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

ablumny wrote:Turned the stove temp back up as well the feed rate after the buring coal band was far enough back up the grate.
The coal band has moved back to the front of the grate, lit coal into the ash pan !!
Something aint right

Durn!!! Well if I think of anything else, I'll post it....
Its tough to do diags thru the internet

I am not sure if it is possible with that stoker but a few years ago I took my combustion blower apart. it is the common magnetic type motor and when I put it back together I put it upside down thus reversing the fan. It looked very similar to what you have right now. deep bed of coals with only a small amount of air. IT was like that for a couple of days untill I investigated. on mine the magnet looks the same top and bottom,very easy to do.

DVC500 at last wrote:

ablumny wrote:Turned the stove temp back up as well the feed rate after the buring coal band was far enough back up the grate.
The coal band has moved back to the front of the grate, lit coal into the ash pan !!
Something aint right

Durn!!! Well if I think of anything else, I'll post it....
Its tough to do diags thru the internet

OK come visit!
Thanks for all your help.

fishhunter wrote:I am not sure if it is possible with that stoker but a few years ago I took my combustion blower apart. it is the common magnetic type motor and when I put it back together I put it upside down thus reversing the fan. It looked very similar to what you have right now. deep bed of coals with only a small amount of air. IT was like that for a couple of days untill I investigated. on mine the magnet looks the same top and bottom,very easy to do.

Coincidently, I removed the magnet from the combustion motor. It would be possible to put it on flipped around. If I did thr combustion fan would then not pull air from outside, it eould pull air from and tjru the grates I guess?

.. and I thought that I did a thorough summer strip down....

I removed the magnet from the combustion motor

Coincidently, I removed the magnet from the combustion motor. It would be possible to put it on flipped around. If I did thr combustion fan would then not pull air from outside, it eould pull air from and tjru the grates I guess?

it would just spin the squirrel cage backwards severely decreasing the amount of air through the grates. it would not reverse the flow and cause air to be pulled from the stove. it is certanly worth a look, sometimes dumb things cause big problems

Good morning everyone.

Once again thank you all for your help on this. Ran it overnight without issue. Here's the deal though, both stove temp and feed rate set to 1, the coal bed is stable, wider then it should be at these settings for sure so I assume Im burning more then I want and there are a very nice very tall blue flames from the bed which were never evident on these settings.

This morning, moved the stove temp to 6, feed rate to 4 and all I accomplished was moving the very same size bed, same flame, foward so that lit coal is dumping into the ash pan. (I believe the feed rate is overridden anyway in stove temp mode?)

I still suspect the Combustion fan (magnet over winding was properly installed afterall) and/or the draft motor for which the LED light pretty much stays dim which means the fan never increases speed based on the settings or what sensors are picking up....and it may also be one or more of the sensors. I think its either starving for air and/or isnt pumping exhaust out fast enough altough when I open the front door Im not overwhelmed by anything more then heat and there is no change to the lit coal bed.

Ill have to have te dealer come in. Meanwhile despite it all, its 36 outside and our two story Colonial is 76 degrees up and down! Still commited to COAL

thanks again, youve been a great community!

ablumny wrote:This morning, moved the stove temp to 6, feed rate to 4 and all I accomplished was moving the very same size bed, same flame, foward so that lit coal is dumping into the ash pan.

Now that tells me your pusher bar is pushing too much coal at proper settings. Is it possible you installed the 'Fork's long finger upside-down? Also, if the pusher bar is adjusted too far away from the grates, it will let huge amounts of coal get pushed to the grates, which will move the fire to the end of the grate and eventually drop off before turning to ash..

The pusher block assembly comes out and leaves the fork behind. I never touched it however it is installed as in the picture. I like the thinking but Im on to something righ tnow that is very promising as a fix.

Hint: It came from another member who posted what I thought was a peculiar suggestion...... (I thought)!
standby

From looking at your pics, looks like an air leak at the grate to me. Prob in the center, towards the door. Air like humans, is lazy. Will take path of least resistance.

McGiever wrote:Suspect your motor is running at reduced speed due to dry, dirty shaft or lack of enough lubrication...hence the dimming light.

Motor is drawing above normal amps...due to struggling to spin.

Just for a test, try plugging in the convection motor where combustion motor goes...see how dim light reacts to a different motor. That will be a big *clue* for you as to whats to blame.

You would be proving if the motor or the controller was at fault.

Dim light remains = might not be the motor's fault.
Dim light becomes normal = it is the motor's fault.

k9 Bara
That makes sense however Ive removed the grates a 2nd time, cleaned an made sure the perimerter and center seam where well sealed. I don't beleive this to be hte case.

McGiever:
I cant easily swap these wires. One set is hard wired. However your lubrication suggestion seemed to be the winner. The minute I applied lube to all visable areas of the draft motor shaft, the thing came to life. I can audibly hear the motor is spinning faster (but the LED did not change intensity). I pulled the ash pan and protective cover with the plugged pulled for a minute and that fan is free spinning, no drag at all. Fantastic!

I expect the exhaust is properly being pulled out of the stove which might explain why the flame now looks more like I expected. So after an hour or so I turn up stove temp to 7. Expectation is the coal bed widens and the flames are visably bigger. Neither is true. Once again, the coal bed widened a bit but just moved forward

ughhhh

Well the dealer finally called me back to tell me my 3 year warranty had expired in June. They want $110 per hour plus parts and htey couldnt come until 11/14. Thier suggestion was tha tI trouble shoot it myself and buy the parts from them.

Did I say I was pleased with the dealer experiance on an earlier post? !

I will look up the Combustion and draft motors as well the control boards and replace myself unless I can get satisfaction out of Harman but I have little confidance.

Not easy to find parts it seems. Calling Harman later.

1800 664 3119 was the last # I had for Harmon.