New issue with P43

[Northwoodneil]

It could be an air leak too making a lazy fire. Does the auger stop when you open the door? If it does that means your vac switch is working properly and that it's not likely an air leak. I would do the dollar bill test just for the heck of it.

 

[NJnetguy]

It could be an air leak too making a lazy fire. Does the auger stop when you open the door? If it does that means your vac switch is working properly and that it's not likely an air leak. I would do the dollar bill test just for the heck of it.

Well, maybe I should have started with the dollar bill test.. I was able to pull the bill out with little to no resistance in a number of spots ( more than 4 ) so it seems as if a gasket replacement is in order ..

I’d assume do the stove door and the ash pan door at the same time ?

 

[Northwoodneil]

Yes do both it's not hard. Use high temp silicone it works better than the glue they sometimes include. Also check your hopper lid gasket to make sure it's sealing. I do this by watching the fire as I open the lid, you should see slight change in the fire. If you don't see a change press down on the closed lid and see if the fire changes. If it does replace the hopper lid gasket too.

 

[rickwai]

Have you tried removing all the pellets from the hopper and try a different brand of pellet? When you say it took 3 cycles of the auger to get it to finally take off, was it because the pot was not filling or was the the pot flowing over into the ashpan and not lighting? I am leaning toward a feed or fuel issue...

 

[NJnetguy]

Have you tried removing all the pellets from the hopper and try a different brand of pellet? When you say it took 3 cycles of the auger to get it to finally take off, was it because the pot was not filling or was the the pot flowing over into the ashpan and not lighting? I am leaning toward a feed or fuel issue...

I've been burning hammers for the 6 years that I've had the stove and have never had an issue with them. When it is going to ignite, the pot is barely filling. When it had been operating normally, if it had gone 3 cycles before ignition there would be pellets flowing over the edge of the pot. Now it seems they aren't making it to the third row of holes in the pot. I had my board out of the stove a few weeks back to clean the pots, and have some concerns that I may have bumped the DIP switches - which would coincide with the longer than normal start time with less pellets in the pot, but I'm fairly certain that would have been an immediate thing and not happen over the course of two weeks.

 

[rickwai]

So from the info given it is a feed problem. When you put it in start up is the auger turning the entire time it is putting in the initial charge? Take the guards off the back, Turn stove on and watch auger motor to see if it is stopping and starting during the charge cycle. If it is not then you have a blockage in the feeder/,hopper/slide plate area. If is staring and stopping it is most likely a vac leak issue. remove all pellets from the hopper and check the slide plate area if nothing then pull auger and check the flight and pellet drop area.

 

[NJnetguy]

So from the info given it is a feed problem. When you put it in start up is the auger turning the entire time it is putting in the initial charge? Take the guards off the back, Turn stove on and watch auger motor to see if it is stopping and starting during the charge cycle. If it is not then you have a blockage in the feeder/,hopper/slide plate area. If is staring and stopping it is most likely a vac leak issue. remove all pellets from the hopper and check the slide plate area if nothing then pull auger and check the flight and pellet drop area.

By slide plate area do you mean fines box?
I cleaned that over the weekend - first time since I purchased the unit as until posting here was unaware of its existence- was pretty full of fines and a few pellets - when I vacuumed it out a far amount of pellets came from deeper in the box ..

 

[rickwai]

By slide plate area do you mean fines box?
I cleaned that over the weekend - first time since I purchased the unit as until posting here was unaware of its existence- was pretty full of fines and a few pellets - when I vacuumed it out a far amount of pellets came from deeper in the box ..

No. In the bottom of the hopper where u dump
Pellets in. Completely empty hopper and check for obstruction on top
Of slide plate area and going to the left where pellets fall into the auger.

 

[NJnetguy]

No. In the bottom of the hopper where u dump
Pellets in. Completely empty hopper and check for obstruction on top
Of slide plate area and going to the left where pellets fall into the auger.

No. In the bottom of the hopper where u dump
Pellets in. Completely empty hopper and check for obstruction on top
Of slide plate area and going to the left where pellets fall into the auger.

I just totally emptied the hopper
Vacuumed the bottom over top of the slide plate and into that area on the left of the slide plate above the auger.. as far as I can tell there was not nor currently is any blockage.

Im gonna replace the gaskets on the two doors - the hopper lid by my eye looks ok- and fire it back up and see what happens ,.

I did get a length of wire to extend the tails on the new combustion blower, if it comes down to having to replace that.

 

[Northwoodneil]

NJnetguy, I exposed my dip switches so I can see them when I open the control panel. Makes it easy to verify where you're at. I can't remember if there was a knock out to remove or if I had to cut a hole in the control panel. I got the idea here (years ago) so do a search for it. You can also search for dip switch settings or give me a shout I've got 'em. It looks like the first 3 switches should be off,off,off or on,off,off. The later giving you 21 extra seconds of pellet charge time on start up.

 

[Northwoodneil]

Oh, and make sure the stove is unplugged before doing anything on the circuit board. I forgot once. $300 will make a guy remember the next time for sure.

 

[NJnetguy]

NJnetguy, I exposed my dip switches so I can see them when I open the control panel. Makes it easy to verify where you're at. I can't remember if there was a knock out to remove or if I had to cut a hole in the control panel. I got the idea here (years ago) so do a search for it. You can also search for dip switch settings or give me a shout I've got 'em. It looks like the first 3 switches should be off,off,off or on,off,off. The later giving you 21 extra seconds of pellet charge time on start up.

I found em somewhere yesterday or the day before - I’ve done a lot of reading about my stove in the last couple weeks- I’ve got a photo saved in my phone- but if it proves to be different I’ll certainly reach out..

I always unplug- getting shocked sucks😂

 

[NJnetguy]

NJnetguy, I exposed my dip switches so I can see them when I open the control panel. Makes it easy to verify where you're at. I can't remember if there was a knock out to remove or if I had to cut a hole in the control panel. I got the idea here (years ago) so do a search for it. You can also search for dip switch settings or give me a shout I've got 'em. It looks like the first 3 switches should be off,off,off or on,off,off. The later giving you 21 extra seconds of pellet charge time on start up.

Wouldn’t the inadvertent bumping of a dip switch cause an immediate change - like next burn cycle? I had the board out about 2 weeks prior to the current BS..

 

[Northwoodneil]

Yes the change would have happened on the next start up. Hmmmmm...........

 

[NJnetguy]

Well

So from the info given it is a feed problem. When you put it in start up is the auger turning the entire time it is putting in the initial charge? Take the guards off the back, Turn stove on and watch auger motor to see if it is stopping and starting during the charge cycle. If it is not then you have a blockage in the feeder/,hopper/slide plate area. If is staring and stopping it is most likely a vac leak issue. remove all pellets from the hopper and check the slide plate area if nothing then pull auger and check the flight and pellet drop area.

I don’t know if you drink- but I owe you one.

As I said, I emptied and vacuumed the hopper out- there were some pellets in the mix that had very obviously gotten wet at some point, in addition to quite a bit of fines, at the bottom of the hopper.. cleaned all that out, in addition to sticking the thin angled crevice tool into that part of the hopper to the left of the slide plate.

I also changed the ash door and main door gaskets

Dumped a fresh bag of pellets in, turned it to stove temp and crossed my fingers.

Opened the door while while the burn pot was filling and the auger stopped, so no vac leak.

One cycle of pellets, and she lit right up. Flame to about the top of the fire brick on ignition, and now just a nice steady flame


Truly appreciate all the info, and help from afar that all of you have offered!

Cheers🍻🍻

 

[Northwoodneil]

The wealth of knowledge on here is from people fixing their own stove and passing on to others how to do it. It would take a technician years to encounter and fix the problems encountered here in just one season. Someday you'll read of someone with a problem similar to yours and pass on a good suggestion on how to fix it. And the circle continues.

 

[rickwai]

Well

I don’t know if you drink- but I owe you one.

As I said, I emptied and vacuumed the hopper out- there were some pellets in the mix that had very obviously gotten wet at some point, in addition to quite a bit of fines, at the bottom of the hopper.. cleaned all that out, in addition to sticking the thin angled crevice tool into that part of the hopper to the left of the slide plate.

I also changed the ash door and main door gaskets

Dumped a fresh bag of pellets in, turned it to stove temp and crossed my fingers.

Opened the door while while the burn pot was filling and the auger stopped, so no vac leak.

One cycle of pellets, and she lit right up. Flame to about the top of the fire brick on ignition, and now just a nice steady flame


Truly appreciate all the info, and help from afar that all of you have offered!

Cheers🍻🍻

👍👍. I have been servicing Harmans since 2004 and have had a one since then. You description was a classic blocked feeder. Very rarely does a gasket issue cause this symptom. Unless a gasket is missing or visibly destroyed. My 04’P38 (which I converted to a P43) still has all original gaskets and runs fine.