Harman XXV problem since installation

[Wire12xu]

Hi Everyone,

We purchased a new XXV stove and was dealer installed on our main floor on November 19th.
An hour later a loud grinding sound was coming from the rear, the installation crew returned and tightened some bolts at the back of the stove.
Later that same evening the noise returned and we turned the stove off.
We also noticed that a warning message kept appearing in the hopper lid display telling us to close the lid. The lid was firmly shut.

11/23 the dealer sent a tech over.
He re-tightened the same bolts and adjusted the setting for the hoper lid; telling us that Harman should have set the lid correctly at the factory.
Unfortunately the noise returned that evening.

12/4 the dealer tech returns and installs a new white fan, the thought being that the fan was bent and rubbing against the housing.
No luck. Noise remains.
At this point we're convinced we bought a lemon.

12/8 the dealer tells us that Harman has been notified of our problem and that other XXVs are experiencing the same issue.
Furthermore that this is a recent development and they're not sure if it is a manufacturing issue or vendor related.
We're encouraged to hang tight and remember we are working with the manufacturer warranty and have to go through their process.

12/10 we sent the dealer an MP4 of the stove with the accompanying noise. Dealer forwards this to Harman.

12/15 I contact the dealer and am told that the Harman engineering dept. are putting together a 'motor fan plate assembly' to replace the one we have.
As yet there is no timeline for this.

In October we bought our first XXV for use in the walkout basement.
We've had absolutely no problems.
Based on this experience we bought another to replace the Ravelli on the main floor.
The Harman units are not cheap!

Does anyone have any suggestions as to how we should proceed?
At this point we feel that only a new XXV would makes us happy.

Thanks and stay safe,
Mark

 

[Washed-Up]

Can you post a video of the sound here?

 

[Mt Bob]

So all of the sudden your 2 European high quality pellet stoves just suddenly died,and you decideced to have Harmans installed? Iguess i am a bit confused ,you have had no issues with your import stoves,for 5 years,then this? I think you owe this forum,and the world an explanation.Most people purchase a pellet stove and use it for over 20 years.To change it put sooner,the costs would be stupid,and cheaper to use NG/oil/ LPG or electricity. Unless you are just so rich it is a game.

 

[SidecarFlip]

I don't follow that line of thinking either. Replacing a perfectly viable unit with a new one makes no sense to me either, but then it might be a millennial' thing. Upwardly mobile folks do strange things and I'd be willing to bet they haven't a clue as to how to maintain a solid fuel stove properly either. I'd be using my central furnace instead, It's way more efficient at producing heat from a like quantity of fuel than any biomass stove can ever hope to be.

Got my buttered popcorn handy on this thread. I'm sure it will be interesting.

 

[rickwai]

Post a video/audio. I would guess you just have a bad Distribution blower?

 

[gfreek]

Agree, post a video and we can maybe help.. . What happened with Ravelli.??

 

[SidecarFlip]

Post a video/audio. I would guess you just have a bad Distribution blower?

Not sure why, it's new. Read post 1, November install.

 

[Pete Zahria]

What difference does it make "why" they bought a new stove?
He has a problem, and wants it fixed.....

Dan

 

[SidecarFlip]

Simple. New equals warranty. Let the dealer fix it. I'm sure the dealer would disregard any input coming from here but then, maybe not.

 

[Washed-Up]

I can’t find the thread, but I do remember someone else having problems with a new XXV, I do agree with SidecarFlip in that the warranty should be used. However it’s good to get some advice from us...having said that, we need to hear or see a video for the best diagnosis.

 

[Dataman]

I had Harmon XXV put in April 2018 (Made 2014). The Distribution Fan made horrible noise sometimes. 2 Screws were impacting fan housing. It did not happen all the time. It was simple fix. I was convenced it was the fan. Even got part to fix and asked dealer to replace (they took forever and I gave up). Since this is NON LCD Stove no Messages. Son and I went thru stove and used high temp silicon on anything that can rub or vibrate. Just in case. It was hard to pin down to which fan. I went with Distribution Fan.

 

[Wire12xu]

So all of the sudden your 2 European high quality pellet stoves just suddenly died,and you decideced to have Harmans installed? Iguess i am a bit confused ,you have had no issues with your import stoves,for 5 years,then this? I think you owe this forum,and the world an explanation.Most people purchase a pellet stove and use it for over 20 years.To change it put sooner,the costs would be stupid,and cheaper to use NG/oil/ LPG or electricity. Unless you are just so rich it is a game.

I really didn't want to get into why we changed the Ravelli stoves.. since you ask.

1. Countless problems with both stoves involving ignitor switches, mother boards, blown fuses etc
2. Last winter the basement stove wasn't working for 2-3 months
3. Initially great dealer support, this waned in years 3 and 4 to be non-existent. Got so bad he didn't return our support calls and we had to go the shop to get any response. The guy no longer stocks Ravelli, but good luck to him.
4. Waiting at least a month or more for a Ravelli part
5. Fussy controls to set the RDS. This is meant to be a dealer set once and forget. Not our experience though.
6. We cleaned both stoves regularly once a week, if not warning messages would appear.
7. I replaced the gaskets several times over the winter months.
8. The flues where cleaned/swept at the start of spring.
9. We used the correct pellets, Ravelli's prefer soft pellets.
10. A UPS with surge protection used on both stoves
11. Instructions in Italian
12. I posted several queries here over the 5 years in regard to the Ravelli's and the problems we were having.

With this in mind I don't regard them as high-end.
We would gladly have kept them for 20 years+
Without a NYS rebate program we wouldn't have been able to afford the Harman stoves.
We don't have a central boiler on oil or LPG
My economic situation is non of your business!!

Can we get back to the problem at hand as to what is causing this noise on the Harman and how to rectify it?

Thanks,
Mark

 

[gfreek]

Well said. Post a video some time. You mentioned "white fan" replaced, is it a room, exhaust combustion or auger motor.???...Apparently the dealer is not much help at this moment. And its winter.

 

[Wire12xu]

I had Harmon XXV put in April 2018 (Made 2014). The Distribution Fan made horrible noise sometimes. 2 Screws were impacting fan housing. It did not happen all the time. It was simple fix. I was convenced it was the fan. Even got part to fix and asked dealer to replace (they took forever and I gave up). Since this is NON LCD Stove no Messages. Son and I went thru stove and used high temp silicon on anything that can rub or vibrate. Just in case. It was hard to pin down to which fan. I went with Distribution Fan.

View attachment 269459

Thanks Dataman - I'll pass this onto the dealer.

Well said. Post a video some time. You mentioned "white fan" replaced, is it a room, exhaust combustion or auger motor.???...Apparently the dealer is not much help at this moment. And its winter.

Well said. Post a video some time. You mentioned "white fan" replaced, is it a room, exhaust combustion or auger motor.???...Apparently the dealer is not much help at this moment. And its winter.

Attached is the video sent Harman
... I'm having a problem with the file it's 48.4 MB
See if I can edit it down.

 

[rickwai]

Not sure why, it's new. Read post 1, November install.

You do know that “new” stands for never ever worked

 

[Wire12xu]

Here's the video....

 

[gfreek]

Yikes. That is annoying. Wonder if the exhaust paddle fan is hitting something , more so when hot..or the cooling fan on the combustion motor. They replaced the room blower ??

 

[Wire12xu]

Yikes. That is annoying. Wonder if the exhaust paddle fan is hitting something , more so when hot..or the cooling fan on the combustion motor. They replaced the room blower ??

Not sure what the dealer tech replaced first time around - the fan was small and cream colored, easy to see when the back was removed.

 

[Washed-Up]

Yeah that sounds like something in either one of the fan setups! Is it more prominent on top or the bottom? Such a beautiful stove otherwise

 

[Dataman]

Sound like the problem I had with Screw Hitting Distribution Fan Housing. You going to have to pull the fan to see the marks the screws make. Easy fix

 

[tbear853]

Not sure what the dealer tech replaced first time around - the fan was small and cream colored, easy to see when the back was removed.

That puts me in mind of the cooling fan on the auger drive motor which has a flat gear box on it. Below is a Harmon Auger motor & drive gear box, mine is just an upside down version with black fan.

 

[gfreek]

Wonder if this could have been avoided if the dealer fired up the stove before delivery for quality control. Mine did..

 

[SciGuy]

That puts me in mind of the cooling fan on the auger drive motor which has a flat gear box on it. Below is a Harmon Auger motor & drive gear box, mine is just an upside down version with black fan.

I know that the older Harman auger drive motors had these cute little cooling fans but thought they had done away with those in recent years.

 

[rickwai]

Not sure what the dealer tech replaced first time around - the fan was small and cream colored, easy to see when the back was removed.

That sounds like the Distribution blower. With the stove cold go to your test mode screen and start each motor to see which one it is.

 

[minux]

I really didn't want to get into why we changed the Ravelli stoves.. since you ask.

1. Countless problems with both stoves involving ignitor switches, mother boards, blown fuses etc
2. Last winter the basement stove wasn't working for 2-3 months
3. Initially great dealer support, this waned in years 3 and 4 to be non-existent. Got so bad he didn't return our support calls and we had to go the shop to get any response. The guy no longer stocks Ravelli, but good luck to him.
4. Waiting at least a month or more for a Ravelli part
5. Fussy controls to set the RDS. This is meant to be a dealer set once and forget. Not our experience though.
6. We cleaned both stoves regularly once a week, if not warning messages would appear.
7. I replaced the gaskets several times over the winter months.
8. The flues where cleaned/swept at the start of spring.
9. We used the correct pellets, Ravelli's prefer soft pellets.
10. A UPS with surge protection used on both stoves
11. Instructions in Italian
12. I posted several queries here over the 5 years in regard to the Ravelli's and the problems we were having.

With this in mind I don't regard them as high-end.
We would gladly have kept them for 20 years+
Without a NYS rebate program we wouldn't have been able to afford the Harman stoves.
We don't have a central boiler on oil or LPG
My economic situation is non of your business!!

Can we get back to the problem at hand as to what is causing this noise on the Harman and how to rectify it?

Thanks,
Mark

Hi, Mark.

My money is on a distribution fan.

About the XXV stove, can you have the dealer swap your broken stove for a P68 instead? The XXV is all about look, IMO. Best models for reliability are the 52i, 61, and 68.

Don't listen to the salties on here and get your stove working