Harman Accentra blowing 6A fuses?

[womaus]

This guy, skipp025atyahoo , has some excellent info...here's a small snippet of his postings:

Blowers that don't shut off.

Blower speed control is handled by the small micro controller board. A test might be the
blower being combustion or distribution is running at any speed is indicated by the LED
(lights) on the controller. Related to the problem of a blower running even with the stove
off or cold, is the LED indicator for that blower lighted (on)?

The sad part of the above problem, is how a blower constant run problem is probably tied
to a micro controller board electronic part. It's beyond the scope of this post to try and tell
you how to service the board, while it is possible and in many cases relatively easy for the
proper electronics person to service... finding that proper and reasonable electronics
person (with the available time and an honest pulse) is not easy. It might be more cost,
time effective and truly easier to just replace the micro controller board.

If the LED and blower remain on with a cold stove, the micro controller is probably still in
a run condition. This is quite different from the blower remaining on with the LED off, often
indicating a specific controller board part(s) problem.

The blower and LED on, controller possibly still in a run condition is probably related to one
of two choices. First is a bad ESP, which is the cheapest first replacement choice. Second is
a glitch or old firmware within the micro controller firmware or the board itself. Replacing the
micro controller (computer) board is about a $200 cost (as of late Dec 2014).

https://www.hearth.com/talk/threads...ing-help-and-information.137772/#post-2147281

 

[Lake Girl]

No expert but if the wire is intact it should be OK. Might be a worthwhile exercise if you can nip off ends and replace all connections...at the board too. Or just replace the harness.

Since it has been so short of a run, it almost sounds like a continuation of the original problem or a weak component used on the board. Have you taken out the board entirely to inspect both sides?

 

[womaus]

Have you taken out the board entirely to inspect both sides?

Yep, board out of the door, took a hard look, a hard sniff, even had the cat look at it (he was interested...). Looks brand new, smells brand new. Harman people at the dealer said the same.

Dealer did say the fan run-on after shutdown was a common ESP issue, and if not the ESP then the board itself. Couldn't provide any insight on the constant fuse blows though, other than a possible fan / auger motor issue.

They also admitted that the board was the weakest part of the Harman stoves, more issues there than anywhere else. They sell more than a few a year.

I've got a friend with a 2006 Accentra FS...would it be smart to test my board on his stove? Or would I be risking blowing up his board? I'll be seeing him tonight, after I feed him and get a few Guinness into him I'll ask. Or maybe I'll just sneak over to his house while he's here...I know where he keeps his spare key. Heh.

 

[Lake Girl]

I know kap recommends testing boards on other stoves to see if it is the board itself. His stove should react the same as yours if it is the board ... Don't think kap would recommend that if it would damage other components on someone else's stove. Just the usual precautions with unplugging and securing it in the other stove so you don't short the board (if it isn't pooched already). Care taken when reinstalling his board...

Keep us posted...

 

[alternativeheat]

Too bad it's not a piece of heavy equipment. We just put a heavy jumper wire in place of the fuse and looked for the smoke. Done deal, now you know what's shorted pull the jumper , replace the wire or component ( it was no good anyway) and the equipment runs again. But we didn't have the romance going on of us with pellet stoves in our living rooms.

 

[womaus]

Too bad it's not a piece of heavy equipment.

Clearly you've not tried moving one of these beasts? Has to be 550# of pure goodness. I'll take your advice, climb the closest utility pole and snip off a 6 inch piece of cable.

On another topic, I've been trying to totally neglect the stove today. Here's some of the preparations for tonight:

 

[Tonyray]

I came late to this post so....
my Harman p61a was blowing fuses and found out my problem was under the burnpot.
the igniter compartment where all the dry ash gathers...
evidently one of the wire leads had a bare spot on it and was touching the metal wall inside.
in fingering out the ash many times. I prob pulled the wire from the rear inside and it got closer to
the burnpot holes above...
I have a habit of brushing ash out of the burnpot down to the ash pan while embers are still glowing and,
prob some small ones fell thru the burnpot holes and landed on the wire melting the caseing..

 

[womaus]

I came late to this post so....
my Harman p61a was blowing fuses and found out my problem was under the burnpot.
the igniter compartment where all the dry ash gathers...

I found the igniter a little loose in the housing when I was going through all of the cleaning and troubleshooting on Thursday. The plate that needs to be removed to change the igniter was hanging from one tab. The igniter was in the correct place though, and I pulled and cleaned it thoroughly, checked the wires for abrasion, looked to be OK. Put it back together correctly. Eventually popped a fuse.

I'll pull the connections to isolate it, run another test, and most likely blow another fuse (knowing my luck).

Thanks for the help.

 

[alternativeheat]

I'll be curious to hear the result of unplugging the igniter.

 

[Lake Girl]

Here's some of the preparations for tonight

How did St. Paddy's Day go?

 

[womaus]

I'll be curious to hear the result of unplugging the igniter.

Isolating the igniter provided no joy, fuse is still blowing. Took a ride back to Radio Shack (soon to close, picked up a few packs of m/f spade connectors for 16ga wire. Cut both wires to the igniter, installed connectors. Left them apart for testing.

Off to friends house to see if I can use his stove as a test.

 

[jackman]

Hmmmm, starting to sound more and more like it's the board.

 

[womaus]

How did St. Paddy's Day go?

Went well, especially the breads. Nobody would believe we made them for the event. 'Til we showed them the burnt bottoms on two of them.

15# of corned beef, lots of potatoes, carrots (I know, I know...but my wife likes them), lots of cabbage. Enough corned beef left over today for Reuben sandwiches.

It was BYOB. I've got a ton of beer left over from what was brought. Life is good..

 

[womaus]

Hmmmm, starting to sound more and more like it's the board.

Yeah. But I'm sure as hell going to rule out everything else as best I can so that the new board doesn't blow at time of installation.

I'll try to pull the igniter anyway for full inspection, I'm knee deep in this anyway, may as well go over my head.

 

[Fireside]

Was it the control board?

 

[Harmanizer]

We may never know.He disappeared.

 

[womaus]

The amazing disappearing womaus....not fully gone. Though some may disagree.

Never got to the bottom of the issue, and at this time have no pellet stove in use. Accentra sitting forlornly in the middle of the living room, and my wife getting angrier day by day.

Actually contemplating picking up a big box store $1000 stove, we are hoping to be out of this house in the spring (yeah, like that's gonna ever happen), whether we leave it or take it with us will not be an issue. I'd like to get the dry pellet heat back in the house, keep the gas bill down.

I'd still like to get the Accentra back in action. Cost prohibitive possibly if I need to get a Harman tech to delve into it. Still have the problem of the busted bolt upper right that holds in the right side baffle too. May be best to let it go for parts, or a boat anchor.

So, anybody got a recommendation for run of the mill generic pellet stove? I've got all of the exhaust / OAK in place, installation will be easy.

 

[Harmanizer]

It's good to see you again.Sorry about your stove but I would think it would be cheaper to call a tech and have it fixed.There are a few who post here and maybe they could get you burning again.

 

[Fireside]

The amazing disappearing womaus....not fully gone. Though some may disagree.

Never got to the bottom of the issue, and at this time have no pellet stove in use. Accentra sitting forlornly in the middle of the living room, and my wife getting angrier day by day.

Actually contemplating picking up a big box store $1000 stove, we are hoping to be out of this house in the spring (yeah, like that's gonna ever happen), whether we leave it or take it with us will not be an issue. I'd like to get the dry pellet heat back in the house, keep the gas bill down.

I'd still like to get the Accentra back in action. Cost prohibitive possibly if I need to get a Harman tech to delve into it. Still have the problem of the busted bolt upper right that holds in the right side baffle too. May be best to let it go for parts, or a boat anchor.

So, anybody got a recommendation for run of the mill generic pellet stove? I've got all of the exhaust / OAK in place, installation will be easy.

I just wanted to let you know I was having a similar problem and i replaced the circuit board and the stove is running.

 

[rickwai]

Typically the harness is not the problem. Sounds like the board is shot.

 

[Mt Bob]

Would not be the first Harman that blows the fuse,with all motors unhooked,being a bad board.On the plus side,Harman boards are cheap.Send me your old one and I will see if I can repair it cheap.