Harman P38 Pushing Unburnt Pellets Off Pot on Start Up

[TheGeneralLee]

I have a Harman P38 that is on its 2nd season and routinely cleaned throughout the year. I'm running an OAK and burning Fireside pellets at the moment, which I've never had a problem with.Yesterday, when the house temp dropped and the stove fired up (it's set to Auto), the auger ran for a while and filled the burn pot like normal. The first started but it's like it wasn't burning pellets fast enough and eventually the pellet pile grew very large in the pot and started spilling over. I had to shut off the stove or it would have kept pushing pellets off the pot all night.

This ever happen to anyone else? The flame is nice and lively but always starts on the left side of the burn pot — the middle and right side only catch fire once the stove has been running for a few minutes. The problem is sometimes (like yesterday) the auger will keep "pump feeding" trying to warm the stove to temp and by that time the middle and right side of the burn pot has overfilled with unburnt pellets.

Also, some more info on the stove: I run feed speed of 4, temp set to about 72, and I'm on Room Temp setting.

I'm open to ideas. Thank you.

 

[Delta-T]

you sure this is a P38? P38 doesn't have igniter (unless I missed something). If it does have an igniter, prolly just has some ash built up in it. might be worth it to drop it from the burnpot and give it a look-see. Also make sure ESP doesn't have ash around it. Ash insulates it and tricks the stove ito trying to increase its internal temp inappropriately.

 

[Harman Lover 007]

The P38 hasn't been manufactured for a while. Are you sure it isn't a P43?

 

[TheGeneralLee]

Sorry guys, it is a P43.

A few more details: the burn pot is clean inside (removed the plate with wing-nuts) and I also inspected the air holes on the pot, they're all clean.

I will check ESP next. Would that "trick" the stove even though I'm using Room Temp and not the Stove Temp setting?

 

[Bioburner]

Yes.

 

[F4jock]

ESP is always active but something you said puzzles me. You said the pellet pushing started AFTER ignition. If so, sounds like the ignition temp is too low and you're not getting a good burn fast enough. That tells me that initially either the igniter is dirty or it's going South. If you keep pushing pellets over the edge during service the ESP could need cleaning or you need a reset. Have you tried unplugging for a couple minutes and then restarting? Your settings mirror mine and mine work fine on restart. Are the primary air inlet holes clean and did you vacuum out the ignigter chamber well?

 

[Fundy]

I have had a similar issue several times, this our second season with our P43.

Feed set at 4, Stove Temp at 1 and set to Auto for start up.

The fire starts but pellets keep feeding and pushes the fire off the fire pot.

This has happened on 3 separate occasions this season on start up, the stove is clean including the ESP. Where does not do it every time it is hard to pinpoint :-(

 

[F4jock]

On startup the Harman feeds for a minute. It then sits with the ignigter and combustion fan on for two minutes or so waiting for the pellets to ignite whereupon it begins feed based on the ESP system. The idea is to ignite the pellets and start a good burn BEFORE the feed starts. This requires a clean ignigter, an igniter operating properly, a decently clean burnpot and a good draft thru the burnpot. Even if you initially push pellets over the edge if all is in order the fire should catch up quickly and the drop of unburned pellets should stop.

 

[TheGeneralLee]

Thanks the feedback everyone. I have been checking the stove in and out and it sounds like I need to better clean the ESP. Ran the stove again all last night, no problems, so it seems to be a sporadic issue.

 

[Delta-T]

take a smallish paintbrush and poke it into the igniter (between the fins). emptying the cavity of ash is not going to clean the actual igniter.

 

[F4jock]

take a smallish paintbrush and poke it into the igniter (between the fins). emptying the cavity of ash is not going to clean the actual igniter.

Or you can drop it and brush it. Just two screws and enough slack in the wires to clean it.