Harman P-43

[jimmyc]

Almost all these posts are from 2010! Nothing more recent? I'm brand new here, first post, so here's some background. In early March 2013 due to a horrendous electric bill in January (all electric house...975 square ft) of $480! Checking alternatives, I'm not a candidate for solar (too many trees), didn't want the hassle of wood, so I settled on a pellet stove. Harman P-43. Had it "professionally" installed. Permits & inspections all went well. Burning pellets from Tractor Supply and Lowes (both Lignetics...different packaging) and Agway (another brand) and ALL say "Premium, by the time the weather got warm, I had burned about a ton. A bag a day. Being new....I fiddled with the feed and room temp controls because some burned differently, but all in all, no problems with any. (With Agway, I had to slow down the feed...unburned pellets were dropping into the bucket) Bought myself a dust vacuum which I used twice. My store of purchase told me I would have to use a vacuum mayber once a month, and to get my stove cleaned by them once a year (2 tons)...and that no matter what, any brand of pellets was "a crap shoot". Even different bags of the same brand. Interesting. Verified by the service guy that came out to "professionally" clean my stove....FWIW. (I had him come out after 1 ton to see what he did)
For this upcoming winter,I have a "lead" on O'Malley pellets $260/ton plus $50 delivery AND stack...and told him (service guy) about the "reviews" here....especailly about the sometimes unusual length of the O'Malley pellets that, according to some posters here, jammed up their augers. Said I would not have that problem with the Harman product. Other brands, he said, their auger is not much more than "glorified wire" while the Harman auger is solid steel, with steel gearing...and he's "never" had one jam up on him.
I've got to take him at his word...so, for this coming winter, I've ordered 2 tons of the O'Malley product. At current prices...plus the stove and install, I figure it will pay for itself by the 3rd winter.My May electric bill....They owe ME 7 bucks and change.All thermostats "off"...stove does the whole house.
There it is.
Comments?

 

[newf lover]

There are many different opinions on pellet brands, is it better to go with cheaper, and possibly poorer performing pellets, or go to the more expensive and sometimes better (sometimes not) pellets? If you are happy with what you've been burning, even if they are not well-liked by people on this forum, great. I don't know what's available where you are, but I would try out some other pellets this winter. Try at least 3 bags of the same kind, and see if you feel they are worth it for the money. If so, get them next year, if not, stick to what you're been doing. You are already saving lots of money not heating with electric. The P43 can probably handle whatever. Seems like a win win already, and if you tried a different pellet and they performed better, you could win bigger!

 

[subsailor]

Check out what the local Lowe's, HD, and TSC have and try some of each. All should be less expensive than the O'Malleys and with a Harman, you may not notice any difference other than ash level. The Greene Team at Lowe's is a good pellet if you're one of the lucky ones where they are sold at a decent price. Most Lowe's sell them for around $270, and they aren't worth that price. It might be a good idea to post what the local stores are carrying and get advice as to what not to buy. And as always, clean your stove weekly.

 

[Don2222]

Other brands, he said, their auger is not much more than "glorified wire" while the Harman auger is solid steel, with steel gearing...and he's "never" had one jam up on him.

I disagree with this statement. Englander stoves use very heavy cast iron augers, Travis, Enviro and many others use Stainless Steel augers, and some use steel alloy. Quadrafire uses a corkscrew type auger which rarely jams at all! I have seen an older chain driven Harman Advanced auger jam once but not very often at all. Harmans have a steel slide plate that only lets a certain amount of pellets drop into the auger chute so it does not overload. Harman is the only stove that also employs a fines box as a pressure release type valve for fines so the auger will still turn. This box must be emptied every so often.
If the pellets get real damp, almost any stove's auger can jam under that condition!

Still Harmans are one of the very best, so good luck. I just got a P61a for next year.

Do you have pics of your stove?
We like pics

 

[Lousyweather]

Ive never seen a Harman auger jam on pellets, but have seen them jam with foreign objects, such as nails, screws, pens, boxcutters, toy cars, etc......more likely its the hopper bridging off over the slide plate

 

[smwilliamson]

Ive never seen a Harman auger jam on pellets, but have seen them jam with foreign objects, such as nails, screws, pens, boxcutters, toy cars, etc......more likely its the hopper bridging off over the slide plate

and don't forget, Legos, car keys, lighters, box of matches, eye glasses, wedding rings, miniature Santa Claus including...the snowman, Rudolph and other Christmas trinkets.

 

[shtrdave]

I have burnt several different brands in my P43 I notice a difference in ash in some of them and even with in the same brand, just different lots or seasons maybe. This year I bought 3 ton of Hamers Hot Ones for 219 per plus 65 for delivery and another 20 or so for my forklift operator up the road I burned some of the greene team or whatever the lowes caries and they worked well. I would look for the best deal and get a ton or so and maybe even look for another good deal so you have 2 or 3 to work through. Start off and try a few of each and them you can see which ones seem to burn hotter and save them for the coldest months.