More Heat from your Accentra

[tonyd]

I wish Harman would redesign the fancy discharge grill on the front of the stove.. Looking for better performance during this cold snap I removed the grill on the front of the stove and the results are fantastic. You can feel the discharged air from twice the distance as usual. I have done this before and my wife complains how bad the stove looks without it so it went back on. Last night I took it off again and the difference is amazing. The grill is to flat on the backside and the air hits it like a brick wall . If the castings on the back of the grill were tapered like the front of the grill, the air would move with less resistance. More air and way less noise. Fan can run at a slower rpm moving more air. Its like towing a landscaping trailer with a tall expanded steel tail gate. As open as the steel is, it still feels like your pulling a parachute. I do warn not to get any pellets into the opening while loading the stove, they will get hot enough to smolder. Im thinking about making a extended shield to keep the pellets out, but keeping the opening unobstructed.

 

[rickwai]

have you looked under the stove to confirm the squirrel cage fan is not packed w/ dust, hair ect?

 

[tonyd]

https://www.hearth.com/talk/attachm...2/?temp_hash=9c05ff5e4fec7d0d1a8a7aa32d088f37The stove is pulled every season and is given a complete cleaning. Anyone thinking they are cleaning their stove while still in the house is just kidding themselves. Take it outside with compressed air and see what you missed.... That being said ,it's not about the air that's not being pushed or pulled, Its about the air that's being pushed that's being blocked by the grill. Pull it off and tell me what you think. I don't think its my imagination.

 

[chken]

I wish Harman would redesign the fancy discharge grill on the front of the stove.. Looking for better performance during this cold snap I removed the grill on the front of the stove and the results are fantastic. You can feel the discharged air from twice the distance as usual. I have done this before and my wife complains how bad the stove looks without it so it went back on. Last night I took it off again and the difference is amazing. The grill is to flat on the backside and the air hits it like a brick wall . If the castings on the back of the grill were tapered like the front of the grill, the air would move with less resistance. More air and way less noise. Fan can run at a slower rpm moving more air. Its like towing a landscaping trailer with a tall expanded steel tail gate. As open as the steel is, it still feels like your pulling a parachute. I do warn not to get any pellets into the opening while loading the stove, they will get hot enough to smolder. Im thinking about making a extended shield to keep the pellets out, but keeping the opening unobstructed.

Could you contour the castings on the back of the grill yourself? Using high-temp silicon or something?

 

[tonyd]

I was thinking about tapering the edges of the castings( like a airplane wing) with a Dremel like they are on the front of the grill. A lot of work, but it may be worth it. The difference with the grill on and off is like night and day. The air hitting the back of the flat grill creates more noise then necessary. Anything worth doing, is worth over doing.

 

[P38X2]

Can you reinstall it backwards?...though I doubt they'll do much.

 

[tonyd]

It has a radius . Harman should cast it backwards. All the tapered pretty stuff should be on the inside. How well would an airplane wing work if it was flat on the leading edge? Well, thats what they have.

 

[P38X2]

It has a radius . Harman should cast it backwards. All the tapered pretty stuff should be on the inside. How well would an airplane wing work if it was flat on the leading edge? Well, thats what they have.

Ahh, just realized that after viewing another post.

 

[P38X2]

How bout removing some of the design? Zing out the X's inside the squares and the inner ovals? Might still have the look you're after and allow less air resistance. Smooth the cuts down and give it a coat of paint.

Be quite the project for a Dremel, though.

 

[ivanhoe]

I would try to take it somewhere to have it grinded to your taste and repaint it. Or have another one done with sheet metal and go from there...have it painted a different color to match your decor! The princess might approve, just saying.

 

[Bioburner]

4 inch die grinder would make short work of the idea. Either the removal or beveling. HF has them on sale for under $30. Use once and the bearings are usually shot but its an idea. A good Makita is over $60.

 

[tonyd]

Thanks for all the suggestions. we all benefit when all the wheels on the forum are spinning. Keep the Ideas coming Ill take a stab at one of them eventually. The Harmans are on the loud side as it is. ( I wouldn't trade it for anything) but I don't have to be satisfied with the performance. Without the grill, the room heats up sooner and you can run the blower at a slower rpm.

 

[Mt Bob]

What we used to to do on squirt boats and water scooters is knife edge the slats,still had to keep the grills for rock intrusion.It would make a remarkable difference on the boats.Would take quite a while,but you would retain the look.

 

[tonyd]

What we used to to do on squirt boats???? and water scooters?????? is knife edge the slats?????????? Please fill us in.

 

[Mt Bob]

Water intake grates for the jet pumps.Sorry.

 

[Lake Girl]

The airplane wing idea got me thinking - if you are decent at welding, would a rounded bead on the back of the casting be easier or more efficient than a grinder to bevel. Just a thought...

 

[RKS130]

I wish Harman would redesign the fancy discharge grill on the front of the stove.. Looking for better performance during this cold snap I removed the grill on the front of the stove and the results are fantastic. You can feel the discharged air from twice the distance as usual. I have done this before and my wife complains how bad the stove looks without it so it went back on. Last night I took it off again and the difference is amazing. The grill is to flat on the backside and the air hits it like a brick wall . If the castings on the back of the grill were tapered like the front of the grill, the air would move with less resistance. More air and way less noise. Fan can run at a slower rpm moving more air. Its like towing a landscaping trailer with a tall expanded steel tail gate. As open as the steel is, it still feels like your pulling a parachute. I do warn not to get any pellets into the opening while loading the stove, they will get hot enough to smolder. Im thinking about making a extended shield to keep the pellets out, but keeping the opening unobstructed.

I see yours is an insert. Can the same be done with a free standing?

 

[Delta-T]

there's likely a bit of "give and take" going on...reducing the air restriction and back pressure also reduces the residency time for the distribution air, probably reducing the actuall air temp a bit. The biggest upside is definitely the deduction in turbulance noise.

 

[tonyd]

Try it with the free standing stove. the grills are the same. Let me know what you think.
Delta, I have thought about that also (more time to heat the air). If its not my imagination it seems as though the room is filling up (volume) with warn air sooner and with less effort. I put the grill back on and nothing is telling me (other then my wife), to put it back on. The noise is a big difference. Blow air past your teeth. Then blow through your lips. Big difference.

 

[P38X2]

Before any mods, you should find out what it costs to replace, should you screw it up somehow.

Your wife doesn't seem like she'll warm up to it staying out....so get cutting and grinding

Sounds like a fun project to me.

 

[tonyd]

Definitely won't butcher the stove. I will probably start by easing all the edges first to get some of the hiss out of the discharged air. That's why I threw it out on the forum. Someone will nail it.