Harman Accentra 2 Pellet Stove Trouble!
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Using this calculator its a difference of 19.53 more watts with the new igniter using 120 volts for the voltage. The old igniter rated at 286.85 watts the new one at 306.38 watts. My igniter measures 54.5 ohms, 264 watts, and it still fires the boiler, takes a few minuites when starting a cold boiler. I think the Harman igniters are rated around 300 watts when they are new.fedtime said:
http://www.the12volt.com/ohm/page2.asp
The igniter of our Accentra has been changed under warranty because it often had trouble to fire pellets : almost never fired the first "load" of pellets, often fired the second "load", eventually fired the third and last "load" (with unburned and burning pellets falling outside the auger...), and from time to time didn't fired at all and went to safety stop !
It seems that in this last case it was because the auger was too dirty (ashes in the holes > less or no more combustion air in the igniter area), or... too cleany (no ashes at all > nothing easy to ligth) ?
Old ignitor (ref. HTC-THX 014 RV D ?) was 194,8 Ohm > 295,7W / 240V
New ignitor (ref. TEMPCO 0.09.13 BDC 20372 ? 336W / 240V) is 168,1 Ohm > 342W / 240V
eBay "used" ignitor (ref. HTC-THX 014 RV 1 ?) is 180,3 Ohm > 319,5W / 240V
New ignitor is 16% more powerful, eBay one is like to the old one (changed under warranty too ?!) but with little more power of +8%
For the new one, as voltage is 230V in the house, if hot resistance value is still 168,1 Ohm > 314,7W / 230V
It confirms that 'the Harman igniters are rated around 300 watts when they are new', and that the old one with 271W / 230V was not enough
As a result the Accentra fired rapidly the first "load" of pellets, with a fully cleaned auger ;-)
It seems that in this last case it was because the auger was too dirty (ashes in the holes > less or no more combustion air in the igniter area), or... too cleany (no ashes at all > nothing easy to ligth) ?
Old ignitor (ref. HTC-THX 014 RV D ?) was 194,8 Ohm > 295,7W / 240V
New ignitor (ref. TEMPCO 0.09.13 BDC 20372 ? 336W / 240V) is 168,1 Ohm > 342W / 240V
eBay "used" ignitor (ref. HTC-THX 014 RV 1 ?) is 180,3 Ohm > 319,5W / 240V
New ignitor is 16% more powerful, eBay one is like to the old one (changed under warranty too ?!) but with little more power of +8%
For the new one, as voltage is 230V in the house, if hot resistance value is still 168,1 Ohm > 314,7W / 230V
It confirms that 'the Harman igniters are rated around 300 watts when they are new', and that the old one with 271W / 230V was not enough
As a result the Accentra fired rapidly the first "load" of pellets, with a fully cleaned auger ;-)
From France and Wil:
Excellent information explaining the problem, so thank you. Expressing the output in terms of watts instead of ohms makes it understandable (to me at least) - it looks like Harman ignitors should be at least 300W, and preferably more, to provide ignition.
Excellent information explaining the problem, so thank you. Expressing the output in terms of watts instead of ohms makes it understandable (to me at least) - it looks like Harman ignitors should be at least 300W, and preferably more, to provide ignition.
Glad it's fixed... Ia m interested in how long it took to replace. Is it rather simple or is it some what frustrating???
Thanks
Thanks
The fix is an easy one. I would think that any person with reasonable skills could follow the instructions in the owner's manual. I seem to recall seeing detailed instructions on this website as well.
Two things I did that were not in the owner's manual:
1. the electrical connections (where the ignitor connects to the blue and yellow wires) were very difficult to get apart. I added a very small amount of silicone (electrical) grease to the fittings to ease this problem now and in the future should I have to replace again;
2. the two screws on the edge of the burn pot that hold the ignitor in place were also very tight. I added a small amount of never-seize compound to the threads and the face of screw where it contacts the burn pot - again, to ease removal at a future date.
Both compounds have a very high temp rating, so I was not concerned with burn-off.
Two things I did that were not in the owner's manual:
1. the electrical connections (where the ignitor connects to the blue and yellow wires) were very difficult to get apart. I added a very small amount of silicone (electrical) grease to the fittings to ease this problem now and in the future should I have to replace again;
2. the two screws on the edge of the burn pot that hold the ignitor in place were also very tight. I added a small amount of never-seize compound to the threads and the face of screw where it contacts the burn pot - again, to ease removal at a future date.
Both compounds have a very high temp rating, so I was not concerned with burn-off.
Just replaced my igniter a few weeks ago and it tested at 47 Ohms but did not get hot at all. So even if it checks out with and Ohm meter does not mean that it is good.
Seems kind of silly to me to put in an igniter that is marginal to start with. Maybe it is to save power so the stove can be run off of backup power. Although I would have thought that if Harman discovered you need 300 watts to start a fire, they would put in a 600 watt model. I would have thought the igniter would be like a toaster oven element. HMM, good information.
Mark Fellows said:
You any kin to "Tim the tool man Taylor"??? Just kidding, their batt. backup is only 512 watts, so that may be part of their reasoning
Sorry for bringing an old thread back.
I was wondering if my ignitor is starting to go.
I have my accentra plugged into a kill-a-watt reader that shows how much volts/watts the stove uses.
When the stove is igniting it has the Ignitor/feed/combustion on and kill-a-watt fluctuates around 396W.
Not long ago it would go over 400W (if I remember correctly 419W) but not anymore.
Should I start thinking of getting a new ignitor? (It will be only the seventh one in a little over three years).
I was wondering if my ignitor is starting to go.
I have my accentra plugged into a kill-a-watt reader that shows how much volts/watts the stove uses.
When the stove is igniting it has the Ignitor/feed/combustion on and kill-a-watt fluctuates around 396W.
Not long ago it would go over 400W (if I remember correctly 419W) but not anymore.
Should I start thinking of getting a new ignitor? (It will be only the seventh one in a little over three years).
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