# PF100 and PB105 Burn Pot Issues



## Skippydo (Nov 29, 2011)

Have not heard of any problems with the burn pots this year.
Is everything going well?
My 4th year, (knock on wood), I am still on my original.
Burning full winter.
No news is good news!!


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## exoilburner (Nov 29, 2011)

Check out this thread on the Corn Burners forum.  My latest stainless steel burn pot will need replacing (under warranty) pretty soon.

http://www.iburncorn.com/new-forum/27-harman-stove-company/7396-pb-105-burnpot?limit=10&start=10


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## mcmaxx (Nov 29, 2011)

4 th winter here with pf100 the burn pot was fine in early nov. no bubbles or cracks, now there is a bubble and crack from hole to hole about 3 holes long, I have a possible idea as to what caused mine to bubble and crack, I let the furnace run completely run out of pellets while in auto-light as the furnace ran out of pellets it tried to light itself with no pellets in pot and did this for some time making the pot extremely hot, hot enough to bubble and crack I had checked the pot only 1 or 2 days prior to letting it run out of pellets and the pot was fine and now bubbled and cracked.


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## Skippydo (Nov 30, 2011)

mcmaxx:
That really sucks....
Let me know if you have any trouble getting a replacement.
This is my 4th year also.....I keep the pellets full.
Once I start the PF100, I turn to manual....uses a few more pellets,
but as far as I am concerned, worth it, just watch the ash on the burn pot
and usually have to clean daily, just a normal routine.
Good luck on your replacement.


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## wil lanfear (Dec 1, 2011)

*The burnpot bubble issue hasn't been resolved yet but*..........My dealer has mentioned to me that for the past month Harman has been testing a PB-105, checking temps within the combustion area to see if they can determine what is causing this issue with the burnpots. The testing has shown that the pellets that were used, the temps ranged from 700*F to 1200*F depending on which pellets were being used. I suspect the temps could be higher yet using a good softwood pellet. The stainless steel that is now being used to manufacture these burnpots is rated at 1100* heat resistant, IMHO,(Harmans too) the reason that the burnpots are failing. My dealer told me that Harman will be using a different steel alloy trying to correct the issue, I should be receiving one of these very soon to test.


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## Pellet_Dog (Dec 10, 2011)

I just noticed when I cleaned mine a week ago it is starting to bubble ever so slightly.  It's been installed a year and I've burned through about 4.5 tons of Lignetics green label.

When should I report it to my dealer so they can order a new burnpot, when the cracks start forming between the holes?

I'm not sure stainless steel is the right material for the burn pot, it has a higher linear expansion coefficient than regular steel.

I think Inconel or a similar type nickel-chromium alloy would do the trick and survive the temperatures our PB-105s dish out, the same material is used in turbocharger exhaust turbines and jet engine turbine blades.


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## Ejectr (Dec 10, 2011)

Before I installed mine, I wrote Harman an email and said I had heard there was a problem with the burn pots in the PF100 and asked if they would consider sending me a stainless steel one.  They told me that with normal maintenance, the regular burn pot was fine and I got nothing.  To be honest, I'm not impressed so far with Harman's customer repore.  The couple of times I've contacted them, they seem to be a little too high and mighty regarding customer issues and their answers are pretty short.


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## SmokeyTheBear (Dec 10, 2011)

If the pellets reach charcoal stage they will get above 1100 Â°F.


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## Ejectr (Dec 11, 2011)

How often should you scrape the burn pot?  Seems if I don't do mine for a couple days, I get a lot of heavy carbon build up when I do scrape it.  I'm using Okanagan pellets.


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## Skippydo (Dec 11, 2011)

Twice  a day I am clearing off the front of the burn pot, and at that time I take a sharp
screwdriver and scrape across the bottom of the burn pot and loosten any buildup.
And amazingly, when I shut down and do a good cleaning, my burn pot only takes a
few scrapes and all carbon is gone.  Comes off easier when hot.


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## exoilburner (Dec 11, 2011)

Ejectr said:
			
		

> How often should you scrape the burn pot?  Seems if I don't do mine for a couple days, I get a lot of heavy carbon build up when I do scrape it.  I'm using Okanagan pellets.



I get some carbon build-up on the bottom of the burn pot.  The build up varies with different pellets.

What works best for me is what Red does.  I took a long heavy duty screwdriver and ground the end to a sharp point.  When I ram that down in there over and over again it does a good job of digging into the buildup and knocking it loose.  It's tough stuff.  The scraper just rides over the top of the buildup.


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## Ejectr (Dec 11, 2011)

Thanks for that advice.  I'll be doing the same.


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## Ejectr (Dec 19, 2011)

If you scrape the burn pot wth a fire in it and extinguish the fire, how will it re-ignite?


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## wil lanfear (Dec 19, 2011)

wil said:
			
		

> *The burnpot bubble issue hasn't been resolved yet but*..........My dealer has mentioned to me that for the past month Harman has been testing a PB-105, checking temps within the combustion area to see if they can determine what is causing this issue with the burnpots. The testing has shown that the pellets that were used, the temps ranged from 700*F to 1200*F depending on which pellets were being used. I suspect the temps could be higher yet using a good softwood pellet. The stainless steel that is now being used to manufacture these burnpots is rated at 1100* heat resistant, IMHO,(Harmans too) the reason that the burnpots are failing. My dealer told me that Harman will be using a different steel alloy trying to correct the issue, I should be receiving one of these very soon to test.


These photos are of the new and improved (maybe)burnpot that was installed in my PB105 boiler today. It appears that the burning surface is still stainless with cross bracing welded to the bottom.


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## Centurion (Dec 20, 2011)

Thanks for the great pictures Wil.  It would appear that with the added bracing to the bottom side it would no longer be possible to use use the original igniter with the fins. Would you agree Wil?  I remember that you were given one of the new air pumps to see if that would resolve the issue.  This could get interesting.


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## exoilburner (Dec 20, 2011)

Looks like a different convection air hole layout.  Where will the finned igniter go for those that don't have the hot air ignition.  Hope this is just an experiment and not a band-aid fix!  Thanks for the update Wil.


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## Centurion (Dec 20, 2011)

Also, is it possible that the reason why some folks did not have the burnpot issue untill after 4 year or so is because the pellets they use were not capable of the hotter temperatures thought to be responsible for the bubble?


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## SmokeyTheBear (Dec 20, 2011)

Forgive me for butting in, just a guess those cross braces look like they are adding a heat sink into the colder combustion air to cool off the pot under the fire.


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## wil lanfear (Dec 20, 2011)

Centurion said:
			
		

> Thanks for the great pictures Wil.  It would appear that with the added bracing to the bottom side it would no longer be possible to use use the original igniter with the fins. Would you agree Wil?  I remember that you were given one of the new air pumps to see if that would resolve the issue.  This could get interesting.


 Yes, I do have the pressure ignition system installed in my boiler, I really like this, ignites quickly. I agree, the finned igniter couldn't be used with this burnpot.I have some mixed feelings about this being a band-aid fix, my thoughts were to have the burnpot burning surface with a higher heat resistant steel alloy. I know that this nickel alloy metal is very expensive but.....it's very possible that the thoughts were that these cross braces will act as heat sinks to lower the temps on the burnpot, maybe. I was told by my dealer that during testing that Harman discovered that different pellets burned at different temps (surprise, surprise)   so.... my guess is, yes, depending on what pellets one is using determines the time prior to a bubble forming.    

http://www.onlinemetals.com/merchant.cfm?id=880&step=2&top_cat=131


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## Ar-ef-bee (Dec 28, 2011)

Greetings - newbie on the site, but I've been looking over threads for a few months now.  I have a PF100, installed last December.  I started it up about two months ago, before Halloween, and I am just now getting the start of a bubble.  I clean the burn pot every other day.  Right around the time I changed pellet brand recently, I noticed a lot of carbon was built up at the bottom of the pot.  Once I got it scraped off, I found the bubble.

I've experienced some changes this year over the behavior last year and I am wondering if any of them are further related to this.  

Last month I have had a problem with the distribution fan limit switch.  I was able to get my dealer to provide me with the part.  The new one is better but acts differently.  I set it per the manual, but it was cycling the fan pretty often, like one minute on, one minute off.  I decreased the lower limit setting about 10 degrees and it seems to be better now.

I cleaned the cumbustion blower before I replaced the limit switch in case I was not getting a good mixture.  It was not too bad and I didn't note any change in the flame height after the cleaning.  I cleaned out the chimney before start up and have it scheduled to do again this weekend.  The chimney is 4 feet vertical and 8 feet horizontal.  The basment Bilco door is not very well sealed (yet) so we don't need an outside air kit (yet).

Went through about 2 tons of pellets last year (January to April) and almost a ton so far this year.  My house is relatively new construction, only 1400 sq.ft. and well insulated, with a good southern exposure for heat efficiency.

At the end of the season last year, when the unit had to cycle more often becasue of warm days and cold night, the ignitor burned out.  It was the old style ignitor, and a new style igntor was installed.  

I bought a ton of pellets from a local distributor and another from Lowes last year.  I bought some from Walmart this year that claimed to be Premiun Hard Woods, but the ash content was much higher that what I had last season.  I am trying a really low ash brand from a stove shop for my current fuel.

So I wonder if any of these three things could be a factor in the burn pot failure:
new ignitor
failed fan limit switch
cheap pellets
(Now the really fun part is going to be getting a service call scheduled. :-S )


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## exoilburner (Dec 28, 2011)

Welcome to the forum Ar-ef-bee; good to have another PF100 owner participating here.  Getting to be quite a few of us.  Was curious if your distribution fan control/ HI limit switch is located 11 inches above the top of your furnace cabinet and mounted on center of the duct?  If not you may have to compensate for it being out of position for the factory adjustments.  You may need to have a certified HVAC person adjust it for the correct fan control and high limit set points.  You could copy his settings and how he figured it.  The High Limit adjustment is an important safety feature that will shut down the fuel feed to the furnace if the duct temperature gets too high.

Also this would probably get a better response if you started a new thread.


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## Ar-ef-bee (Dec 28, 2011)

Thanks for the prompt reply! I really brought this up here because it seemed to be a pre-cursor to the bubble forming in the pot. 
Actually the fan limit switch is placed exactly as the manual requires is and I didn't fool with the high limit.  I realize how important that is.


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## Skippydo (Dec 28, 2011)

Still hard to believe with all the problems with the  burn pot bubble, that this being my 4th year for the PF100,
both mine and my sons, we have not had any issues with the bubble.  
When the burn pot is cleaned, that is the first thing that I check.
I have used various brands to pellets.
Doing something right, praying to the right person....NO, you can't have their name...haha


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## wil lanfear (Dec 29, 2011)

Red Devil said:
			
		

> Still hard to believe with all the problems with the  burn pot bubble, that this being my 4th year for the PF100,
> both mine and my sons, we have not had any issues with the bubble.
> When the burn pot is cleaned, that is the first thing that I check.
> I have used various brands to pellets.
> Doing something right, praying to the right person....NO, you can't have their name...haha


   I know that you run your furnace in manual, continuous burn, hmmm, I'm wondering if this might be the reason why you aren't having the issue with the burnpot.


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## Ar-ef-bee (Dec 29, 2011)

This may sound odd, but what chimney type and length are you using Red D?  My thought is that back pressure from a long chimney could keep the heat from dissipating in the fire box, causing the steel to heat past it's recommended use.
If your prayers go to the church of the Steelers, that would explain a lot.


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## Former Farmer (Dec 29, 2011)

wil said:
			
		

> Red Devil said:
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I agree.  It seems that the more that my unit ignites, the quicker the burn pot cracks.  I still have the finned ignitor.  

Have thought of upgrading to the ignitor that uses the compressor, but after seeing that Wil still has many issues, I don't think that it is worth it.


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## Skippydo (Dec 29, 2011)

Wil
Both my son and I burn  on manual.
You would think that Harman would take that into consideration.
With the continuous burn, there is always heat going through the vents.
That, I like..
Ar-ef-bee:
I am just using the recommended stainless.  
My run is up 2 feet and slight rise Horizontal to outside.
What I am going to do this year at the end of the season, is bag off the end.
We had a wet spring/early summer, and moisture did get into the pipe.  No big deal.
My son has the same stainless, but goes straight up through the roof.
10-4 on the Steelers!!


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## exoilburner (Dec 29, 2011)

I run my PF100 the same as Red.  Manual continuous burn and do have the burn-pot problem. 

Ar-ef-bee check out this thread for a good discussion of ideas for causes of this problem and a poll of PF100 owners.
https://www.hearth.com/econtent/index.php/forums/viewthread/53004/


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## wil lanfear (Dec 29, 2011)

exoilburner said:
			
		

> I run my PF100 the same as Red.  Manual continuous burn and do have the burn-pot problem.


Well, that shoots down my thought that Red wasn't having an issue because of manual operation. I'm convinced that with the testing by Harman to determine temps within the combustion area, these temps exceeded the heat resistance of the steel alloy used to manufacture these burnpots which IMHO (Harmans also) result in the burnpot bubble issue.


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## exoilburner (Dec 29, 2011)

wil said:
			
		

> exoilburner said:
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I think your are right.  Especially with the information in this thread about the large temperature differences between pellets.  Appears that the pellets that burn the hottest range outside the temperature ratings of the burnpot plate.  Couple that with weakening of the plate from air holes being drilled in it and the temperature difference between the burning surface and the intake air surface of the plate and it doesn't take much imagination to see a weakness there.  

I wonder if outside moisture from an OAK adds to the problem.  The underside of the plate of the first burnpot I replaced was in far worse condition than the top side of the plate.  There is a picture of it in the link noted in one of my other posts.


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## Ar-ef-bee (Dec 29, 2011)

No OAK yet (until I finish the basement) but I did just start using a better grade of pellet.  I wonder if I should have stuck with the $3.83/bag stuff from Wally World.


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## Skippydo (Dec 29, 2011)

I also DO NOT use an OAK.
Large first floor and keep doors open, also spreads the heat.


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## bwep (Dec 30, 2011)

Hmm..... looks like i might be getting added to the list of burn pot failures. Not a bubble up, but down on mine. Looks like one of the holes is starting to elongate. Not sure how long its going to last, hope the rest of the burning season. This unit has burned 8 ton since installing last year. I'm guessing a new replacement must be around $250 ?? Have already replaced the auto igniter @ $85.00. This keeps up going to be pretty tuff saving any money. On a side note, gas funace is 10 years old and  has never needed any parts ......


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## Ejectr (Dec 30, 2011)

How do you remove the burn pot from the furnace?  I scrape mine in place but haven't removed it as yet.


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## Skippydo (Dec 31, 2011)

Never replaced mine in this 4th year of burn.
Yes, I use the scraper provided, and a sharp screwdriver.
My fingers do the feeling, screape till it is smooth and all the scale is gone.
Did you check with your Harman dealer and see if your problem area are covered?
The burn pot(with all the problems) should be replaced by your dealer for free.
Don't know if there is a service call or not....lot of people on here that have had theirs
replaced, wether they did it themselves or not, I am not sure.
Happy New Years to you and your family.
I would think that it is a little bit of a major project.


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## wil lanfear (Dec 31, 2011)

bwep said:
			
		

> Hmm..... looks like i might be getting added to the list of burn pot failures. Not a bubble up, but down on mine. Looks like one of the holes is starting to elongate. Not sure how long its going to last, hope the rest of the burning season. This unit has burned 8 ton since installing last year. I'm guessing a new replacement must be around $250 ?? Have already replaced the auto igniter @ $85.00. This keeps up going to be pretty tuff saving any money. On a side note, gas funace is 10 years old and  has never needed any parts ......


Why did you have to pay $85.00 for the igniter, it's covered under the warranty?? The burnpot is also covered under the warranty, the  burnpot in my boiler has been replaced 15-20 times over a 4 year period, lost actual count, under the warranty.


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## wil lanfear (Dec 31, 2011)

Ejectr said:
			
		

> How do you remove the burn pot from the furnace?  I scrape mine in place but haven't removed it as yet.


No reason to remove the burnpot unless it needs to be replaced. The PB105 boiler burnpot is real easy to replace, swings out with the pellet bin, the PF100 burnpot doesn't swing out, more difficult to remove the 4 nuts that hold it in place plus the top flame guide can be a bear to align properly. If you decide to remove the burnpot for whatever reason other than having to replace it, you will probably need a new gasket at a cost of around $8.00.


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## Ejectr (Dec 31, 2011)

wil said:
			
		

> Ejectr said:
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Just wondering how people are seeing that they are cracked or bubbled.  I can't see the bottom of mine.  Are they feeling the crack or bubble or viewing it with a mirror?


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## Labrat (Dec 31, 2011)

I use the camera on my phone and take a pic of it.  I can see all the way down to the auger.


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## wil lanfear (Dec 31, 2011)

Ejectr said:
			
		

> wil said:
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 I would guess that a "mechanic's mirror," swival head, extending handle, and a light would be very helpful in detecting the start of a bubble on the burnpot burning surface.


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## Skippydo (Dec 31, 2011)

I use my hand  and feel all the way down to the auger, and the full burn pot.
If there was a bubble, (either way), I would be able to feel it.
If needed be, I would use a camera, that way I could "see" what was on the burn pot.


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## exoilburner (Dec 31, 2011)

Ejectr said:
			
		

> Just wondering how people are seeing that they are cracked or bubbled.  I can't see the bottom of mine.  Are they feeling the crack or bubble or viewing it with a mirror?



The bubble does not form at the bottom of the burnpot.  On mine it is midway in the holes just above the igniter location.  

I use an inspection mirror and clip a high intensity goose neck book lamp on the far side of the burn pot.  This lets me see all the way down to the end of the auger.  I made a small modification which allows the removal the fire box door from it's hinges making it easier to see down to the mirror and burn-pot.  Removing the door also makes a deep clean easier.  But this is NOT a recommendation to make any modifications to the PF100.


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## bwep (Jan 2, 2012)

wil said:
			
		

> bwep said:
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## Ejectr (Jan 2, 2012)

Wow.  The manual says it has a 6 year warrantee.  Must have been just over the wire.  That's too bad.


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## exoilburner (Jan 2, 2012)

*Wil*
You have replaced more burn-pots than the rest of us.  What brands of pellets have you been using?


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## richg (Jan 2, 2012)

wil said:
			
		

> bwep said:
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## wil lanfear (Jan 8, 2012)

exoilburner said:
			
		

> *Wil*
> You have replaced more burn-pots than the rest of us.  What brands of pellets have you been using?


 The first year I used PA pellets, second year Pot O Gold, third year Vt Wood Pellets, this year Okies. The burnpot bubble issue has been occurring quite often, usually in about 2 weeks, using the softwood pellets, my guess because they burn hotter.


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## exoilburner (Jan 8, 2012)

wil said:
			
		

> exoilburner said:
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Same here.  The only pellet I have ever burned is premium softwood.


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## Smolson (Jan 16, 2012)

Hi folks, I am new to site and looking to buy a PB105 boiler this summer. Has Harman made any changes to to correct the bubbling issue of the burn pot? Concerned about multiple replacements and downtime.  Plus, this is a great site!


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## wil lanfear (Jan 17, 2012)

Smolson said:
			
		

> Hi folks, I am new to site and looking to buy a PB105 boiler this summer. Has Harman made any changes to to correct the bubbling issue of the burn pot? Concerned about multiple replacements and downtime.  Plus, this is a great site!


 Please read post # 13. This is the newest burnpot design but it only can be used with the pressure ignition system so.......... if you do purchase a PB 105, make sure that the one that you purchase has this ignition. This burnpot has been installed for about a month now, still looks the same today as it did when it was installed. All of the other burnpots after a couple of weeks I could see a small bubble forming so in my case this is a improvement.


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## Ejectr (Mar 8, 2012)

How difficult is it to change the burn pot on a PF100?  I don't know if I have a hard carbon build up on the right side ramp of the burn pot going down to the auger or a bubble.  I'll have to get a mirror and flashlight in there to see.  Furnace is under warrantee but my dealer is out of business.  I may have an avenue to get a burn pot under warrantee, but I'd have to put it in myself.


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## Skippydo (Mar 8, 2012)

Know what you mean by a carbon buildup on the right (and left) side of the burnpot.
It is not the easiest to remove.  
The easiest  way is when the pellets are hot, use a leather glove and a sharp ended
screwdriver and scrape at a angle 
or
after the fire is out, but still warm, also use a sharp screwdriver at an angle and scrape.  Usually comes
off in a big hunk.
I then use my hands to feel the whole burn pot......when it is cool, naturally.
Make sure when you clean out under the burn pot that you tap the top of the burn pot,
a heck of a lot of debris will fall.
Never removed my burnpot yet!!  knock on wood!!


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## exoilburner (Mar 8, 2012)

Ejectr said:
			
		

> How difficult is it to change the burn pot on a PF100?  I don't know if I have a hard carbon build up on the right side ramp of the burn pot going down to the auger or a bubble.  I'll have to get a mirror and flashlight in there to see.  Furnace is under warrantee but my dealer is out of business.  I may have an avenue to get a burn pot under warrantee, but I'd have to put it in myself.



Not difficult for someone with some home mech. repair experience.  

Shut power off to the furnace.  

Either disconnect the igniter wires (you can see the igniter wires in the picture) or unbolt the igniter and feed it thru the burnpot hole.  The igniter wire connectors are located behind the lower cover under the pellet hopper.  

Remove the Fire Brick and it's mounting bracket.

Remove the 4 nuts holding the burn-pot to the fire box.   It's gasket is very fragile and should probably be replaced before reinstalling (it looks like fiberglass matting).  The 4 studs that the burnpot is fastened with are anchored in the thin firebox metal so be careful to not over torque the nuts.  The back 2 nuts are a bit difficult to get to and blind so you may need a socket with an extension and a u-joint or just a combination wrench.


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## Ejectr (Mar 8, 2012)

Thanks.  I'm going to get a better scraping tool and hopefully it is carbon.  If not, your directions are very helpful.


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## Skippydo (Mar 8, 2012)

If it is not carbon, I owe you a beer!


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## Ejectr (Mar 12, 2012)

Red Devil said:
			
		

> If it is not carbon, I owe you a beer!


I owe you a beer.  Used a sharp screw driver and it was carbon build up.  Burn pot is fine.


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## Skippydo (Mar 12, 2012)

I feel bad winning a sure thing!
But thanks for the beer...


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## wil lanfear (Mar 16, 2012)

wil lanfear said:


> These photos are of the new and improved (maybe)burnpot that was installed in my PB105 boiler today. It appears that the burning surface is still stainless with cross bracing welded to the bottom.


 UPDATE: It has been nearly 3 months since the new designed burnpot was installed in my boiler. To date, this burnpot looks the same as when it was installed, no bubble issue at all. Prior to this burnpot, any that were replaced,after 2 weeks a small bubble could be seen forming. If you have a pb105 or a pf100 with the burnpot bubble issue, if you have the pressure ignition, talk to you're dealer about this burnpot. If you have the finned ignition, talk to you're dealer, telling them about the fix for the bubble issue, maybe changing to the pressure ignition with this burnpot, do it now before the warranty expires.


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## Ar-ef-bee (Nov 17, 2014)

wil lanfear said:


> UPDATE: It has been nearly 3 months since the new designed burnpot was installed in my boiler. To date, this burnpot looks the same as when it was installed, no bubble issue at all. Prior to this burnpot, any that were replaced,after 2 weeks a small bubble could be seen forming. If you have a pb105 or a pf100 with the burnpot bubble issue, if you have the pressure ignition, talk to you're dealer about this burnpot. If you have the finned ignition, talk to you're dealer, telling them about the fix for the bubble issue, maybe changing to the pressure ignition with this burnpot, do it now before the warranty expires.



Hi Wil,
How has the PB been treating you?  Is that burnpot still holding up?
I burned far more than usual last year; the pot is holding up but I have had regular ignition issues.  I believe the current cold snap is pushing the manufacturers to ship inferior pellets that are either too moist or too high temp to ignite easily.  
Last question - did they need to replace your control board for the new burnpot and igniter to work?
RichB


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## wil lanfear (Nov 24, 2014)

Ar-ef-bee said:


> Hi Wil,
> How has the PB been treating you?  Is that burnpot still holding up?
> I burned far more than usual last year; the pot is holding up but I have had regular ignition issues.  I believe the current cold snap is pushing the manufacturers to ship inferior pellets that are either too moist or too high temp to ignite easily.
> Last question - did they need to replace your control board for the new burnpot and igniter to work?
> RichB


* I'M HAPPY,* I now have the newest model burnpot which has outlasted any other burnpot that was replaced. I can't remember when this burnpot was installed, I think it's been over a year now and it looks as good as when it was installed. IMHO, I believe the burnpot bubble issue has been resolved. My control board was replaced when the pressure ignition was installed, some time ago in an effort to fix the burnpot bubble issue. If you are having ignition problems, meaning long ignition times, make sure the quanity of pellets in the burnpot at ignition is not excessive. The least amount of pellets in the burnpot the better for quick ignition. The link below is to the newest designed burnpot kit including the part number. post # 39

https://www.hearth.com/talk/threads/pb-105-burnpot-revisited.115489/page-2


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## d-dayman (Aug 28, 2017)

wil lanfear said:


> * I'M HAPPY,* I now have the newest model burnpot which has outlasted any other burnpot that was replaced. I can't remember when this burnpot was installed, I think it's been over a year now and it looks as good as when it was installed. IMHO, I believe the burnpot bubble issue has been resolved. My control board was replaced when the pressure ignition was installed, some time ago in an effort to fix the burnpot bubble issue. If you are having ignition problems, meaning long ignition times, make sure the quanity of pellets in the burnpot at ignition is not excessive. The least amount of pellets in the burnpot the better for quick ignition. The link below is to the newest designed burnpot kit including the part number. post # 39
> 
> https://www.hearth.com/talk/threads/pb-105-burnpot-revisited.115489/page-2



Hey Wil,

Did they ever get the burnpot issues resolved. Is it just the ignition process not being set right, or do you have to have the new 309 stainless steel burnpot? I Just picked up a used Pf100 that's in great condition for $1000. Burnout is fine right now, but does have a slight hump where the usual problem occurs. I would like to get this resolved before the burning season arrives.


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## Duffman (Mar 22, 2018)

Hey there, sorry to resurrect an old thread, but I picked up a pf100 for my shop/garage and am absolutely in love

Attached are my pictures of the repair of the burn pot, I'll let you know how it goes.

Figure I'll run it the rest of the season on this repair and maybe grab a new one in the summer

TIG
150amps
309 filler
Brushed and ground through
Drilled both ends to prevent more cracking
Hammered back to flat(ish)
	

		
			
		

		
	















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## Mr._Graybeard (Mar 23, 2018)

Nice, neat repair. You might find it interesting that the improved "lifetime" burnpot has slots cut in the perforated area -- in effect, built-in "cracks."


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## Former Farmer (Mar 24, 2018)

Mr._Graybeard said:


> Nice, neat repair. You might find it interesting that the improved "lifetime" burnpot has slots cut in the perforated area -- in effect, built-in "cracks."



New style burnpot also has holes drilled in the sides.


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## Duffman (Mar 24, 2018)

Mr._Graybeard said:


> Nice, neat repair. You might find it interesting that the improved "lifetime" burnpot has slots cut in the perforated area -- in effect, built-in "cracks."


I did see that, I figured I'd see how this does for the remainder of the season and maybe cut those in if I can get a slitting saw in there.

The thought of just fabricating a new one from 309l isn't out of the question.


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## Mr._Graybeard (Mar 24, 2018)

Former Farmer said:


> New style burnpot also has holes drilled in the sides.


Yep, that may decentralize the draft and keep it from getting too hot front and center.


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## Mr._Graybeard (Mar 24, 2018)

Duffman said:


> I did see that, I figured I'd see how this does for the remainder of the season and maybe cut those in if I can get a slitting saw in there.
> 
> The thought of just fabricating a new one from 309l isn't out of the question.
> 
> ...


You may be aware of this, but EarthSense has made its own version of the improved burnpot. Still not cheap at over $400, but more reasonable than the factory model.

I had the burnpot on my boiler replaced three times under warranty. Third time, with the final redesign, was the charm. I'm thinking it all came down to the type of steel Harman used.


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## Duffman (Mar 24, 2018)

Mr._Graybeard said:


> You may be aware of this, but EarthSense has made its own version of the improved burnpot. Still not cheap at over $400, but more reasonable than the factory model.
> 
> I had the burnpot on my boiler replaced three times under warranty. Third time, with the final redesign, was the charm. I'm thinking it all came down to the type of steel Harman used.


I think so too, afaik they just used a medium carbon steel, maybe even just regular low carbon stuff. 

I was aware they did make a new weldment but it isn't as much fun as building your own!

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## d-dayman (Aug 14, 2018)

Duffman said:


> I think so too, afaik they just used a medium carbon steel, maybe even just regular low carbon stuff.
> 
> I was aware they did make a new weldment but it isn't as much fun as building your own!
> 
> Sent from my SM-G955U using Tapatalk



Duffman, What did you end up doing with your burnpot? Did you but a new one or fab one youself? 

I took mine to a local guy here who said he could cut out the flat section of the burn surface and weld in a new piece of stainless for $150.00. I explained to him how the new burnpot is designed, with the slits cut in, and the side vents. He said he would cut in the slits too. Figured it might be worth trying.


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## Mr._Graybeard (Nov 2, 2018)

Well, well. Scraping the burnpot in my boiler the other day I noticed a small crack extending from a hole that is at the end of one of the expansion slots in the burnpot floor.  It's 3/16 of an inch at most, and I don't see any warpage associated with it ... so I'll just keep and eye on it for now.


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## Former Farmer (Nov 4, 2018)

Mr._Graybeard said:


> Well, well. Scraping the burnpot in my boiler the other day I noticed a small crack extending from a hole that is at the end of one of the expansion slots in the burnpot floor.  It's 3/16 of an inch at most, and I don't see any warpage associated with it ... so I'll just keep and eye on it for now.


How long has your burnpot been installed?  Is it a Harman burnpot?  

I haven't been using my PB105 the last few years with propane prices being lower.  This year, propane was just a little cheaper than what pellets are.


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## Mr._Graybeard (Nov 4, 2018)

The pot was installed under warranty, I think, at the end of the 2013-14 season by my Harman dealer. I've been getting lots of pellets on sale from Menards, mostly in the $180/ton range. So pellet heat is pretty competitive to oil in that range. ... plus, the pellet boiler is more efficient then my cast-iron oil dragon.

It's a small crack, way toward the front of the pot in the second rank of holes, IIRC -- I suspect it's the result of expansion and contraction in that area rather than direct heat damage


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