Harmon XXV - Buzz on distribution Fan on High

[Dataman]

Sounds almost like wire riding on top of fan. I looked, nothing touching. If you run the fan on high bad noise that was not there before.

Under warranty until April 19.

Bad Motor? It's been building to this level of noise

The Fan blades are clean (just cleaned them after noise started). They were clean. Exhaust Motor is not loose. The unit got full cleaning about 2 bags of pellets ago (few days). It's only run 1/2 ton of Pellets and was new (floor model) stove.

Went back and Cleaned Exhaust Blower again. It's going thru startup right now. Hate to call them out for service charge and it's nothing. It was not very dirty, but not all blades the same. The same now. No balance in blower fan that I can tell.

After firing up the noise was there again, then after 5 minutes it went away in space of 30 seconds.
Update: After 30 min it started again (Noise). When LED comes on for Distrib Blower noise starts. It's the LED's Fault I bet!

Still will talk to dealer. I have video, but can't upload here.

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[Dataman]

Dealer Ordered new fan.

 

[Dakota_male]

From another post see attached because my XXv is doing the same .here a post that claims fixed our problems, I’m waiting for them to fix my noise too. See below:

The Harman rep came to my home yesterday and implemented the factory designed fix (metal band clamp) which I truly believe is the final cureall for this issue. I am very comfortable that this fix will work (I know I have said that before, but I really think this did it).

He explained that the Harman finally found one with this issue that their engineers could analyze (not sure why they didn't just have mine shipped back to them 4 months ago). As I understand their explanation, Harmans engineers say the buzz is generated by the magnetic field emitted by the distribution blower motor which causes a very high frequency low amplitude vibration in the shroud . Their fix he implemented adds a large metal clamp band (aka hose clamp) strapped around the exhaust line. The clamp tightens up the contact between a section of sheet metal (contiguous with the shroud...I think?) which is overlapped onto the exhaust line, and prevents them from tapping against eachother. This metal band clamp looks like the stove could have been designed with it (doesn't look hokey at all, like mine and other posts have indicated).

As it is very clear that high frequency vibrations in the shroud sheet metal were causing it to tap on someother section of metal, we also cut the tip of the sheet metal screw off which connects the two sections of the shroud together (just in case the tip of it was contracting the distribution blower housing, because based on earliar poking and prodding, it sure did seem like the source of the noise). This sheet metal screw was about 3/4" long, alot longer than it needs to be.

Also as one of the previous fixes was loosening the screws on the distribution blower box, he made sure to that the blower box was replaced back in a tight secure position. I didn't want to mention this in earliar posts for fear of getting flamed as a whiner, but during an earliar repair attempt, one of the methods of repair was to back off on these screws to lower the distribution blower down a hair. As after they implemented this fix and the section of gasket fix, the buzz occured with less frequency, but then stove in general seemed to be more noisy (I believe that this was due to this distributio blower box not being mounted securely).

One other thing worth mentioning is that during this fix, we took out the exhaust blower to examine if it needed to be cleaned out. As I have burned close to 2 tons of pellets through this stove, I was expecting to see alot of ash deposits built up on both on the fins and the housing of the exhaust blower. There wasn't any. This reminded me of what Harry said in an earliar post (these Harmans burn extremely clean). As he is a Harman dealer I just chalked that up salemen talk. What he said is true, unlike my Whitfield Advantage III which I had for 10 years, this XXV does burn really clean. When I would clean the Whitfield exhaust blower (one to two times per season), it was caked with ash, along with the exhaust pipe. Something about how they designed this stove, the ash doesn't seem to get pulled through the exhaust.

In summary, I think this latest fix was it. I know it has has only been one night, but this stove is now running really quiet, more quiet than ever.

With respect to Harman, I still think they should have taken mine or someone elses stove back to the factory back in November, rather than making their customers (Rick in RI, me and anyone else with the issue) and have us beta test their proposed fixes. It would have been a win-win situation for both of us. Neither Rick nor I would have had to endure this buzz for as along as we have had to, and Harman would not have had to have who knows how many potential future XXV buyers read this thread (1,800 plus and counting). Harman makes a solid stove, but needs to work on their customer relations.

 

[Dataman]

Pretty sure mine is Bad Motor on Distro Blower..

They ordered new one today.

SFD

From another post see attached because my XXv is doing the same .here a post that claims fixed our problems, I’m waiting for them to fix my noise too. See below:

The Harman rep came to my home yesterday and implemented the factory designed fix (metal band clamp) which I truly believe is the final cureall for this issue. I am very comfortable that this fix will work (I know I have said that before, but I really think this did it).

He explained that the Harman finally found one with this issue that their engineers could analyze (not sure why they didn't just have mine shipped back to them 4 months ago). As I understand their explanation, Harmans engineers say the buzz is generated by the magnetic field emitted by the distribution blower motor which causes a very high frequency low amplitude vibration in the shroud . Their fix he implemented adds a large metal clamp band (aka hose clamp) strapped around the exhaust line. The clamp tightens up the contact between a section of sheet metal (contiguous with the shroud...I think?) which is overlapped onto the exhaust line, and prevents them from tapping against eachother. This metal band clamp looks like the stove could have been designed with it (doesn't look hokey at all, like mine and other posts have indicated).

As it is very clear that high frequency vibrations in the shroud sheet metal were causing it to tap on someother section of metal, we also cut the tip of the sheet metal screw off which connects the two sections of the shroud together (just in case the tip of it was contracting the distribution blower housing, because based on earliar poking and prodding, it sure did seem like the source of the noise). This sheet metal screw was about 3/4" long, alot longer than it needs to be.

Also as one of the previous fixes was loosening the screws on the distribution blower box, he made sure to that the blower box was replaced back in a tight secure position. I didn't want to mention this in earliar posts for fear of getting flamed as a whiner, but during an earliar repair attempt, one of the methods of repair was to back off on these screws to lower the distribution blower down a hair. As after they implemented this fix and the section of gasket fix, the buzz occured with less frequency, but then stove in general seemed to be more noisy (I believe that this was due to this distributio blower box not being mounted securely).

One other thing worth mentioning is that during this fix, we took out the exhaust blower to examine if it needed to be cleaned out. As I have burned close to 2 tons of pellets through this stove, I was expecting to see alot of ash deposits built up on both on the fins and the housing of the exhaust blower. There wasn't any. This reminded me of what Harry said in an earliar post (these Harmans burn extremely clean). As he is a Harman dealer I just chalked that up salemen talk. What he said is true, unlike my Whitfield Advantage III which I had for 10 years, this XXV does burn really clean. When I would clean the Whitfield exhaust blower (one to two times per season), it was caked with ash, along with the exhaust pipe. Something about how they designed this stove, the ash doesn't seem to get pulled through the exhaust.

In summary, I think this latest fix was it. I know it has has only been one night, but this stove is now running really quiet, more quiet than ever.

With respect to Harman, I still think they should have taken mine or someone elses stove back to the factory back in November, rather than making their customers (Rick in RI, me and anyone else with the issue) and have us beta test their proposed fixes. It would have been a win-win situation for both of us. Neither Rick nor I would have had to endure this buzz for as along as we have had to, and Harman would not have had to have who knows how many potential future XXV buyers read this thread (1,800 plus and counting). Harman makes a solid stove, but needs to work on their customer relations.

 

[Dakota_male]

Pretty sure mine is Bad Motor on Distro Blower..

They ordered new one today.

SFD

Dealer was here Sat. tightening a few bolts and screws that were loose. The vibration would occur even in test mode.
Seem to work.
But before he left I started the stove and the fan noise was still there. He Replaced the fan and it’s quieter than ever now!
Although the stove is new 2 months old the fan vibration was caused by run out of the blowers , looked like it was dropped before installation at the factory as when tested on the floor it skated around you could see the blower visibly wobble.

 

[Dataman]

After waiting a week I ordered blower myself from Galco.

https://www.galco.com/buy/ebm-papst-Inc./55416.29089

Wish I did it a week ago. When I finally get to guy at Country Homes Power in Spokane was told they will call me when part is in and I can come pickup. What I thought it was under warranty and they would install.

https://www.countryhomespower.com/

How much you want to bet the part I ordered will be in 1st? Well I will have spare Distribution Power when it's all over.

They don't want to drive 35 miles to my house I guess. Lookout bad review when this is over.

 

[Dakota_male]

Good deal on the blower, looks like the new blower they installed for me.
My stove was a floor model 2014 as well sat their floor for a while too.

 

[Dataman]

Had my Son take out the blower other day. We ran it outside the stove today. No Noise, but I noticed 2 spots where screws that were coming thru impacting the fan case. Fan is being reinstalled right now. Will follow up with what happens. But it seems the loud buzzing is metal to metal contact thru poor assembly.

 

[Dataman]

Still some buzz with sheet metal inside stove. Putting washer on that noise. It's almost fixed.

 

[Dataman]

It buzzed last night on the sheet metal behind the Auger Cleanout. Putting block against it stops it. I pulled block and set the fan back to Medium and no buzzing all night. It seems (Cross your fingers) to be fixed.

I got brand new distribution fan in today. Got to test it and repackage and put where I can find it oneday. I planned on having extra on hand anyway. No biggie. I want to get Exhaust too.

Going on 13 days and no call from dealer saying they have parts in for me to pickup. Waiting on the call and then doing Yep review. I gave up on them. They said they ordered new fan. The Dealer is all about Selling. Not Service 35 miles away.

 

[Dataman]

Told Harmon by Email with Picture here is what I got

Hi Stephen, Thank you for reaching out to us. We appreciate the feedback from you as a consumer. We are sorry to hear that initially you were not completely satisfied with your appliance. Hope you have a great day!

HAND - That's says Nothing. Oh well I got very quiet stove now at least. Been 2 weeks today on parts from Dealer. No call

 

[Dataman]

In case anyone wants to know. Took Harmon 16 days to get the part to Dealer. So Fast! I had one sitting too. Got the Noise down in the stove to just buzzing when it's COLD. Warms up and it's Golden. Now I have Brand New Distribution Fan for the day it really breaks. Wish I had waited until we figured out how to remove the fan on Harmon XXV. It has 2 bolts from under the stove. Royal Pain for me.