Harman Advance - Week Distribution blower speed

[mj07469]

Nine year old Harman Advance Pellet stove buriing Pellets.
Starts fine, Flame is sharp and crisp, stove is hot.
Stove is very clean. Have become a stove cleanning expert over the years.
Clean stove once a month every month in heating season.

Problem: Distribution Blower air speed seems low.

In Stove Mode, and Room temp mode. Air flow output seems low when dial set to high. In Low speed mode air flow is very,very low.
Replaced Distribution blower 3 years ago. [It just died then]

Today Replaced Distribution blower again today. Still same low blower speed symptom.

What are a few trouble shooting tips I can try from here.
Could it be the ESP Temp Probe. Cleaned it. It seemed clean before I cleaned it today.

No Blockages.

Could it be a bad Blower with the same symptom from the dealer ?
Can a blower be tested outside the stove. [hooking it up to AC maybe ?]

Could it be the Circuit board that controls the whole stove. Has anyone ever had this same symptom ?
Is the Circuit board hard to change ? How much would a circuit board cost.

Help me Mister Wizzard.......It's getting colder.


Thanks
mj

 

[SmokeyTheBear]

Take the old blower you pulled out today and test it using a 120 volt power source.

Did you check for things having found their way into the convection air system?

 

[rickwa]

I very well could be the board. They are not to bad to change. Cost is around 250 i think. blower you changed dont sound like it was bad?

 

[Lousyweather]

Nine year old Harman Advance Pellet stove buriing Pellets.
Starts fine, Flame is sharp and crisp, stove is hot.
Stove is very clean. Have become a stove cleanning expert over the years.
Clean stove once a month every month in heating season.

Problem: Distribution Blower air speed seems low.

In Stove Mode, and Room temp mode. Air flow output seems low when dial set to high. In Low speed mode air flow is very,very low.
Replaced Distribution blower 3 years ago. [It just died then]

Today Replaced Distribution blower again today. Still same low blower speed symptom.

What are a few trouble shooting tips I can try from here.
Could it be the ESP Temp Probe. Cleaned it. It seemed clean before I cleaned it today.

No Blockages.

Could it be a bad Blower with the same symptom from the dealer ?
Can a blower be tested outside the stove. [hooking it up to AC maybe ?]

Could it be the Circuit board that controls the whole stove. Has anyone ever had this same symptom ?
Is the Circuit board hard to change ? How much would a circuit board cost.

Help me Mister Wizzard.......It's getting colder.


Thanks
mj

yes, the blower can be tested outside...make up a pigtail and plug it into the wall.....all the standard warnings apply.....blahblahblah.....if you dont know what they are, don try it

 

[Jeffhab]

Could the distribution pot dial be going bad?? I replaced board in my Advance $180.

 

[mj07469]

Replaced Circuit board with unit from dealer. [$200]
Easy to change out. Simply set a few dip switches on the board to match your model.

Well exact same symptom. High speed is very low. Low speed is almost nil, very,very,very low.

Checked AC Circuit recptacle. Test at 122vac.

Pigtailed old blower, connected directly to House AC. Seems OK, but hard to tell, really.
Can't test low speed setting. on pig tail.

The distribution air path from Blower to top of stove has got to be blocked.
Or... I have two bad blowers with same symptom.

Tried to inspect /clean Distribution path. Can only see in two inches.

I cant believe I cant figure this out. Could I have two bad blowers ?
Going to get my Air compressor to clean it out. Wait till the wife sees the mess that is going to make.
Wish I had a Bore Scope to play with.

mj

 

[cantman]

Does the stove have a "high/low" switch to control the room air (distribution) blower? I have the XXV and my switch is located on the inside of the control panel recess and marked "high/low".

 

[mj07469]

Further info in the troubleshooting Saga.

Replaced The control board [$200]. Same symptom.
Connected Old fan to AC pigtail, Seems to blow ok outside of stove.
New fan seems a little better, when outside the stove also.

Checked AC at wall recptacle. 115-122VAC, OK.
Distribution Blower path seems clean, cant tell if obstructed, as can't see very far in.
Black flushed Distribution Blower chambers from top of stove back to rear useing a Air Compressor.

Gave Up.....Called Dealer. Service tech arrived.
He repeated most of what I had done, Thought Distribution air path might be clogged, either that or two bad fans.

He took the entire stove apart within an inch of it's life. Turns out Distribution air path is welded tight and can't be taken apart for cleanning or inspection.

Tech called Harman dealer support. The mentioned a few things, but no new insight.
Tech is returnning to Dealer store to check with other Senior techs for further Ideas.

Stay tuned...You will know when I do the exciting out come to this stirring story I like to call,
The Gret loss of Hot Air Story.

 

[turbotech]

Lots of dogs, cats, etc in the building -> hair stuck in it? Mouse house in it?

 

[Delta-T]

stick your multi-meter on the dist fan leads from the control board and see if there's anything whacky with that. I am be-fuddled, can't think of anything that "should" cause that.

 

[mj07469]

Metered leads on fan whith stove connected.
On High speed about 118vac, on low speed about 72vac.

Useing and electrical snake, Ran from top of stove all holes, down distribution path to rear of stove where the distribution fan connects.
Snake made it easily, saw snake end come out.

Went out and bought a $139 Bore Snake Camer. Put camera up stoves butt from distribution blower up first 13 inches. All clear. Can't
Snake camera around 2 45 Dergee corners. So can't prove whole distribution path isn't blocked.
Could really use an exploded diagram of the Distribution air path.

Questions: A whole bunch of air is going into stove, not much comming out.
IF Distribution path might not be blocked.
Could there be a hole somewhere in the dristribution path that all the air is going out of ? Where might this hole be ?
Can I Seal the distribution path holes and pressureize the unit and then smoke test it ?

If the air input to the stove was blocked [double walled pellett stove pipe] could this be a problem ?

Dealer tech is going to check with Harman Tech support, dealer Line and get back to me.
Note: Don't bother contacting Harman or emailing them. Standard reply is " Contact your Dealer "

I can't believe we cant find the problem.

mj

 

[exoilburner]

Deleted by originator.

 

[mj07469]

The tech did not put a magnehelic gauge on it.

Just on low fan speed the output from the stove holes on top is a slight, barely noticable wisper of a breeze.
With the Fan on high the output from the stove is just very low. You can barely feel it 3 inches in front of the stove.

The stove used to create a slight breeze when it was running corectly.

 

[exoilburner]

The tech did not put a magnehelic gauge on it.

Just on low fan speed the output from the stove holes on top is a slight, barely noticable wisper of a breeze.
With the Fan on high the output from the stove is just very low. You can barely feel it 3 inches in front of the stove.

The stove used to create a slight breeze when it was running corectly.

Sorry for the confusion. I thought you were talking about the convection fan but you clearly said distribution blower. My bad!

 

[Jc33]

I have the exact same blower problem but I do not see a final outcome of the problem. Did you ever get it fixed?

 

[pen]

Jc33, you just replied to a thread that's 3 years old.

If you don't get the answer you need, feel free to start a new thread on the topic.

Welcome to the site.