Harmon Advance Combustion Fan/Motor Smoke Leak?

[Alan]

I've been fighting a smoke leak on my Harmon Advance, working with my installer. We were able to see smoke (either at startup or with the smoke test pellets) leaking out of various Duravent tees & elbows. Finally we swapped out Duravent for Excel & cannot see any trace of smoke. (I've got a 21 foot vertical run of 4 inch stove pipe, so I can't try the shut-down test with horizontal run described in another thread.)

I STILL HAVE A SMOKE SMELL THAT BUILDS UP SLOWLY (OVER AN HOUR OR SO) IN THE ROOM, MOST NOTICABLY AT HIGH HEAT SETTINGS. I'm rather sure it's not the piping that's the cause.

With the back panels off, I've sniffed everywhere on the stove to try to find the source -- there is no obvious source I can locate. I've temproraally tried running outside combustion air (it didn't change anything) to reduced air movement in the back of the stove in the hope it would help me to isolate the source. I've tried cracking open the ash removal pan while the stove is on, & no smell from there.

If there is one place where there might be a slightly stronger odor, its next to the combustion motor. Since the combustion fan blade is moving all the smelly stuff out the system, I'm wondering if it's possible that the bearing assembly that connects the external combustion motor to the combustion fan blade could be leaking? Is it possible that the combustion motor is the source of the problem?

Thanks,

--Alan

 

[FredJ]

If there is one place where there might be a slightly stronger odor, its next to the combustion motor. Since the combustion fan blade is moving all the smelly stuff out the system, I'm wondering if it's possible that the bearing assembly that connects the external combustion motor to the combustion fan blade could be leaking? Is it possible that the combustion motor is the source of the problem?

Thanks,

--Alan

my thought is that you are in the correct area. I had same problem so in the room with the lights off, a flashlight in hand, and from a cold start, i turned on the stove untill right before the pellets ignited and the stove was loaded with smoke then pulled the plug to turn off all fans. then using the flashlight I could then see smoke barely coming out around the combustion motor 'seal' ( or lack of) - with the room lights on i doubt i would have seen it. When I asked my dealer about it ( a couple of calls) they finally told me they asked the manufacturer about it and that is normal because the fan isnt on blowing the smoke out and so the smoke will seep out - I can see that, but I also think some will also still seep out when it is running.

 

[harmanhater]

Thanks in placing confidence in my post. I went through everything you have described. The first pipejoint out side must be seal too. Also ended up replacing and sealing with 2000 degree caulking the door glass gasket (1/4") and then caulked around both sides of this gasketinside the door. I used 1/2 gasket around the door instead of the 3/8, tight fit, but if you leave the adjustable door latch (inside the stove) loose it WILL latch tight without breaking the handle. I also experienced the puff back before I replaced and resealed. I also experienced an explosion in the stove. I think this was due to the previous 3" pipe, causing poor burn, unseeable excessive ash build up, (with even a thourough cleaning finally ignitied??) That is why I believe 4" pipe is always a good thing. (Like replacing stock exhaust on a sports car with headers, always a good thing).
Try another dealer for answers. Make sure your well insulated in walls, not near a leaky door/window. If you are in a ranch house and your exhaust terminates close to your soffit vent, the smoke you smell might be in your attic? I'm still tracking slight smoke smell. If you do the staight pipe test method, check your hopper latch/hopper gasket. The latch can loosen with useage, the gasket can be damaged by closing on pellets in the gasket. I've even been silly enough to empty my hopper and seal all of my hopper joints in the sheet metal inside. Could also be the bearing, or even the exhaust gasket/stove adapter/ or loose exhaust flange bolts. Once you eliminate as many traces of hidden smoke that you can, reinstall your vertical vent pipe. This should pull any remaining smoke smell (hopefully). Good luck!

 

[harmanhater]

I read your post again. You can do the test if you disconnect the piping at the 90degree vertical (straight out, temp. test). Also I don't know your piping set up, but 21' of vertical?? Outside? why? 4' to 6' is usually enough.

 

[Alan]

I read your post again. You can do the test if you disconnect the piping at the 90degree vertical (straight out, temp. test). Also I don't know your piping set up, but 21' of vertical?? Outside? why? 4' to 6' is usually enough.

The reason I go strait up 21 feet of vertical pipe is to get it to the ceiling, and through a tall attic space, the exiting above the roof. I can't go horizonally out since the pipe would exit within several feet of my front door -- ugly!!

At night in the dark, I tried shutting off the blowers just at startup when all the smoke has built up within the stove. I then looked carefully for leaking smoke with a flashlight -- I couldn't see anything.

If I burn at a low setting -- say 1 or 1.5, I can't smell anything. It's when I burn at a higher setting, like 4, that I get a buildup of smell in the room. It's not a "choking of death" smoke smell, but very annoying and particularly noticable when I re-enter the room after having left it for a few minutes.