Harman P38+ pics and question

[Jim]

Hello all,

New to pellet stoves....Bought a used one (early model PP38 serial # 2199) seems to work fine .....anyway got it home wire brushed it and painted with stove bright metalic black.
Really happy with the results and man is that thing heavy note to self don't pick it up and move without help next time!

My question is as it was running I noticed the auger (motor) fan was not turning and was wondering and hoping that it has a temperture switch and comes on only as needed?

Thanks to all who contribute to this site, was very helpfull in making my choice on the harman.
pics to prove it's true ....Jim

 

[Eatonpcat]

Welcome to the site...Paint looks great!

Some of the Stove Pro's will be along to help with your question shortly I'm sure, Tell them you have beer and they will probably come over and assist!

 

[DexterDay]

Welcome to the Forum... Nice choice in stove. Harman has a great reputation and the P-38 is a solid unit.

Geat job on the paint. As for the auger fan? Cant help you there?

 

[Lousyweather]

older p-38's had a small fan mounted to the back of the motor for the auger (the feed motor), new ones dont. The fan only turns when the auger turns.....which, on all Harman units, is intermittent. WHen the esp calls for more heat, based onb the settings of the control panel, it SHOULD come on. A way to test this would be to put the stove in TURBO mode. With the front door and ashpan closed, it should turn. Another way to test it would be to unhook the feed motor from the electrical harness and power it directly to line voltage via a home made pigtail.

 

[mepellet]

Hello all,

New to pellet stoves....Bought a used one (early model PP38 serial # 2199) seems to work fine .....anyway got it home wire brushed it and painted with stove bright metalic black.
Really happy with the results and man is that thing heavy note to self don't pick it up and move without help next time!

My question is as it was running I noticed the auger fan was not turning and was wondering and hoping that it has a temperture switch and comes on only as needed?

Thanks to all who contribute to this site, was very helpfull in making my choice on the harman.
pics to prove it's true ....Jim

Not sure what you mean by auger fan. On my 2011 P61A, there are 2 fans. A combustion fan and a convection fan.

 

[MCPO]

There are small fan blades attached to the end of the auger motor itself which probably serve to cool the motor but I`m not sure it`s all that effective or is it necessary.

 

[P38X2]

older p-38's had a small fan mounted to the back of the motor for the auger (the feed motor), new ones dont. The fan only turns when the auger turns.....which, on all Harman units, is intermittent. WHen the esp calls for more heat, based onb the settings of the control panel, it SHOULD come on. A way to test this would be to put the stove in TURBO mode. With the front door and ashpan closed, it should turn. Another way to test it would be to unhook the feed motor from the electrical harness and power it directly to line voltage via a home made pigtail.

+1
Make sure all the doors are closed securely when you do this. It should spin as I believe the fan is directly connected to the auger motor through gears. Also, start from "off". It should kick on in "test" mode. You may have to turn it off for a couple seconds and try again if it doesn't work the first time. The auger may turn for a couple seconds to 45 or so. The stove is quirky that way....especially the Walmart models ; )

Congrats and the stove looks great! You're gonna be happy with it and you're in good hands here on the forum. There are quite a few people who have an exceptional amount of knowledge of pellet stoves.....and beer and lawn tractors it seems.

 

[Jim]

+1
Make sure all the doors are closed securely when you do this. It should spin as I believe the fan is directly connected to the auger motor through gears. Also, start from "off". It should kick on in "test" mode. You may have to turn it off for a couple seconds and try again if it doesn't work the first time. The auger may turn for a couple seconds to 45 or so. The stove is quirky that way....especially the Walmart models ; )

Congrats and the stove looks great! You're gonna be happy with it and you're in good hands here on the forum. There are quite a few people who have an exceptional amount of knowledge of pellet stoves.....and beer and lawn tractors it seems.

Thanks for the responses.... I will give the test mode a try, but I agree with Master Chief and even if it doesn't work not going to worry about it......don't really see how it would cool the motor much for the short period the auger is in motion......Jim

 

[P38X2]

That fan is kinda silly considering the auger runs intermittently. Possibly one of the few Harman over-engineering ideas.

 

[Lousyweather]

That fan is kinda silly considering the auger runs intermittently. Possibly one of the few Harman over-engineering ideas.

nah...the feed motor isnt Harman engineered at all (Jakel, Gleason-Avery, etc)......my understanding is that when the feed motors were originally deigned, the fan was put there to actually cool the thing, as it was designed for continuous operation. The fan is also nifty to have to quickly discern if the auger is bound or the feeder is coming on. The newest ones, without the fan (they have no rear shaft for the blades), is harder to tell....gotta remove shields to tell if the thing is running, whereas, the older units had breather slots for the fan....you could just peer in there and see if its turning without taking a thing apart.

 

[Hoot23]

Didn't know walmart sold harmans.

 

[MCPO]

nah...the feed motor isnt Harman engineered at all (Jakel, Gleason-Avery, etc)......my understanding is that when the feed motors were originally deigned, the fan was put there to actually cool the thing, as it was designed for continuous operation. The fan is also nifty to have to quickly discern if the auger is bound or the feeder is coming on. The newest ones, without the fan (they have no rear shaft for the blades), is harder to tell....gotta remove shields to tell if the thing is running, whereas, the older units had breather slots for the fan....you could just peer in there and see if its turning without taking a thing apart.

Yes it`s nice to be able to know when the auger turns by looking thru the slots and viewing those spinning blades but I can also hear the auger turn.

 

[Jim]

Didn't know walmart sold harmans.

damn.....hope my union friends didn't notice that

 

[aaronnoel]

I took off my plastic auger fan years ago on my 07 p68, still runs the same no need for it. As to your p38, what year is it, it looks great nice job.

 

[Jim]

I took off my plastic auger fan years ago on my 07 p68, still runs the same no need for it. As to your p38, what year is it, it looks great nice job.

Thanks...the plate on the the back says "tested in 1997" but it really doesn't say mfg on that date?? serial #1299 seems like it really might be from 1997?? the former owner says it sat for "years" not in use......

 

[P38X2]

My older P38 also says "tested in 1997". Its serial #8251 and was purchased in 2004. Yours is likely at least a couple years older I'd assume, although I have no idea if Harman's serial #'s apply to all models or each model has it's own run...if that makes sense.

 

[silverfox103]

Hey Jim

You got yourself a nice stove! It doesn't take much to make them look good. The P38 is a dependable work horse. I didn't think I would like it because you had to light it; but that is a piece of cake. Don't bother with the gel, matches and mixing; get yourself one of those little propane torches. Turn the stove (fan) on, fill the burn pot with pellets and light. Thirty seconds is all it takes.

That stove can also be wired to a remote thermostat. Whenever it calls for heat it kicks into "turbo". You have to use a mechanical thermostat with that stove. The serial # on mine is 340. It has some age on it, but not much use. I bought the stove and a generator for $500.

Tom C.

 

[ducker]

Love my p38 and another vote for propane torch... picked one up with my stove - and I haven't turned back!!

 

[smoke show]

Nice score and burn pics to boot!

Now lets see some installed and burning pics...

 

[Defiant]

There are small fan blades attached to the end of the auger motor itself which probably serve to cool the motor but I`m not sure it`s all that effective or is it necessary.

Welcome and nice job. The newer auger motors do not have the fans, never was quite sure of their purpose.

 

[m159267]

Love my p38 and another vote for propane torch... picked one up with my stove - and I haven't turned back!!

+1