*Ding* - Round one.

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DAKSY

DAKSY

Full Time RVer
Staff member
Hearth Supporter
Dec 2, 2008
10,096
Wherever we're parked
Welcome to December. Shut down the P61A & gave it the first cleaning since the fall test fire
up...No surprises, other than what seemed to be an overly full ash pan for the amount of pellets we burned. Had the normal Harman "Speed Bump" in front of the auger. Some - not a lot - fly ash in the ignitor cavity. Fire bricks & walls lightly covered with tan colored deposits. Accordion heat exchanger wasn't too bad, but I hit that AT LEAST once a week with the Harman Dragon's Tail. Susan cleaned the glass & vacuumed the door & emptied the ash pan in our crusher run driveway for winter traction. Filled the hopper & hit the gas. 6 minutes later, she's ablaze. Good for another month. Gonna teach the daughter's boyfriend how to service the P43 after they get up later this AM...
 
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Planning on doing my Accentra today as well, don't anticipate any surprises either.
 
Planning a good cleaning today also including venting and my own modified version of the lbt.

When people talk about the Harman speed bump in front of the auger, where exactly is this buildup located? I get a thin coating towards the back of the burnpot but the only bump that I get is right behind the air holes. Probably only about an inch wide across most of the burnpot. Takes about 2 minutes to chip off during the weekly cleaning.
 
mepellet said:
Planning a good cleaning today also including venting and my own modified version of the lbt.

When people talk about the Harman speed bump in front of the auger, where exactly is this buildup located? I get a thin coating towards the back of the burnpot but the only bump that I get is right behind the air holes. Probably only about an inch wide across most of the burnpot. Takes about 2 minutes to chip off during the weekly cleaning.
Click to expand...

That's the spot. I scrape the burnpot every 2 - 3 bags or so, & I think I get it completely until & do the monthly spiff, & I always find maybe 1/32" thick layer that I can't feel with the scraper, but I can see it with the lead light. It's gone now!
 
When I cleaned my accentra this week I found a black liquid on the left side of the stove, including the hole I have to put the little brush into that leads to the back of the stove.... Any idea what that black stuff is?
 
Attaboy, DAKSY! Rise n shine daughters boyfriend! Pellet stove cleaning 101 time. You can hold the Harman tool menacingly for added effect ;) Tell him it's an attention getter.
 
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Did a quick firebox cleaning on Black Friday for my first cleaning. Was planning a full cleaning as the ash pan is getting past 2/3 full but will put that off until at least Tuesday night. Getting 50-55 deg temps until Tues or Wed and will be burning low and dirty over the next few days, so putting off till the cold returns.

Bob, what pellets are you burning giving more ash? So far I have burned MWP blend with good heat results for the shoulder. They are a bit ashy but not overly bad.

ETA: started using the 18" mechanics pry bar and that has cut down on the buildup and speed bump quite a bit over the Harman tool.
 
jeez ive cleaned mine 4x already.
 
gbreda said:
Did a quick firebox cleaning on Black Friday for my first cleaning. Was planning a full cleaning as the ash pan is getting to 2/3 full but will put that off until at least Tuesday night. Getting 50-55 deg temps until Tues or Wed and will be burning low and dirty over the next few days, so putting off till the cold returns.

Bob, what pellets are you burning giving more ash? So far I have burned MWP blend with good heat results for the shoulder. They are a bit ashy but not overly bad.
Click to expand...

Morning, Geno. The ONLY pellet I'm burning is Cleanfire Hardwoods & I've still got 9 tons of em. If I run out in March, I'll burn whatever Best Fire carries. I know - they're Harman stoves & they're more forgiving, but I refuse to burn big box crap, & I won't apologize for that statement to anyone who does...As a service tech for three years & cleaning many filthy stoves, I've seen what inferior pellets will do...Anyway, the ash pan seemed to be more full than usual, but then again, this is the first MONTHLY cleaning for the season & my memory ain't what it useta was...

EDIT: BTW, did two T-Bones on the BGE last nite... 500 degrees...Little garlic powder THEN a little onion powder...ON 2 minutes flip, repeat 3X & they were PERFECT!
 
yea but my stove was free :P
 
wilburg said:
When I cleaned my accentra this week I found a black liquid on the left side of the stove, including the hole I have to put the little brush into that leads to the back of the stove.... Any idea what that black stuff is?
Click to expand...

Usually if there is no motor to leak lubricant just above that black liquid type stuff it is bad news.

The only black stuff I can think of is the wood burners nightmare, creosote.
 
First cleaning, you still have a ways to go to beat some folks who show up on here that haven't cleaned their stove in 3 to 6 years.

You must all have OCD with AADHD (Adult Attention Defict ....)
 
DAKSY said:
EDIT: BTW, did two T-Bones on the BGE last nite... 500 degrees...Little garlic powder THEN a little onion powder...ON 2 minutes flip, repeat 3X & they were PERFECT!
Click to expand...

Nice ! Planning on burgers tonight. Cheated last night as we were out late slipping and sliding on the snow and ice so we stopped at Granite Steak and Grill in Rochester, a local steak house for ribs and fried sea scallops. Great food and reasonable prices. Ribs are smoked for 24 hrs, fall off the bone and their prime rib is among the best I have had in a steak house.

How does the 500 deg 2 min flip x3 compare to the Trex Sear Method:750-800 deg sear, 90 sec, flip 90 sec; remove and bring down to 400 then 4-5 min each side ? More work than your method.

Oh and back to the subject....yeah I buy from a pellet house as well. Might pick up a few from Big Box here and there but not much as they generally cause more cleanings. BUT once in a while a sleeper pellet shoes up there at good pricing, so I try a few bags.
 
jtakeman said:
Technically, Everytime you open the door and fiddle with the burnpot is considered cleaning. Just sayin! :p
Click to expand...

DOH ! Then I clean mine twice a day ;)
 
jtakeman said:
Technically, Everytime you open the door and fiddle with the burnpot is considered cleaning. Just sayin! :p
Click to expand...

True, Dat. But like I said, I only hit the pot every 2 - 3 bags & that's for 15 seconds MAX...Glass & accordion 2X week. Full blown once an ash pan...
 
Jay hasn't opened the door on his since he started burning this season, I tell ya you Harman folk have it bad always leveling the pellets in the hopper, and poking at that poor defenseless burn pot.
 
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As a follow up to the first post, my daughter's boyfriend bagged me. He hadda help my sister move some furniture. Better him than me! So I did round one on the P43 with a little help from the dog, who concentrated more on getting the fly ash out of my right ear...
 
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Seems like a fair trade. Dunno bout the doggie slobber though.
 
SmokeyTheBear said:
Jay hasn't opened the door on his since he started burning this season, I tell ya you Harman folk have it bad always leveling the pellets in the hopper, and poking at that poor defenseless burn pot.
Click to expand...

Well, as P38X2 said in a different thread, we have nothing else to do and we get a little antsy.
 
Just cleaned mine today also . Yes it's on a surge protector hidden to the left behind the watering can.
 

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