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[wamxp100]

 I am new to this forum and I have some questions  would like to ask fellow Hardy OWB owners

1. The float switch on my friends Hardy OWB has stopped working therefore the stove has to be filled by hand which is time consuming. Where can I purchase one of these at besides purchasing it directly from a Hardy dealer?

2. Does the creosote build up around the door cause any safety issues. Some times the door is hard to close because of this and smoke comes out of the door. I think this is due to the build up of creosote. How can the creosote build up be removed and stopped from building up.

3. What needs to be done to the blower motor to keep it working properly? Is there a place the motor can be purchased as an after market part?

4. What can be done to prevent ash build up in the back of the ash chamber of the stove where the throat of the blower motor is?

Thanks,

Wamxp100

[BIGDIESEL20S]

Dont know if float switch can be got any where but at dealer. Blowers can be found aftermarket but be carefull I bought an aftermarket blower for my stove last fall it looked the same, fit the same, and work but it is a smaller CFU blower than the one that came with the stove it just has to run longer to get the stove up to temp. (I dont know if that hurts or henders anything).
I dont worry to much about the build up inside the stove since when it gets good an cold my stove pretty much burns itself clean. I burn my stove year round for DHW use so in the summer it gets pretty crusty inside. I do keep a small putty knife out there by the stove and clean the door gasket and the edge that meets the gasket clean so I keep a good seal.
The door getting hard to shut was fixed on mine by replaceing the door gasket if smoke is coming out the door Im gonna bet the gasket is hard like mine was.
The ash build up in the back of the stove I dont have that problem the blower keeps a nice little clean spot back there on my stove but in normal use I add wood morning and night and at the time I add wood I also open ash door and run my fire poker in the ashes to keep them away from grates and if its starting to get pretty full of ashes I use the poker to pull ashes away from blower entry hole.
Takeing care of the blower, all I do is 4 drops of oil in oil port 2 times a year check fan blades for build up, and keep holes in blower door clean.

[jcc273]

I moved into a home a couple years back where the hardy stove had sat thru the winter unused while the house was empty : /.  I did some pretty exhaustive maintenance to bring it back including:  new blower, new float switch, new pump, new domestic water coil, new vacuum relief valve, new filler pipe, and new T&P Valve.  I also cleaned about 12" of crap and creosote from the bottom of the firebox and about 2-3" or creosote from all the side and door.

As far as parts go i got the blower and FLOAT SWITCH from GRAINGER.  Here is the link for the float switch:

http://www.grainger.com/Grainger/wwg/search.shtml?searchQuery=2A554&op=search&Ntt=2A554&N=0&GlobalSearch=true&sst=subset

As for the blower i know you can find them online with the damper door attached, but it'll cost ya like an extra $50.  i bought a brand new one of grainger for like $65 and then ripped the damper door off my old one and took it to my dad's shop and had him weld it on for me (just be careful to take time on the weld so you don't lock up the blower with heat).  As far as maintenance, there is sometimes oil ports on the blowers where you can oil them, but i just simply clean any crap out of it in the summer and at $65 a pop i don't really bother with anything else.

And yeah as BIG said i use a putty knife to get the door clean and i also have no problem with build-up by the blower.  The blower pushes it all away when it kicks on.  I just make sure to clean it out every couple weeks when it gets full : ).

Here is a Hardy parts list.  Useful for finding part numbers in case you can't read it off the part itself:
http://www.archerac.com/images/Internet_Parts_Print_Copy.pdf

[tickman]

Do you have the link for the blower as well?

[jcc273]

I can't remember what i ended up going with, but i remember i just read the part number off of my old blower then looked it up and found a blower with matching specs.  When i get home tonight i will look and see what i went with and post the link for you tomorrow : ).

[DaveWertz]

hardyfurnace.net/‎.  This is the site I buy most of my parts from except pumps. If you are having this much troble with build up try this, Take a pile of cardboard, fill the stove up, close the door but let the ash cleanout door open and let it burn. It will boil over but just make sure there is water in the stove itself. It wont cause harm many of us on here do this. Your done! I keep a garden hoe around to scrap the sides and a putty knife for the door. For the door gasket leak make sure all the nuts around the door are tight, if some are stripped out replace them. Take a wire brush and run it across the door rope until it freys, that usually works for me. Or simply replace it. For the blower motor, there are two very small holes on the side of them, put a few drops of 3-1 oil in them every month or so. I found that hardy replacment parts work best, yes you pay for them but I have had great success with them. The only things I replaced with my stove that I didnt get from hardy are the pumps and my insulated pex... Good luck!

[chillyhiker]

Ive read that high temp axle grease is good for prolonging the door gasket.

[jcc273]

My solenoid busted last night and when i was out there taking it out this morning i realized i forgot to ever post the blower i bought on here like i said i would!!! i am very sorry i completely forgot.  Anyways when i replaced my blower i simply bought a Dayton 1TDP3.  I believe i purchased it off of Zoro Tools because they were the cheapest i think:  Zoro #G2510164 (http://www.zorotools.com/g/00011669/k-1TDP3/).

Remember this is just the blower there is no damper door on it, when i was looking i found places you could buy them with the flap on them already for like $125, but i just bought this one for $70 then went into my dad's shop, ripped the door of the old blower and welded it to the new one.  Just be careful if you weld the door on yourself and take your time because too much heat and you could seize up the blower.  I do see that this site: http://outdoorwoodfurnaceparts.com/products.php?cat=42 has them for $78 with the door attached, but you can't seem to click on it or anything : /.  Maybe that means they don't stock it or something?  Guess you would have to call them.  This site also has them with the door but for $163:  http://store.outsideheating.com/damperblowerforhardy120.aspx

Also in case anyone is interested i also bought a new solenoid (dormeyer 2005-m-1) on Zoro (Zoro #G1062792): http://www.zorotools.com/g/00054167/k-2005-M-1/