manually lighting a Harman

[grathan]

having troubles, my ignitor is starting to go so I try to ignite the stove manually. Though its not so manual as the stove seems to have more control than I do.

If I follow the manual, when I close the door the fan blows out the started flame and it keeps pushing new pellets out and knocking the flame out.

I have tried:
-stirring the pellets up before igniting to mix in the gel.
-turning down the feed to lowest setting.
-holding the door closed to get a draft, but not enough to activate feed or blower
-adjusting all settings including putting stove into OFF mode


I need more control over the timing of the feed drive. There is a slight flame on the left side of the pot, but the middle is continually launching flaming pellets out of the pot due to a backup of unburnt pellets.

Is there anyway to overide the computer to give me control of the feed especially during initial startup?

 

[P38X2]

Well now you've learned Harmans method is stupid........

Put the control to "run" or whatever Harman calls it. Fill the pot about 1/2 to 2/3 of the way. Goop on yer gel and mix it in a little. Light it and LEAVE THE DOOR OPEN for a couple of minutes. Shut the door and yer good.

Simple

 

[tony58]

x 2....I keep my door cracked about 5 min.,seems to help it catch...
tony

 

[exoilburner]

If your pellet burner has a thermostat try turning it down before you manually start it. If the thermostat is telling the pellet burner to heat a cold room to the normal temperature it is probably feeding a lot of pellets to catch up. I manually start all the time and that is what mine does if I don't turn the thermostat down. Sometimes it pushes pellets so much it kills the fire and the pellets overflow.

I also use a propane torch to get the pellets charred and burning on their own. Then I leave the door cracked against one of the latches to keep it from being sucked in. This prevents the auger from driving more pellets during start up. When the pellets are burning and have started to turn into coals I throw a couple of handfulls of pellets on top of them and shut and latch the door completely. It takes off and burns like crazy.

This method is as fast or faster than using the igniter and there is none of that long dense smoke the igniter causes.

 

[Bioburner]

What model are you trying to light? I have tested a couple of methods of lighting my pc45 with no problems. But maybe I am lucky or more trained In the art of fire.

 

[P38X2]

If you are only getting flames on one side there are 2 possible main problems. 1) Your burnpot holes are plugged or 2) You're not mixing your gel evenly across the top layer of pellets. Doesn't have to be perfect. It's happened to me several times and usually stems from me getting cheap when applying the sauce.

If your auger is feeding pellets and pushing them over the edge of the pot, start by trying #2 above and use less pellets to start.

 

[m159267]

Burn pot 3/4 full, stove on 'run'. Blow torch the pellets for about 45-60 seconds. Leave the door cracked about 1" for about a minute then slowly shut the door - if the flame appears to be dying open again until the flame spreads. Stove has never failed to start using this method.

 

[Lousyweather]

Burn pot 3/4 full, stove on 'run'. Blow torch the pellets for about 45-60 seconds. Leave the door cracked about 1" for about a minute then slowly shut the door - if the flame appears to be dying open again until the flame spreads. Stove has never failed to start using this method.

basically w2hat I do, just with MAPP gas

 

[gfreek]

Been using gel, just tried hand sanitizer, works much better.....squirt, mix, turn on, light, door cracked open, shut door if flame looks strong, away it goes...

 

[P38X2]

Been using gel, just tried hand sanitizer, works much better.....squirt, mix, turn on, light, door cracked open, shut door if flame looks strong, away it goes...

X2

Couldn't agree more! This stuff works FAR better than starter gel and half the price.

 

[sandpipe]

What not to do if the gel doesn't fully ignite on the first application: Squirt a 1/2 empty bottle of gel at the smoldering burn pot so that the blast of alcohol infused air hits the embers at high velocity. Don't do this unless you want to see the bottle fly out of your hand and shoot across the room leaving a trail of burning spots of gel on things like the carpet and chairs. I won't be trying that again!

 

[gfreek]

Also, do not add gel, close the door, open the door, light, then turn on... unless you want a nice blast that scares the crap out of ya.... what was I thinking.... Hello..........anybody in there..???

 

[Bioburner]

I thought that was the fast way to clean the stove and exaust.
The Germans about starved a chunk of Europe making spuds into alcohol for the V2 rocket

 

[grathan]

This is retarded. I have a huge fire licking the ceiling of the stove with tons of fully glowing pellets filling the pot and yet as soon as I close the door the stove stars pushing everything into the pan and the fire goes out.

 

[Harman Lover 007]

This is retarded. I have a huge fire licking the ceiling of the stove with tons of fully glowing pellets filling the pot and yet as soon as I close the door the stove stars pushing everything into the pan and the fire goes out.

Do you have the switch in the manual position? Or auto? What model stove is it?

 

[boosted3g]

The auger will only start to feed when the door is shut and the temperature is high so either dont start with the burn pot so full or just let it burn longer and leave the door cracked. It was october 24th when you first posted you had this problem and you still dont have a new ignitor yet call it retarded?

 

[SXIPro]

Set the dial to stove temp(lowish) not room temp. I've never had to leave the door cracked. 1/2 burnpot of pellets, goop it, mix it, light it, close the door and go grab a beer. Once you get a steady flame and steady heat, flip it to room temp if you so desire.

 

[P38X2]

You shouldn't have "tons" of pellets in the pot to start with. You probably have so many pellets in there, the fire is burning near the edge of the pot. When you shut the door, the auger is pushing against the unburned pellets and pushing the fire off.

Lighting a Harman is stupid easy! Way easier than lighting a wood stove. Harman auto igniters....perfect example of over complicating a beautiful simply designed stove....and here are the results!

Ya, I know.....

 

[grathan]

The pot is empty when I start, when enough pool into the pot I remove them to soak in fuel then put them back and ignite

.

The auger will only start to feed when the door is shut and the temperature is high so either dont start with the burn pot so full or just let it burn longer and leave the door cracked. It was october 24th when you first posted you had this problem and you still dont have a new ignitor yet call it retarded?

That is the problem, the stove is reaching temperatures and activating cycling. I do have a new ignitor, just trying to see if manual ignition is a good way to go. The new ignitor had cost over $100 and only seems to last a season and a half. The stove has a "manual" mode, just exploring this, thanks

Set the dial to stove temp(lowish) not room temp. I've never had to leave the door cracked. 1/2 burnpot of pellets, goop it, mix it, light it, close the door and go grab a beer. Once you get a steady flame and steady heat, flip it to room temp if you so desire.

I will try the Stove Temp (lowish) mode again.thanks



I did want to share something that I found useful. If you crack the door as the feed auger begins to cycle, it breaks that cycle and gives pause before the cycle starts again. This allows a more control over the feed while still getting better combustion with the door closed.

 

[Bioburner]

Whatever you do DO NOT START WITH LIQUID FUELS IF STOVE IS WARM OR HOT your inches away from a fuel air explosive. Write ups on that subject usually come with a statement of you have to be crazy to mess with etc etc.