P43 out of control

[gutlo]

I have a 9 year old Harman P43. It has performed flawlessly ( except it won't self ignite).
Today, it started to burn very hot. I had it on stove temp, with Constant Temp on minimum setting and feed limit on minimum. It fed pellets as if at maximum+ and the flame was leaping up very high. The bottom part of the flame was blue.

I switched to room temp, 70 degrees, with the same results.

I had cleaned it a week ago. I poked the burn pot holes again, found a few jammed ones, stated it again, same results.

OAK is installed, flapper is open.

I need some help figuring out what's going on. Thanks to all who reply.

 

[rickwai]

Sounds like a esp or board issue. Replace esp, if that dont fix it replace board. I always replace the esp when replacing a board.

 

[gutlo]

Rick,

Could it be a dirty ESP?

 

[Mt Bob]

In my experience, a dirty ESP causes long shutdown time, longer time for convection fan to come on, slow reaction to room and stove temp settings. More likely it was damaged during the cleaning, But, you can try cleaning the control pots. If you have no contact cleaner, turn all of them back and forth 5 or six times, adjust ant start stove, see what happens.

 

[gutlo]

Bob,
Did I mention that I have never removed and cleaned said ESP? I rigged up a brush with a long handle and brush off the probe from the inside every time I do a major cleaning (3 times a year). Could I have built up a coating of crude that insulated the probe? This would cause it to send a signal to the control board that it is cold when it isn't.

 

[Mt Bob]

I never remove mine. A soft boiler brush does just fine, from inside the stove. Before that,I uses a normal flue brush, just don't ram or yank. Yours may have just died, or your control board has died.

 

[gutlo]

Bob,
Thanks so much for your info. I ordered a new one and will install Monday. I'll post the results.

 

[Tonyray]

agree with using a bristle brush to gently clean the ESP..
8yrs and never removed it..
doesn't have to be factory shiny to work correct...

 

[gutlo]

Thanks, Tonyray. for the confirmation. I thought that I was being negligent by not taking out the ESP and cleaning it.

 

[Tonyray]

Thanks, Tonyray. for the confirmation. I thought that I was being negligent by not taking out the ESP and cleaning it.

Yes. They either work or dont work. No partial working even when dirty. Its just ash that coats it.

 

[gutlo]

Thanks for that info about the esp probe, Tony Ray.