ESP frustrations on our Harman PC45

[rch105]

My last season's posts, although most helpful, still haven't rectified my problem. Today, I spent the entire morning doing a total clean on the stove and, upon start-up, have again experienced that dreaded 3 blink flash (within 20 minutes) telling me my ESP is malfunctioning.

To recap, Harman PC45, it started at the beginning of last season. I did the hard reset and it returned. I did a complete cleaning...made no difference. Bought a new (black wire) ESP...that hasn't helped. I even spoke to the business that sold it to us., gave me some pointers (complete clean), but still the same flash.

Is there a way for me to test the ESP with a meter? My DIPS are set 1-2-7-8 on (up) and 3-4-5-6 are off (down). I'm burning pellets, large holefirebox, but have the corn (smaller) inlet ring. I know it calls for the larger inlet, but the stove ran fine up to last season. We bought this stove new in July of 2008.

I know I could just make a call to the seller, but being retired and on SS, funds are limited...I would expect the service call will be pricey.

Can anyone answer my question and add their two cents, before I have to resort to calling for service? Thanks!

 

[Bioburner]

3 blinks also means out of range to many times in period of time. Manual also suggests it may need a good cleaning of venting. Which makes me think the stoves exhaust may be getting to hot? The fresh air intake good? The vent pipes all good and clear as well as the vent cap to allow good flow? I run our pc45 with pellet pot with small hole fan plate as the crosslink sucks a lot of the heat out. Large hole plate seems to allow to fast of air movement for efficient burning.

 

[rch105]

Coming out of the stove the exhaust is directly connected to a "T", the bottom cap being the clean-out. The vertical pipe goes 6' up the wall into a 90 degree elbow, then through the concrete wall to the exterior and extends approximately 4 feet from the house (to clear the bump out for our 1st floor LP fireplace). There is a 45 degree adjustable angle, with a guard to keep birds out. In addition to the complete stove cleaning today, I thoroughly cleaned the entire exhaust pipe from end to end with the brush. There are no restrictions.

Fresh air comes from the room it is located in (the basement). Nothing was changed in the basement from the date of install...July 2008.

Here's what my cleaning (scraping & vacuuming) consisted of:
1. Combustion chamber walls, incl. Heat Exchanger (top) & bricks, burn pot and related components.
2. Ash pan (interior and exterior).
3. Inlet ring panel removed, cleaned.
4. ESP carefully removed and wiped with wet paper towel.
5. Passages and fan fins scraped and vacuumed all the way to rear of stove.
6. All fans vacuumed.
7. Fines compartment - cover removed - vacuumed - inspected seal & reinstalled.
8. Air Intake - vacuumed and flapper valve free & properly functioning.
9. Cleaned glass and inspected all door seals - all were ok.

Was there anything I may have overlooked? Suggestions?

 

[rch105]

 

[Bioburner]

You have the same dip switch settings I have. Have you tried just shutting the stove down for a minute after it starts blinking and turning it back on? I cant think of anything more without stove being hooked to a tester other than putting in the large holed fan plate.

 

[rch105]

Yes, I have unplugged it and did the hard reset. Within 10 minutes I've got the flashing again.

 

[Lake Girl]

No fresh air intake ... try opening a window in basement and see if there is any change.

Have you been doing any renovations lately upstairs - insulation, new windows, sealing up air infiltration points with foam, etc.? Possible negative pressure developing?

 

[rch105]

Thanks for all the tips. I took your advice and opened the basement window and did a hard reset and within 15 minutes, had the 3 blinking lights back. UGH...I am so disgusted. I will check the ESP probe for resistance values tomorrow. I did check the Room Temp sensor. That was in range and working.
I'm wondering whether the board is bad, perhaps a power surge or faulty component. The service guy I talked to last season asked what part number/ letter was on my board as they've made a few changes (upgrades) since my purchase in 2008.

Anybody else see if I missed anything or could suggest something else? Thanks

 

[rona]

Thanks for all the tips. I took your advice and opened the basement window and did a hard reset and within 15 minutes, had the 3 blinking lights back. UGH...I am so disgusted. I will check the ESP probe for resistance values tomorrow. I did check the Room Temp sensor. That was in range and working.
I'm wondering whether the board is bad, perhaps a power surge or faulty component. The service guy I talked to last season asked what part number/ letter was on my board as they've made a few changes (upgrades) since my purchase in 2008.

Anybody else see if I missed anything or could suggest something else? Thanks

Do you know of anyone else that has a 45? Maybe you could take your ESP probe and have him try it in his stove as a process of elimination I have extra esp probes that are used but tested good on another stove. It seems if there is a problem with a 45 replacing the esp probe seems like a common suggestion. If the problem is the board they aren't real expensive but once again you could swap the board on another 45 just to determine where the problem is. The esp probe seems to be the culprit or gets the blame for a lot of ailments with that stove.

 

[rch105]

Funny you mention this as I bought a new probe last season just after I started getting the malfunction. The dealer said the thought the probe was bad so he suggested I get a new one. It didn't make any difference and am now wondering if the one I bought was good. I've had that happen before. That's the first thing I'll do, tomorrow...shut down the stove, pull the ESP and put it on the meter...then go from there. Wouldn't that be ironic? A bad new probe.

 

[Bioburner]

Someone else had the same issue.

 

[rona]

I would like to know how you can test a esp probe to determine if it is good or not. Do you use a ohm meter and if so how do you do it? I was told that a ohm meter wouldn't work by a Harman dealer so that was why I suggested using a different stove to check them.

 

[Bioburner]

Found thru search. From dhall28 on March 2nd,2013 Not red ESP 650,000-550,000 Ohm and the room sensor 3,600-3,300 Ohm

 

[rch105]

Found thru search. From dhall28 on March 2nd,2013 Not red ESP 650,000-550,000 Ohm and the room sensor 3,600-3,300 Ohm

*** From the same post I found red wire ESP's values are 1,000 to 1,100 ohms and when heated the values rise. And as previously stated, the black wired ESP's are 650,000 to 550,000 ohms and when heated the values go down. I tested my Room Sensor and came up with 3,700 ohms and the resistance did change when I heated it. To test, one merely connects the meter leads to the probe ends and reads the meter. My next step will be to shut down the stove and pull the ESP to test.

 

[Mr. Spock]

Could be a long shot but check the solder connections on the control board where the ESP hooks up. Might need a magnifying glass to inspect for a cold solder joint.

 

[Bioburner]

Well I got my Halloween scare and the stove would not correctly get out of ignition cycle this AM. Changed the ESP with no change so got couple messages out for repair of board. First needed repair of used stove in coming of third season.

 

[rch105]

I will check the solder joints and Scott, I hope I didn't jinx you. Went to the dealer (extremely helpful with some tips) and was given this attached sheet. I was told to check the ESP. I didn't get to shut down the stove like I planned as I needed to winterize my summer use equipment. Plan on the shut down tomorrow.

 

[rch105]

 

[Bioburner]

Pulled the board and the remains of spider and nest were stuck to the board between the faceplate. Explains the problem.

 

[rona]

Pulled the board and the remains of spider and nest were stuck to the board between the faceplate. Explains the problem.

That's about the same as a bird nest in the exhaust pipe on a 45 or a mouse that made a nest in the fresh air intake. Mother nature at her best. Customers felt foolish when the problem was found as they were sure it was the XXXX stoves fault. lol

 

[Lake Girl]

Got to love those little helpers... short the board?

 

[Bioburner]

Got to love those little helpers... short the board?

It's not working and waiting on email back from couple of repair shops. Glad it's now not in a month or so when will want to have running full time. Hope I dont need to buy a new board.

 

[Lake Girl]

Would have been better a bit earlier in the season. We had a couple of snow fronts move through yesterday with nasty winds. Slight evidence that it snowed but the puddles are freezing ...

 

[Bioburner]

Would have been better a bit earlier in the season. We had a couple of snow fronts move through yesterday with nasty winds. Slight evidence that it snowed but the puddles are freezing ...

I have the Bixby on straight corn doing most of the work. We got a serious frost this morning with temp of 19. Touched off the Elena to get the house back to 70 or so. Elena is the last stove now to get the full strip down cleaning for winter. The Lumberjack blended pellets are working well in it. Saw that Canada is getting another pellet plant online.

 

[Lake Girl]

Canada is getting another pellet plant online.

Nice to have the back-ups! What plant and where?