PB-105 Burnpot Revisited

[wantageNJryan]

 

[Centurion]

If I recall correctly it directs the ignition hot air into the burnpot

 

[wantageNJryan]

My dealer is coming out to help me with my draft setup. Ill ask him about the ceramic and the burnpot. My unit is right off the crate in september and i dont have the new burn pot either....

 

[exoilburner]

You would only use the ceramic insulator if you were using a pressure ignition system. As you are still using the fin igniter you can disregard the ceramic insulator.

You may be correct but the ceramic insulator sure does a good job keeping the igniter from flopping around in its bracket slot. It keeps the igniter fins away from the surface of the burn pot too.

I have had difficulties with the igniter starting the pellets so am trying to keep the igniter fins from touching anything to keep from draining any heat heat from the igniter. Guess I'll find out when it's installed.

 

[Bill Bennion]

I just installed my new burn pot this weekend, it went fairly easy. I checked with my dealer and they said that the ceramic insert was just for the pressure ignition. The nuts for the igniter holder are a little hard to access but it worked. So far it is burning well.

 

[exoilburner]

Thanks for the info on the ceramic insert. I'm going to leave my insert on the finned igniter and see how it works. Seems to me it would be better on it than off. But I could be all wet. I used the old nuts to mount the igniter bracket. The new ones are kind of cheesy.

 

[iceguy4]

Didn't want to start a new thread...just checked my new burnpot....its puuurrrrrrfect. I have been running it hard in manual

 

[Centurion]

Same here! Just cleaned her out last nite and pot looks the same as when I installed it.

 

[iceguy4]

Same here! Just cleaned her out last nite and pot looks the same as when I installed it.

I'm maybe 4 tons through mine...you? Also I got a call today from ed...he was checking up on it

 

[SmokeEater]

I have the pre pressure ignitor model 105 and, knock on wood (no pun intended), I have no burnpot issues as of this date. Have burned about 18 tons of pellets so fall and all have been blended Currans, except for a few bags bought at TS last year. I clean the burnpot every Saturday and ream out the holes in the burnpot with a hand held drill bit. I have the boiler set for 160/185 and I rarely see it below 180. Four foot vertical rise and then 5 feet to a 6" stainless liner on a 30 foot vertical rise. There is a manual damper in the 6" section. All air pressures are set each year with a Magnahelic gauge according to Harman specs.

 

[Centurion]

About 3 tons Ice. Keeping my fingers crossed!

 

[Pellet_Dog]

Didn't want to start a new thread...just checked my new burnpot....its puuurrrrrrfect. I have been running it hard in manual

This is good news! I am still on the orignial burn pot, installed in 2010, but it has a noticeable bump forming with no cracks and is still usable. I think after the heating season is done I'll take some pictures and bring them to the dealer to see if I can get one of these new design burn pots as a replacement. Do you guys think I will have any trouble getting a replacement under warranty or will I have to pay for it?

 

[Centurion]

To date Harman has covered these even if out of warranty. I don't think that you will have a problem.

 

[ScotL]

Mine has a bump too but no crack. I was told by my dealer that it wouldn't be replaced until it cracked.

 

[Centurion]

I don't believe that. Harman knows that they have a problem. Like my dealer use to be, your dealer probably is not aware of the issue. I would print out some of the discussions from this forum and show it to him so he is aware of the burnpot issue. Search this forum for PB-105 burnpot bubble and you will find several pages of discussion and pictures. This is how I educated my dealer.

 

[thro9]

I'm possibly switching over to a PB105 since I've realized that the PB60 is too small to heat my home. I have an oil boiler backup in place now but would like to know some of the pro's and con's on the PB105. Any info is greatly appreciated.

 

[Centurion]

I'm possibly switching over to a PB105 since I've realized that the PB60 is too small to heat my home. I have an oil boiler backup in place now but would like to know some of the pro's and con's on the PB105. Any info is greatly appreciated.

Now that the burnpot issue appears to be solved, I don't think you can go wrong with it. It is a good, medium priced, easy to clean and fairly simple boiler that has cut my heating and domestic water bills in half. I am 100% pleased with it. Good luck.

 

[iceguy4]

Now that the burnpot issue appears to be solved, I don't think you can go wrong with it. It is a good, medium priced, easy to clean and fairly simple boiler that has cut my heating and domestic water bills in half. I am 100% pleased with it. Good luck.

I believe it is fixed. My new one has close to 7 tons put through it...looks like new. I too LOVE my boiler and its looking like it will save me close to $3000.00 .....just this season Also the "bulk hopper" will compliment ANY boiler/furnace....providing its a pellet burner...

 

[Former Farmer]

I have run over 5 tons through my new style burnpot. Just did cleaning today and it still looks in good shape. I am still waiting to see how it performs this spring when the boiler will start cycling on and off again.

 

[Centurion]

I have run over 5 tons through my new style burnpot. Just did cleaning today and it still looks in good shape. I am still waiting to see how it performs this spring when the boiler will start cycling on and off again.

Farmer, do you keep a fire in the burnpot 24/7? That's very interesting to me.

 

[Former Farmer]

This time of year, yes. Between the in-floor heat, forced air heat, and DHW; the unit very seldom idles. I have three in-floor zones that run off of one heat exchange system. It is a poor setup, that I didn't know any better about when we built the house, compliments of our heating contractor. It should have been 3 separate setups. I have a PLC that I control the 3 zones with to make sure that no more than one zone will be heating even if all 3 are calling for heat at the same time. The three zones are floor heating in the master bathroom, in-floor heat for the basement (75% of basement is finished off), and in-floor heat in the garage. If the garage were to run while one of the others were on, this would actually cool down the other one as the garage is only kept at 45* and the return temperatures are very low.

 

[Centurion]

This time of year, yes. Between the in-floor heat, forced air heat, and DHW; the unit very seldom idles. I have three in-floor zones that run off of one heat exchange system. It is a poor setup, that I didn't know any better about when we built the house, compliments of our heating contractor. It should have been 3 separate setups. I have a PLC that I control the 3 zones with to make sure that no more than one zone will be heating even if all 3 are calling for heat at the same time. The three zones are floor heating in the master bathroom, in-floor heat for the basement (75% of basement is finished off), and in-floor heat in the garage. If the garage were to run while one of the others were on, this would actually cool down the other one as the garage is only kept at 45* and the return temperatures are very low.

So in the manual mode it would keep a small fire in the burnpot until the thermostat called for heat? Then the fire would come up to satisfy the thermostat then return to a low fire?

 

[iceguy4]

So in the manual mode it would keep a small fire in the burnpot until the thermostat called for heat? Then the fire would come up to satisfy the thermostat then return to a low fire?

Yes...but you better have a dump zone or it will overheat and shut off. In another thread I posted observations... yesterday my stove at idle ...auger on 3 seconds ...off 15 seconds ...when ramped up ...off 3 and on 14 seconds...

 

[Former Farmer]

I have the unit in Auto mode.

I believe that if you had the unit in manual mode, it would operate just as you say. A person would have to make sure to have a dump zone if you ran in manual mode to make sure unit would not overheat.

Iceguy4 beat me to it.

 

[Centurion]

I have the unit in Auto mode.

I believe that if you had the unit in manual mode, it would operate just as you say. A person would have to make sure to have a dump zone if you ran in manual mode to make sure unit would not overheat.

Iceguy4 beat me to it.

Oh I see, you were saying that because of the load in cold weather it runs all the time in the AUTO mode but then in warmer temps it has a chance to cycle and shut down until the thermostat calls for heat. I thought you were running it in the manual mode this time of year then switched it to auto in the spring. Got it!