Need opinions on Harmon Advance good or bad..

[Nicholas440]

I currently have a Quad Castile Insert, and it's been a good unit for 5 years, no problems, however we're going to be moving in the next 6 to 8 months, as we inherited a relatives house, and we are thinking of putting a pellet stove in it. The pellet stove is only used for some auxiliary heat, it is not the main source of heat. Natural gas furnace is the main heating unit and its brand new.. We enjoy the looks and warmth of a pellet stove, and every year I've used about 3 tons of premium pellets in our Quad.

The dealer I deal with for my pellets, as well as yearly cleaning and general maintenance has a great deal on many of his Harmon pellet stoves this year. We looked at the Harmon Advance, and my better half loved the bay type window, and I think she really is sold on that stove. I also like the Advance, it's a very nice looking unit, and what I'd like to know is if you have a Harmon Advance can you give me your honest opinion ? Do you like it, is is noisy, smokey, etc. I have read some online reviews that were not to good. Some say every year it's another expensive repair, or they have owned one for several years and have put in hundreds of dollars in new ignitors, auger motors etc

So I'd just to get opinions on what you like about it and what you dont like. Our unit will have a very short run to the outside then straight on up to the roof line to get a good draft and it will have outside air.as well as a battery backup unit according to the dealer as he is also the installer. The Harmon Advance I looked at in his showroom, was beautiful in a gold tone trim, and it was burning much quieter than my Quadrafire. I've been to his shop several times and looked at how the Harmon was performing and he tells me that he has had little to no problems with all the Harmons he has installed in the past 10 years. The problems have been mostly minor, and many were simply a dirty stove that was not cleaned properly. Or a batch of pellets that were not very good.

Is your Harmon a good one or a bad one? I'd just like to get some views on them. I understand that there can be problems with any pellet stove, I've been in this forum for several years and I have read all the good as well as the bad. Thank you all for any input that will help me decide because I too have always wanted to own the Harmon , it looks like it is built like a tank and should run for many many years to come..

 

[mralias]

Harmon Advance

Oh boy here we go again. Edit is your friend before the Harman Police attack! A Harmon I think is a beer thread...just sayin. As far as the stove goes I would take the Quad with me, but then again I'm a little bias. Oh rats I said beer...

 

[Lousyweather]

I like the HarmAn, but honestly, they are both good units....don't think you'll go wrong either way.

 

[mepellet]

What is a Harmon? Sorry, had to do it.

I've had my Harman P61A for two years now and love it. It has been my main source of heat. Only burned about 5-1/2 tons so far but haven't had a problem. I know Quads are also very good. Having said all that, it is good to have heating options. I see you have NG. Great option! Wish I had it. I currently have oil and pellets. Working on slowly installing a wood eater right now. I think pellets will remain our main source of heat but we shall see.

 

[Bioburner]

Do you really need new? There is a couple of Harman's on CL that would leave enough $$ leftover to change out a ignitor every season for a couple decades and a couple seasons of pellets. I realize that every area has a different market. You have time on your side. Good luck with the hunt.

 

[stovelark]

Hi Nicholas- prob can't go wrong with a new Harman. I believe they have their tribulations too, but are just as dependable as anyone else (or more dependable if you are a Harman fan). Good luck. PS The Quad 1200CB has a bay window too... can't go wrong with that workhorse either.

 

[smwilliamson]

Of all the Haman products, the Advance is the only one with bay glass. Upside, its a Harman, down side, it's the most difficult of all the Harmans to clean. Watch someone clean P Series or an XXV then watch an Advance, you'll soon discover what it is I speak about.

 

[mepellet]

Of all the Haman products, the Advance is the only one with bay glass. Upside, its a Harman, down side, it's the most difficult of all the Harmans to clean. Watch someone clean P Series or an XXV then watch an Advance, you'll soon discover what it is I speak about.

Good point about cleaning. The p series are very easy to clean.

 

[STOVEGUY11]

I like the look of the Advance. What I do not like about it, as stated before is the cleaning. There are many more parts that have to come out of the stove when cleaning.Its not the end of the world though. Also when the gasket goes on the glass of the door, its a pain in the butt to replace. Besides that, its a solid stove.

 

[MountainSean]

Someone ask for a Harmon? What can I do for you?

 

[smwilliamson]

I like the look of the Advance. What I do not like about it, as stated before is the cleaning. There are many more parts that have to come out of the stove when cleaning.Its not the end of the world though. Also when the gasket goes on the glass of the door, its a pain in the butt to replace. Besides that, its a solid stove.

The part I don't like about cleaning it is, the ash bin has to come out to get to the removeable parts then the ash falls out on the floor.

 

[Harman Lover 007]

Oh boy here we go again. Edit is your friend before the Harman Police attack!.

It's all in the training.....

 

[Defiant]

Hi Nick, Everyone beat me on the spelling so I will let it be
My first pellet stove was the Advance ( it was from the first generation and was a burn model), never had a problem, sold it to a friend because I got a great deal on a used FS Accentra, sold that because I got a super great deal on a new XXV. Never had a problem with any of the stoves, replaced the igniter in the Advance for my friend and that was it. Only issues on the Advance were already revealed from other folks earlier but I would like to add that with all that glass it had a tendency to get dirty with more glass to clean. That's my .02

 

[New Hampshire Jim]

Nicholas : I have had my Harman Advance for the last 3 heating seasons. I am very happy with It and Its performance.It is not loud or smokey I keep it clean and It has rewarded me with dependable service.My house is a 1500 Sq. Ft Cape and the stove keeps us comfortable through the coldest days. I burn about 2 tons a year of real good pellets (Okies or Vermonts ) And Knock wood I have not needed any repairs. So yes I would recommend It.
Jim H

 

[Bioburner]

A very nice Harman Advance post on CL (broken link removed to http://minneapolis.craigslist.org/hnp/app/3909599140.html) for 1200. Reuse, recycle.

 

[UpStateNY]

Nicholas, I have a Harman Advance for 4 years and burn 3 tons a year. NO PROBLEMS. I am sold on Harman's auger and burn pots design. Great stove. Then again its the only Pellet stove I have owned. This stove burns just about any pellet well. i personally have never had any issues using different pellets that other pellet stove brand owners seem to complain about in forums. My exhaust is just a pipe through the outside wall with a downward elbow bend at the end. I do not have a pipe going upward. In 4 years we had 2 instances where power went out and we had a small amount of smoke smell in the house because we did not have chimney pipe going upward for a draft when no power. Other times the power went out with no smoke smell. I never have a smoke smell when the power is on.

I agree with the above comments that the Advance is hardest time consuming Harman pellet stove to clean. The Advance has 7 parts that come out for a cleaning. It takes me about 30 to 40 minutes per cleaning which for me must be done every 2 to 3 weeks. Its a nice looking stove with the bay window. I am trying to figure out if I want to spend more money on Pellets this year to reduce cleaning frequency. I burn Green Supreme pellets which are cheap at $209 a ton and create more ash than other more expensive pellets.

Knowing what I know now, if I had it to do all over again I might have gone with a different Harman that is easier to clean. Then again my wife and I like the bay windows and its not that much additional work cleaning the stove. I have no thoughts of changing stoves at this point. Solid stove and heats the entire top floor in raised ranch 26' x 43'. We have a fan in the hallway to get heat into back bedrooms during the night.

 

[Lousyweather]

The part I don't like about cleaning it is, the ash bin has to come out to get to the removeable parts then the ash falls out on the floor.

pull the bin, remove flame guide, brick back, and the 4 heat exchanger cover plates, then slap the bin back in?

 

[smwilliamson]

pull the bin, then....remove flame guide, brick back, and the 4 heat exchanger cover plates, then slap the bin back in?

the part in red is where the ash falls out on the floor

What part about me being a professional and having a legitimate gripe don't you want to afford me!

 

[Nicholas440]

Thank you all for the replies, as far as a bay window goes, for me it's not a big deal we can do without the bay window if it involves a lot more cleaning and it's more of a mess. I watched a Youtube video on cleaning the Advance, and there was a lot more than what I have to do with my Quad. I can give the Quad a complete clean up in about 15 minutes, pull the iron plates and top baffle, brush the tubes, dump the fire pot, vacuum up the mess, wipe the glass, close the door and I'm ready for the next fire. Thats one thing I like about the Quad is it's fairly easy cleanup. What I don't like about the Quad is the lack of adjustments for the fire. I'd like to see a draft adjustment, etc, so you can compensate for any irregularity in you pellet quality. There is no air adjustment on the Quad, you get a feed rate rod, and 3 speeds, Low, Med, and High, thats it.. I don't know if Harman has any air adjustments to dial in the flame properly or not. So, maybe we'll take a second look and, see how it goes, we've got plenty of time since the interior of the other house it getting a complete make over which is going to take some time but we'd like to get ready anyhow. Thanks for all the input...

 

[St_Earl]

ha! i may have the easiest to clean stove available.

at least i can top the list in one area.

hope you have a great first (and many more) winters with you new stove.

 

[Bioburner]

The p series at least with the ESP and minor control board adjustment pretty much keeps the fire at optimum burn. The room temp sensor can handle the regulating of room temperature very well. I had a Quad Santa Fe. Used it as a backup to the Bixby for a season. I would sell the Bixby but they are selling for scrap price.

 

[Lousyweather]

the part in red is where the ash falls out on the floor

What part about me being a professional and having a legitimate gripe don't you want to afford me!

well, are we a bit cranky today? Frankly, its an illegitimate gripe. Most folks, when cleaning the Advance, will open the bay door first and sweep any ash into the bin while its still in place, THEN remove the ash pan, which would minimize the amount of ash "going on the floor". If you are pulling the ash bin out without cleaning above first, then, you are simply doing it wrong, pure and simple...your way works, but, like you say, you get some ash on the floor if you do it that way.

 

[smwilliamson]

 

[Lousyweather]

welcome to retail in the late summer/fall! Will you be open for the no-tax hollarday?

 

[smwilliamson]

welcome to retail in the late summer/fall! Will you be open for the no-tax hollarday?

Damn it no!! I thought I had another week. I still dont have my stoves in yet! Oh well dude...but my promise to all...I'll give anyone 6.25% off everyday