HARMAN ABSOLUTE 63 - DO NOT BUY

[JR52]

Let me start by saying I'm not a newbie and that I've owned this stove for 5 years now; I know it inside and out. I've followed all the cleaning instructions (hint: they don't even tell you there is a fine box, let alone that you need to clean it out). Unfortunately, this stove (along with it's sister stove the Absolute 43) has a FATAL flaw:

When the stove reaches set temperature in room temp mode, it continues to feed at 6%. When you turn off the stove, it continues to feed at 6%. It will continue to do this until you open the hopper or you run out of pellets. THE STOVE IS UNUSABLE DURING SHOULDER SEASONS.

Yes, I've done the LBT, cleaned the exhaust thoroughly, cleaned underneath the firepot, cleaned out the firepot holes, everything they tell you to do and and everything they don't tell you to do but should (thanks hearth.com). I've replaced the ESP, changed pellets, nothing works. It just feeds and feeds and then feeds some more before it heats you out of the room.

I've contacted my local dealer who, after collecting their cleaning fee, has stopped returning my calls each of the last 2 years without being able to resolve this issue and I've reached out to Harman directly. They tell me to to contact my dealer even after I tell them their techs haven't been able to solve this issue. Great.

I will reiterate that this is not a cleaning issue nor a pellet issue. This is a Harman issue. I realize the Harman lovers on this site will push back but this issue seems to come up quite a bit without any resolution. I'm stuck with this stove, please don't make my same mistake by buying the new stove with the gimicky touch control. Harman might have had good customer service back in the day but that has faded and, in my experience, is no longer to be trusted.

 

[Mt Bob]

If your stove will not shut off, you have a control board/module problem.

 

[shtrdave]

Is there another dealer near you? The dealer not fixing it is just lose lose for them. If it isn't under warranty they lose the money from you and if it is they lose the money from Harman. Not to mention unhappy customer can be very vocal compared to happy ones.

I see you are in PA. what part? The dealer I bought mine from closed. I found one about 30 minutes away and one maybe an hour.

 

[zrock]

Its a dealer problem in reality... Dealer did not want to take the time to fix it properly. If it was under warranty when this started i would have been on the phone every day with Harmen and the dealer until it was fixed and fixed properly.

 

[SciGuy]

Let me start by saying I'm not a newbie and that I've owned this stove for 5 years now; I know it inside and out. I've followed all the cleaning instructions (hint: they don't even tell you there is a fine box, let alone that you need to clean it out). Unfortunately, this stove (along with it's sister stove the Absolute 43) has a FATAL flaw:

When the stove reaches set temperature in room temp mode, it continues to feed at 6%. When you turn off the stove, it continues to feed at 6%. It will continue to do this until you open the hopper or you run out of pellets. THE STOVE IS UNUSABLE DURING SHOULDER SEASONS.

Yes, I've done the LBT, cleaned the exhaust thoroughly, cleaned underneath the firepot, cleaned out the firepot holes, everything they tell you to do and and everything they don't tell you to do but should (thanks hearth.com). I've replaced the ESP, changed pellets, nothing works. It just feeds and feeds and then feeds some more before it heats you out of the room.

I've contacted my local dealer who, after collecting their cleaning fee, has stopped returning my calls each of the last 2 years without being able to resolve this issue and I've reached out to Harman directly. They tell me to to contact my dealer even after I tell them their techs haven't been able to solve this issue. Great.

I will reiterate that this is not a cleaning issue nor a pellet issue. This is a Harman issue. I realize the Harman lovers on this site will push back but this issue seems to come up quite a bit without any resolution. I'm stuck with this stove, please don't make my same mistake by buying the new stove with the gimicky touch control. Harman might have had good customer service back in the day but that has faded and, in my experience, is no longer to be trusted.

The stove worked correctly for the first 3 years and has had the new behavior the last 2 years, correct? At what point did you add your remote thermostat? Did you do the software update and if so when?

Thanks,

Hugh

 

[mtnbiker727]

Where in PA are you? I did not have good luck with my local Harman dealer...

I also chose not to buy a stove with a touchscreen, even though the sales guy was pushing me pretty hard to get one.

 

[maraakate]

If you're near Annville check out North Forge Heating. They're a Harman dealer. I get my pellets from them and they have great prices on lots of things in their store. Very professional place that seems pretty passionate about pellet stoves.

 

[rickwai]

The stove worked correctly for the first 3 years and has had the new behavior the last 2 years, correct? At what point did you add your remote thermostat? Did you do the software update and if so when?

Thanks,

Hugh

You may be on to something.. the touch control has a usb port to upload software updates. Sounds like a software glitch. I have not done one yet, but sounds like it is not rocket science. Does harman have updates available on the website?

 

[rickwai]

I just looked. Harman has the download available on the website with full illustrated instructions . I would start there if you have not done it already. It states that should be your first step if you are having issues with a harman stove

 

[rich2500]

I recommended he do the update last year when complaining of the same issue but i went back through his old posts and don't see any mention of the update ever being done. So yeah if it was never done it would be the best place to start.

 

[Lisa G]

I recommended he do the update last year when complaining of the same issue but i went back through his old posts and don't see any mention of the update ever being done. So yeah if it was never done it would be the best place to start.

I have the same stove and the same problem. Did the update and that did not fix it. Replaced the ESP probe and the control board. No one has any idea how to fix it.

 

[Maladjusted]

Interesting... I have the same stove, same vintage... and do not have this problem. My stove, once the remote temp unit reaches temp, will shut down completely as long as the temp stays above the set temp. I can shut down and the stove will stop feeding pellets and completely power down in 30 mins after the fire box cools.

 

[Marc S.]

Let me start by saying I'm not a newbie and that I've owned this stove for 5 years now; I know it inside and out. I've followed all the cleaning instructions (hint: they don't even tell you there is a fine box, let alone that you need to clean it out). Unfortunately, this stove (along with it's sister stove the Absolute 43) has a FATAL flaw:

When the stove reaches set temperature in room temp mode, it continues to feed at 6%. When you turn off the stove, it continues to feed at 6%. It will continue to do this until you open the hopper or you run out of pellets. THE STOVE IS UNUSABLE DURING SHOULDER SEASONS.

Yes, I've done the LBT, cleaned the exhaust thoroughly, cleaned underneath the firepot, cleaned out the firepot holes, everything they tell you to do and and everything they don't tell you to do but should (thanks hearth.com). I've replaced the ESP, changed pellets, nothing works. It just feeds and feeds and then feeds some more before it heats you out of the room.

I've contacted my local dealer who, after collecting their cleaning fee, has stopped returning my calls each of the last 2 years without being able to resolve this issue and I've reached out to Harman directly. They tell me to to contact my dealer even after I tell them their techs haven't been able to solve this issue. Great.

I will reiterate that this is not a cleaning issue nor a pellet issue. This is a Harman issue. I realize the Harman lovers on this site will push back but this issue seems to come up quite a bit without any resolution. I'm stuck with this stove, please don't make my same mistake by buying the new stove with the gimicky touch control. Harman might have had good customer service back in the day but that has faded and, in my experience, is no longer to be trusted.

I love my Harman stove, the the company did piss me off about not posting in their cleaning turorial about cleaning the Fines Box. I went 3 years without cleaning, until I found it on this website. I inquired with Harman about this and the only responsed I received was contact your dealer. I didn't need anything done, other that answer a question, why is this not part of the cleaning.