Harman P-Series - Combustion Blower set screw stripped cannot get fan blade off for cleaning? #%&!!

[Don2222]

Hello
This is a 12 y/o Harman P61 that I updated to a P61a-2 with the original combustion blower. I tried the PB Blaster and wire brushing but no luck this time?

 

[MikeNH]

Don - I had the exact same thing happen to me with one of the three screws...no way to grab it from the inside since its flush and every other trick I know of failed. I ended up carefully hacking it off with a saw which also trashed the rubber bushing. My dealer had some laying around so they gave me one. I replaced at the screws with ones that had very small heads so as not to get in the way of the blades, but yet I could grab them with a screwdriver.

 

[johninwi]

anything left of the hex? never tried it but was told valve lapping compound can be used to "fill" some of the void and help the wrench grab. also available are tapered allens for such a problem.

 

[Don2222]

Don - I had the exact same thing happen to me with one of the three screws...no way to grab it from the inside since its flush and every other trick I know of failed. I ended up carefully hacking it off with a saw which also trashed the rubber bushing. My dealer had some laying around so they gave me one. I replaced at the screws with ones that had very small heads so as not to get in the way of the blades, but yet I could grab them with a screwdriver.

Thanks
I could get the 3 screws out so I took out the saws all with the longest blade for the shaft. This was a wood/metal blade so not sure if it would work. The all metal blade was way too short!
It took a little longer but it worked!
1. Remove 3 nuts on blower
2. Cut shaft with sawzall
3. Wire brush area behind blower
4. Wire brush area behind fan blade
5. Clean both areas with Acetone
6. Spray paint stove where blower was with Stove Bright Satin Black
7. Spray paint behind double paddle fan blades with VHS flame proof Flat Black
8. Clean and paint piece that goes over blades with Acetone and VHS Flame Proof Flat Black
9. Prep new blades with Dry Moly Lube
10. Install new Gleason Avery 1.75 amp upgraded blower and new fan blades
See pics
Click pic to enlarge

 

[Don2222]

Here are 2 more pics
How does it look?

 

[MikeNH]

Here are 2 more pics
How does it look?

Looks great. I had misread your original post...just realized you said "set" screw. Sorry.

 

[Don2222]

Looks great. I had misread your original post...just realized you said "set" screw. Sorry.

That's ok, glad you got yours fixed too! How many amps is your combustion blower? It should say on the tag.

 

[MikeNH]

That's ok, glad you got yours fixed too! How many amps is your combustion blower? It should say on the tag.

Says 1.75. My old one had a bad bearing so swapped out under warranty.

 

[Don2222]

Says 1.75. My old one had a bad bearing so swapped out under warranty.

Thanks for letting me know, Now my 12 y/o garage/workshop Harman P61a-2 works as good as yours! Still has the original auger motor.

 

[stayfitz]

Here are 2 more pics
How does it look?

Nice work!

 

[MikeNH]

Thanks for letting me know, Now my 12 y/o garage Harman P61a-2 works as good as yours! Still has the original auger motor.

Excellent! I don't even have that. My original auger motor sounded like a$$. We opened it up and saw about 2 squirts of grease. Dealer gave me a new one, which actually had grease in it. Been a year and it still runs quiet

 

[Don2222]

Excellent! I don't even have that. My original auger motor sounded like a$$. We opened it up and saw about 2 squirts of grease. Dealer gave me a new one, which actually had grease in it. Been a year and it still runs quiet

Wow, did it sound like it was grinding or whining? Have you or your dealer set up the low draft with a manometer?

I have to do that so I can be a Good Low DraftEr! Do you like the lyrics to this old song I came up with?

Be a Good pellet Stove Low Drafter - Sung to the tune of "The Low Rider"

All my friends Know the Pellet Stove Low DraftEr

The Low DraftEr burns a flame on low heat a little Higher!

The Low DraftEr runs his rpms a little LowEr!
Because the Low DraftEr has a double petal higher current exhaust BlowEr!!

The Low DraftEr knows every pellet stove part YEA !!
The Low DraftEr really wants the heat YEA !!

The Low DraftEr don't use oil or LP gas!
The Low DraftEr don't burn pellets too fast!

Come on Over, Come On Over and SeeE !! Just get close and warm yourself with ME ! !

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[Bioburner]

Better get some more ventilation in the shop when your painting

 

[Don2222]

Better get some more ventilation in the shop when your painting

I have an older stove with a 1.7 amp Jakel combustion blower in my basement. When Harman switched to Gleason Avery they were 1.50 amps. Harman soon found that the higher current blower was better for the higher torque needed for low drafting. Now they have a higher 1.75 amp Gleason - Avery blower! That is what gave me the idea for the lyrics but I guess not everyone sees it so amusing. :-(

 

[Don2222]

They are just jealous.
When we come up against stuck set screws we just drill em out and start again.

In this case getting the drill in the stove to drill is impossible. The blades must come off first to get the exhaust blower off the stove .

 

[ivanhoe]

In this case getting the drill in the stove to drill is impossible. The blades must come off first to get the exhaust blower off the stove .

Different design which i found to be a thorn in the side(only when unable to remove the fan blade)!

 

[sperley03]

if you can see the threads, next time light a candle and pour the hot wax over the threads. The liquid wax will penatrate down the threads and loosen up any rust.
Also, that set screw probably has some loctite from factory. a little heat will soften the loctite up.

 

[MountainSean]

I would use a dremmel tool with a grinder wheel on it. Less effort and probably faster than a saws all.

 

[Don2222]

Different design which i found to be a thorn in the side(only when unable to remove the fan blade)!

True but I found on my other Harman if the blades are removed once a year and cleaned, then they come off easily.
This year one of the blades separated, so I upgrading to the blades that are all bonded tog

I would use a dremmel tool with a grinder wheel on it. Less effort and probably faster than a saws all.

How do you get the Dremel tool behind the combustion blower to cut the shaft?

 

[MountainSean]

Oops, not enough detail. I wouldn't cut the shaft with the dremmel tool, I would grind out the steel collar and set screw then pull the fan blade off.

 

[Don2222]

Oops, not enough detail. I wouldn't cut the shaft with the dremmel tool, I would grind out the steel collar and set screw then pull the fan blade off.

Believe it or not, I tried drilling and grinding out the set screw and it does not always work. The best way in going that route is to fire up my die grinder and cut the blade collar down next to the shaft without hitting the motor shaft. That works great! The blades are junk but you can save the motor that way. Again on a Harman that may not be possible to get the tool into the stove todo it.

 

[MountainSean]

What is this tool? Angle grinder?

Something like this http://www.homedepot.com/p/Milwauke...u=202196545&ci_src=328768002&ci_sku=202196545

 

[Bioburner]

We have what 300 million consumers to bring prices down here in the USA.

 

[MountainSean]

And 95% of them screaming for lower prices, even if the quality suffers.

 

[Bioburner]

And 95% of them screaming for lower prices, even if the quality suffers.

We have become a throw away society. I'm probably on both ends of that spectrum. I have two Mil drills and a sawsall then have some air die grinders etc that I have only used twice in five years that I paid low buck for.