# Harman XXV blinking status light 5 times



## swalz (Feb 4, 2008)

My wife called me to let me know the stove is not working and it is blinking the status light five times. I tried the dealer but they are close on Mondays. Any one know what the error code 5 is?


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## mgambuzza (Feb 4, 2008)

Heres a suggestion from a previous poster:

"Just 2 more things to check. Have you cleaned around the igniter? Tapping the firepot with the igniter exposed lets a lot of ash fall through. Empty the hopper and make sure there are no foreign objects in it. I went through all the clean up procedures and would get the 5 blink error message and I found a bolt in the hopper. It was full of pellet dust and was hiding very well until I touched it. 5 blinks means no ignition in 36 minutes, so either no pellets are getting through (which you’d see), the hopper is getting stuck open(like trying to light a match in the wind), or the igniter is not working, either through failure or being insulated by ash. Did the fire ignite readily in the past or did it take awhile? "

Hope this  helps.


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## swalz (Feb 4, 2008)

I have notice that it has been taking awhile to light, I clean out the fire pot every 2 weeks and scrape the top every day and tap a couple of times to clear out the holes. I also let it run almost out of pellets and clean out the hopper of fines and dust every week, I am not home right know and will check when I get home. Also I get a rumbling from the fire box and the flames get pushed down like air is blowing from the top every so often. I was going to ask the dealer about this to see if I was having a problem any suggesting.


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## GVA (Feb 5, 2008)

swalz said:
			
		

> Also I get a rumbling from the fire box and the flames get pushed down like air is blowing from the top every so often. I was going to ask the dealer about this to see if I was having a problem any suggesting.


Can you elaborate on this a bit more?

Also the more you scrape the ash away the more falls through the burnpot and on the ignitor...


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## swalz (Feb 5, 2008)

GVA said:
			
		

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The pellets were bridged in the hopper; I scrape the burn pot because I am getting a lot of clinkers on the right side of the burn pot. The Rumbling vibrates the floor and it is like the hot flames are meeting with cold air and they vibrate up and down very aggressively. If I open the hopper lid you can feel the vibration and it is very loud. I just had the stove install mid December and I know they did not draft test, they keep insisting that they don't need to. I have gone through about a ton and had to empty the ash pan 4 times and the sides fill up with a lot of fly ash. The Dealer that I went to sold the business a week after I bought the unit and he came very recommended the new owner does not seem to know the stoves as well.


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## tinkabranc (Feb 5, 2008)

Be sure that ignitor area under burnpot is cleaned out and the holes 
at the very bottom of the burnpot are scraped good. The xxv is not
picky about pellet brands but the dirtier they burn, the more you have
to clean.


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## Alan (Feb 5, 2008)

Check your manual on the draft test & adjustment.  The manual on my Harman Advance says "This adjustment should be done by the installer during set up because a draft meter reading is REQUIRED to insure proper set up."

--Alan


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## MSmith66 (Feb 5, 2008)

swalz said:
			
		

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The person that installed your stove should have done a draft test before starting the stove for the first. There should be a place for the draft reading in your manual that the installer would have written down, IF he had done the draft test.


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## MSmith66 (Feb 5, 2008)

How is your stove vented and how many feet of pipe do you have atteched to the stove?    If you have only burned one ton , it does not seem enough for the holes to be clogged under the burn grate.  Your conbustion blower generates the vacuum in your stove which gives you a good burn rate.     As far as ithe 5 blinks, you ignitor may be bad. Check to make sure your ignitor switch is in AUTO.


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## swalz (Feb 5, 2008)

The stove is working, the draft test was not done. I was not there to see what they did, they were 4 hours late and I had to go to work, but I did ask if it was done and I was told no. The vent pipe is 3 inch and has one elbow at the stove then goes straight up 14 feet with no attic to go through, 10 foot ceiling. I have also taken a lighter around the door and on each side near the bottom the flame gets pulled in. Before I go to the dealer I what to make sure that it is a problem and let him know he can't say it is normal. I think that there is a air leak into the stove and that is why it rumbles sometimes. I mention that I thought the door was pulling air through but was told the stove would not work if it did. I don't think that is true and want to make sure I am correct before asking the dealer to check it out.


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## GVA (Feb 5, 2008)

Well I would say it is sucking air...  From what you described..and yes, the stove will work in most cases but a draft reading now compared to before (when it was installed) is really one of the key reasons it is supposed to be draft tested in the first place....It's another diagnostic tool.................

Mine stove would do it once in a while (usually the kids had forgot to snap the hopper down tight)
Signs (and sounds) of a gasket leak
stove is woofing..........Sounds like a helicopter coming towards you but not as loud... ;-P 
stove can have a faint whistle
Flames will kinda pulsate with the rumble


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## Dougsey (Feb 6, 2008)

GVA said:
			
		

> Also the more you scrape the ash away the more falls through the burnpot and on the ignitor...



GVA, How often would you suggest scaping the burnpot on a Harman?


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## MSmith66 (Feb 6, 2008)

swalz said:
			
		

> The stove is working, the draft test was not done. I was not there to see what they did, they were 4 hours late and I had to go to work, but I did ask if it was done and I was told no. The vent pipe is 3 inch and has one elbow at the stove then goes straight up 14 feet with no attic to go through, 10 foot ceiling. I have also taken a lighter around the door and on each side near the bottom the flame gets pulled in. Before I go to the dealer I what to make sure that it is a problem and let him know he can't say it is normal. I think that there is a air leak into the stove and that is why it rumbles sometimes. I mention that I thought the door was pulling air through but was told the stove would not work if it did. I don't think that is true and want to make sure I am correct before asking the dealer to check it out.



 You might want to recheck the length of your pipe, if you have at least 15ft including any 90 or 45 degree turns. When using 15 ft of pipe or more, Harman requires you use 4" pipe. Any 90 or 45 degree turn is 3 feet, I'm sure, length of pipe including all staight  pipe.


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## swalz (Feb 6, 2008)

msmith66 said:
			
		

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I have 2 - 5', 1 - 3' and 1 - 90 degree elbow, I ask about 4" and was told I did not need it. I was adding 1' for the elbow but I guess I should add 3' so I would have 16' of pipe. 

Should I go to the dealer and request that it be changed out?


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## MSmith66 (Feb 6, 2008)

swalz said:
			
		

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I would call the dealer and request that a skilled tech come out and recheck the install and do a draft test. There can be a number of things wrong and the draft test is a good start.  If you get NO where with the dealer , I would call Harman and pitch a good one.


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## GVA (Feb 6, 2008)

Dougsey said:
			
		

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I scraped mine every day...
Mainly just to break the clinkers at the bottom by the auger tip.
It is important to note that it was run as sole heat for the house and never shut off, and if it did (during a warm spell) after it was cool I would clean out under the burnpot.  I used to do a full cleaning about every half ton too, It helps to keep the efficiency up....
Most ignitor problems are found in the fall and spring when the stove cycles on and off frequently...Or when one uses it with setbacks etc..


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