Harman Accentra startup feed rate

[timjk69]

Have a question on test mode. I timed the auger and it only made 3 1/2 revolutions in a 60 second period. Does that mean anything? I was thinking maybe that could be my cause of less pellets at startup. I've stated earlier that i did change the dip switch 1 and it did help some but maybe it could be the auger motor...

I'm having the same problem with my Harman Advance. Something new this season and should have no relation to the DIP switch setting. It actually comes up to speed at the last 10 seconds of the feed cycle.The auger itself is turning freely. In the next couple of days I will check to see if I'm getting full voltage to the auger motor. Let me know what you come up with also.

 

[Amaralluis]

this only tends to apply to the central heating units because the burnpots are so large. MOst of the other burnpots are significantly smaller and therefore a matter of a few revolutions will not dramatically impact the total number of pellets. In the case of the PB or PF the burnpots are huge. Too few pellets would not fill the burnpot enough to give ignition, and that would be valid...not so much on the other units.

Lets talk about what program default means to me. When I see a "program default setting"it tells me that the chip on the controller has been programmed to power, in this case an auger, for a determined amount of time on startup. The size of the burnpot does determine the period of time that is programmed by the factory into the chip to power the auger, the chip has to be programmed with different times on different models because the default dip switch settings are the same for all Harman stoves and central heating systems, all off. I ask myself, why did Harman install dip switches on the controllers for controlling the amount of pellets that are fed into the burnpot on startup?The answer that I come up with is, since Harman has no control over the length of pellets that are produced, some feed faster than others, some slower, dip switch settings are used to control the amount of pellets entering the burnpot on startup depending on the pellet that is used.

If that was the case then why is the dip swtich behind the plate and behind the board. on my acentra I have to take the whole thing apart to reach the dip switch.
it makes no sense that is the reason for the dip switch, or does Harman think that people will only use one brand of pellets forever?
I think as you said that the board is the same for all the stoves and the dip switch is used to configure the operation for each stove. Nothing to do with pellets size or content,etc.

 

[timjk69]

Update on my feed rate problem. I had full line voltage to the auger. Auger was barely moving. Opened up the gear box and all the grease is at the bottom of the box. Bearings and gears are dry as a bone and hung up. I'll try to clean and lube and get it going. Looks like the most I'll be out is a auger motor.

 

[Lineman30]

Update on my feed rate problem. I had full line voltage to the auger. Auger was barely moving. Opened up the gear box and all the grease is at the bottom of the box. Bearings and gears are dry as a bone and hung up. I'll try to clean and lube and get it going. Looks like the most I'll be out is a auger motor.

Thats what i was thinking yesterday. I thought bout taking my motor off but declined. I think tomorrow i will and check and see how the insides look. Also, how old is you advance?

 

[wil lanfear]

this only tends to apply to the central heating units because the burnpots are so large. MOst of the other burnpots are significantly smaller and therefore a matter of a few revolutions will not dramatically impact the total number of pellets. In the case of the PB or PF the burnpots are huge. Too few pellets would not fill the burnpot enough to give ignition, and that would be valid...not so much on the other units.

Lets talk about what program default means to me. When I see a "program default setting"it tells me that the chip on the controller has been programmed to power, in this case an auger, for a determined amount of time on startup. The size of the burnpot does determine the period of time that is programmed by the factory into the chip to power the auger, the chip has to be programmed with different times on different models because the default dip switch settings are the same for all Harman stoves and central heating systems, all off. I ask myself, why did Harman install dip switches on the controllers for controlling the amount of pellets that are fed into the burnpot on startup?The answer that I come up with is, since Harman has no control over the length of pellets that are produced, some feed faster than others, some slower, dip switch settings are used to control the amount of pellets entering the burnpot on startup depending on the pellet that is used.

If that was the case then why is the dip swtich behind the plate and behind the board. on my acentra I have to take the whole thing apart to reach the dip switch.
it makes no sense that is the reason for the dip switch, or does Harman think that people will only use one brand of pellets forever?
I think as you said that the board is the same for all the stoves and the dip switch is used to configure the operation for each stove. Nothing to do with pellets size or content,etc.[/quote]
If that was the case then why is the dip swtich behind the plate and behind the board. on my acentra I have to take the whole thing apart to reach the dip switch.
That is a factory question, my guess is that the factory doesn't want anybody other than service techs adjusting the dip switches.

it makes no sense that is the reason for the dip switch, or does Harman think that people will only use one brand of pellets forever?

It makes perfect sense if you believe that dip switches 1,2,3 increase or decrease the period of time the auger motor runs on startup only. Like I said, Harman has no control over the length of pellets that are produced, some feed faster than others, some slower, dip switch settings are used to control the amount of pellets entering the burnpot on startup depending on the pellet that is used.

I think as you said that the board is the same for all the stoves and the dip switch is used to configure the operation for each stove. Nothing to do with pellets size or content,etc

I didn't say that all the stove boards are the same, just the opposite, I said the default dip switch settings are the same, all off. The dip switches, 1,2,3 are only used to increase or decrease the period of time that the auger motor runs on startup.

 

[maglite67]

that diagram is for the latest part number control board and the startup for the revision E board is a bit different and steps the auger. The settings on all the boards are the same from years past on the 1st 3 dip switches. 4 is unused, 5 is for esp color, 6 is temp differential, 7&8 are high limits. If you have older boards 2009 or so only 1-3 and 7,8 work. if my memory serves me it should be 3min 40sec program default. 9 time out of ten there is a problem with the stove rather then board settings.

 

[Amaralluis]

It makes perfect sense if you believe that dip switches 1,2,3 increase or decrease the period of time the auger motor runs on startup only. Like I said, Harman has no control over the length of pellets that are produced, some feed faster than others, some slower, dip switch settings are used to control the amount of pellets entering the burnpot on startup depending on the pellet that is used.

Again that makes no sense because of the location of the dip switch. or are we supposed to have a tech come over everytime I switch pellet brands?

 

[Amaralluis]

Update on my feed rate problem. I had full line voltage to the auger. Auger was barely moving. Opened up the gear box and all the grease is at the bottom of the box. Bearings and gears are dry as a bone and hung up. I'll try to clean and lube and get it going. Looks like the most I'll be out is a auger motor.

Exactly what I said here : https://www.hearth.com/talk/threads/81902/

 

[wil lanfear]

It makes perfect sense if you believe that dip switches 1,2,3 increase or decrease the period of time the auger motor runs on startup only. Like I said, Harman has no control over the length of pellets that are produced, some feed faster than others, some slower, dip switch settings are used to control the amount of pellets entering the burnpot on startup depending on the pellet that is used.

Again that makes no sense because of the location of the dip switch. or are we supposed to have a tech come over everytime I switch pellet brands?

If the auger motor is turning the correct RPM, if the auger to auger motor coupling is tight, if the pellets aren't bridged, etc, I could go on and on, changing the dip switch positioning would be the last thing to try for an issue of not enough pellets being fed into the burnpot on startup.Why would you want a service tech to adjust the dip switches every time you switch pellet brands??? The dip switch positining should only be changed IF somebody is having a overfeed or underfeed condition, not because of the pellet brand.This maybe is another reason the dip switches are located where they are, troubleshooting the issue prior to changing the dip switch positioning.

 

[timjk69]

Update on my feed rate problem. I had full line voltage to the auger. Auger was barely moving. Opened up the gear box and all the grease is at the bottom of the box. Bearings and gears are dry as a bone and hung up. I'll try to clean and lube and get it going. Looks like the most I'll be out is a auger motor.

Thats what i was thinking yesterday. I thought bout taking my motor off but declined. I think tomorrow i will and check and see how the insides look. Also, how old is you advance?

Mine is a 2005 model. I had the auger motor replaced at the first season, it was vibrating the whole stove and making a terrible racket.

 

[timjk69]

Update on my feed rate problem. I had full line voltage to the auger. Auger was barely moving. Opened up the gear box and all the grease is at the bottom of the box. Bearings and gears are dry as a bone and hung up. I'll try to clean and lube and get it going. Looks like the most I'll be out is a auger motor.

Exactly what I said here : https://www.hearth.com/talk/threads/81902/

Exactly!