New Harman MKII delivered yesterday; install questions

Hi all,

I have a couple of posts here, but otherwise pretty new to the forum.
My bro and I just bought a new Harman MKII for our 1200 sq ft. 1950s single story ranch in central MA.

I had some install questions.
First a couple of facts:
The stove is replacing a Surdiac 610 heater that came with the house, and it's going in the same place- in the hearth in the basement.
My next door neighbor who is a mason, suggested running the new pipe vertically and then bending it into the brick, by coring the brick and making a 90 degree pipe bend into that hole. He has a very similar house, and he did this with his pellet stove. It looks nice.

The current hearth pad brick extends out about 20". This platform rises about 10" off the floor. It's the same width as the whole hearth and was obviously built as part of the original with the same brick. The whole hearth almost looks like one L shaped piece. It makes a nice install platform. But if I do the coring thing, I'm sure the stove would have to come out farther for pipe elbow clearance.

The chimney runs up from the basement through the interior of the house, up through the first floor's living room, up through the attic, out the roof.

So here are my questions
1) Would you go the coring route or would you place the stove completely on the current pad where the old stove was and just pipe out the back into the hearth like before?

2) If you like the new coring route, what would you use for a hearth pad extension? Would you build one? Would it be flush height-wise with the current built-in pad or would you settle for lowering the stove towards the floor in front of the built-in pad?

3) If you prefer to go into the hearth, what kind of 6" pipe would you use? Stainless steel? Would you put a barometric damper on it? Can the barometric damper section be small "T" section, plugged in line with the horizontal exhaust pipe? Or does it need a few more bends off this main section of exhaust pipe?

Thanks for the advice!

-Brian

A few pictures would be good.

Might you use the original hearth platform, and with the stove sticking out, possibly make longer front legs for the stove? ... and have it look decent and be stable? How far off the base would it extend? Maybe, the mason could create a cantilevered portion for the front of the stove to sit on. Maybe a sheet metal box under the front, with a door, for accessory storage.

If the height of the new stove allows, I would definately run the pipe the same as the old stove did. I think it is the hearth and stove that catch the eye, not so much the pipe. I would run the heavy gauge steel single wall pipe (which I did on my installation) where it is seen in the room. If access is difficult from the stove into the chimney, then I would lean toward stainless for lifespan.

I don't have the coal burning experience to comment on a baro damper. I have been wondering and reading about baro dampers, manual dampers and no dampers. I have none, but know I loose heat up the stack when it is windy out.

By the way, congratulations on the Harmon Mark II. From all I read, owners love them

grizzly2 wrote:If the height of the new stove allows, I would definately run the pipe the same as the old stove did. I think it is the hearth and stove that catch the eye, not so much the pipe. I would run the heavy gauge steel single wall pipe (which I did on my installation) where it is seen in the room. If access is difficult from the stove into the chimney, then I would lean toward stainless for lifespan.

I don't have the coal burning experience to comment on a baro damper. I have been wondering and reading about baro dampers, manual dampers and no dampers. I have none, but know I loose heat up the stack when it is windy out.

A properly adjusted barometric damper can save you signifincant coal. Look up this topic and also look at the manometer loaner progrm so you can set the damper properly. It's well worth the effort. i

Yes, the barometric damper is worth installing. My MarkII is much easier to manage after the barometric damper was installed.
Access to clean out the stove pipe of ash is important, so if you go with the existing flue path make sure you can get to it without too much effort. A good metal shop can make the stainless flue pipe for you.
If you have the room, the coring route will give you enough room for the barometric and cleanouts.
The MarkII’s are great stoves; they love Nut size coal and a fan/motor control to slow/quiet the blower down.

Thanks fellas.
My next door neighbor/mason is going to come over Tuesday(hopefully) and help me get this one done.
He's going to brick up the current opening and put a clean-out door there. Then he'll route the pipe into the chimney with a 90 degree bend. The stove will sit out in front of the hearth platform on 3 blue stone tiles. It should be nice.
I can't wait to fire it up! Even though it is nearing the end of the season.