Harman Accentra Insert is JUNK!

[Ava1]

Hi All...This is my first post so please bear with me. I have owned a Harman Accentra Insert for approx. 4+ years. I paid $3,100 and was told It would put out UP to 42,000 BTU's. I bought it at The StoveKeeper in Amherst, NH. They have an "absentee owner" so I have to deal with the idiot employees that come and go. The left side of the blower has NEVER blown out hot air. The right side is very hot. I've complained and complained about this problem for 4 long years to my dealer. They have cleaned it 3 times
(I can clean it myself perfectly) since I bought it and it still blows out cold! They just kept telling me that I was not use to the powerful blower. Before I bought this stove I had another pellet stove that I bought used and paid $100. It was hotter than this one and heated my room. It was ugly though and I thought I would buy a nicer stove...what a mistake

I am a real estate broker and went to a listing appt. When I walked into the home, it was very warm and noticed a pellet stove going. It was a Whitefield and it was 12 years old! That stove was so hot, I couldn't put my hand near it. I can put my hand on my stove blower. Their flame was approx. 3 inches high and my flames are blowing everywhere and go to more than the top of the inside of the stove. I keep it on "room temp" at about 75 degrees and it NEVER shuts off. The right side window gets black in a day after cleaning and the right side heat exchanger cover is filled with ash, while the left side is black and never has ash buildup on it. I have a Victorian home and the room is aprx. 450 sq.ft...very big. I have pocket doors and can close it off. I can NOT close my pocket doors and get that room warm. Is this stove suppose to heat 2500 sq.ft????

To date, I finally called Harmon Stoves directly...got their number from a dealer who did not want to get involved in this problem. I will post the number at the bottom of this post for all that would like to call them. I was also told by my dealer that they have not rep. They most certainly DO have a regional manager. I spoke to a gentleman at Harman Stoves and he told me to clean out the left chamber and did the 90 angle thing (which I did not know about) and after learning that, myself and my friend pulled the stove out and cleaned the RIGHT side of back clean out. I did find a lot of buildup and was so happy that I found the "problem". Started it up and it was cold on the left side...again. It is exactly the same. I went to the dealer yesterday and here comes the result of that meeting.

I have what is called an "Eddy Current". What's that?? He told me that since he came to clean my stove, he has 2 other customers with the same "problem" and it DOES NOT affect the output. So my question to all of you is this: Have I had a defected stove since day one? If this is "problem" for THREE of us, is this not defected?

I spend $360 on pellets each month for nothing!! I am thinking about taking them to small claims court, since I have complained about this problem since the day it fired, or just sell it and buy a propane gas insert. Harmon Stoves told me they would have their tech put on this asap and I am waiting for a call fro that tech and the owner from The Stovekeepers. It's been over a week now and I have heard nothing. Thanks for reading this long post and I hope someone out there can help me.

Harman Stoves direct number is 717-362-9080

Ava

 

[lecomte38]

How do you clean out the 90* bend? I have tried a tin foil dam on the right square tube opening to divert more hot air to the left side but not with much success. My right is definitely warmer then the left.

 

[Ava1]

A brush came with the stove and I was told that that brush MUST go through all the way in the left until your fingers are in. Then, when you pull out the stove, the right side has a clean out with 2 wing nuts. Unscrew those and there it is...a mess. Also, my friend cut and stuck a washing machine hose to the end of my vac it works wonders. Still cold left side though...

 

[investor7952]

I had my Accentra insert installed 3 weeks ago.Plenty of hot air on bothe sides and center vents.I am heating a 3,000 sft home.Downstairs 68-72 upstairs 68-69.

 

[bwoy]

I have had a insert for three years and have installed many inserts since becoming a dealer. I can tell you that all of the stoves we have dealt with blow hot air out each side. I am curious as to your venting situation. How is your unit vented, both intake and exhaust? The accentra insert is rated at 42,000 btu which will heat approx. 1500 sq feet. I heat a 2000 sq foot house with one and it burns 24/7, only shuts down when the temp is above 40 outside. I use four tons of pellets each year. I have never heard of an eddy current, but then again, i joined this board to learn more.

 

[trogers]

I had a terrible time just trying to buy a stove from that shop. I found that compared to Heartline Stoves in Jaffrey, the staff at Stovekeepers are lightweights. When researching my Accentra Insert on to different Saturdays with two different salesman I got two completely separate descriptions and recommendations. Do your research before you buy from there.

That being said, I love my Accentra Insert. I have strong even heat coming out at all times. The only times that I notice a difference is if I let it go too long between cleanings. I had never heard of the 90 degree issue on the left side. I am going to change the way I clean that next time.

 

[krooser]

If your stove is producing black soot you have a stove that needs more air for combustion.

I believe your stove is plugged with ash. I don't own a Harmon but it seems all stove have areas that are hard to access with normal tools. I've posted numerous times about the benefits of using a simple leafblower to clean a stove. Several members of the forum have tried this... most with good results.

The leafblower, used on the suction side, will suck out the plugged ash with a 200 mph suction... pretty strong. The downside with an insert is the stove would have to be removed with the cleaning done outside due to the amount of ash that will fly out of the stove.

Do a search for "leafblower trick" and you will find numerous posts and a couple videos along with comments about the effectiveness of using this method.

I believe that cleaning your stove with this technique will solve your problem...

Another good way of cleaning the stove is to use a hammer to tap on the inside walls of the stove after you've done your first vacuuming... you'll find lots of ash falling into the ash pan after starting to tap with the hammer. Not as through as the leafblower but it will get the stove cleaner than just using a vacuum.

Good luck.

Rick

 

[Tom Pencil]

This was my mistake on my Harman insert. I also only cleaned the left side to the elbow cause I cleaned the right first and thought the left was the same. Left side became cooler over time and took me a while to figure it out. Brush goes in all the way and a flexible tube connected to shopvac follows and does a great job of cleaning. No more problems.

 

[sparkydog00]

I have been doing business with Stove Keepers in Amherst Nh for many years. I bought my Harmen Accentra from them a couple of years ago...for not much more that what you said. I have found them to be helpful and trustworthy.
Now the Eddy current thing is rather freaky.
I know of eddy currents in electrical and magnetic fields.....guess it would make sense that there could be eddys in air flow as well. This would be some kind of structural defect with the stove itself.
Of course it is more likely the stove tech admitting he has no idea what is causing this.
I have a flexible hose that I can reach up into the left side clean-out. that and the brush provided with my stove sem to do the trick. Never noticed a cold area in front of the stove. I heat a 1600 sft house with it burning 27/7. i burn between 3 and 4 tons a year.

 

[Ava1]

Thank you all so much for your quick replies. I clean my stove and am probably an expert at it at this point. I have owned it for more than 4 years, so the cleaning is a must for me since I have that ongoing left cold side. My stove is not plugged with ash. It was pulled out and cleaned last Saturday with my friend who is an engineer and a brain Wh are going to the Stovekeepers on Saturday and he willdo al the talking. He believes they are giving me some story about the "Eddy Current". I'll let you all know what they say to him. NH Pellet Head...they are just idiots over there. Sparky Dog...you are a man and they treat you differently, plus you probably have a good stove. As you stated above: "it must be some kindof structrual defect". I do not have a properly working stove. There has been something wrong from day one. And Sparky Dog, how can you run a business without an owner? The owner is, as I was told yesterday by one of the StoveKeepers employee, an "absentee owner". I have to email my problem to the employee and he will forward it to the owner. How will I know if he will do that or not?

Thanks again for all your replies. I'll keep you all informed on what happens this Saturday.

Ava

 

[trogers]

If your stove is producing black soot you have a stove that needs more air for combustion.

I believe your stove is plugged with ash. I don't own a Harmon but it seems all stove have areas that are hard to access with normal tools. I've posted numerous times about the benefits of using a simple leafblower to clean a stove. Several members of the forum have tried this... most with good results.

The leafblower, used on the suction side, will suck out the plugged ash with a 200 mph suction... pretty strong. The downside with an insert is the stove would have to be removed with the cleaning done outside due to the amount of ash that will fly out of the stove.

Do a search for "leafblower trick" and you will find numerous posts and a couple videos along with comments about the effectiveness of using this method.

I believe that cleaning your stove with this technique will solve your problem...

Another good way of cleaning the stove is to use a hammer to tap on the inside walls of the stove after you've done your first vacuuming... you'll find lots of ash falling into the ash pan after starting to tap with the hammer. Not as through as the leafblower but it will get the stove cleaner than just using a vacuum.

Good luck.

Rick

Hi Rick,

I have not tried the leaf blower aproach yet, but I want to. Why would I have to pull the stove outside to do this? I have an insert that is direct vented out the side of my house just like some of the photos that I have seen where people are using the blower. Were you talking about inserts that are vented part way up the chimmney?

Tnanks for any feedback that you can provide.

 

[krooser]

If your stove is producing black soot you have a stove that needs more air for combustion.

I believe your stove is plugged with ash. I don't own a Harmon but it seems all stove have areas that are hard to access with normal tools. I've posted numerous times about the benefits of using a simple leafblower to clean a stove. Several members of the forum have tried this... most with good results.

The leafblower, used on the suction side, will suck out the plugged ash with a 200 mph suction... pretty strong. The downside with an insert is the stove would have to be removed with the cleaning done outside due to the amount of ash that will fly out of the stove.

Do a search for "leafblower trick" and you will find numerous posts and a couple videos along with comments about the effectiveness of using this method.

I believe that cleaning your stove with this technique will solve your problem...

Another good way of cleaning the stove is to use a hammer to tap on the inside walls of the stove after you've done your first vacuuming... you'll find lots of ash falling into the ash pan after starting to tap with the hammer. Not as through as the leafblower but it will get the stove cleaner than just using a vacuum.

Good luck.

Rick

Hi Rick,

I have not tried the leaf blower aproach yet, but I want to. Why would I have to pull the stove outside to do this? I have an insert that is direct vented out the side of my house just like some of the photos that I have seen where people are using the blower. Were you talking about inserts that are vented part way up the chimmney?

Tnanks for any feedback that you can provide.

If your is a direct vent you can do it without taking it out. I'm no expert on this stuff... all the inserts I've seen in person vented out the original flue.

Good luck!

 

[smirnov3]

My stove also blows cool on the left side

I have been nervouse of pushing the cleaning rod all trhe way in on the left, because I was worried about punching through flimsy construction in the back.

But I will give it a try tomorrow.

 

[STOVEGUY11]

What I dont understand is the fact that the stove didnt work from day one. It should have been taken care of then by your dealer. Four year wait is un-called for. I would have been in there faces about it right off the bat. Now with your warranty up, everything will be coming out of pocket.

 

[myee001]

I also have a Harman Insert. When I called my dealer, he said there shouldn't be any air blowing from the side vents. He said this because he has this stove installed at his home. I'm assuming these are the side vents that have doors. Please correct me if I'm misunderstanding the issue here.

 

[bwoy]

they are referring to the vent above the glass

 

[hossthehermit]

Really, 4 years and you're getting upset NOW?

 

[Ava1]

I have been UPSET for 4 Long Years! I've even had them out to my home to clean my stove 3 times and they just told me that I was not used to the blower. I'm a FEMALE...and I get treated poorly by the Ford dealer and every other place where a man would not. It's very intimidating going into the Stovekeeper shop, because they know who I am and they just don't care. The Harman warranty is 6 years. I still have time. One more thing; I was told that Harrman had no district rep and has anyone on this board tried the find the Harman Stove telephone number? It was impossible. Finally had a call yesterday from the Storekeeper's and the so called "owner" is coming out with some other guy this coming Monday. Strange, how when the Dealer is involved, things get a little shaken up! I'll let you all know what happens after they come and go.

Ava

 

[tinkabranc]

I have been UPSET for 4 Long Years! ... I'm a FEMALE...and I get treated poorly by the Ford dealer and every other place where a man would not....
Ava

I don't understand, if you have had this issue since day one, why did you let it go
on for 4 years??

Being female is no excuse- people cannot not treat you poorly if you do not let them.

 

[Tom Pencil]

When your Accentra Insert is pulled out have you noticed any moisture on the back side? the cooler side may be cool enough to condense the moisture from the air and may cause other problems. I noticed this on mine when it was cooler on the left side. At first I thought my chimney but after careful examination I found what the culprit was. Hope they find the actual problem to your stove.

 

[STOVEGUY11]

If your read your warranty, 6 years on workmanship. 3 years on electrical. Maybe since this is an ongoing problem they will let it slide.

 

[djarseneault]

The regional rep for Harman is Jump Start Marketing in Randolph Vermont. The main guy there is Charlie Page. His web site is (broken link removed) you can e-mail him through his website.

 

[sparkydog00]

When your Accentra Insert is pulled out have you noticed any moisture on the back side? the cooler side may be cool enough to condense the moisture from the air and may cause other problems. I noticed this on mine when it was cooler on the left side. At first I thought my chimney but after careful examination I found what the culprit was. Hope they find the actual problem to your stove.

So are you going to share the culprit with the rest of us?

 

[trogers]

Come on, the suspense is killing me

 

[sparkydog00]

Yes we are patiently waiting to here the solution to this problem!