Harman PP38---older model?

[Twinturbo6.4]

Hey guys,

So today I picked up a Harman PP38, older model-2 knobs. I got the stove, which looks great for its age for $150. Was told that it may have control board issues. Knowing that a new board can be had for short money I wasn't really worried about it. I have a 4 year old XXV and am extremely pleased with it and knowing the reputation that harman's have, I wasn't worried one bit. I got the stove home and looked it over, was fairly dirty inside and and definitely needs a good cleaning, some build up on the walls of the stove and the combustion blower could use a cleaning.

I decided to plug it in and check things out, seems to operate fine? The previous owner said his sone had seen some smoke in the hopper and thought it was gonna burn his house down! I can't find any evidence of a hopper fire, no stains, burn marks or nothing!

I manually lit the stove in my garage and let it burn for 4 hours on multiple settings and can't find anything wrong with it? The exhaust appears to have some ash/soot build up and I suspect that may have been the issue possibly?

Any thoughts?

 

[bogieb]

You seem to have decent knowledge of pellet stoves (judging from your cleaning comments) so I would go with your own observations after running it. Perhaps the "smoke" was fines rising up as they were dumping in pellets?

 

[bags]

If you want you could go ahead and order a backup control board, ESP, etc; and have them on hand ready and waiting if the need arises. Don't fix it if it 'ain't broken.

I scored a PC45 much the same but way more than $150 bucks. That's a helluva deal. Same scenario. A good thorough clean and I mean very thorough clean and replaced my door and ash pan gaskets and it was good to go. The know it all tool I bought it from just never cleaned it well. Outside of the unit looked showroom new. The innards were a mess and he had mainly burned corn.

Tune that puppy up and turn it into a service dog!

 

[gfreek]

Nice find.. I think if you do a search there may be posts about smoke in the hopper and a cross over tube..I have the later version P38+ since 2011. I've replaced the potentiometers once on the board and need to do it again, however 50K pots aren't readily available now but have requested some from a vendor...I also have a new replacement board, 3 knob now, if needed.. Good luck

 

[Mt Bob]

the 2 knob board is nonexistant,for quite some time.The upgrade,to the newer board is a kit,wiring harness and all,a bit spendy,and you still do not have a self lighting stove.Still lots of them out there running fine.

 

[Twinturbo6.4]

Thanks for the replies, I think i am gonna toy around with it for a while and see how things go. I will probably upgrade the board in the future so i have the room temp option .

 

[Mt Bob]

Thanks for the replies, I think i am gonna toy around with it for a while and see how things go. I will probably upgrade the board in the future so i have the room temp option .

Um,I am not sure,but I think the original boards had/have room temp mode,you just have to use an external thermostat

 

[Twinturbo6.4]

I believe you are right, I think I saw the connections on the board when i looked.

 

[Mt Bob]

I believe you are right, I think I saw the connections on the board when i looked.

Ya,in the middle to late 90's,th e austroflamms and the harmans were kings,just good basic technology.

 

[gfreek]

You can connect a thermostat to the board. When calling for heat it goes to turbo/highest mode then, throttles back down to previous setting..