Issues with Harmon P43, getting conflicting results, errors.

[Danno_99]

Hey all, Merry Christmas! I wish I had better things to do than post here, but here I am.
My stove is acting up again. I'll try to explain best I can, but it won't be easy.
Currently my feeder won't feed when I try to start my stove as I normally would.
However, the feeder does work on test. But, sometimes when I try and 'test' the feeder a few times, it will actually start feeding as it should, but then it won't ignite My stove was giving me issues a few weeks ago and I was able to fix it by cleaning out the exhaust and fines box. Then my stove worked and stayed running for days, but then I noticed that it wouldn't get as hot as it would before (up to 80 degrees in the living area) and was only getting to around 70, even with the stove temp settings maxxed out. It seemed like my feeder wouldn't keep up as it normally would....the fire is always very low into the burn pot. I raised the feeder settings, went to bed, never really noticed if it got warmer, but went through an entire bag in 10 hours. Once it ran dry, here I am not able to get it started again
Any ideas why the feeder works on TEST, but not when starting up? If I could figure this part out, then maybe everything else might make sense.

Merry Christmas everyone!

 

[Golfeur]

it may be the vacuum sensor that is not working or an air leak through the door or hopper seals or the fine box

 

[Danno_99]

I just double checked the fines box and it appears to be sealed shut. I also cleaned the seals around the ash pit and the front face and the hopper and they seem fine too, but I’ll check again.

thanks!

 

[Golfeur]

Try bypass vacuum sensor

 

[Mt Bob]

Jumper the vacuum switch and test

 

[Danno_99]

"Try bypass vacuum sensor" and "Jumper the vacuum switch and test" were suggested.
Would these options be in the manual or should I head to YouTube?

Thanks!

 

[Golfeur]

look on youtube with your stove model and you will find how to do it you have to disconnect the 2 wires on the vacumm switch and connect them together

 

[gfreek]

look on youtube with your stove model and you will find how to do it you have to disconnect the 2 wires on the vacumm switch and connect them together

 

[Danno_99]

Could anyone please point me to the correct video? Doing a search on this comes up with many wrong suggestions.

 

[scajjr2]

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sam

 

[scajjr2]

Also didn't you say before that a service tech was coming out to look at the stove? If so what, if anything, did they find?

sam

 

[Golfeur]

video 2

 

[Danno_99]

Also didn't you say before that a service tech was coming out to look at the stove? If so what, if anything, did they find?

sam

Also didn't you say before that a service tech was coming out to look at the stove? If so what, if anything, did they find?

sam

My wife tested positive for Covid the day before he was supposed to come over and we had to cancel.

 

[gfreek]

My wife tested positive for Covid the day before he was supposed to come over and we had to cancel.

Sorry to hear hope she is doing well, you too..

The videos posted above. There is a hose connected the vacuum switch and it has 2 wires..

 

[Danno_99]

Sorry to hear hope she is doing well, you too..

The videos posted above. There is a hose connected the vacuum switch and it has 2 wires..

After watching the first video, I have to ask myself, is this something I should tackle or just a damn repair person over here??

 

[Mt Bob]

If you are not comfortable doing it, then don't.
One other thing, the Harman P stove hopper latches get "flaky" when they get old, can cause a vacuum issue especially when hopper is not full. Shut the lid( make sure your hopper lid gasket is in good shape), don't latch the latch, instead set some weight on it to make it seal, and test stove.

 

[bogieb]

And just for giggles, make sure there are no pellets, or bits of pellets on the lip of the hopper which may be causing a slight leak when the hopper lid is closed (or not allowing the switch to hit bottom). Those little bits like to hide right next to the hopper switch . . .

 

[Danno_99]

If you are not comfortable doing it, then don't.
One other thing, the Harman P stove hopper latches get "flaky" when they get old, can cause a vacuum issue especially when hopper is not full. Shut the lid( make sure your hopper lid gasket is in good shape), don't latch the latch, instead set some weight on it to make it seal, and test stove.

The crazy thing is that I hadn’t touched the stove in 2 days after troubleshooting, and sure enough it started right up last night on the first try, but when I just got home from work it, it had stopped feeding. I added pellets even though it was pretty full, and now it started feeding again. I think the cover has something to do with this. Thanks for the tip.

 

[rickwai]

Getting back to the hopper, There are 3 variations with the P series. 1- hopper lid switch in the back corner that a plunger sticks up that tells the stove if lid is shut. 2- a yellow screen that sticks up in the left side of the sloped wall of the hopper connected to the vac switch, or 3- neither and it sense vac from inside the fire box. Which do you have?

 

[Danno_99]

And just for giggles, make sure there are no pellets, or bits of pellets on the lip of the hopper which may be causing a slight leak when the hopper lid is closed (or not allowing the switch to hit bottom). Those little bits like to hide right next to the hopper switch . . .

I meant to respond to this earlier, but this was the solution I was looking for. I have a large ceramic pot sitting on the unlatched cover and it’s been working pretty good for a while now, except I can’t get the temp hot enough? I’ll make a new post when I get home. Thanks again! I was going slightly crazy