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Harman p43 Ignitor going bad?

Discussion in 'Pellet Stoves, Pellet Fireplaces, Pellet Furnaces' started by D-Mac0211, Dec 5, 2017.

  1. D-Mac0211

    D-Mac0211

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    I think if I remember right it was feeding to many pellets and filling the burn pot before it had a chance to light with any pellet I used.
     
  2. D-Mac0211

    D-Mac0211

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    The 1st 3 switched regulate your pellets. What ever combination of on and off will adjust your pellets. I had it set to default according to the picture I have.
     

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  3. Lousyweather

    Lousyweather

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    Be careful with messing with dip switches......first of all, on circuitboards we are now on Revision F......you would need to pair your current circuitboard with the CORRECT settings. The first three are only the timing of pellets prior to starting....has NOTHING to do with voltage. The 4th means different things, depending on which revision you have of circuitboard. The 5th is simply the probe type. The 6th is for boilers- don't mess with it.....and the 7th is set depending upon model. So, don't mess with these settings, especially if you dont know which board you have, or the correct setting for that board.

    I haven't seen any igniters, ever, which sometimes worked and sometimes didn't. They generally fall within spec or there is no continuity (a bad igniter). 62 volts seems high, but should still work.

    As mentioned by pellethound and everyone else above, I feel you have another issue going on which is affecting your stove. The slow ignition, dirty burn, are more characteristic of something that isn't right.

    Whats your draft? I know you likely don't know, but it can be vitally important in diagnosing these issues. Remember, your vac switch will kill power to your igniter and feeder if it doesn't sense around -.15" H2O (or more)m at the switch. Knowing the draft is SOOOOOOO important in diagnosis.

    You've checked gaskets and covers. Are you sure you engaged the cover on the feeder weldment fines box in the rear of the stove? If you're not careful, the tab sometimes doesn't engage....gives erroneous results.

    Your fire appears to be the right color and lively. How long did it take to get deposits on the glass?

    Other things to check, in no particular order......check the FULL air path. start at the intake (if you bring in outside air), and see if the intake damper isn't stuck, see if bees haven't made a home in the intake pipe, leaves blown up against the intake, or snow if it gets snowy.....your draft tells you this pretty fast! Remove the intake pipe, check the damper and pipe for kinks, stuck closed damper, stuff behind the damper.

    Check your igniter chamber on the burnpot. once you think its clean, give the burnpot a couple raps, hard raps, with a wrench of something....does anything fall down? if so, your igniter is still dirty. Clear all the little holes in the burnpot....I use a small drill bit. the lower holes that you cant see due to the curve of the base of the burnpot are especially important...a mechanics mirror helps greatly here.

    Then follow the exhaust path. Look at the combustion blower....is it making funny noises? Does it appear to be slowing down? Make sure you check the vent pipe for obstructions.....we had 3 baby bunnies in one this year....you wont beleive how those bunnies mess up draft!...Again, draft check tells you this.

    Someone mentioned the ignitor staying on all the time. Ive seen this.....eventually you bubble your burnpot due to the heat, or the igniter totally fails, or both. this usally happens when the Triac blows on the circuitboard, causing the igniter to never turn off. Pretty rare, but it happens.....usually doesn't affect stove starting.

    Yup, the type of pellet can have an effect as well.....some pellets take linger to pyrolize, so it starts slower. Also, a totally clean stove seems to light a bit more slowly as well.
     
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  4. corkman

    corkman

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    Wow. Now that’s why we come here. Great post lowsey. Abundance of info and it doesn’t cost him a penny. Much appreciated
     
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  5. Tullytown

    Tullytown

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    lower holes that you cant see due to the curve of the base of the burnpot are especially important...a mechanics mirror helps greatly here.

    yep.... good tip...
     
  6. D-Mac0211

    D-Mac0211

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    The only thing I messed with on the dip switch was the amount of pellets adding into the pot at start up. I don’t have a air intake (well external) . I actually have a double wall 90 that goes up about 7’ then a swivel 45 to my flute then to the original 8x8 block chimney. But from where the flute is to the top of the chimney is only like maybe 8’. I make sure every time I clean it I clean all the burn pot holes out with a screw or a drill bit. That’s one thing I’m totally sure of. When I tighten the cover on the firebox I press it down and make sure it’s tight against the wingnuts. The fines box I made sure it was set over the tab and pushed all the way down and tight. I do notice my pellets dance around a lot in the pot or even blow out of the pot into the ash pan.
     
  7. Lousyweather

    Lousyweather

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    I suggest putting your original settings back.....given the age of your unit, maybe its a revision E, but, look at the board on the white sticker and read the Harman part number.....it will end in a letter.....what is it?

    Do you clean your pipe? Do you have a spark arrestor at the top of the chimney? Could there be a blockage in your flue pipe? Did Santa get stuck in there last winter?

    Stoves which take forever to light typically have something missed or unsecured during cleaning. How does it feed pellets? Do you have a full burnpot by the time it lights, or is there just some pellets in there? If its taking a long time to light, it should be going through a few feed cycles, resulting in a pretty full burnpot.

    Don't factor out it might be your circuitboard....unfortunately there isn't a really good way to test it, unless you have a DDM and know the temperatures at which the ESP turns stuff on and off.
     
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  8. Lousyweather

    Lousyweather

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    and you wont see me on some other forum....well, yea, I got banned there, but evenso.......
     
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  9. badbob

    badbob

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    Did not know you got booted,bummer,you were/was/could be a great help,"over there" it is their loss.Oh well,lets have a beer!
     
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  10. D-Mac0211

    D-Mac0211

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    Now since I turned it to -20 seconds feeding its lighting like a champ. Lights within like 3 min. The pellets are up almost even with the down slope of the burn pot. But now I have stuff jumping out of the burn pot. Almost like to much air through the burn pot holes. That’s the flame I’m getting now. Lots of force behind it
     

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  11. D-Mac0211

    D-Mac0211

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    I also have my feed rate at like just over 4 and my ash is about 1 1/2 from the edge of the pot. Should I turn up the feed rate or leave it? The older Harland it says to have it at about 3 but all the new ones say at least 4
     
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  12. Lousyweather

    Lousyweather

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    no biggie, Bob....been a few years anyhow.....a good lesson as to why forums should stay within their constraints, rather than get political......
     
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  13. Lousyweather

    Lousyweather

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    nah, leave it at 4......that's just a worst case upper limit setting....it means it can run approximately 40 secs per minute if it has to...but it wont
     
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  14. D-Mac0211

    D-Mac0211

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    Idk it seems like since I now have the dips set at off,off, on for the first 3 it lights really fast and has a much better flame to start out. Can’t you prevent some of the “dancing” of the pellets by the low voltage adjustment?
     
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  15. Lousyweather

    Lousyweather

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    DO NOT mess with the voltage adjustment unless you can watch the draft quantitatively while you adjust it. In other words, don't mess with that screw unless you know where to set it
     
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  16. D-Mac0211

    D-Mac0211

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    Ok. I know stock it’s set straight up at 12’o clock. I’m going to try and see if I can do the draft test this weekend
     
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  17. Lousyweather

    Lousyweather

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    no, I believe stock is set to the stops on the clockwise direction
     
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  18. D-Mac0211

    D-Mac0211

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    So that would be all the way up wouldn’t it?
     
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  19. Lousyweather

    Lousyweather

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    it would, unless yours was correctly adjusted with a meter when it was new
     
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  20. D-Mac0211

    D-Mac0211

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    I just looked in my owners manual. It says the low draft setting comes from the factory in the mid point (12’o clock) position. I wonder if it’s possible I have to much draft because the chimney is an 8x8 block besides the 3” pipe
     
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