Another PE Baffle thread (this ones answers some questions)

[jqgs214]

I had reported ealier that I had a belly sag in my baffle. I took the stove apart yesterday to see if the seal was good on the secondary air inlet because I too was getting secondary from the rear of the stove. What I found surprised me. In the back, bottom edge of the baffle there is a, for back of a better word "flange", that runs across the full length of the baffle. UNDER this flange are secondary air holes (all the way across just like the ones in the front.) So its my assumption that secondareis from the back of the stove are expected to happen. Also the back edge of the baffle was straight as an arrow so no leakage was occuring.

 

[iceman]

I had reported ealier that I had a belly sag in my baffle. I took the stove apart yesterday to see if the seal was good on the secondary air inlet because I too was getting secondary from the rear of the stove. What I found surprised me. In the back, bottom edge of the baffle there is a, for back of a better word "flange", that runs across the full length of the baffle. UNDER this flange are secondary air holes (all the way across just like the ones in the front.) So its my assumption that secondareis from the back of the stove are expected to happen. Also the back edge of the baffle was straight as an arrow so no leakage was occuring.

YEAH you guys had me sold on a pe summit (i bought one) and now i was getting nervous... as it hasn't been installed yet

 

[Gunner]

Interesting...you take any pictures? I'm guessing the holes are only visible with the baffle removed?

I do get some secondary back there but not steady streams like I do up front. Maybe this is something new or it was always there just never noticed before, probably to keep from having a "dead" spot in the back of the stove. Good detective work. Guess we don't have to worry about the recall or class action lawsuit anymore :lol:

 

[BrotherBart]

Interesting...you take any pictures? I'm guessing the holes are only visible with the baffle removed?

I do get some secondary back there but not steady streams like I do up front. Maybe this is something new or it was always there just never noticed before, probably to keep from having a "dead" spot in the back of the stove. Good detective work. Guess we don't have to worry about the recall or class action lawsuit anymore :lol:

Now ya just have to make sure your "bellies" don't sag too much. :lol:

"Wow! Would ya look at the belly on that stove."

 

[elkimmeg]

must be owned by beer drinkers midriff bulge oh we are talking about baffle warp sorry got confused

 

[Hogwildz]

Ah either way, bought & paid for as the saying goes.
And to be politically correct, I believe the term is sag not warp.

 

[KeithO]

The baffle in my morso 7110 is about 1/2" cast iron plate, made in 2 pieces with fiber insulation above it. I get the impression some of the fabricated stoves make the baffle too thin and fail to stamp stiffening ribs into it which would make it less prone to warpage. A flat piece of sheet metal is a very unstable geometry when being unevenly heated.

 

[webbie]

In an ideal world, it might be curved slightly upward so that warping forces would cause it to either bend up a little more or sag until straight. At the same time, trying to constrain it (as keitho knows) often creates more stress! As we used to say in the 60's "let it all hang out"......

Main thing with such assemblies is:
1. it does the job and holds up over the years
2. it is replaceable

 

[elkimmeg]

Being polite here and just wondering, what is the replacement cost? How readily available is the part and what is said about it being a warranty issue . meaning how long is it covered by
warranty replacement?

 

[jqgs214]

Lifetime warranty replacement I believe. Dunno as to availability or cost. You gotta shine a flash light to see the holes under the flange and you just might be able to see them with the baffle installed but I looked from the end in and saw em that way.

 

[PAJerry]

The second row of secondary burn holes is easily seen on my Vista - probably because the baffle is not as deep as in the Summit.

 

[elkimmeg]

Good news I talked to PE customer service rep Kathy today. They are unaware of the baffles issues and have only seen two incidents of them being warped. They seem generally concerned and would like to have the serial numbers of the concerned baffles, to determine if it was a run production problem. They assured me that if they are warping they should be returned for replacement. They also told me to contact the distributorship that supplied the stoves to get the replacement part. And that probably the distributor ship has dealt with the issue and it has not made it back to them, there is an issue. I told here there does not seem to be a burning or function issue at this time. And that removing the baffles and shipping back during the heating demand time was not an option. She said then, they would deal with it in the spring.. I also recommended that they read the current post here concerning this issue. which they said they would look into

 

[jqgs214]

thanks elk

 

[TMonter]

I think Englander and Quadrafire has the right idea in using a piece of ceramic fiber board for the space above secondary air instead of metal. That way there is no issue of possible warping.

Something about steel of any type in a zone where temps get higher than 1300F just makes me nervous.

 

[jqgs214]

So you are saying your firebox makes you nervous?? Shut er down!!

 

[Gunner]

How about some pitures of the baffles in question

 

[jqgs214]

Maybe tonight when I get home.

 

[TMonter]

So you are saying your firebox makes you nervous?? Shut er down!!

Let me rephrase that: Uncooled steel.

 

[Gunner]

OK here is mine, not the greatest picture.... wife busted my camera. Just used the cell phone camera with a table lamp for light, stove is 450deg at time of pic, living off coals from this morning.


This stove has not been pampered, but run for many hours at 700-750 stovetop with the occasional spike even higher. Do you still want to use the word warped?



*Side note* Before anyone sings about 700-750 being too hot, I will add that all my temps are taken in the middle just in front of the flue...this is the absolute hottest part of the stove directly above the flameshield which can be seen above the baflle itself. I would be curious if someone (Elk, goose) could slap one of the thermo's directly outside where the cats sits on the back of the stove. With the griddle being 600 in the sweet spot and the cat glowing red and providing most of the heat on the back wall, I wonder how hot the cast gets in that spot.

 

[Hogwildz]

I think Englander and Quadrafire has the right idea in using a piece of ceramic fiber board for the space above secondary air instead of metal. That way there is no issue of possible warping.

Something about steel of any type in a zone where temps get higher than 1300F just makes me nervous.

The Summit baffle is a s.s. box with a ceramic blanket on top of it, not so unlike the ones you refer to, over the top of the blanket is another pc of s.s. which appears to act as a heat shield. These parts all make up the baffle system.

 

[fishercat]

Good idea about pictures. I'll take one tonight and post it tomorrow

 

[Hogwildz]

Any ideas as to where the baffle serial # is on the baffle? I had mine out in the spring but did not notice a serial #.

 

[BrotherBart]

*Side note* Before anyone sings about 700-750 being too hot, I will add that all my temps are taken in the middle just in front of the flue...this is the absolute hottest part of the stove directly above the flameshield which can be seen above the baflle itself. I would be curious if someone (Elk, goose) could slap one of the thermo's directly outside where the cats sits on the back of the stove. With the griddle being 600 in the sweet spot and the cat glowing red and providing most of the heat on the back wall, I wonder how hot the cast gets in that spot.

These steel stoves actually get the hottest on the sides between the secondary manifolds on the side of the firebox and the firebrick. That little strip is exposed to the full heat in the firebox without anything between it and the fire. That space on the 30-NC regularly runs 150 hotter than the stove top or any other place on the stove. You don't detect it on the Summit because that part of the stove is covered on the outside by the convection shields on the sides.

 

[elkimmeg]

Per Administrative policy: I have to disclose that for the donor program, I have a direct relationship with a distributor that sells PE stoves. In fact through this account I have procured a
purchase of a PE insert. I also have an account with a hearth supply company where I buy liners class A chimneys directly from a dealer. I also have a Coperfields account.

So that a full disclosure is made. This means almost every stove made I can sell, that my distributors carry PE VC Napolean and just about every chimney product.

In the state of MA the only license required to install stoves is a Contract supervisor's license which I have. IT qualifies me to deal and establish accounts with distributors. That also includes almost all major home appliances. I have a direct account with GE where my orders are dropped shipped. IS that enough of a full disclosure to satisfy the powers that be on the Hearth.

If that is true I really can't discuss any products post

 

[Gunner]

*Side note* Before anyone sings about 700-750 being too hot, I will add that all my temps are taken in the middle just in front of the flue...this is the absolute hottest part of the stove directly above the flameshield which can be seen above the baflle itself. I would be curious if someone (Elk, goose) could slap one of the thermo's directly outside where the cats sits on the back of the stove. With the griddle being 600 in the sweet spot and the cat glowing red and providing most of the heat on the back wall, I wonder how hot the cast gets in that spot.

These steel stoves actually get the hottest on the sides between the secondary manifolds on the side of the firebox and the firebrick. That little strip is exposed to the full heat in the firebox without anything between it and the fire. That space on the 30-NC regularly runs 150 hotter than the stove top or any other place on the stove. You don't detect it on the Summit because that part of the stove is covered on the outside by the convection shields on the sides.

You are probably right BB...I can't take a temp there so I dont know. I do know the edges of the top are cooler than the middle.

Would still be interesting to see what the temps are on these cat stoves directly outside were the cat sits.