New here and new Pellet stove installed (Harman Advance)

[planetb]

I am new here (first post) . I just bought 3 weeks ago a brand new Harman Advance. It replaced my 1980's “The EarthStove mp-250” (still worked great, but very loud for my TV room). The new stove was installed last Thursday and so far everything is great.
For some reason mine came without the hopper knob or the grill. It also has no Harman name plate on the ash box. I know the dealer asked what grill I wanted (color wise) when I ordered it and it cost extra (think it was $200 or so for the brass or whatever the color options they offered) I didn’t want the extra cost as I was already spending almost $6k on everything delivered, installed, etc. So told them I didn’t want any special colors for the grill. I was a little surprised that it came with no grill at all. The dealer was contacting Harman about getting a knob for me as it is what keeps the lid sealed. The guys that did the install were also a little surprised that it was missing the knob and didn’t have a grill.

I’m fighting with the pellets right now as I have 3 different types in my supply from the old stove :

Lignetics (From Ace hardware)
Pennington Nature’s heat pellets (from Sams club/wallyworld)
American wood fibers Ultra Premium White pine (from the shop I bought the stove)

Will need to order some soon. So going to try a couple other brands I can get locally :

Hammer’s Hot ones
O'Malley Premium Hardwood Pellets

Stove is running on auto mode with a feed rate of 4.
I am on my first bag of Lignetics so far in this stove and I don’t smell as much smoke as the Penningtons. I did find a small leak in the pipe and added some sealant on the pipe, so time will tell if that was what I was smelling. The Penningtons gave a lot of ash buildup and clinker in the firepot. Had to scrap the firepot lip area daily.

The AWF White pine burned real nice, but a little hard to find other than buying them by the ton. They gave off a soft pine tree type smell and seemed as dusty as all the other ones I’ve tried over the years.

I have been seeing a 6 blink status light from time to time when on room temp mode, but have not seen any no starts so far. Not 100% sure why it is doing the status 6.

Anyways. The been reading the site for a couple weeks now and figured I would join up and post one time. Lots of great info!

 

[kinsmanstoves]

You need to order the trim kits to get the hopper knob. The tile for the top is also needed to be ordered.

six blinks is usually related to your pellets.

Eric

 

[CT Pellet]

I am on my first bag of Lignetics so far in this stove and I don’t smell as much smoke as the Penningtons. I did find a small leak in the pipe and added some sealant on the pipe, so time will tell if that was what I was smelling.

Congrats on the new stove...Awesome unit!
As far as the smoke smell goes, I'd bet my chestnuts that the smell of smoke had EVERYTHING to do with the leak in the pipe as opposed to the brand of pellets that you were burning. Even the worst pellets out there will not cause a smokey smell in your house, that is ALWAYS a stove issue. Welcome aboard, I

 

[planetb]

You need to order the trim kits to get the hopper knob. The tile for the top is also needed to be ordered.

six blinks is usually related to your pellets.

Eric

Crazy. It came with tile.. Wonder if I can order the trim kit some place? Been searching around and have not seen any sites with it so far.

 

[planetb]

Congrats on the new stove...Awesome unit!
As far as the smoke smell goes, I'd bet my chestnuts that the smell of smoke had EVERYTHING to do with the leak in the pipe as opposed to the brand of pellets that you were burning. Even the worst pellets out there will not cause a smokey smell in your house, that is ALWAYS a stove issue. Welcome aboard, I

Looks like it was the pipe, I dont smell it anymore as of right now and its been about 24hours now. It was only happening on startup when the most smoke is created in the stove.

thanks!

 

[Lousyweather]

the Advance SHOULD come with a trim kit INCLUDED. If your Advance has gold door trim, you should also have the matching knob AND gold grill. Part #1-00-08735-4 is a gold frame kit, consisting of the door window surround, grill, and knob. How do you open the hopper without the knob and catch thats the OTHER end of the knob, holding the door snug against the gasket? Some dealers play pricing games- price stuff as "extras" when they really arent- all of our (and most of my competing dealers')Advances INCLUDE a grill, knob, AND tileset. Your dealer may simply be just "forgetting the grill.....weird, since the door trim, grill and knob all come in the same box tho.

As for your smoke smell.....you shouldnt smell ANY. The most likely culprit is poorly sealed stove/pipe connection on the exhaust nipple. Second most likely culprit is a brnd of pipe which has more of a propensity to leak...dont want to list brands here, to avoid going OT with folks who LOVE that brand...suffice to say, certain brands seem more inherently likely to leak....'nuff said!

 

[kinsmanstoves]

Crazy. It came with tile.. Wonder if I can order the trim kit some place? Been searching around and have not seen any sites with it so far.

I have heard of a place, I think it is called Kinsman Stoves and if I remember correctly their website is (broken link removed to http://www.kinsmanstoves.com) and maybe the phone number is 330-448-0300.

Just saying
Eric

 

[kinsmanstoves]

the Advance SHOULD come with a trim kit INCLUDED. If your Advance has gold door trim, you should also have the matching knob AND gold grill. Part #1-00-08735-4 is a gold frame kit, consisting of the door window surround, grill, and knob. How do you open the hopper without the knob and catch thats the OTHER end of the knob, holding the door snug against the gasket? Some dealers play pricing games- price stuff as "extras" when they really arent- all of our (and most of my competing dealers')Advances INCLUDE a grill, knob, AND tileset. Your dealer may simply be just "forgetting the grill.....weird, since the door trim, grill and knob all come in the same box tho.

As for your smoke smell.....you shouldnt smell ANY. The most likely culprit is poorly sealed stove/pipe connection on the exhaust nipple. Second most likely culprit is a brnd of pipe which has more of a propensity to leak...dont want to list brands here, to avoid going OT with folks who LOVE that brand...suffice to say, certain brands seem more inherently likely to leak....'nuff said!

Right, what do I know?

Eric

 

[Lousyweather]

Right, what do I know?

Eric

and youre point is? Im missing it.

 

[kinsmanstoves]

the Advance SHOULD come with a trim kit INCLUDED. If your Advance has gold door trim, you should also have the matching knob AND gold grill. Part #1-00-08735-4 is a gold frame kit, consisting of the door window surround, grill, and knob. How do you open the hopper without the knob and catch thats the OTHER end of the knob, holding the door snug against the gasket? Some dealers play pricing games- price stuff as "extras" when they really arent- all of our (and most of my competing dealers')Advances INCLUDE a grill, knob, AND tileset. Your dealer may simply be just "forgetting the grill.....weird, since the door trim, grill and knob all come in the same box tho.

As for your smoke smell.....you shouldnt smell ANY. The most likely culprit is poorly sealed stove/pipe connection on the exhaust nipple. Second most likely culprit is a brnd of pipe which has more of a propensity to leak...dont want to list brands here, to avoid going OT with folks who LOVE that brand...suffice to say, certain brands seem more inherently likely to leak....'nuff said!

The unit comes from the factory in black. The customer has to pick gold or s/s trim kits. the kits come with the grill, door trim, and the hopper knob. The customer than has to pick what tile he wants to fill the open holes. Still attempting to guess what your words in capital letters mean.

Eric

 

[Lousyweather]

oh...seems to me the OP bought a unit that was missing things that are included with the unit from most places. Ive had competition cheapen the units by omitting the trim kits and appearing to be cheaper than everyone else. Dont know who the OP bought their unit from, just saying that some dealers play stupid games like this....for me tantamount to buying a new car with no tires.

 

[kinsmanstoves]

oh...seems to me the OP bought a unit that was missing things that are included with the unit from most places. Ive had competition cheapen the units by omitting the trim kits and appearing to be cheaper than everyone else. Dont know who the OP bought their unit from, just saying that some dealers play stupid games like this....for me tantamount to buying a new car with no tires.

The units come all black from the factory and the buyer has the choice to purchase the trim kits (three choices). The unit will run without the trim kits but they cost extra. Base unit is $3459 and the kits cost $319 and the tile is $48. How a dealer sells the unit is on him but no trim come with the unit from the factory.

Eric

 

[Lousyweather]

hmm....I wonder how many dealers here do that, or actually include that in the price......
its like, for instance, the p35i.....techinically, the unit doesnt come with a lintel kit or an insulation blanket, but have yet to see an install that didnt need one (in fact, the insulation kit is specified in the instruction, but not included?)
Put me in the our Advances include a trim kit, specified by the buyer, as well as a tile set.
Do folks spend the money on an Advance and not buy a tile set, therefore having three triangular openings on the top of the stove by the hopper? to date, we have sold 101 Advances.....not a one where anyone didnt want a trim kit or tile set.....

I guess there's a fair amount of folks here who have Advances....why not put it up to them....tile.trim kit or not? What does yours have (or none)?

 

[kinsmanstoves]

Never sold one without the trim kit or tile but that is how they roll out of the factory.

Eric

 

[Lousyweather]

Never sold one without the trim kit or tile but that is how they roll out of the factory.

Eric

yep, absolutely correct......it IS how the send 'em out......dont know why tho, other than it forces the salespeople to ask what the trim kit they want is....i also dont know why they send the P35i's out without an insulation blanket and lintel kit....you know they will need them, why not have them included....one of those little mysteries in life?

 

[kinsmanstoves]

keep cost down.

Eric

 

[Lousyweather]

keep cost down.

Eric

thats what the p43 is for.......

 

[Jefflitzy]

Ya no shid. I price my Harman's with these xtras in the price for a complete stove.

 

[planetb]

Thanks for all the info and help. I was able to track down a brand new trim kit for a very good deal over the weekend , Knob is on and installed the grill also, Just need to install the door trim later on when the stove cools off. Found the leak around the lower pipe connection and a little high temp stove/chimney caulk seemed to fix the Smokey smell. Using on Avg about 1 40lb bag every 24 - 30hours right now with it set on auto and 72-75degrees. I do find myself scraping the lip of the burn pot twice a day (when I check on the stove) as it gets a good amount of ash buildup. Emptied the ash pot one time so far and it was 3/4 of the way full after 2 weeks.

 

[imacman]

....a little high temp stove/chimney caulk seemed to fix the Smokey smell......

The members on the forum have been telling Smokey that he smelled for a couple of years.....glad you fixed that for him.

 

[DemonGT]

wish they made this stove in a insert.