Year 4 With a DVC-500 Not Off to a Good Start... Help!

ablumny wrote:Dealer that sold me the motors and boards has been working with Harman. They confirmed I need to replace the pressure switch if I replace the control board, another $390.

Andrew, sounds like you have the right people on the problem now
Does the pressure switch swap on yours, because of the age of your stove? I think I have the newer board, so if I have to swap it out, I think my Pressure switch is ok to stay. I hope.

Yep, I think I'm close to getting back on my feet!

As far as the pressure switch, it's a separate unit under the dog house that has the control board. I'm not sure what the serial number cut off is that determines if the stove is in the same category as mine whereas the switch and board must go together. My serial number is 2045. The newer board I got had a dip switch bank on it and smaller regulators, no heat sinks and was meant to be used in a number of different pellet or coal stoves. The old board seems to be single purpose just for this stove.

I also learned that the ESP probe is different depending on serial number of stove. Changing then control board to a newer one essentially means you'd need the ESP part number for the newer stoves.

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Thanks for sharing.

Now for me the real irritation for me, the small P38+ pellet stove in the barn gave up the ghost last night (yet again) and I am trying to learn from all your excellent posts. I am sure these automated Harman stoves are all very similar. The P38+ is a newer stove design that I am sure has the multi purpose board. So I wonder why they fail? Is it prolonged temperature the probes are exposed to, voltage spikes to the board, c rappy component quality or bad design. I see the pressure switch IS a variable output as on the label it states 0-5 volts. My theory of life on stoves or cars is that if it is not reliable it is nothing. So now I, like you, will be down for weeks - again.

The stoves work very well when they are right but this is it for me - Harmans outta here - I can't take it. I won't be at the mercy of a bunch of thug dealers and cold for weeks on end in the middle of winter. With my DVC (my first coal stove and my second winter), a routine service in late summer which consisted of vacuuming out which I had already done once and a few little things that ended up with the tech spraying the stove over (?) and stinking out the house was $360 for two hours work. Now, I have already been told on the P38+ that new probes mean new circuit boards. Perhaps your guys are better than mine. So out of interest what is the total damage to your wallet on this fiasco? It sounds like it was expensive.

I'm a victim of a geography that isn't big on coal so the support is limited and a big frustration. I've got two dealers in my area, one I won't talk about, the other is very nice but as I noted and as they admit, they are more expert on pellet then coal stoves. In contrast, I've spoken to a few dealers in Pennsylvania who each had good knowledge of this unit and plenty of stocked parts. There are good dealers out there...

Yep, many of the motors, probes and control board are now the same. Pressure switches are not the same.I understand the new parent company of Harman has standardized as many parts as possible across as many stoves and technologies as possible. Explains why probes and board part #'s for these common parts depend on unit age based on serial number. Anyway.....

ECP probe
TCP probe
Combustion housing and motor
Draft motor and replacement fan blade
Control board
Pressure switch
Lots of gaskets

Total will roll up over a grand

Read the hnicorp vision statement were they talk about profit. I would get her fixed since you've already spent so much, then get rid of it and get something from a company that all they do is coal stoves and when you call they answer all your questions, when you order a part they overnight it, and will even give you a tour of one being made.

ValterBorges wrote:Read the hnicorp vision statement were they talk about profit. I would get her fixed since you've already spent so much, then get rid of it and get something from a company that all they do is coal stoves and when you call they answer all your questions, when you order a part they overnight it, and will even give you a tour of one being made.

Reading Stove? Leisure Line? I was thinking the same thing the next time I have issues. I'm committed to this one for a while

Todays saga of my Harman Pellet stove P38+ that has stopped working. By the good offices of many people on pellet boards I think I have pinned it down to that dreaded thermistor probe (ESP) again. Interestingly as I was unscrewing it (with the power on) first the stove started to work and then a little flash and the fuse blew on the main board luckily as I was watching. BTW, it should have about a 2200 ohm resistance at 25C and now it's on dead short.

http://www.stove-parts-unlimited.com/Harman_Therm ... -11744.htm

Whatdoya know it's for my stove and earlier DVCs as well. I just know that I am headed where you are. I would not even mind but pellets suck and the stove is worse and obviously this will be a regular event in my life. Of course, these stoves rarely blow in the middle of summer. I can't afford it but it is better to bite the bullet now and chuck damned the thing out. Sooo a new probe and then it works or it dies. Another winner from the Harman stables (Fred, excuse the pun). Berwick here I come - nice town.

Reading Stove? Leisure Line?

I know I've seen LL rep post on here and they were willing to read and talk to the customers on the phone, my personal experience with Harman was horrible, when I called to complain about the dealer they told me to work it out with the dealer, would even tell me simple questions such as how many btus, at the time I was just starting out and they left a horrible impression. After that I got in touch with Ben at AHS and they answered all my questions, and were very prompt in delivery and spare parts and in installation support.

I guess most dealers in ct go with them because of the large selection and profit but imho if you don't offer customers an alternative then your not doing your customers any favors.

Electronics suck. They don't belong on stoves or in cars/trucks. They're great when they work .... but WHEN they break, ......

SMITTY wrote:Electronics suck. They don't belong on stoves or in cars/trucks. They're great when they work .... but WHEN they break, ......

So true! My hand fed buning pals don't have these problems.....

ValterBorges wrote:

Reading Stove? Leisure Line?

I know I've seen LL rep post on here and they were willing to read and talk to the customers on the phone, my personal experience with Harman was horrible, when I called to complain about the dealer they told me to work it out with the dealer, would even tell me simple questions such as how many btus, at the time I was just starting out and they left a horrible impression...........

A few posts back I shared my experience calling Harman direct and my selling dealer. Agree.

Do we have a good surge supressor on the stove plug?...
Won't solve the current problem but will help in the future...

So as the DVC seems to be the same deal I will chronicle my fix (or failure thereof) of my pellet P38+. The info I have from the internet is

Harman part number 3-20-11744
Replaces Harman part # 1-00-00744.
OEM Harman part.

So I Called and asked if they have it in stock - yep - so I went to pick it up. The technician tried to charge me $56 for the part but it had no probe on it. So he says this is 11744, no says I, this is just a cable. So sell me 1-00-00744. I have dealt with these crooks before now many times and am used to trying to get one move ahead. NO, I will not reveal them. In obvious dismay he returns with the right part. Installation backlog is now 5 weeks and servicing is usually a subset of that more profitable part of the business. So I HAVE to fix it myself or wait two months. Strangely, that I don't fault them for in any way. I did admire his brand new red Dodge truck and gray 5 series beamer. Hey, I am a capitalist at heart and I wish them luck. I just don't want to buy it for him. Coal at $350/ton (Blashek). Super Magnum at $3500, fancy stuff extra.

So this is my question (s). I noticed when I started to unscrew the probe the stove suddenly started. In that hot and toxic environment does the probe become ungrounded as mine appeared to do (or become grounded as two leads in suggest a ground is not necessary). Should DVC owners replace that probe every year as a matter of course? As in early circuits as the probe is before the main board and powers it (they changed that now as the new probes are red wired) if 2000 ohms goes to dead short and there used to be no fuse on the board.........

Hey, what about the FILTER?
Likely the cheapest part to replace on the whole stove.

A dirty or plugged up filter would give blink codes of the other high dollar components.
This got to be a money-maker for a dealer.

Can be seen on page 27 in manual...

CapeCoaler, yep good idea....

Coal newbie, the 3-20-11744 came to be as probe, short leads and two splice connectors. I was told it replaced the older part number which had the long leads and terminated with the connector that plugged into the control board.

I understood the probes werenot grounded to the chassis....but that's one dealer techs comment. No idea.

Also, I'm convinced "playing" with this thing while it was plugged in caused most of my troubles. Don't suggest it

McGiever, yep checked the clear tube from end to end and that filter....for me, all clear.

Thx