Harman P38+ Distribution blower electrical wiring issue

[NixonFamily]

Hi all,
I have a fairly straight forward question.
I have a Harman P38+ stove and have had it for around 9 years, it works well the only draw back is the distribution blower only last around 2-3 seasons before it starts really getting noisy and I end up replacing it.
It only costs around $80 so it's not too bad.

When replacing it I use 22-18 awg female connectors.

I connect these to the dist fan wiring, remove the old one from the circuit board and insert these ones.
I worry that sooner or later the circuit board will get damaged and would like to bypass this.

I was thinking of cutting the existing fan cable which is connected to the circuit board.
I would then connect female connectors onto the cable ends. Both ends would be female, one connected to the circuit board and the other dangling down by the dist blower.

I would like to put male connectors on the new dist blower and simply slide these into the female connectors which are already connected to the circuit board. This means that its a faster fan install, I don't have to open the cover to get to the circuit board, and the circuit board has less pulling off and putting on of connectors (stress).

Show above male and female connectors.
Does anyone with electrical experience know if this will work or if it will cause the fan to function differently. It just seems to make sense to me but I am not an electrician, just a guy who likes to work on my stove.

 

[Mt Bob]

No problem,been done many times.

 

[NixonFamily]

Thanks, I appreciate your insight.
I just don't want to get caught in the "loads of enthusiasm little knowledge" trap.

 

[Mt Bob]

All the older austroflamms were that way,had to unhook from connection panel,other side no sense.Many other stoves have been changed also.When you change it you will be more tempted to clean stove properly,anyway,as will be much faster.

 

[gfreek]

Do it. Makes sense to me..

 

[Bioburner]

I just wonder why the fan has such a short life!?

 

[NixonFamily]

I am not sure, my father has the same stove and the same problem.
I ordered the part that came off the stove originally - Dayton shaded pole fan 2C647.
It costs $61 at electric motor warehouse + shipping.

Some sites offer a distribution blower for Harman P38+ at around the $200 mark but users review the product and report it's the same product they can get much cheaper.

I am not sure if there is an OEM part that would last longer - its cheap enough to replace but if I could spend a little more and have it last 5 years that would be ideal.

 

[TonyVideo]

Do you have a surge protector? Does the outlet have a true ground? I consider this stove like a computer and require both of these. I also use a UPS as well.

 

[NixonFamily]

I don't have it plugged in to a surge protector, I probably ought to though. It has a true ground. How long does your dist fan usually last?

 

[TonyVideo]

I can't really answer that as I am a new purchaser of Harman. One other thought have you cleaned the distribution vents all the way through? If blocked it could make the motor work harder and shorten the life.

 

[NixonFamily]

typically only once per season, when I move the stove out to clean the pipe, I usually break it down and do a thorough cleaning.
Maybe it needs more than this.
It makes sense though, and I will give it another cleaning this week and see how dirty it is in there -- although, I am getting sufficient airflow out of the heat tubes at the top of the stove.

 

[Mt Bob]

Well for one thing that blower probably has sleeve bushings,not bearings,and normal service would be to oil them once a year,but if was mine would do several times a year,with a synthetic oil.You might be suprised.Also keep dust and dirt as bushings are not as forgiving when things are out of balance.

 

[NixonFamily]

Bob, would you disassemble it, take out the turbine to get to the bushings? I occasionally spray WD-40 silicone to lube it up but would rather do it properly and make the part last longer.
How do you go about lubing bushings and what oil would you use?

 

[Mt Bob]

Do not know that blower in paticular,but wd and or silicone is a lousy long term lube.Need something stronger.A plastic tube put on this bottle is what stove techs use. (broken link removed to http://www.ebay.com/itm/PELLET-STOVE-BLOWER-MOTOR-SYNTHETIC-BEARING-OIL-PP5400-WHITFIELD-ENVIRO-/151000968182?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item23285bebf6)