Harman Accentra power cutting in and out

[bookpile]

Hi,

I have a Harman Accentra Insert from 2006, although I did put a new control board in it about 5 years ago due to an igniter issue.

I pulled the stove out to clean it last week and wiped the ESP off with a damp paper towel. It was running great after the cleaning.

Years ago, I pinched, possible shorted the room temperature probe during a cleaning, but it never bothered me as I always use Stove temp.

A couple days ago, my wife turned the stove on, to Room temp. I came in the room and it smelled like something was burning. The stove was incredibly hot as the distribution blower wasn’t on. The combustion blower was still on. Nothing I could do would get the blower to come on, but it just kept feeding pellets. After unplugging it for a few hours and letting it cool down, I plugged it in and it worked normally for a couple of days.

Then last night the distribution blower and combustion blower were shutting down, along with all the lights on the control panel except for the Power light. Sometimes this would happen 6 or 7 times in a minute, all power going off except for the light and then coming back on.

Think it’s the board, ESP, or both? Is it possible the room temp sensor shorted the board? Where’s the best (cheapest) place to buy boards these days?

Sorry for the long narrative. Just wanted to make sure you had the whole story.



Thanks,

Travis

 

[jackman]

Run it in test mode and report back with any blink codes.

 

[bookpile]

I ran it in test mode. Seemed to function normally, ramping up and down, no blink codes.

Thanks

 

[Mt Bob]

I ran it in test mode. Seemed to function normally, ramping up and down, no blink codes.

Thanks

OK,get some spray contact cleaner,pull the knobs off,and spray out the potentiometers.

 

[bookpile]

I took the board out and sprayed the pots down. They seem pretty sealed up though. Within the first five minutes of turning it back on, it's doing the same thing, cutting in and out.

If I were to buy a new ESP, does it matter which one I buy? The one in there is black wire.

 

[corkman]

When you put the new board in a few years ago did you do it or dealer. I wonder if the dip switches were set for a black ESP when the board was swapped out. Either way I would replace it with black wire but make sure the dip switch settings are correct. Do a search here for dip switch settings and you should be able to find what theyare To be set to

 

[Mt Bob]

The pots are not sealed.Standard cleaning procedure is spraying them,down through the shaft,while rotating the shaft.The black lead esp is still available.There is a part number on the board.Go to Mountainview stove parts/hearth products,good descriptions,good pictures..If your board is too old,the new red esp will not work,you will need the black.I also will tell you,my new board,screwed up,this fall,I rarely turn the knobs,as I run mine on a thermostat,but sometimes run it in fireplace mode,my stove screwed up,I cleaned the pots,it still screwed up,I cleaned them a second time,has been fine rest of this winter.I live in an log cabin,inherently dirty/dusty,rarely turn the adjustments,it is just the cheep pots Harman supplier puts in.Being a mechanic,have learned my lesson.next time,I will remove the board,spray with contact cleaner,and blow out with compressed air.Check the part number on your board,if it is not the latest,purchase the latest,your stove will burn much cleaner.It will lose more heat,up the flue,you will burn a bit more fuel.but less cleaning(and time),This is my recommendations.Stay warm.

 

[rickwai]

Sounds like knob issue. Turn it to a slightly different spot and see if that makes any difference. Or wiggle it and or put a little side pressure on it to see if that increases or changes issue. The stove temp/room temp knob that is. Usually you can manipulate the knob and get it to act up or straighen up to help diagnose the problem.