Squeaking in my new P68

[newf lover]

I just had my P68 installed this afternoon (no pics today, batteries are dead in my camera). I am very happy, but have noticed a squeaking sound when the pellets are being fed. It's probably like every 60 seconds or so. I am burning Dry Creek; I did not notice fines, and it can't be too dirty since I 've only been burning for 5 hours. Before I call the dealer tomorrow, I was wondering if anyone had an idea of the problem and a solution I could try. I think this will annoy me when I'm trying to sleep. If I'm supposed to oil somewhere, can you be specific as to the location because I am still clueless. Thanks.

 

[imacman]

Go to this thread, and listen to the video clips at the end....does yours sound like that?

www.hearth.com/econtent/index.php/forums/viewthread/29941/

 

[newf lover]

More like the second one. It's definitely only when the pellets are being fed, when the feed motor light is on. I'll give the dealer a call from work. It was annoying enough so I turned the stove off last night, put it back on to warm up the kitchen/living room today.

 

[tmoran]

More like the second one. It's definitely only when the pellets are being fed, when the feed motor light is on. I'll give the dealer a call from work. It was annoying enough so I turned the stove off last night, put it back on to warm up the kitchen/living room today.

I also have the P-68 and have had it sqealing off and on. Drives me nuts. Tonight I got in from plowing and the stove was squealing so loud it was driving me NUTS. The dog even kept following me around. So I did a search and found this site. Very informative!! I did as folks say and scraped the living crap out of the burn pot and taped gently on the auger with the flimsy tool that is supplied. As of right now it is dead quiet!! I thought I was going to need to do some major work on it before my Christmas company got here. I was ready to fire my woodstove back up.....

on another note.....
When I bought my P-68 I bought my pellets from the dealer also. They are Premium 1% Ash content, hardwood blend, called "PA Pellets" out of Pennsylvania. Anyone have good/bad experience with them? This is my first year of using a pellet stove as I've been burning wood for years. Taking me a while to get used to the blower noise. But I do like having my farmers porch free of wood and can look outside to see what's going on.

 

[newf lover]

I had the dealer come out, and was told I needed a new bearing (?), Unfortunately, I have been waiting for the part to be delivered from Harman. The dealer tells me it will be in Monday, but I'll believe it when I see it. He tried to make it quieter before he left, but it only lasted about an hour. If this doesn't do the trick, I will be making a fuss about it big time. The stove was delivered defective; it's not like I had it for a few months and then this started. While I've been running the stove during the day because I love the heat more than hate the noise, I can't use it overnight as I can't seem to get used to the nails on a chalkboard sound.
Despite this, I actually love the stove. My house has never been this warm. We'll see what happens. Glad that worked out for you!

 

[tmoran]

I'm still getting the intermittent little squeaks... It wakes me up and drive me nuts(it's doing it right now as I type this...). I've called my dealer a couple of times and the folks I need to speak with are never there and the girls working there tell me they'll have them call me as soon as they get in. That hasn't happened yet....

 

[newf lover]

My dealer has been very attentive, but the squeak always comes back in 8-10 hours. He's been out 3 times, and is calling Harman next week (they're on shutdown or something). Like you, it's driving me nuts. If I put graphite in the bottom of the hopper I do have quiet for about 8 hours, but that's not addressing the real problem. He told me he found a large number of fines in the feeder body. My pellets seem fine to me, but just to eliminate another possible cause, I've been sifting. After sifting 3 bags, I got less than a cup of fines. I asked if there could be something malfunctioning in the stove that's pulverizing the pellets to cause this, he didn't think so. I plan on removing the rear panel tomorrow and checking the feeder body for fines. If there's a large number, no one can convince me the stove isn't doing something to cause this. In your case, if you can get them out, it might just be resolved by filing down the slide plate or the auger itself. It seems to work for everyone but me.

 

[tmoran]

In the owners manual it says that there will be a lot of fines and it will burn them fine. This pellet stove is supposed to burn basically the cheap and premium pellets. I took all the back panels apart last week and vacuumed everything out. I've gone through almost 3 tons since I got it and there was not much back there. I'm shutting the friggin' thing down today and doing SOMETHING as the thing squeaks EVERTIME it feeds now. It kept waking me up last night. Yesterday (Jan1) was freezing here in NH so I also lit my wood stove. Awesome heat, NO noise.....

 

[BignBeefy]

Did your SCRAPE near the auger?There is a ridge that builds up of creosote or clinkers what have you and when the auger rotates,it rubs and squeaks.Get the pointy end of the tool and dig in.You will find the ridge,and probably 4 ignitor holes you didnt know were there...Had the same problem,but my dealer told me the issue and when it squeaks,I scrape.Try that

 

[tmoran]

Yup, Scrape the bajeezus out of it! BUT.... I now know what causes the mysterious squeak I let my hopper go down to nothing today. First started by scraping the burnpot and around the end of the auger. Ran it in the test mode for a cycle. Still friggin' squeaked!! Before I tore it apart and voided my warranty I called my dealer...again. AGAIN a service rep was not there and they told me to call back at 1:00 PM. I'm a mechanic by trade (Maintenance Manager for a local municipality) and ran it through another test cycle and watched how the pellet feeder at the bottom of the hopper slides to feed, then slides back. It is when the feeder slides back that it makes the squeak. Pulled the panel on the back so I had better access and watched how it worked, once again in the test cycle. If you hold out your pointing finger and thum and make a "C" it is a U shaped cam that a bearing rides inside to make it slide back and forth during the feed cycle. I worked back and forth it by hand and could simulate the noise. So I figured it could be the bushings it turns in. Covered everything up with paper towels and lubed the pivot points with penetrating oil. Worked the mechanism back and forth and put more lube to it. I found that there is a little in and out back lash, maybe an 1/8th of an inch. If the mechanism is out, more towards back of the stove it will squeak. If it is toward the front, it doesn't. I feel it is the feeder slide inside the feeder box hitting on the sides that makes the squeak. So I went in search in my barn in the hopes of finding a double split shaft collar to hold it in place. I couldn't find one but for right now I pushed the shaft in as far as it would go "in" and I am using a hose clamp on the very end of the shaft pushed tight to the outside mount. SILENCE It's now 12:45 and I've got it fixed before I can even call them. I should go to work for these knuckle heads.

 

[newf lover]

I'm not a mechanic and I only understood 1/2 of what you said, but I'm wondering if that's my problem as well. I would be curious to see if your stove squeaks after about 8 hours like mine does. The dealer would work on it, file down any burrs, changed the bushing etc., and in the process would lube everything. It always worked great for about 8 hours, and then the squeak would start again. It was squeaking last night as usual, I shut it down, then cleaned it this morning and restarted it. It immediately started squeaking. Within seconds after I put some graphite in the bottom of the hopper, the squeak stopped. I don't think it could be the auger because there was no time for the graphite covered pellets to work their way through.
What is the manufacturing date on your P68? Mine is Nov. 2008. I don't know if our problem is rare or we are one of many. If all dealers are like yours is, Harman is not getting informed of any widespread problem, and whatever solution there is will take longer. I hope your stove continues to behave.

 

[tmoran]

The reason the graphite works for a little while is because it's putting a little lube on the sides of the feeder. If you have an empty hopper. Standing on the control side, put your stove in Manual, make sure all your doors are closed and put it in the "test" mode you should be able to watch your feeder which looks like a piece of sheet metal moving. On mine when it fed, sliding away, no squeak. But when it returned, it sqeuaked. Mine is still silent as of right now. The double split collar I spoke about is basically two halves that clamp around a rod held together with usually two allen screws. The shaft looks like it's a 3/8 shaft. Should be able to pick one up at a local industrial supply or a really good hardware store(i.e. NO Home Cheapo). I'll report if it last, but I really feel I've nailed it. I looked up my manufacture date and it was 8/8/07.

 

[Jim H.]

Yup, Scrape the bajeezus out of it! BUT.... I now know what causes the mysterious squeak I let my hopper go down to nothing today. First started by scraping the burnpot and around the end of the auger. Ran it in the test mode for a cycle. Still friggin' squeaked!! Before I tore it apart and voided my warranty I called my dealer...again. AGAIN a service rep was not there and they told me to call back at 1:00 PM. I'm a mechanic by trade (Maintenance Manager for a local municipality) and ran it through another test cycle and watched how the pellet feeder at the bottom of the hopper slides to feed, then slides back. It is when the feeder slides back that it makes the squeak. Pulled the panel on the back so I had better access and watched how it worked, once again in the test cycle. If you hold out your pointing finger and thum and make a "C" it is a U shaped cam that a bearing rides inside to make it slide back and forth during the feed cycle. I worked back and forth it by hand and could simulate the noise. So I figured it could be the bushings it turns in. Covered everything up with paper towels and lubed the pivot points with penetrating oil. Worked the mechanism back and forth and put more lube to it. I found that there is a little in and out back lash, maybe an 1/8th of an inch. If the mechanism is out, more towards back of the stove it will squeak. If it is toward the front, it doesn't. I feel it is the feeder slide inside the feeder box hitting on the sides that makes the squeak. So I went in search in my barn in the hopes of finding a double split shaft collar to hold it in place. I couldn't find one but for right now I pushed the shaft in as far as it would go "in" and I am using a hose clamp on the very end of the shaft pushed tight to the outside mount. SILENCE It's now 12:45 and I've got it fixed before I can even call them. I should go to work for these knuckle heads.

was yours just an intermittent noise only once in awhile? every so often within the last few days (running since october with @ 1 ton so far) mine will do a small sqeek only either coming back or feeding not both ways. and by taking the back panel off it is easy to access? It can go for hours and not make a peep then all of a sudden for a second or so you get the squeek.
Jim

 

[bungalobob]

Yup, Scrape the bajeezus out of it! BUT.... I now know what causes the mysterious squeak I let my hopper go down to nothing today. First started by scraping the burnpot and around the end of the auger. Ran it in the test mode for a cycle. Still friggin' squeaked!! Before I tore it apart and voided my warranty I called my dealer...again. AGAIN a service rep was not there and they told me to call back at 1:00 PM. I'm a mechanic by trade (Maintenance Manager for a local municipality) and ran it through another test cycle and watched how the pellet feeder at the bottom of the hopper slides to feed, then slides back. It is when the feeder slides back that it makes the squeak. Pulled the panel on the back so I had better access and watched how it worked, once again in the test cycle. If you hold out your pointing finger and thum and make a "C" it is a U shaped cam that a bearing rides inside to make it slide back and forth during the feed cycle. I worked back and forth it by hand and could simulate the noise. So I figured it could be the bushings it turns in. Covered everything up with paper towels and lubed the pivot points with penetrating oil. Worked the mechanism back and forth and put more lube to it. I found that there is a little in and out back lash, maybe an 1/8th of an inch. If the mechanism is out, more towards back of the stove it will squeak. If it is toward the front, it doesn't. I feel it is the feeder slide inside the feeder box hitting on the sides that makes the squeak. So I went in search in my barn in the hopes of finding a double split shaft collar to hold it in place. I couldn't find one but for right now I pushed the shaft in as far as it would go "in" and I am using a hose clamp on the very end of the shaft pushed tight to the outside mount. SILENCE It's now 12:45 and I've got it fixed before I can even call them. I should go to work for these knuckle heads.

was yours just an intermittent noise only once in awhile? every so often within the last few days (running since october with @ 1 ton so far) mine will do a small sqeek only either coming back or feeding not both ways. and by taking the back panel off it is easy to access? It can go for hours and not make a peep then all of a sudden for a second or so you get the squeek.
Jim

I've also got the P68 model, and although I don't have a regular 'sqeak' as this post speaks of. Mine gives an incredible 'squeal' on occasion, maybe my squeal is the same as your squeaks, just describing different. This occurs maybe once a week or so, probably more, since I am not there 24/7. If this becomes a problem, it's nice to know that a regular Joe found the cause and remedy. Keeping this thread in mind for future.

 

[tmoran]

Jim,
Since I started mine up in October I'd get the squeak intermittently. I do believe there are instantances when the auger can make a the squeak and sometimes the Squeal when the so called "Clinkers" get built up. I've gone through that also. But I know this intermittent, then constant squeak during the feed cycle was caused by my the feeder and only on the return stroke. It's very easy to remove the back panel on the P-68. Loosen 4 screws and the panel can slide off. If you are going to put a clamp in like I did it's much easier to remove the pipe and rotate the stove so you can get your hands in there to work on it. That one second squeak has caused me many hours of sleep. I slept like a baby last night as mine is still SILENT!! If anyone needs me to walk you through it, send me a PM and I'll give you my tel. number. Harman should do this as a simple upgrade fix and won't hardly cost them anything.

Tom

 

[tmoran]

Still no sqeaking!!

 

[tmoran]

Repeat-Still no squeaking one month later and another ton and a half. This baby LOVES pellets! Might have been cheapter to burn oil.....

 

[newf lover]

Very happy to hear that worked for you. After 4 or 5 visits, mine is OK now too. They grinded, sanded, and who knows what else to get it quiet. Every once in a great while, I'll get a squeal, but that's it. I have printed off your post and will keep it handy in case it comes back. It's over my ability mechanically to do what you did, but I would have no problem handing it to my dealer and asking that he try this. My P68 loves pellets too; on cold days like we've been having, 2 bags a day. I am not complaining because for the first time in 18 years, I can sit in my living room and it's actually warm. We have cathedral ceilings, skylights, and not enough baseboards to keep it warm even with the furnace going. Even if I don't save money, I will still be happy because I am comfortable.

 

[bungalobob]

Glad that your fix is still working, I also have saved your remedy in case I need it. Hope I never do though, the occasional squeals I was getting have disappeared on their own for now, don't remember the last one that I heard.

 

[tmoran]

am not complaining because for the first time in 18 years, I can sit in my living room and it's actually warm. We have cathedral ceilings, skylights, and not enough baseboards to keep it warm even with the furnace going. Even if I don't save money, I will still be happy because I am comfortable.

Yeah, I'm the same. Log cabin, cathedral ceilings and 6 big skylights. On those REALLY cold days I'm close to 3 bags. Today it was around 50 degrees and I put it in the "Stove Temp" mode set at 60 degrees and barely used any pellets and it stayed around 70 inside. The bags sure have come in handy for empty beer cans....

 

[marcopolo]

I had the exact same problem. I had the rep who installed it out today and he islotated it down to the auger shaft/ burning pot assembly friction. He thinks it will go away in time..how much time is the question? He torqued one side of the auger shaft tighter than the other creating a less "plumb" fit so there was no friction. It seems apparent that there is a real issue with QC on the Harman P68 feeder.


PS Imagine that with everyone wanting to get a rebate from Uncle Sam.

 

[bungalobob]

Mine started to squeak the other day again, it has been running a few weeks and I hadn't gotten around to cleaning it yet. Hasn't really been going all out though with the mild weather. Gave it a good cleaning and the squeal was still there after start up, but after a few hours it stopped and has not come back again yet. If it is like last year it will be just an intermittent problem that comes and goes every now and then. It didn't bother me last year that much and hopefully won't this year either.

 

[newf lover]

marcopolo, did yours squeak pretty much out of the box? If so, that's a bunch of cr_p saying it will go away in time. I wasn't happy with the kength of time it took my dealer to finally solve the problem, but it wasn't for lack of trying. I think he came out 4 or 5 times, trying various things. He finally really went to town on the auger and sanded the heck out of it. Except for a rare intermittent squeak, which is normal, haven't had a problem. If yours is still squeaking, I would have him drag his butt back out to your house....