Harman Stove Stoker Help

 
titleist1
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Post by titleist1 » Tue. Dec. 09, 2014 9:45 am

Sounds like everything is clean of fly ash. Are the grate holes clear or do they have deposits blocking them some? Clear them out with a drill bit before firing back up.

I think your baffle plate on the combustion blower should be about 1/2 way closed. You should have a manometer connected to check the draft as you adjust the baffle plate.

The rod with the chains should be used about once per week to clear fly ash off that V.


 
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cn670
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Post by cn670 » Tue. Dec. 09, 2014 9:56 am

By any chance is your coal bagged and wet? Usually condensation in the hopper is an indicator that the coal is to wet and that can cause an issue with CO.

 
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coalkirk
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Post by coalkirk » Tue. Dec. 09, 2014 10:05 am

As titleist1 said, close down the baffle plate. Unfortunately the older Harman manuals never mentioned this. You are over pressurizing the combustion chamber. This condition is certainly aggravated by any restriction in the stove or flues. fines accumulate quickly depending on the coal you are using.

 
titleist1
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Post by titleist1 » Tue. Dec. 09, 2014 10:35 am

good question cn670.....the only time I ever had an issue with coal feeding was when I had a bucket of particularly wet coal in a fairly empty hopper. I don't remember if leaky exhaust was one of the other side issues with that episode, I only did that once! :oops:

 
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cn670
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Post by cn670 » Tue. Dec. 09, 2014 10:49 am

I had it happen. Unpleasant feeling hearing the detector going nuts at midnight . :) At that time my 15 yr old was taking care of the stove. He put a pail in that was wet nasty..... :shock:

 
titleist1
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Post by titleist1 » Tue. Dec. 09, 2014 11:05 am

cn760....just curious how far open is the baffle plate on your combustion blower? ....trying to see if there is a 'normal' range for mag stoker users so others please chime in.

I am about 1/3 open and use outside combustion air piped via 4" pvc directly to the blower intake.
Last edited by titleist1 on Tue. Dec. 09, 2014 11:16 am, edited 1 time in total.

 
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cn670
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Post by cn670 » Tue. Dec. 09, 2014 11:15 am

titlest1, I'm less than 1/4 of the way open, I also use outside air supply for combustion . I just installed a new fan last week.


 
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McGiever
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Post by McGiever » Tue. Dec. 09, 2014 6:22 pm

cn670 wrote:By any chance is your coal bagged and wet? Usually condensation in the hopper is an indicator that the coal is to wet and that can cause an issue with CO.
Sorry, but wet coal is NOT what causes condensation on hopper lid...if coal is wet it is only a coincidence.

Condensation on hopper lid is a sign of not enough flue draft to remove all byproducts of combustion.

It is not always the chimney's fault for not removing enough gases, as is the case being implied here.

 
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McGiever
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Post by McGiever » Tue. Dec. 09, 2014 6:37 pm

Drew wrote:Not sure how old this unit is. Is there a way of telling by the serial number?
My Serial No. WHI-003127
As I stated, we bought the house with this stove in it. Don't have an Operating Manual or anything like that. I would like to have one though. I think that would help me understand the operation better.
I looked into the burn chamber and there is a "V" shaped roof above the grates. I lifted the grates and cleaned out loose coal from the area under the grates. When I took the flu pipe off and looked down inside, I could see the top of the "V". Also there was a little handle /rod through the flu, that you can slide back & forth. It has chains on it.
Click on link:
Mag Stoker Troubleshooting Guide
Magnum_Coal_Stoker.pdf
.PDF | 10.3MB | Magnum_Coal_Stoker.pdf

 
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cn670
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Post by cn670 » Tue. Dec. 09, 2014 7:47 pm

McGiever, when you read trouble shooting guide. Do not burn wet coal is on every page of owners manual. I know for fact in my situation wet coal has caused sulfur smell + condensation in hopper = CO detector going off even with good draft in cold weather. The wet coal does not drop to the pusher block like dry coal and that allows the fire to migrate towards the pusher block..... In turn that is what causes sulfur smell and condensation in the hopper. Not necessarily just lack of draft.

 
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McGiever
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Post by McGiever » Tue. Dec. 09, 2014 8:37 pm

Guess we'll see if he has/had used wet coal.???

Wet coal doesn't act as you have seen every time it gets dumped into hopper...it is the draft's in ability to remove the gases, if the coal was wet it is only a secondary thing. Bone dry coal will cause condensation on the hopper lid with poor draft...it has nothing to do with the coal being wet.

It doesn't do good to have newbies come here and see it written that condensations is only because you use wet coal...there is a bigger meaning here than that!

Sorry, once again. ;)

 
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cn670
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Post by cn670 » Tue. Dec. 09, 2014 9:04 pm

McGiever, I know you see only a few posts from me...oh and my join date of 01/012014. Maybe a newbie by your standards . I've owned and operated this stove since 12/25 /2006. I produce all my domestic hot water in the winter and run 3 loops 900' of in floor radiant heat from 3 hot water coils in this stove. I actually joined the site back in 2007 the 1st time, for some reason my account was lost.... I believe there were changes made to the site at one point. And poor draft will not cause smoke at the hopper and condensation. The exhaust gases take the path of least residence , most likely the air wash holes on the door.

 
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cn670
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Post by cn670 » Tue. Dec. 09, 2014 9:31 pm

Oh McGiever by the way...... Thanks for the warm welcoming . :)

 
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McGiever
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Post by McGiever » Tue. Dec. 09, 2014 9:41 pm

back at ya

Reread my post above, never said anything of you being a newbie.
Only said that it is best not to write misinforming statements that could mislead a newbie who comes here seeking info.

The problem to be addressed here is that a member here is having CO pushed into his home.

If while this CO is being pushed into his home he also notices some condensation on his hopper lid...this is a Red Flag that needs to be fixed.

We should not re-direct the homeowner into thinking...Awh, it's just that wet coal I put in. Peoples lives are at risk here...Can you hear me now???

 
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cn670
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Post by cn670 » Tue. Dec. 09, 2014 9:56 pm

McGiever wrote:Guess we'll see if he has/had used wet coal.???

Wet coal doesn't act as you have seen every time it gets dumped into hopper...it is the draft's in ability to remove the gases, if the coal was wet it is only a secondary thing. Bone dry coal will cause condensation on the hopper lid with poor draft...it has nothing to do with the coal being wet.

It doesn't do good to have newbies come here and see it written that condensations is only because you use wet coal...there is a bigger meaning here than that!

Sorry, once again. ;)

You didn't post this ????? And my statement is misinforming?


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