Harman 52i not working properly--low heat, runs dirty, excess ash

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My OAK pulls from the garage. Unheated but we'll above outside temps.

Hope you don't suck in some gas vapors. I think that may be against code - at least my stove manual says not to do such - use outside air only.
 
PTL I'm still even here !! No other explanation. And I didn't fly airplanes in times of war. Those who did I'm sure are double grateful.
Only thing in this world that scares me is my beautiful bride!
Hope you don't suck in some gas vapors. I think that may be against code - at least my stove manual says not to do such - use outside air only.
Store gas in combustibles cabinet or outside in shed.
 
I'm fairly certain that this large (what is it? 1/8"?) mesh in that nearly 3" ID tube isn't causing a restriction.


3inch pipe loose mesh.PNG

If that's a restriction then I have no idea how my <2" pipe breaths through this tight-mesh screen:

2015-01-10 14.24.40.jpg

I even taped off half of my inlet as an experiment based on a post by Mike from ESW and it still barely affected the burn.
 
OP, how you making out ?
 
I'm fairly certain that this large (what is it? 1/8"?) mesh in that nearly 3" ID tube isn't causing a restriction.


View attachment 150185

If that's a restriction then I have no idea how my <2" pipe breaths through this tight-mesh screen:

View attachment 150187

I even taped off half of my inlet as an experiment based on a post by Mike from ESW and it still barely affected the burn.


I suspect that in your case there is a short almost direct run between the intake on your stove and outside on your OAK run. I don't believe it it true for the OPs run, I'm not certain but I think the OAK run on the OPs setup has a few bends in it. Further it looks like that mesh has crud on it never a good sign. As OAK runs get longer you have to increase the size of the plumbing used. I asked for a picture so we could see the stuff behind the curtain.

It only takes a little bit here and a little more over there to screw up the air flow And in this case the intake is also higher than the vent outlet also not a good thing..
 
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I suspect that in your case there is a short almost direct run between the intake on your stove and outside on your OAK run. I don't believe it it true for the OPs run, I'm not certain but I think the OAK run on the OPs setup has a few bends in it. Further it looks like that mesh has crud on it never a good sign. As oak runs get longer you have to increase the size of the plumbing used. I asked for a picture so we could see the stuff behind the curtain.

It only takes a little bit here and a little more over there to screw up the air flow And in this case the intake is also higher than the vent outlet also not a good thing..
Actually as part of this experiment he is undergoing I'd be temped to say just pull the OAK line off at the stove for now.

Meanwhile I'd love to hear if his stove is making heat, not making heat, if he is re plumbing everything or burning the house down ( lovingly kidding of course).
 
He did not do a draft test.
Eric

You should definitely get this done. You may have a loose gasket somewhere. I think people talk about doing the dollar bill test.

What did the dealer do when he was out last time to give you the temporary result of high heat?
 
Well at least I got to post a couple of things from my TV and the wireless input devices disentangled from the wifi link while waiting.
I finally got the fake Christmas tree out to the shed, recovered over the chipper while outside. Came in rode my bike in the stationary stand. Went to the piano and rehearsed for Tues Night's service, sat and had tea and did some reading. Now I'm texting my daughter and hanging out here. Oh and I filled the hopper with pellets for the night.
 
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The decoration express left on platform #9 on December 27 here, we didn't need it up any longer considering we have the little one (13+ months ) running around and standing on tip toes reaching for things. The stuff was up for one week plus two days.

Well, I think I'll go upstairs and see how the Pizza is coming along.
 
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I suspect that in your case there is a short almost direct run between the intake on your stove and outside on your OAK run. I don't believe it it true for the OPs run, I'm not certain but I think the OAK run on the OPs setup has a few bends in it. Further it looks like that mesh has crud on it never a good sign. As OAK runs get longer you have to increase the size of the plumbing used. I asked for a picture so we could see the stuff behind the curtain.

It only takes a little bit here and a little more over there to screw up the air flow And in this case the intake is also higher than the vent outlet also not a good thing..

Mine has an "S" shape due to running it through the flange of the exhaust thimble, but it is less than 2' long. I have no issue with the possibility of an airflow issue, but the contribution from that loose mesh screen on that large of a diameter is miniscule.

For reference, this 5.5" diameter opening from the filter on my supercharged GT500 passes air across this much tighter mesh at 950 CFM - or greater than 3X the CFM per square inch compared to the one the OP has (I did the math :) )

Filter.jpg
 
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Did you hear about the Higgs-Boson particle that went into the church and said "You can't have mass without me?"
Oh boy !
 
Hi Smokey.

A GT500 has a much more powerful air motivator than a pellet stove. Just sayin'. I have a 3" OAK, and the inlet has ¼" screening on it. So far, so good.
 
Hi Smokey.

A GT500 has a much more powerful air motivator than a pellet stove. Just sayin'. I have a 3" OAK, and the inlet has ¼" screening on it. So far, so good.

It's all about pressure drop - the restriction of that engine filter is small as it should be to minimize horsepower loss, and large mesh 3" is so small as to be insignificant - especially whereas I covered 50% of my tight mesh 2" OAK with barely any difference in burn.
 
Mine has an "S" shape due to running it through the flange of the exhaust thimble, but it is less than 2' long. I have no issue with the possibility of an airflow issue, but the contribution from that loose mesh screen on that large of a diameter is miniscule.

For reference, this 5.5" diameter opening from the filter on my supercharged GT500 passes air across this much tighter mesh at 950 CFM - or greater than 3X the CFM per square inch compared to the one the OP has (I did the math :) )

View attachment 150220


Yes but you have a 950 CFM sucker, it is sort of like using a leaf blower to clean a pellet roaster that sucker can move far more junk and air through a lot of twists and turns than the exhaust blower on most stoves.

Which makes even a minor hindrance an issue.
 
Yes but you have a 950 CFM sucker, it is sort of like using a leaf blower to clean a pellet roaster that sucker can move far more junk and air through a lot of twists and turns than the exhaust blower on most stoves.

Which makes even a minor hindrance an issue.

If a stove has issues with long twisting pipe, then that's the issue. Each contribution is like a resistor in series - they add up. Focusing on what can't be more than a 1% contribution (that large mesh screen) can't be all that worthwhile IMO.
 
If a stove has issues with long twisting pipe, then that's the issue. Each contribution is like a resistor in series - they add up. Focusing on what can't be more than a 1% contribution (that large mesh screen) can't be all that worthwhile IMO.


I'll take any and all reductions in hindrances to air flow, no matter where I can get them.
 
I'll take any and all reductions in hindrances to air flow, no matter where I can get them.

Well, good thing my team just won a very stressful game and I am not tired of discussing this yet. :)

That's what I say about my engine where any inlet pressure drop is a multiplied loss since it's before the supercharger.

Since most stoves are overblown, they have input dampers on them to limit intake air or the combustion blower motor is running on just a fraction of it's maximum setting (4 of 9 on my stove), I assume that any stove that has proven it can run properly over a 24 hour period likely has the restriction after the air inlet to the stove - as I think is usually the case. Am I wrong? :)
 
Well, good thing my team just won a very stressful game and I am not tired of discussing this yet. :)

I thought the game was over when the Patriots were running out the clock. I came back and Baltimore had the ball and throwing a hell marry pass. Message to self, "never walk away until the time runs out."
 
I thought the game was over when the Patriots were running out the clock. I came back and Baltimore had the ball and throwing a hell marry pass. Message to self, "never walk away until the time runs out."

OMG! I was doing a victory dance when Brady kneeled even though I was just explaining to my daughter that 1:39 - 1:15 = 0:24. Lesson: math is never wrong. Lol. Pats nearly gave me a heart attack in that one!
 
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OMG! I was doing a victory dance when Brady kneeled even though I was just explaining to my daughter that 1:39 - 1:15 = 0:14. Lesson: math is never wrong. Lol. Pats nearly gave me a heart attack in that one!

Yeah, someone on the Pats side wasn't good with math. Of course it didn't help that they put 10 seconds back on the clock after the timeout was called.
 
Well, good thing my team just won a very stressful game and I am not tired of discussing this yet. :)

That's what I say about my engine where any inlet pressure drop is a multiplied loss since it's before the supercharger.

Since most stoves are overblown, they have input dampers on them to limit intake air or the combustion blower motor is running on just a fraction of it's maximum setting (4 of 9 on my stove), I assume that any stove that has proven it can run properly over a 24 hour period likely has the restriction after the air inlet to the stove - as I think is usually the case. Am I wrong? :)

If that stove was running properly it would have gone a lot longer than it did, just like your unit can burn over a ton without the doors being cracked open.

I will assume nothing. That is why I want pictures and the oak screen removed.
 
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