# Harman XXV making a whistling noise



## Jim W (Jan 24, 2012)

I'm in my second season with my Harman XXV and this afternoon it started making an intermittent whistling noise every time it would feed.  Hmmmm Any help would be great, it's cold outside


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## mepellet (Jan 24, 2012)

Whistling?  hmmmm I am new at pellet stoves but haven't heard of that before during operation.  Mine whistles during startup when the pellets just catch fire but not any other time.


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## gfreek (Jan 24, 2012)

Either carbon buildup on end of auger, build up of fines (empty fines box on auger assembly), or auger motor. My motor was replaced because it was whistling/screeching on 3/2011, 3 months after purchase.  This all assuming that your auger assy is similar to mine.


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## mepellet (Jan 24, 2012)

If you do empty the fines box, could you report back about what you found in there?  After two weeks or so I get about 1/8 cup of fines and about 20 or so 1/4" pellets.


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## Lousyweather (Jan 25, 2012)

a high pitched whistle (or squeel) when feeding is almost always carbon buildup in the burnpot just in front of the auger. That being said, sometimes it can be a feed motor or fines container buildup. Really pretty common. Just make sure, if you call a tech out for it, that the burnpot is totally free of carbon....its pretty hard stuff, and sometimes you need to get aggressive to remove it. To do a good job of cleaning the burnpot, you need to let the stove go out.


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## Jim W (Jan 25, 2012)

I cleaned everything out.  fines in box.  used powdered graphite to lubricate.  was running great for about an hour then started whistling again.


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## Lousyweather (Jan 25, 2012)

Jim44 said:
			
		

> I cleaned everything out.  fines in box.  used powdered graphite to lubricate.  was running great for about an hour then started whistling again.



Im sure you did, Jim, but we get that alot.....then you get out there, and the hard mass is still sitting in the bottom of the burnpot, smiling back at us.......common exclamation from the customer at that point is often....."wow.....I didnt know THAt was supposed to come out of there....!".......So, if yours is cleam, maybe its the gearmotor, but now, since you did the graphite thing and got some relief, Im thinking not, as it did stop and came back.......im thinking one of a few things.....
1. deposits on the flight of the auger causing misalignment of the auger and contact with the auger tube
2. loosening of the auger retaining bolts in the back of the stove, causing the auger to contact the auger tube
3. deformation of the flights of the auger, causing auger tube contact
4. a hopper gasket which has been compromised

one problem with these whistles is that they often come and go, and its darn hard to fix something that isnt making noise at the time...


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## tony58 (Jan 25, 2012)

Lousyweather said:
			
		

> J said:
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Like the post above #4 check your hopper gasket.My P38 was doing a low whistle and that's what it was.I would raise the lid and it went away and start again when I closed the lid.


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## Jim W (Jan 25, 2012)

Lousy Weather,
Thanks for the input... Is there anyway you could talk me through on checking #'s 1-3 on your list.  I would call my dealer, but they are terrible to deal with.


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## slheinlein (Jan 26, 2012)

Clean it again.  Carbon build up.  I use a long screw driver to get down to the auger good.  Clean good where the auger turns.  The whistle will usually work itself out over time but you might go crazy first.  It's all metal down there so don't be shy, scrape it good to ensure all buildup is gone.


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## Jim W (Jan 26, 2012)

To all my pellet friends.
My problem is fixed!  Whistling is gone.

Thank you so much for all your advice and knowledge, this forum is great.


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## tony58 (Jan 26, 2012)

So let us in on the secret!What was the problem?


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## Jim W (Jan 27, 2012)

carbon buildup... It was much quieter after i cleaned it and added the powder graphite.  then it stopped all together.


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## gbreda (Jan 27, 2012)

Jim44 said:
			
		

> carbon buildup... It was much quieter after i cleaned it and added the powder graphite.  then it stopped all together.


Glad you found it.

Almost always this on a Harmon; especially during long, low burn periods.  With mine in the basement, it usually isnt too loud and goes away on its own.  If it's loud or persistant, some good scraping handles  the issue.


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## Lousyweather (Jan 27, 2012)

Jim44 said:
			
		

> I cleaned everything out.  fines in box.  used powdered graphite to lubricate.  was running great for about an hour then started whistling again.



good for you, Jim! yea, its pretty common, but, sometimes it really is the hopper gasket or the bolts, or sometimes even the gearmotor, but, if I had to guess, I'd say maybe 95% of the time, the whistle is actually a high pitched squeel, and it is carbon buildup......and may customers, while thye do a good job of cleaning, tend to miss that.....much to their consternation when the tech comes out and shows them....then charges for a service call....


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## Mnbrown (Jan 27, 2012)

Jim was the carbon build up in the burn pot or in the auger tube?  If the build up is in the auger tube how do you clean that?  I suspect that removing the auger motor and auger would be a lot of work?

Thanks!


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## Jim W (Jan 28, 2012)

Medicine bear,
Luckily mine was at the burn pot.  I scraped everything out and hit it with a couple of puffs of powdered graphite.  It still squealed for an hour or so after, but not as loud or consistent.  She's been been quite and keeping us warm ever since.  Good luck to ya


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