Harman TL200 exception damage

[stamello]

I picked up a Harman TL200 exception on craigslist for $150. I saw that there was some damage, but I figured if it was unsalvagable I could break even by parting out the blower and brass door.
So here is the damage. I'm unfamiliar with the stove and with woodstoves in general, so I might not be seeing it all. Advice on what to look for would be appreciated.
1. When I look down the 6 inch pipe, I see a damaged ceramic thing. It has a hole in it. I assume that this is the afterburner.
2. The afterburner weldment (see front pics) is melted/damaged in the middle.
3. Below the afterburner weldment are two bolt holes with nothing attached. I assume that this is where the glass originally was?
4. The damper seems OK, but there is maybe a 1/8 to 1/4 inch gap in the top when its completely closed. Is this OK?
The guy who sold it to me said that he used it and that it burned hot. I can see that, since the hole in the afterburner leads directly to the weldment, so there is an open airway even with the damper completely closed. Is this safe?
What is the best way to make this stove completely safe? This will be backup heat for me, so efficiency is a secondary concern. Is it worth buying all new parts for?
Thanks

 

[mellow]

Yea, you have your hands full with that, might as well part it out as it is not usable as it is, refurbing the stove is an option, just quickly looking over pricing you would be into parts for close to a grand.

Check out the pricing here: http://www.stove-parts-unlimited.co...htm?searching=Y&sort=1&cat=767&show=12&page=1

Since this is a downdraft stove your chimney setup is going to be critical if you get this back in working order, what is your chimney setup currently?

 

[stamello]

Yea, you have your hands full with that, might as well part it out as it is not usable as it is, refurbing the stove is an option, just quickly looking over pricing you would be into parts for close to a grand.

Check out the pricing here: http://www.stove-parts-unlimited.co...htm?searching=Y&sort=1&cat=767&show=12&page=1

Since this is a downdraft stove your chimney setup is going to be critical if you get this back in working order, what is your chimney setup currently?

Chimney is a 6 inch insulated liner. The stove would elbow into the chimney with a cleanout T.

Parts here look a lot less expensive http://www.woodinsert.com/tl200.php

Can you give me more detail on the usability? I understand that the afterburner won't work, but does that make it unsafe?

 

[mellow]

90 degree elbow to a T? How tall is that liner cause you just knocked quite a few feet off it.

You can burn a fire in it but like the previous owner said it will be hard to control since it is not being used like it should be. If you can figure out how to shut the air off completely you might have more control with it. Basically you are turning it into an old smoke dragon that will emit tons of creosote or a roaring furnace.

I have a feeling this will go in as "backup" heat but you will like the house at 75 degrees and this will turn into a primary heater, in this condition I wouldn't run it unattended.

 

[stamello]

90 degree elbow to a T? How tall is that liner cause you just knocked quite a few feet off it.

You can burn a fire in it but like the previous owner said it will be hard to control since it is not being used like it should be. If you can figure out how to shut the air off completely you might have more control with it. Basically you are turning it into an old smoke dragon that will emit tons of creosote or a roaring furnace.

I have a feeling this will go in as "backup" heat but you will like the house at 75 degrees and this will turn into a primary heater, in this condition I wouldn't run it unattended.

The chimney is 2 stories plus an attic, so the liner is around 20-25 feet.

OK, thanks for the info. If I replaced the hood weldment, glass and afterburner it looks ~ $700 . Not sure if the damper is damaged - it looks OK, but is it normal to have that slight gap?

Option 2 would be to replace the afterburner, and then just re-weld steel on the current weldment and replace the glass. This looks like it'd be more like $300. Does this seem OK? The $400 weldment itself doesn't look like anything particularly special - it just looks like it needs to perform as a barrier to the afterburner and hold the afterburner glass...

 

[mellow]

I am not a Harman expert but I do know with other stoves it is common for the damper to not close all the way to allow some heat/smoke to go up the chimney, I have a similar gap on my stove, thank the EPA.

I personally wouldn't do option 2, I would replace with OEM since the afterburner is a critical part of the stove.

 

[stamello]

I am not a Harman expert but I do know with other stoves it is common for the damper to not close all the way to allow some heat/smoke to go up the chimney, I have a similar gap on my stove, thank the EPA.

I personally wouldn't do option 2, I would replace with OEM since the afterburner is a critical part of the stove.

Sorry, I phrased it badly. I meant repair (weld steel on) the weldment, then buy a new OEM afterburner and glass (updated my post above to clarify). I agree that the afterburner needs to be replaced. But the $400 weldment just seems like a big hunk of steel that could be repaired...

 

[mellow]

I understand what you were talking about, that area sees a lot of heat, I would hate to see it pop a weld and go thermonuclear on you.

 

[stamello]

I understand what you were talking about, that area sees a lot of heat, I would hate to see it pop a weld and go thermonuclear on you.

I agree. I have a friend who is a welder and also a welding inspector. He has access to some good equipment and material, so I'll see what he thinks.
In the meantime I'm pricing the parts with a local dealer. Thanks for your help.

 

[TheRambler]

For the 700 of repairs you can almost buy a new budget stove or a decent used one

 

[bholler]

Honestly i would not bother repairing that stove. In my opinion they are not very good even the people that figure them out and get them burning right (which is not most we see) their chimneys still dont look near as good as those on other stoves

 

[MishMouse]

Shows definite sign of over firing, a issue with the original design of the TL-200 was that the glass door in back could not handle the heat which exposed the AB to damage. Looks like the one you got is a textbook example of this.

 

[stamello]

For the 700 of repairs you can almost buy a new budget stove or a decent used one

Looks like tractor supply has a " US Stove Medium Wood Stove" for under $600 with decent reviews. Country hearth model. Maybe this is a better bet.

 

[bholler]

Looks like tractor supply has a " US Stove Medium Wood Stove" for under $600 with decent reviews. Country hearth model. Maybe this is a better bet.

go for a new england stove works stove over us stove they are much better stoves and an easier company to deal with if there are problems

 

[1kzwoman]

I have this stove. Your weldment is heat warped from what I see. Behind it and the firebricks are several gaskets and then the afterburner .
My weldment had factory welds break ,letting a ceramic insulating tile for the weldment loosen. I know a welder who rebedded the tile in red cement the welded it up . I had sweep clean and re gasket stove .
I suspect your gaskets inside were not maintained or replaced. My stove was 8 years old when the weld failed.
It's now nearly 11.

 

[1kzwoman]

Pull the weldment out and inspect everything behind it. Clean everything if the afterburner is fragile/ broken or breaking I agree repair may not be your best option.
Research downdraft stoves too here on the forum before you repair anything.

 

[bholler]

Good advice 1kzwoman i dont want to totally bash harmans they can be good stoves they just take allot more to learn how to use them and they are a real pain to maintain. But we do have some customers that love theirs.

 

[mellow]

What is funny is I had a Harman dealer telling me cat stoves are a pain to operate and replacement cats are expensive! I got a good chuckle out of that one and walked out, pot calling the kettle black.

 

[1kzwoman]

Good advice 1kzwoman i dont want to totally bash harmans they can be good stoves they just take allot more to learn how to use them and they are a real pain to maintain. But we do have some customers that love theirs.

My stove and I reached an agreement I wont expect it to shoulder, or burn wet wood with poor draft. In return it will keep my home warm at -35 without considering wind chill.
Would I buy another...I would do a lot of shopping as an informed consumer. However there only one dealer inside 250 miles

 

[MishMouse]

My stove and I reached an agreement I wont expect it to shoulder, or burn wet wood with poor draft. In return it will keep my home warm at -35 without considering wind chill.
Would I buy another...I would do a lot of shopping as an informed consumer. However there only one dealer inside 250 miles

For me as long as I burn seasoned wood, and it was below 40 I never have an issue with it.
Though living in MN the below 40 requirement is typically met around 8 months a year.

 

[Sparticus]

I have this stove. Your weldment is heat warped from what I see. Behind it and the firebricks are several gaskets and then the afterburner .
My weldment had factory welds break ,letting a ceramic insulating tile for the weldment loosen. I know a welder who rebedded the tile in red cement the welded it up . I had sweep clean and re gasket stove .
I suspect your gaskets inside were not maintained or replaced. My stove was 8 years old when the weld failed.
It's now nearly 11.

Hello @1kzwoman ,I'm new here and new to downdraft wood stoves and would like to know if you'd be willing to help me with a Harman Exception TL200 stove I bought. So far I burned it once and noticed the damper frame's gasket hanging down while I had a full load aburning ? So I took the whole damn stove apart replaced almost all the gaskets,trekked to my nearest Harman dealer and they were of little help as well as submitting an email to Harmanstoves.com who haven't replied so yes I was naive in buying this stove b4 researching alas,The afterburner's crumbly and clogged,the Aftrrbuner hood weldment's alittle bowed and has that red cement (embedded) holding the the insulation shield piece on it's rear between the welded "L" irons that face the afterburner. So what's this "Red Cement" is this just a refractory type of cement,brand name,type of degree Fahrnheit ? Not sure if you'll get this as I'd love to send photos and know I'll probably have to purchase a new afterbuner # 3-40-05171 but would really like to know what type of welder's who'll be able to work on the cast iron aftrburner hood weldment ?