Harman Accentra FS...when to consider door gasket replacement?

[Val]

I have a 2006 Accentra and wonder when it would be time to replace the door gasket.

There isnt any smoke leak or sealing issue yet, but because it is a full length door, the gasket at the bottom end of the door seems to be getting a lot more crushed and deteriorated because ash settles at the stove bottom.

I remember when the stove was new, you could open the door and little ash would fall out because the gasket was big and plump and manually sealed better.

Am I heading for a stove pressure issue if this gasket doesn't seal well- because it only has gotten cruddier a little bit at a time..over many years.

Did not know if there was a way to judge a fiberglass gasket for being flattened out. I only know it would be bad if it was outright broken/ frayed.

I notice that with the tiny door stoves like the P43 and the P38, maintenance seems so much simpler.

 

[Johnny_Fiv3]

Dollar bill test it?

However if its the original gasket from '06, it's time to replace. Get a Graphite Impregnated one. They are (obviously) gray in color. Supposedly they hold up better.

 

[Mt Bob]

Look up dollar bill test.I am running a 06 accentra I rebuilt,has original gasket,will check it in summer.people tend to over replace gaskets,in my opinion.One thing to look for is the dirt patterns changing on the glass.As I service stoves part time,do not understand last statement(p38),the accentra is one of the easiest stoves to clean and maintain,which is why I have one.

 

[john193]

Place an unfolded dollar bill on the gasket with half the bill protruding out. Close and latch the door. A good gasket will really fight you as you try pulling the bill out. Rinse and repeat the test over a few areas of the gasket. If the bill slides out with relative ease, it's time to consider a replacement.

 

[Val]

Look up dollar bill test.I am running a 06 accentra I rebuilt,has original gasket,will check it in summer.people tend to over replace gaskets,in my opinion.One thing to look for is the dirt patterns changing on the glass.As I service stoves part time,do not understand last statement(p38),the accentra is one of the easiest stoves to clean and maintain,which is why I have one.

Yes...perhaps the Accentra isnt that bad to maintain when I think of other pellet stove manufacturers. I was thinking exclusively about Harman pellet stoves, and I wonder if the Accentra is more complex than the other Harman models. I have become one track minded now. The only pellet stoves I seem to actually consider is Harman and the small St Croix ones attract my attention. But I have no experience with St Croix and wonder if they are problematic or OK....just liked the styling.

 

[Bioburner]

There are many St.Croix owners here so let your fingers do the searching. I like the Harmans as they are one of the few that can have a maintenance fire below 1.5 pounds and hour.

 

[jzm2cc]

There are many St.Croix owners here so let your fingers do the searching. I like the Harmans as they are one of the few that can have a maintenance fire below 1.5 pounds and hour.

St Croix Prescott has similar idle burn rate as Harman. Think it's 1.25 lbs/hr. Recommend this stove as a more affordable alternative to a Harman as long as 40K BTU is sufficient for your needs.. Mine runs excellent using a thermostat in Smartstat mode.

 

[SidecarFlip]

I can take my 6039-41 down to 1.00pph and she still burns (draft shutter closed tight). The RA fan will actually cycle if I have it on manual 9. If it's on varible it runs continuously. Will definitely get crudded up inside though. Only do that in the early fall or late spring on cool days.

I'm too cheap to use a dollar bill to test the gasket. I use a piece of notebook paper....;

 

[jzm2cc]

I can take my 6039-41 down to 1.00pph and she still burns (draft shutter closed tight). The RA fan will actually cycle if I have it on manual 9. If it's on varible it runs continuously. Will definitely get crudded up inside though. Only do that in the early fall or late spring on cool days.

I'm too cheap to use a dollar bill to test the gasket. I use a piece of notebook paper....;

Less than 1 lb/hr is pretty impressive and still maintain a flame. I'm assuming you couldn't use the 6041 with T stat and closed air damper for higher than 1 or 2 settings correct?

 

[SidecarFlip]

Less than 1 lb/hr is pretty impressive and still maintain a flame. I'm assuming you couldn't use the 6041 with T stat and closed air damper for higher than 1 or 2 settings correct?

I'm normally running on a remote t'stat but at that setting, it's on manual. I don't believe it will idle at that rate on the t'stat. I'd have to look in the manual but I believe idle on remote is around 1.75 PPH to 2PPH.

Keep in mind thats on straight pellets too, not my usual 50-50 corn pellet mix. I could never sustain a flame if corn was involved and that absolutely no supplemental draft, slide closed and OAK shuttered (I installed a slide plate shutter in the OAK input pipe on the back of the stove.

My unit started life as a 39 with the old style board and got upgraded to the full digital 4 button and the draft slide ala:41 with the latest software. Thats also with a heavily modded pot. The stock pot got reworked long ago plus I run a non stirrer corn clinker pot when I'm running on corn hard.

Great unit to play with. You can make it do what you want so long as you have the patience.