Sawdust leaking from Magnum Baby

[smwilliamson]

Nice to hear from you. I did not know about the Oz dollar!
My Harman has the auto start but also can vary the pellet feed rate so the room does not get too hot! That saves pellets! Only Harman stoves can do that!

Our biz is settling down but it was a very good winter season this year with extreeme cold and lots of snow!

Thats not the purpose of the feed rate Don. Turning. It down can a actually have an adverse effect with some pellets and cause pellet consumption to go up.

 

[Don2222]

Thats not the purpose of the feed rate Don. Turning. It down can a actually have an adverse effect with some pellets and cause pellet consumption to go up.

I was not talking about the feed rate knob Scott. On room temp Harmans feed more or less pellets to keep the room temp within 1 degree of the set temp that is all.

 

[GMadd]

Here is a picture of my new bearing after one season. Looks like a mushroom. It seemed snug when I first put it in but maybe a new auger plate would help? I included a picture of the auger plate. It doesn't look worn but who knows?I don't think I can extend the flutes of the auger because I have no idea how to do that. How can I prevent this wear out? Don, You seem to think a new auger and a different kind of bearing is the way to go? I'd hate to have to replace this every season. It's not hard but it's annoying. There is a good deal of up-and-down play in the auger now that I have the motor off. It's supposed to be like that?

 

[Don2222]

Here is a picture of my new bearing after one season. Looks like a mushroom. It seemed snug when I first put it in but maybe a new auger plate would help? I included a picture of the auger plate. It doesn't look worn but who knows?I don't think I can extend the flutes of the auger because I have no idea how to do that. How can I prevent this wear out? Don, You seem to think a new auger and a different kind of bearing is the way to go? I'd hate to have to replace this every season. It's not hard but it's annoying. There is a good deal of up-and-down play in the auger now that I have the motor off. It's supposed to be like that?

There should not be very much up and down play at all with the auger. If there is and the sawdust leaks out, the room blower will pick it up and send it thru the hot stove and you will see sparks flying out the heat tubes in the front! ! ! The Deltron formula used for that bearing does not seem to last. I know how you feel about longevity here. I have a much better High Temp Nylon bearing for stoves with a standard 5/8" diameter auger, shaft unfortunately the 2 RPM Baby Magnum auger is a little less in diameter so it will not fit snug. If a standard 5/8" 2 RPM auger can be found to fit the flight shut there maybe an upgrade path? I have not found one yet.
St Croix makes a very nice and heavy 2 RPM Auger but I am not so sure it would fit You could try McMasters.com to see if they make a high temp bearing that will fit. I like the Whitfield Nylatron bearing, it is the best in the industry but it is made for the heavy duty 3/4" augers that Whitfield uses. That is why the Whitfields last so long! ! !

 

[begreen]

There should not be very much up and down play at all with the auger. If there is and the sawdust leaks out, the room blower will pick it up and send it thru the hot stove and you will see sparks flying out the heat tubes in the front! !

Really? I would expect the combustion area of the stove to be completely isolated from the convection part. Otherwise I would think that together with sparks there'd a good chance of CO and exhaust gases being blown in the room. Doesn't the Harman use a heat exchanger to prevent this and isolate the fuel (combustion) side from the heating (convection) side of the fire?

 

[Don2222]

Really? I would expect the combustion area of the stove to be completely isolated from the convection part. Otherwise I would think that together with sparks there'd a good chance of CO and exhaust gases being blown in the room. Doesn't the Harman use a heat exchanger to prevent this and isolate the fuel (combustion) side from the heating (convection) side of the fire?

The baby countryside is different than most other stoves because the combustion blower and the convection blower are switched meaning opposite sides of the stove. Therefore since the convection blower is on the left side and the squirrel cage is facing inwards toward the auger motor, any fines falling out around a loose auger bearing are much more easily picked up and blown right through the heat exchanger
As far as a leaky exhaust sending CO thru the stove it could happen to most any stove. I have seen it happen more on stoves with the larger 265 CFM room blower such as the Pelpro & Englander large stoves. Also with the Archgaurd PS-1 with the poorly designed exhaust blower flange! These problems can easily be fixed by properly sealing the exhaust flange or venting.
Harman does not have an exhaust flange that is screwed and RTVed on to the exhaust housing like so many pellet stoves do. Harman has an exhaust pipe that just never leaks and the venting connection is also like no other stove!
Great questions BeGreen!

 

[begreen]

Ah I see. So the sawdust leakage is being picked up by the convection blower's intake. Not good but that makes sense.

 

[Don2222]

Ah I see. So the sawdust leakage is being picked up by the convection blower's intake. Not good but that makes sense.

Yes exactly!

 

[smwilliamson]

Stoves that are notorious for the sparks via convection pick up are the st croix York insert, saranacs and Tasman stoves from Hudson river and the dreaded baby magnum. There are more I'm sure but those are common. Ive seen both lopi and Avalon large inserts do it too, but not very common

 

[begreen]

That sounds like a ridiculously loose auger bearing with a huge slop gap to leak sawdust. You would think it would be quite audible at that point of failure. Is it?