Harmon Mark 3 top end leak?

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Hounds51
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Joined: Sat. Feb. 22, 2020 9:46 pm
Location: Bethel, Pa
Hand Fed Coal Stove: 2 Legacy TLC 2000 one in the upper and 1 in the lower part of the house
Coal Size/Type: Wood and pea, nut ,stove and egg coal

Post by Hounds51 » Thu. Oct. 15, 2020 10:09 am

My brother purchased a used Harmon Mark 3 at the end of last burning season. He has made some small wood fires since buying it, and it works good for the wood burns.
Now the problem is when he try's to burn coal, he has to open his lower spinner and lower door to keep his coal fire burning. We looked for top end air leaks, and all that we found is were the glass is installed there is a small opening for the glass air wash which is part of the design, according to what I understand.
When we inspected the stove before purchase and after moving we inspected the stove for any cracks or openings before we reinstalled the fire brick.
Does any one have any ideas what could be happening? Also his chimney which is stone with a flue liner, is reading close to 200 degrees. So it is getting plenty of draft, but yet it is not drawing hard enough to keep a coal fire lit. This chimney has 8 to 12" thick mountain stone and is reading 150 degrees plus.
It appears that there is some type of leak on the top end, but where?
Also the door had new gasket installed before it was purchased.

 
Qtown1835
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Post by Qtown1835 » Thu. Oct. 15, 2020 10:16 am

What does your manometer read? Do you have a Baro or MPD installed?


 
Hounds51
Member
Posts: 556
Joined: Sat. Feb. 22, 2020 9:46 pm
Location: Bethel, Pa
Hand Fed Coal Stove: 2 Legacy TLC 2000 one in the upper and 1 in the lower part of the house
Coal Size/Type: Wood and pea, nut ,stove and egg coal

Post by Hounds51 » Thu. Oct. 15, 2020 1:11 pm

No manometer and no baro. I think I found the problems. This Harmon is and older version stove.
When my brother purchased this stove (used) it had all new door gaskets. I went over to my brother's place and did the dollar bill test. Needless to say it failed miserably. Also the door glass was loose.
It appears that the older Harmon mark 3's had a vent type louver cast into the bottom of the top door thus making the glass wash.
In the newer mark 3's, the glass gasketing instructions tell you that to gasket only the sides of the glass, thus creating the air curtain that the glass stay's cleaner.
With the older mark 3's they built into the door an air louver that washes the glass, thus no need to only gasket the sides and rather gasket the entire glass.
But the big problem was the main door gasket being too loose to make a tight door seal.
Sorry to jump the gun with this post, but I thought this explanation might help someone in the future especially with the door glass gasketing.

 
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McGiever
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Location: Junction of PA-OH-WV
Stoker Coal Boiler: AXEMAN-ANDERSON 130 "1959"
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Hand Fed Coal Stove: Warm Morning 414A
Coal Size/Type: PEA,NUT,STOVE /ANTHRACITE
Other Heating: Ground Source Heat Pump and some Solar

Post by McGiever » Thu. Oct. 15, 2020 5:55 pm

This ain't wood!!!! You do not control the coal fire by how much you load...it is controlled by how little or much air you let in below the grates.
Must cover the entire grates totally to the walls and it has to be very deep coal bed.
Anything less is a never ending battle...

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