Shop Products
Houzz Logo Print
drod1960_gw

Harman PP38+ Pellet Stove

DRod1960
11 years ago

Hi, hope someone can help me out here. In 2005 I bought a Harman PP38+ pellet stove - two months after I got it, it quit working - they came & replaced something called a heat sensor or heat probe (it looks like a big nail with wires on it). This stove is not auto ignition nor do I have a thermostat on it. So anyways, every year the stove dies & they come out and always replace the same part. (I always have that stove cleaned annually). Every year the stove dies & they have to replace this part & every year I get told a different reason why this part has to be replaced. Up until recently, these guys were the only ones in town who deal with pellet stoves (and they are condescending & pompous). We just got a new guy - so I called & explained the situation & was told that it sounded like that part is something they are supposed to clean during the cleaning process & that a stove cleaning should take care of it. Advice/opinions anyone??? Thx if you can help me out - so tired of wasting money on this stove!

Comments (4)

  • fsq4cw
    11 years ago

    This part you refer to is called an 'ESP Sensor' or External Static Pressure Sensor. I can't say why it's failing. Perhaps you can learn how to maintain this component by properly cleaning it and replace it yourself when needed. It seems like the probe clips on to the blower motor at the probe end and just plugs onto the 'ESP' Control board at the other end.

    See pages 16 Fig. 21, and page 19 of the link below.

    SR

    Here is a link that might be useful: Harmon PP38+ Manual pdf

  • DRod1960
    Original Author
    11 years ago

    Thx SR - I will check this out! In the mean time I was thinking about this issue because it pisses me off so much - don't know if you have ever been in the military or not but this part really looks more like a firing pin from an M-16 and the more I started thinking about it the more I started thinking that Break Free would clean the carbon off - so tested out BF on the stove's glass - wow it worked - yep I still have to totally get the BF off the glass - my next step will be to clean this sensor with Break Free because every time they pull it out & tell me I have to pay $100+ to replace it - every year it's always the same part covered in carbon & always with a different excuse why I have to get a new one!!! Thx for your help!!!!

  • fsq4cw
    11 years ago

    Great - I think you may be on to something! Perhaps cleaning this part a couple of time a year may also help. If you have an old one, try taking it apart. Seeing how it works may provide more clues as to why it fails and how it could be cleaned without damage.

    You may also be able to source this part elsewhere at a much lower price; surely itâÂÂs NOT made by Harman.

    If you can clean an M-16 you can master this!

    Good luck & let us know how it works out - IâÂÂm curious!

    TNX,

    SR

  • HU-24860646
    3 years ago

    paid +&70.00 at stove shop, found identical probe on Walmart site for $20.00

    mine burn out every year and a half due to pour venting and chimney fires, six in last twenty years. my best guess is that a limited or extreme burn off of deposited ash exceeded the probe internal components. i took one apart and found the guts of a common heat probe; i've been an engineering tech for 20+ years. this model was probably never intended to survive a 1500 degree fire, and still be sensitive to it's designed temp range around 200-300 degrees found in many home stoves.

    we over can this by cleaning the stove and pipes during mid winter on a calm day.

    Best of Luck, Mike