Harman Startup Questions

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MHavoc
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Posts: 1
Joined: Thu. Aug. 02, 2018 11:22 pm
Location: Dauphin Co, PA
Hand Fed Coal Stove: Harman Mark Fireplace Insert w/Blower
Coal Size/Type: Nut

Post by MHavoc » Sun. Oct. 21, 2018 3:44 pm

First, I am total noob at either wood or coal stoves, but I am rather excited about the prospect of heating my house with coal. I have a Harman Mark ? (Don't know the model) and took delivery of 3 ton of nut coal. I have been reading the forum and trying to figure out the base way to fire things up and I think I have the basic process down, but I have some questions which may seem obvious... just not to me :D.
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Harman Fireplace Insert Coal Stove

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(1) Since the Harman is a Fireplace Insert, the back damper can only be adjusted manually from inside the firebox. I understand that when you first start the firing up process, this damper would be in the fully open position. What I am having difficulty understanding, is how you can adjust this damper with a hot coal fire going on the grates? I imagine that you use heavy leather gloves and do it as quickly as possible, but is that correct? Or is there a better way with tongs or something else?
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Back Damper for the Stove to the Brick Chimney

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(2) Many members talk about measuring their drafts, but I don't see a way of doing that with this application. Basically, the damper allows for crude adjustments in the back and the air inlet in the ash door can be more finely adjusted with 1/4 turns to dial in the burn rate. Right?

(3) My stove doesn't have an ash pan. Is that a big deal? I guess I will just be scooping the ashes out in the pail and it will take a little more time.

Thanks.

 
dane
Member
Posts: 112
Joined: Sat. Nov. 25, 2017 7:00 pm
Location: Manchester MD
Hand Fed Coal Stove: Harman Mark II

Post by dane » Sun. Oct. 21, 2018 8:19 pm

I dont know about the damper as my Mark II doesnt have that, but you 100% want to have an ash pan, I'm sure you can purchase one!

Dane

 
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coalvet
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Posts: 254
Joined: Tue. Feb. 27, 2007 12:48 pm
Location: Rhode Island
Hand Fed Coal Stove: Crane Model 404, Harman MK I
Coal Size/Type: Nut
Other Heating: NG Boiler

Post by coalvet » Sun. Oct. 21, 2018 8:21 pm

This manual might help answer some of your questions.

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Elite_Insert.pdf
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Fat King Coal
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Posts: 20
Joined: Sun. Feb. 04, 2018 12:10 pm
Location: Centrul, Pennsyltuckey
Hand Fed Coal Stove: Harman Magnafire Elite insert
Coal Size/Type: Pea, nut, stove
Other Heating: Pellet insert- Kozi Baywin insert

Post by Fat King Coal » Mon. Nov. 05, 2018 6:58 pm

Hello, i think you may be confusing the "baffle block off plate" (direct connect hole cover, p/n 2-00-01041) with a damper. As you may know, its for reaching up in to grab the direct connect, etc during installation. It is in theory an internal damper to reroute through the baffle to get more heat, but intended as a "permanent" one i believe, stationary might be a better word but its only there for installation, I BELIEVE . i just did my final install after an earlier test run last month and i just decided to put a basic hardware store U bolt through it so i can use it as an "internal damper" if i want, or not, however that is my personal risk/idea and not what Harman intended. it just seemed safer to be able to move it easily with a poker in case i needed to dump heat quick, fast, and in a hurry because its already on a 2nd baffle. I was actually able to get a MPD in between my Magnafire Elite and my previous home owners stainless steel chimney liner, wow, the difference is amazing and it's not even in the 30s yet!!! obviously each assumes the risk on that decision and the research on that subject is enjoyable. I figured if Hitzer, etc has them from the factory and they have decades of proven benefit on Harman stoves (despite manual warnings, facts are facts), then my MarkIIInafire Elite should be ok 🤣 im home working all day so i will notice any negative changes hopefully. With the pipe damper in use, the old heatilator junk is retaining heat beautifully and its set up (like yours) so the cold air goes toward both of the bottom heatilator vents and naturally pushes all that "lost insert heat" from the back out of the original heatilator warm air discharge. I have fans down there and although amazing, they're not necessary yet. Well, hopefully that helped clear up things and possibly gave you some ideas to research for your application. I was going to post this on my restoration thread today for future researchers, but nobody was interested at all so i figured it wouldn't be seen. Yes, definitely get an ash pan i think they're sold here by an individual or you can find a dealer. You have one of the very early Magnafire Elite coal inserts i think, the single blower on the right is a giveaway but im new also, so im just telling you what ive observed here and elsewhere. To measure draft you will need a manometer, Google Dwyer MKII manometer and eBay has a pack with dye and tubes for under 40 bucks i think.

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BlackBetty06
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Posts: 603
Joined: Tue. Jan. 01, 2013 10:44 am
Location: Lancaster county PA
Hand Fed Coal Stove: Hitzer 50-93
Coal Size/Type: Stockton Nut
Other Heating: Jotul 118b woodstove, dual fuel heat pump/condensing propane furnace

Post by BlackBetty06 » Wed. Nov. 07, 2018 7:49 pm

Yes you have a harman magnafire elite coal insert. I used to have the same stove. Basically a mark 3 modified to cram into a fireplace. As stated above, what appears to be a damper in the back is there ONLY for you to reach in and get the oval flue adapter situated. Then that piece of steel should be slid back over the entire hole and left there blocking it off completly. The flue gases are drawn in from the front top of the baffle plate in the stove. Otherwise you will send your heat straight up the pipe. Also, dont run that insert without the fans on.

 
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Fat King Coal
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Posts: 20
Joined: Sun. Feb. 04, 2018 12:10 pm
Location: Centrul, Pennsyltuckey
Hand Fed Coal Stove: Harman Magnafire Elite insert
Coal Size/Type: Pea, nut, stove
Other Heating: Pellet insert- Kozi Baywin insert

Post by Fat King Coal » Thu. Nov. 22, 2018 2:59 pm

Yes, im sorry if i wasn't clear, always run the insert fans. What i meant was that i don't run the completely unrelated bottom fans from the semi retired heatilator system unless its super cold out, but man can they push that little extra bit of heat out and my "circulation streamers" go immediately horizontal at the staircase and other opening to the second floor! I have my insert pulled out as far as possible on my hearth with the oval to round adapter an inch from the front brick and if im losing heat, we sure can't tell. Yours looks pretty nice, i like the flush look of yours, and the legs, but was tired of eating grinder dust and almost dropping it on my face, so i was done cutting out heatilator steel until next summer, its blocking the SS liner from going back. Have you fired it up yet? What have you been experiencing? Happy thanksgiving!

 
M320
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Post by M320 » Wed. Apr. 10, 2019 10:16 pm

Posting here hoping to get some response. I just purchased a used Harman Elite insert and it does NOT have the block off plate to cover the access hole. Does anyone know it this part is still available and where to get one. TIA.

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