I have a Harman P61a pellet stove. Today I was having a conversation with a fellow Harmon owner and I mentioned that I replaced the Flame Guide in the fall of 2013 due to the fact that the guide had warped and was allowing the flame coming from the burner to escape around the top sides of the burner instead of out the front of the flame guide. Now, after cleaning the stove a few days ago, Dec. 2014, I notice that the new flame guide is starting to warp again, not to the previously described point, but getting there. He said that he has never experienced this warping. He was wondering if this may have been the result of the fact that I always had the stove set on Room Temp, auto and a feed rate of 1. I now use the proper feed setting of 3.5, after reading many of the knowledgeable forum members recommendations. His thoughts were that at a feed rate of 1, the stove may have been getting too hot when calling for heat (70-72deg.) as it may be working harder on that low feed rate. Thus, warping the (what appears to me to be cast iron) Flame Guide. Has anyone had this problem with the warping issue?
Flame Guide Warping
- Thread starter caseman
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JDenyer236
Feeling the Heat
I haven't had the issue yet as this is my first year with the P61A, but I have heard that the flame guide is considered to be a consumable, and may require replacement every year or two. Is it true? Don't know but that is what I have heard.
mepellet
Minister of Fire
Mine warped after year 4 or 5. Talked to the dealer, it happens. I run mine in a mix of room and stove so I doubt that's what the issue is.
I know it's a wear or consumable part but they seem very stout. This has me wondering how they could actually warp. Sure they do since there are people here who have had it. It boggles me a bit. I did my install and remember grabbing it the first time thinking wow, this is a heavy duty deal. The thing seems to be overkill in it's make up to just warp and bend. Anyone know why or the cause yet? Are the ones experiencing this burning high BTU softwood pellets?
The pellets that I am using are Comfy Cozy brand, manufactured by Marwood Industries, here in New Brunswick, Canada. They are a soft wood pellet, and according to their web site, the BTU rating is 8300/lb. They are the only pellets that I have used in my stove. Premium Grade on the bag. Good quality product as far as I see. No dust left in each bag, clean burn, and I can get 45-50 bags between stove cleanings, other than the usual scraping of the burner pot.
The Harman flame guide is a consumable part in Harman stoves. They are indeed made of cast iron. Depending on stove operation, everyone will get different results but eventually most will need to replace it. They cost about $20 at my stove shop and they stock them by the dozens. I've replaced 3 of them in 19 years in my Invincible but have yet to do it on my P61A which is 4 years old this week.
Only way I noticed was seeing flame come from the base where the flame guide rests against the auger tube. It was a slight warp but enough.
alternativeheat
Minister of Fire
I just had mine out a couple of days ago, looks basically like new going in it's second year with all sorts of pellets and burn rates used. You name the quality of pellet all the way up to and including 9200 BTU pellets and dirt city pellets alike. My feed rate has never been under 3 or over 5.
I wonder if your stove is over combusting ( like running an engine too lean with not enough fuel and too much air throwing the ratio off and it burns the valves or melts a piston top). I have not heard of an annual deterioration of the flame guide. I know they need replacing here and there but that sounds excessive... I could see feed rate 1 possibly causing that in a manually operated stove but you would think the board would compensate in the Harman. Maybe not !
Another thought about feed rate 1, does that make your pot load of pellets lower below the flame guide ? I know on 3 or more I get a fairly full pot on a high ramp up of flame. This puts the flame intensity more toward the outer edge of the pot and ramping up into the main burn chamber of the stove. With a low pile of pellets the flame guide is taking the heat vs directing the air possibly ?. I don't know, I never set my feed rate that low ! Seems to me to run that low a feed rate then you need a P38 not a 61.
I wonder if your stove is over combusting ( like running an engine too lean with not enough fuel and too much air throwing the ratio off and it burns the valves or melts a piston top). I have not heard of an annual deterioration of the flame guide. I know they need replacing here and there but that sounds excessive... I could see feed rate 1 possibly causing that in a manually operated stove but you would think the board would compensate in the Harman. Maybe not !
Another thought about feed rate 1, does that make your pot load of pellets lower below the flame guide ? I know on 3 or more I get a fairly full pot on a high ramp up of flame. This puts the flame intensity more toward the outer edge of the pot and ramping up into the main burn chamber of the stove. With a low pile of pellets the flame guide is taking the heat vs directing the air possibly ?. I don't know, I never set my feed rate that low ! Seems to me to run that low a feed rate then you need a P38 not a 61.
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So, are you saying that some of the flame is escaping around the base of the Flame Guide and going up behind the guide against the fire logs or bricks (depending on what you have) instead of out the front of the guide? And when you said it is a slight warp but enough, what do you mean?
Exactly that, fire was hitting the fire bricks in the back wall.
By slight warp I mean hard to see without really pulling it out and looking at it. It didn't look warped on the burn pot. When I got the new one and out them side by side, it was more noticeable, but without the flame coming out the back I wouldn't have seen it.
When I was (now on 3.5 feeding rate) on the rate of 1, (for all the previous years) the pile of pellets seemed to be normal height. I always have the stove set in Room Temp/ auto mode and it that mode, the stove as you know, compensates for the fluctuations in the temperatures and feeds the required amount of pellets to keep up the set temp.
bogieb
Minister of Fire
That is one thick piece of cast to be warping. I haven't noticed that on mine (almost 1 year), but I run mine on room temp and the stove shuts down on a consistent basis. Maybe that is the difference.
How many seasons have you had using the new Flame Guide? The next time you do a shut down and the big clean, check the guide against a flat surface and let me know if you see a curve starting?
Ha ha ha ha! Funny. Good stuff! Hey, PM me with your website or info. I'd just as soon pay money to people here for parts and such than wherever. Thanks
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Also keep in mind it is a "guide." I don't think it is anything to get very worked up over even if it is ever so slightly warped. Now if the flames are going everywhere except in the general direction they should then it might be more of a concern. Think of a chain guide on a motorcycle. Or the guide rails going into an automatic car wash. And for $20 bucks you can afford to have a couple of extras around but I wouldn't fret over it nor check it daily with a micrometer.
Thanks guys. You are all correct about the replaceable Flame Guide in that it is only $20-30. for it etc. So, I did well in getting 6-7 years of heating my house completely every year, with the first guide. Looking back to my original post stating that a fellow Harman owner has never noticed a warped guide, nor has he replaced it, he only burns 50 bags of pellets at the most each year. This leads me to believe that he just operates his stove now and then and doesn't get the same daily usage as I do, which in turn would probably mean replacing the guide sooner etc.
50 bags is a drop in the bucket. Probably fires it on special occasions and super cold days.
caseman the only problem you that you have that I can see is that it took you 6-7 years to sign up here
! Where have you been? Get some pics up or at least one for your Avatar my man. We have some low expectations around here. Just take a look at my stellar Avatar photo. 
NICE!,,,, Huh? Crooked, dark, not centered, and out of focus. Maybe I should search out a photography forum next..........
caseman the only problem you that you have that I can see is that it took you 6-7 years to sign up here
! Where have you been? Get some pics up or at least one for your Avatar my man. We have some low expectations around here. Just take a look at my stellar Avatar photo. NICE!,,,, Huh? Crooked, dark, not centered, and out of focus. Maybe I should search out a photography forum next..........I have been reading the old post for the past few years or long, but until last week I usually had my questions answered in that fashion. Since I am here now. My next question is where do I start taking things apart on the P61a so I can replace the ESP. I can see it in the exhaust port, and I am assuming that the wires lead to the panel???50 bags is a drop in the bucket. Probably fires it on special occasions and super cold days.
caseman the only problem you that you have that I can see is that it took you 6-7 years to sign up here
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