First It Was the DVC-500, Now, Mark III - Fan Upside Down!

I recall a post where coalbin found that his Harman DVC-500 had a fan motor mounted upside down: Harman DVC-500 Efficiency , which causes the oil to seep out the oil hole, sometimes resulting in seizure of the motor, or at the very least, a noisy motor. I never bothered to check mine, as I have a handfired -- so the motor is just for extra efficiency & not required to burn.

I was just in the basement & decided to remove the motor for inspection, because it's been unplugged for the last 2 days due to the warm temps outside - I wanted to see if it was heating up to a point I should be worried about. Next thing I know my hands are covered in oil ....... so I look & sure enough, the oil hole on the Fasco motor is pointing down!

In light of this, I'd encourage all Harman owners to check all their motors -- especially you stoker guys. Might save you a motor purchase if you catch it in time!

Back to the basement for a fan reversal!

I was able to reinstall mine without much trouble. The wire was long enough to allow for the 180 degree spin of the motor.

Looks real simple on mine. Not much to the unit, & there's plenty of clearance in all directions. Gotta do some yardwork first, then I'll get on that & take some more pics along the way.

I turned mine around but it made the wireing too close to the stove so I put it back. I assume that's why they put it upside down. I use synthetic oil and clean it out 2 times a month. This is the second season now running 24/7 with no problems. It ran from Nov. 1st until April last season. Since Oct. 1st this year.

Good catch Smitty, Thanks for sharing.

No problem.

Well, the reversal bit me in the ass. First, I was unable to tell that the set-screw on the shaft was a T-20 TORX ... and NOT allen. SO I started out by ruining my allen wrench when the thing stripped -- Christ! They must have poured red Loctite in there & torqued it to 300 ft.lbs.!!!!!

SO I get my torx & proceed to snap the tip of the torx off ........ that's it for me! Let the damn motor seize!

Another pointer: Use a T-20 TORX to start .... but first HEAT THE HELL out of the hub of the squirrel-cage, then try & remove.

I had to quit before I smashed the damn thing to pieces!

I run My Harman Mark III all winter I can get two years out of a fan motor with the upside down motor . Did't you know thats how Harman does everything. I get the motors from Grainger but they are nolonger Fasco but they still are the same.

Now if I could keep grates in the stove I would be happy.

The fan currently running in the stove is 17 years old and running fine. I clean it once or twice a year and oil it then. When I replaced the stove a couple years ago I put the old fan in. I figured since it was still running I would save the new one to replace it when it died, it just hasn't happened yet. Although I bet I just jinxed myself!

titleist1 wrote: Although I bet I just jinxed myself!

Yeah, way to go!!!!

SMITTY wrote:SO I get my torx & proceed to snap the tip of the torx off ........ that's it for me! Let the damn motor seize!

Smitty that makes two of use. I did the same exact thing!

OK so it wasn't just me -- thought I was having a mental breakdown!

I'm on my second season with this particular setup. I went all last year without noticing the oil hole facing the wrong way!

I still can't get over how tight that son of a bitch was!! That's just not right!!

I'll be sure to install the new one the correct way when this one finally takes a dump ... if it does. I'll give it the Amsoil treatment -- nothing but the best -- it might last forever!

Thats normal Harman quality control. My blower would not fit at all until I cut 1/2 inch off the flanges.

The stoker mounting holes were drilled out to a wrong size that I needed to drill out myself.

Then along with a bastardized gearmotor that is like nothing the manufacturer sells to the public and no one else seems to have that model installed from the factory craps out the first year of ownership. Played hell getting it replaced.

Oh yes and the dealers, lol.