PE Firebrick Breakdown

How old are the bricks and stove? After a few burn seasons, I have noticed with my stove that the bricks along the sides and back are getting thinner. The ones on the bottom are protected by the ash layer, so they tend to fair better. I think you can use firebrick from any supplier, as long as it is the same size/thickness. If you are replacing all the brick, there are some smaller firebricks that have been cut to size around the baffle intake pipe. I am sure a tile wet saw would work fine.

What is the advantage of a "pumice" lighter brick? I would assume they wear down quicker from abrasion. My way of thinking is a heavier regular firebrick will be tougher and perhaps hold more radiant heat longer in the cooling stage. Perhaps this is a manufacturer's cost saving measure?

madison said:

I just flipped and rotated the position of the ones breaking down. The beat up ones went to the rear corners.

The standard size pumice can be found online for ~$4.50 a piece. A full set from a PE dealer is ~ $50.

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Fifty bucks for a full set isn't a bad deal.. Maybe get a full set and replace all then save the good ones for spares? I thought a full set would cost more than that..

Ray

BeGreen said:

In a word, insulation. They hold more heat in the firebox for a hotter, cleaner burning fire.

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I think it would be interesting to see how the PE stoves would work with the other type of fire brick, any volunteers?

BeGreen said:

I'm waiting for Summit's opinion after running with some soapstone in the stove.

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Are you running your T-6 with soapstone inside and does it enhance the heat retention? I would like to hear your thoughts on this..

Ray

Would that maybe work in the Pacific insert? I'm thinking center chimney, which stays warm for a long time, getting warmer, and more subtle heat.

My Alderlea fire bricks also have a couple of chips in the tops. I think I did it when I was shoveling out the stove. Not much chipped off, just like flakes about a half inch wide. Will it be okay to keep using the stove for now until I can order some new ones? I guess it will still be fine to burn with chipped firebricks, right? I think this must happen often, so if I replace them it will probably just happen again. I will try to be more careful when I'm shoveling out the stove. I think the shovel caught on the edge of one of the bricks and chipped off a piece. Thanks for the info.

I am into season 6 with my Summit. The bricks are well worn, with one on the side near the rear cracked, but still in place. I turned them all around last year or the year before.
The bottom near the boost manifold was the worst as the chinkers baked stuck to it and after trying to scape it free, it took some brick with it. I flipped those also. Note that the EBT has two smaller screws that go through the firebox floor to mount the EBT underneath the stove. I took a masonry drill bit and made two small indents on the brick's opposite side when I flipped then so that it would lay flush over the screw heads onto the firebox floor.
Are you sure you go the price of $50.00 for the set correct? Cheapest I found was $4.95 per brick x 22 bricks = 109.90, then they wanted another $81.62 for shipping = $190.52. A bit steep for firebricks in my opinion.
If PE is truly $50.00, then that is where I will get them. Wonder what they slam ya for shipping? And how long it takes the dealer to get them in?

patrolman467 said:

My Alderlea fire bricks also have a couple of chips in the tops. I think I did it when I was shoveling out the stove. Not much chipped off, just like flakes about a half inch wide. Will it be okay to keep using the stove for now until I can order some new ones? I guess it will still be fine to burn with chipped firebricks, right? I think this must happen often, so if I replace them it will probably just happen again. I will try to be more careful when I'm shoveling out the stove. I think the shovel caught on the edge of one of the bricks and chipped off a piece. Thanks for the info.

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I wouldn't worry about small chips like yours I'd do what Hogwildz did and flip them over when the time comes.. I find this bricks are pretty soft so I expect them to get scraped.. As for the $50.00 deal I'll buy them too if I can buy them for that price.. I would like a spare set of bricks and spare gaskets for the glass and there is one for the baffle (hell I may as well get a door gasket while I'm at it lol).. Hogwildz fashioned one from a piece of rope gasket but if they are cheap enough I'll get 10 and keep them around for maintenance.. So far I love how my T-5 performs and behaves.. I easily get over 10 hr. burns with good dry hardwood.. It's better than I thought it would be! How do you like your T-5 so far?

Ray

I like it. It keeps my house very warm. I have learned that if I put my wood in as far toward the back as possible, the glass stays pretty clean. I found out that if there is wood close to the glass and I shut it down for an overnight burn, the glass will be black in the morning. Anyone else have any good ideas about keeping the glass clean during an overnight burn?

patrolman467 said:

I like it. It keeps my house very warm. I have learned that if I put my wood in as far toward the back as possible, the glass stays pretty clean. I found out that if there is wood close to the glass and I shut it down for an overnight burn, the glass will be black in the morning. Anyone else have any good ideas about keeping the glass clean during an overnight burn?

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Sounds like your wood isn't quite dry enough. My glass stays clean pretty much except top left and right then downward which I suspect is being caused by the window gasket leaking a bit in the top left and to a lesser extent top right. The majority of the glass is clean and sometimes a slight light tan haze which burns off easily..

Ray

It is possible that my wood is not as dry as it could be.

madison said:

BeGreen said:

I'd check with Tom and see if that is accurate. If so, it's a nice deal and I will order a set to have on hand.

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BG, Tom said it would be $50 additional to ship to the east coast....

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They should dropship the stuff, double the price due to shipping is bs.
I have a dealer in town, wonder if it still cost for shipping if gotten at the dealer.

Hogwildz said:

madison said:

BeGreen said:

I'd check with Tom and see if that is accurate. If so, it's a nice deal and I will order a set to have on hand.

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BG, Tom said it would be $50 additional to ship to the east coast....

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They should dropship the stuff, double the price due to shipping is bs.
I have a dealer in town, wonder if it still cost for shipping if gotten at the dealer.

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Thinking the dealer would place the order along with other items so freight shipping wouldn't be bad.. Shipped separately would probably get expensive but I am no expert on these matters..

Ray

I originally stated that my NorthStar f/p by heat-n-glo had pumice type brick. I was totally WRONG. They are standard fireplace brick type material that you can get locally. My lengths are NOT standar as they are over the standard 9". Widnth and thickness are identical. I bought the regular local brick, cut to make my length and then used a caulk tube of fire motor that cures when you get your f/p hot. Much, much cheaper than getting the original cut length (yep 4-500 a box). Good luck and remember, looks are not everythings, as far as seeing the motor lines in the firebrick. You want the thing to be protected and put out the heat...is the goal.

Firebrick are $3.29 CAD @ the local hardware store. The P.E. dealer in the city charges ~$3
Both prices are for the pumice type, 2 lbs each. The heavier bricks are getting rare around here.