Harman P68 low flame

[cman]

So I chipped some carbon build-up away from the bottom of the auger tube and burn pot and I noticed there is a crack on the auger tube. I found a couple of threads on the forum regarding that problem. My question is, can I get away with not having to replace this until the spring time (8-9 months) or is this part of my burning problem?

Additionally, the flame guard doesn't sit flush against the back of the firebox. Is that a problem for air flow? You can see the light shining through in the following picture.

 

[cman]

Well, it seems to be working great!

I cleaned the ESP, adjusted the low draft settings, chipped the bottom of the auger/burn pot seam a little bit more and used a brand new unopened bag of pellets. Stove auto-ignited in under 5 minutes this time. Not sure what I did that caused this much difference.

Could a bag of opened pellets sitting for ~8 months change the moisture content to where they wouldn't burn properly?

 

[HarmanManP43]

Well, it seems to be working great!

I cleaned the ESP, adjusted the low draft settings, chipped the bottom of the auger/burn pot seam a little bit more and used a brand new unopened bag of pellets. Stove auto-ignited in under 5 minutes this time. Not sure what I did that caused this much difference.

Could a bag of opened pellets sitting for ~8 months change the moisture content to where they wouldn't burn properly?

Depends how they were stored, however damp pellets burn horribly/ not at all and could have been your issue.

 

[Harman Lover 007]

That crack in the auger tube is going to get bigger over time. You need to replace the feeder weldment. It's quite a job of disassembly. I did it on my Harman Invincible. I'd do it now so as to prevent the stove being out of service this winter when you really need it. Replace the flame guide and the burn pot while you have it torn apart. If you don't do it yourself, most stove shops will want to have you bring the stove to them for this type of repair.

 

[Bioburner]

The fire looks great. Your problem may have been a combination of things. We will leave it at that. You need to get on the weldment issue as 007 stated A hazard of buying used without a good working knowledge of a stoves weaknesses and applies to most things. I bought a new to me vehicle but armed with a forums list of things to check and do before and after sale and has resulted in a major savings of $$$ and no loss of hair fighting a models quirks but actually making it a bit better than original.
Good luck with the new to you stove. You have tapped into a very good source here to head off future problems and hopefully make a smooth uneventful heating season.

 

[bags]

X2 with 007 and Bio. Those are two that you need to listen to in regards to Harman repairs and maintenance. They have been doing this stuff a long time. They have been a huge help to me so I will back up my statement.

The flame guide can be had for $25 bucks or so new and is a wear part. Anything that is not within factory specs for operation is likely contributing to your problems. Just guessing I'd also say the bag of opened pellets didn't help either. Humidity alone could swell them or make the moisture content higher and screw up the burn.

Take heed to what 007 said and just get the crack fixed. It will just suck that much more when it is 20 degrees outside. Do what these guys recommend and then thank yourself later.

Not to be a jerk but get a sharp burn pot scraper. Use a flat screw driver even. There is still carbon build up on your pot in your clean photo. On a more positive note I am impressed the 68 can still run with the crack defect which further proves how dependable these things are.

007 will shoot you straight as will others but these things are easier to work on than I originally thought. You do need to have some ingenuity and mechanical aptitude but common sense and some determination goes a long way. It also saves you money. I am sure these guys would be willing to walk you thru the process and if they are willing to help then latch on and do as they suggest. They are offering THEIR TIME & EXPERTISE for free so take advantage of that and do not muddy the waters with what others chime in with. Basically pick a guide and follow their route.

Good Luck and welcome. Get that baby fixed and tuned so you can kick back and enjoy the hell out of it. Simple.

 

[bags]

Also read 007's Harman guide what your manual does not tell you. Then re-read it as much as you need. It's listed in the sticky's and in his signature.

 

[cman]

That crack in the auger tube is going to get bigger over time. You need to replace the feeder weldment. It's quite a job of disassembly. I did it on my Harman Invincible. I'd do it now so as to prevent the stove being out of service this winter when you really need it. Replace the flame guide and the burn pot while you have it torn apart. If you don't do it yourself, most stove shops will want to have you bring the stove to them for this type of repair.

Thanks for the input. I think I can probably replace the parts myself based off a parts diagram found online.

 

[cman]

The fire looks great. Your problem may have been a combination of things. We will leave it at that. You need to get on the weldment issue as 007 stated A hazard of buying used without a good working knowledge of a stoves weaknesses and applies to most things. I bought a new to me vehicle but armed with a forums list of things to check and do before and after sale and has resulted in a major savings of $$$ and no loss of hair fighting a models quirks but actually making it a bit better than original.
Good luck with the new to you stove. You have tapped into a very good source here to head off future problems and hopefully make a smooth uneventful heating season.

Thank you.

I did do research on the P68, but obviously not enough as I didn't see any evidence of the cracked auger tube when researching or when inspecting the stove. Like everything else, the more time I spend working with the stove, the better I will understand the stove.

 

[cman]

X2 with 007 and Bio. Those are two that you need to listen to in regards to Harman repairs and maintenance. They have been doing this stuff a long time. They have been a huge help to me so I will back up my statement.

The flame guide can be had for $25 bucks or so new and is a wear part. Anything that is not within factory specs for operation is likely contributing to your problems. Just guessing I'd also say the bag of opened pellets didn't help either. Humidity alone could swell them or make the moisture content higher and screw up the burn.

Take heed to what 007 said and just get the crack fixed. It will just suck that much more when it is 20 degrees outside. Do what these guys recommend and then thank yourself later.

Not to be a jerk but get a sharp burn pot scraper. Use a flat screw driver even. There is still carbon build up on your pot in your clean photo. On a more positive note I am impressed the 68 can still run with the crack defect which further proves how dependable these things are.

007 will shoot you straight as will others but these things are easier to work on than I originally thought. You do need to have some ingenuity and mechanical aptitude but common sense and some determination goes a long way. It also saves you money. I am sure these guys would be willing to walk you thru the process and if they are willing to help then latch on and do as they suggest. They are offering THEIR TIME & EXPERTISE for free so take advantage of that and do not muddy the waters with what others chime in with. Basically pick a guide and follow their route.

Good Luck and welcome. Get that baby fixed and tuned so you can kick back and enjoy the hell out of it. Simple.

Don't worry, I took a picture of the auger tube crack before I completely finished the cleaning job. I think the carbon build up on the burn pot is why my pellets didn't ignite for my earlier tries. This time around, I used a better light to see what I was missing and then used a large flat tipped screwdriver and hammer to clean off the buildup.

Local dealer charges minimum $300 for a cleaning, so I can't even imagine what their charge for repairs would be. I'm crossing fingers that I can replace those parts myself with a little bit of research. Even if it does cost me ~$500 in parts, this used stove is cheaper than a brand new stove from a dealer, plus I will have gained experience in fixing and cleaning the stove.

 

[Harman Lover 007]

Thanks for the input. I think I can probably replace the parts myself based off a parts diagram found online.

Ok. It's labor intensive but doable. If you need anything, just ask.

 

[Bioburner]

Local dealer charges minimum $300 for a cleaning

Wow, I should try and get a hunting fishing trip figured out and clean some stoves to get room and board.
As 007 stated, we here should be able to get you and your stove running well.

 

[bags]

BAAM! See how it works...... Thanks! A good clean would have caught that. They are VERY serious about cleaning around here.