaper sources for parts due to supply chain issues? Because I haven’t seen many concerns brought up with this unit.

I appreciate all the help everyone, but unfortunately I think we are just gonna have to suck it up and burn oil for the next few weeks until they can come out and fix it.

 

[rickwai]

Was there an error on the screen like "door open" Or hopper lid open" Also check the gasket around hopper lid and be sure no pellets are stuck in the hinge area no allowing the lid to seal properly. Also verify you have the stove in auto mode not manual. In manual the auger and igniter is not powered at start up. Basically a setting so you can light the stove manually if igniter fails. On the left side there should be a small plastic nipple sticking out with a rubber cap on it to test vac. it is near the electrical computer plug to disconnect power to the stove. Behind the cast iron side door. Make sure the rubber cap is on the barbed fitting. Cap should be either black or yellow. If it is missing the vac switch will not close.

 

[rickwai]

Was there an error on the screen like "door open" Or hopper lid open" Also check the gasket around hopper lid and be sure no pellets are stuck in the hinge area no allowing the lid to seal properly. Also verify you have the stove in auto mode not manual. In manual the auger and igniter is not powered at start up. Basically a setting so you can light the stove manually if igniter fails.

Also the Jan 6th time frame for brand new unit service call poor business practice. If he said he could be out in a couple days you would not be mad. R

 

[btbam006]

Thanks for the reply! There are no errors displayed on the screen about doors open or anything. I did make sure the hopper door and main door were free from any debris whatsoever and that they sealed well. When I kick in the combustion fan in test mode, I can see the pressure switch click over indicating there is a vacuum present, so I don’t think that is an issue.

I also have tried both auto (room sensing) mode and manual mode. I will try again this evening to just try again. I have seen that cap you are talking about and had no idea what it was for, but I do know there is a rubber cap on it.

You are 100% correct. Granted I would still be a little upset, it’s very worrisome that we are already having issues and haven’t even got through our first winter with it. This begs the question, are we going to need to fix this every single year? Is this going to end up costing more in repairs than the unit is even worth? We have back up heat luckily, but what would we do if this was our only source? We have 2 little kids, it’s just worrisome at this point, did we make the right decision with this unit is all I’m thinking now.

 

[rickwai]

Thanks for the reply! There are no errors displayed on the screen about doors open or anything. I did make sure the hopper door and main door were free from any debris whatsoever and that they sealed well. When I kick in the combustion fan in test mode, I can see the pressure switch click over indicating there is a vacuum present, so I don’t think that is an issue.

I also have tried both auto (room sensing) mode and manual mode. I will try again this evening to just try again. I have seen that cap you are talking about and had no idea what it was for, but I do know there is a rubber cap on it.

You are 100% correct. Granted I would still be a little upset, it’s very worrisome that we are already having issues and haven’t even got through our first winter with it. This begs the question, are we going to need to fix this every single year? Is this going to end up costing more in repairs than the unit is even worth? We have back up heat luckily, but what would we do if this was our only source? We have 2 little kids, it’s just worrisome at this point, did we make the right decision with this unit is all I’m thinking now.

I believe it is a fluke. I have been servicing Harman for 17 yrs. May have ended up with a bad auger motor? That kind of stuff happens. The part that bothers me is the response time. We would be out there ASAP! Like next day.... and we stock all parts on the truck. Very rarely do we not have the stove back up and running on 1 trip.

 

[TWilk117]

Thanks for the reply! There are no errors displayed on the screen about doors open or anything. I did make sure the hopper door and main door were free from any debris whatsoever and that they sealed well. When I kick in the combustion fan in test mode, I can see the pressure switch click over indicating there is a vacuum present, so I don’t think that is an issue.

I also have tried both auto (room sensing) mode and manual mode. I will try again this evening to just try again. I have seen that cap you are talking about and had no idea what it was for, but I do know there is a rubber cap on it.

You are 100% correct. Granted I would still be a little upset, it’s very worrisome that we are already having issues and haven’t even got through our first winter with it. This begs the question, are we going to need to fix this every single year? Is this going to end up costing more in repairs than the unit is even worth? We have back up heat luckily, but what would we do if this was our only source? We have 2 little kids, it’s just worrisome at this point, did we make the right decision with this unit is all I’m thinking now.

I would be on the phone with Harman.
I get that it’s the holidays and stove shops are extremely busy, but they should make time to come out and fix it.
Your issue is making me apprehensive. I’m getting an absolute in a few weeks.

 

[gfreek]

I would be on the phone with Harman.
I get that it’s the holidays and stove shops are extremely busy, but they should make time to come out and fix it.
Your issue is making me apprehensive. I’m getting an absolute in a few weeks.

I believe Harman refuses to talk directlyu to the cunsumer. They always reffered to the dealer.. There have been times in the past where unsatisfied customers were able to get resolutions for their issues through Facebook Page or maybe Elmo's Bird app, Twitter

 

[Weakfish]

Pull the stove out enough to run a direct line right to the auger motor and see if the auger and motor are both turning. I did a job that had the same problem and the welds were broken on the cam block.

 

[gfreek]

Any updates on this ?/

 

[btbam006]

So the technicians who installed it came out and confirmed what I had found and determined that the auger motor is garbage. They said they have only seen this on one other unit and it was a showroom unit, very odd… either way, here we are almost into February, and HOPEFULLY we will have an operational stove. They had to order the part and we have been waiting. They are scheduled to come install it on the 31st, so I am hoping all goes smooth and we have no issues going forward!