Harman P35i Problems & Hum

[Wolf001]

My dad has a Harman P35i pellet stove, which he's had for years, but it stopped working a couple of nights ago. The Power, Status, and Combustion Blower lights are on, but the stove isn't doing anything but emitting a loud, electric hum. It's not igniting, dropping pellets, or blowing, and the Distribution Blower, Feed Motor, and Igniter lights are not on. Everything else is exactly how my dad's always used it: 75 Temperature, #3 Feed Limit, and Room Temp dial pretty much pointing straight up.

I'm afraid it's a motor that's frozen/dying. I've never worked on a pellet stove before, so I'm kind of clueless there. Being as we're in a pandemic and my dad is in a high-risk category, having techs come into the house to work on it isn't really recommended at the moment, so that leaves me. Any suggestion on where to start? Thanks!

 

[DAKSY]

How good are the gaskets on the door & the hopper lid?
Have you tried the "dollar bill test?

 

[jackman]

Run the self test and see if you get any blink codes.

 

[railfanron]

Open the ash door and pull out the ash box. Then put the unit in test mode. If the combustion fan doesn't start right up then there's your culprit.
Ron

 

[Wolf001]

Thanks for the suggestions. I'll check all of those when I'm over there again tomorrow...

 

[rickwai]

Comb blower motor is bad or ash has fallen down the chimney and stopped it from starting. You have to pull the stove to get to it. If the motor is bad get a OEM motor and fan blade. Fan blades rarely come off easily. It is worth the extra $15 and just cut the shaft with a hacksaw and replace it. It is a pretty easy job once you get the stove out.

 

[Wolf001]

So I ran the test, but no blink codes appeared. Instead, the Power, Status, Distribution Blower, and Combustion Blower lights came on, but the Ignitor and Feed Motor lights did not. The Distribution Blower did come on, but that's all I could tell was running. There was also the same electric hum as before. So the only difference from before is the Distribution Blower came on and lit up.

 

[Ssyko]

sounds like a motor has seized up.

 

[Wolf001]

Yeah, that was what I was afraid of. Hopefully, a little oil will bring me some luck...

 

[rickwai]

Yeah, that was what I was afraid of. Hopefully, a little oil will bring me some luck...

No chance. Typically its not a bearing issue it is a motor issue with those. Secondly if the bearings got to that point they are beyond oil. Order a motor and fan blade.

 

[Wolf001]

Roger that. Thanks, everyone, for your help.

 

[Wolf001]

Just one followup question, if you don't mind. During the Test Mode, should all the lights light up, even if there's a fault in the combustion blower? In the test, the Igniter and Feed Motor lights did NOT light up. Is that normal, or is it possible that the problem is in one of those instead? Just wanted to stamp out that nagging doubt before I started taking things off and replacing parts that I don't really know anything about. Thanks!

 

[rickwai]

They used to all come on. Im not sure if there has been a update. If you turn it to room temp auto and you just hear a hum and to auger dont turn. The Comb. motor is bad and not closing the vac switch to start the auger and igniter. Im not sure on the lights. But if the motor is just humming and not starting we know it is bad.

 

[Wolf001]

Ok. Thanks. I don't know anything about these stoves. Just trying to help my dad with his. I wasn't sure if it were possible that the feed motor was what was actually humming and frozen, and as a consequence, the combustion motor wouldn't turn on since there's no feed.

 

[rickwai]

The comb. blower has to start and close a vac switch to let the auger and igniter work. So is no comb blower running vac switch stays open and nothing works by design . Definitely dont want it to fire up with no fan to remove exhaust

 

[Wolf001]

Roger that. Where would you recommend buying the parts?

 

[gfreek]

Some I've purchased from:

https://pellethead.com/model/harman-pellet/

Harman Pellet Stove Parts By Model

Trusted online store with the largest selection of Harman Pellet Stove parts & accessories. Fast shipping, included warranty, and everyday low prices. Knowledgable support staff available to help!

pellet-stove-parts-4less.com

Harman Pellet Stove Parts - Free shipping on orders over $49

Replacement parts for Harman pellet stoves. We stock the more popular parts for Harman pellet stoves, and the ones we do not stock we can order in.

www.stove-parts-unlimited.com

 

[DAKSY]

Here's another source for price comparisons:

Replacement stove parts | Woodman's Parts Plus | Stove Gas Wood Stove Parts

Woodman's Parts Plus offers over 20,000 in stock parts for your wood, coal, gas, oil or pellet unit, as well as barbecues and outdoor power equipment. Over 400 old and current manufacturers, with unique parts and patterns.

www.woodmanspartsplus.com

 

[Wolf001]

Thanks. I'll check both sites out.

 

[SidecarFlip]

No chance. Typically its not a bearing issue it is a motor issue with those. Secondly if the bearings got to that point they are beyond oil. Order a motor and fan blade.

+1.... Next time, have a regular and consistent service interval. Lots cheaper that replacing components because of poor maintenance habits.

 

[Ctwestie]

My dad has a Harman P35i pellet stove, which he's had for years, but it stopped working a couple of nights ago. The Power, Status, and Combustion Blower lights are on, but the stove isn't doing anything but emitting a loud, electric hum. It's not igniting, dropping pellets, or blowing, and the Distribution Blower, Feed Motor, and Igniter lights are not on. Everything else is exactly how my dad's always used it: 75 Temperature, #3 Feed Limit, and Room Temp dial pretty much pointing straight up.

I'm afraid it's a motor that's frozen/dying. I've never worked on a pellet stove before, so I'm kind of clueless there. Being as we're in a pandemic and my dad is in a high-risk category, having techs come into the house to work on it isn't really recommended at the moment, so that leaves me. Any suggestion on where to start? Thanks!

You need to replace the combustion blower. I would get a tech

 

[Wolf001]

This isn't my stove; it's at my dad's. Normally, he's really good at maintaining stuff, but he's not moving around as well these days. And being as we're still at peak pandemic, there's no service calls. For one, I haven't found anyone in SC that's still operational, and two, my dad can't risk someone coming in the house and exposing him to Covid-19. So, it's on me.

Anyway, today I pulled the stove and pulled out the combustion blower. There was a lot of debris in there, which I cleaned out, and I could spin the fan quite easily. I could feel uneven resistance though, kind of like running over uneven ground. But, even after reassembling, I had the same symptoms.

The other interesting thing is: I watched the DVD that came with the stove, and it showed a toggle switch under the hopper lid for the P35i. The video said nothing worked if that switch isn't depressed by the lid. However, there is no such switch that I could find under my dad's hopper lid or latch, and no place that one might have been. I'm doubtful that that has anything to do with anything, but I thought I'd mention it just in case.

 

[SidecarFlip]

The entire stove is no doubt filthy inside and sounds like the bearings on the combustion blower are dried out and hanging up. They do need oiled regularly, like every spring when you should take the unit completely apart and clean it and the venting extremely well, something it don't sound to me like has been done, if ever. Said before, none of them are plug and play, well they are for a while then they fail. Your combustion blower motor is shot and probably the convection blower motor is close behind.

You don't need to be mechanically inclined to take any of them apart and clean and oil them. Just a little common sense and be sure to unplug it before you start. All the drives have 110 volts in them.

 

[gfreek]

Next time, Carefully, wire the combustion blower direct to 120V, by using, for example a cut extension cord . That way you can see if it is actually is working..