Component Longevity (consensus)

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Hellfire

Member
Oct 2, 2012
153
Sunbury , PA 17801
Component Longevity? Just wondering what ( no specific brand ) the life of Motors : Auger/Combustion/ Convection / P.O F switch/vacuum Switch/Motherboard (brain) / Overheat Switch / & Gaskets ;?My stove installed new on: ( 11.23.05 ) My first replacement combustion motor was installed ( 6.03.09 ) First convection motor ( 1.14.10 ) First P.O.F snap disc assembly ( 10.14.12 )
 
I still have a living Whitfield first generation stove, 1983. All original. Talk about simple. Convection fan on as soon as you switch on, fixed speed exaust. Pain to clean. No safeties.Used now in garage but got bumped by a Harman pc45 this fall.
 
Ours is a 2006 St Croix Afton Bay. It stayed new in the box for 3 years then bought by the guy we bought it from. He used it for 2 years and we installed and used it last winter. so far 1 combustion fan. I think it was never pulled or cleaned and that could have led to the failure.

So, 1 combusion fan on a 6 year old stove used 3 years.
 
I just sold a 5-year old 25-PDVC that burned about 3 tons a season for all 5 years and never had a single problem, just replaced gaskets once in a while. I also have a 4-year old King 5510 that burns about 3 tons a year and have replaced the igniter twice and gaskets once, nothing else. Just got a Harman P43 that I think will be a great stove too!
 
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Wish there was somehow to link care to longevity. Some of us are little more caring of our investments and like to keep our butts warm. Amazing how a vac, brush and a can of oil can make a good stove run without trouble. You see it here when they ask how often they should have cleaned the stove.
 
Poor maintenance + lack of cleaning will shorten the life of anything. The environment these stoves operate under ( dust, high heat ,24/7 x > 6 months ) guess we can`t complain vs. the $ of heating oil. Motor replacements are still cheaper in the long run than what other heat alternatives offer. I figure if i get 5 years minimum out of a component then i am still ahead. ( Avg. motor cost $100 / 5 = $20 a year )
 
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Being able to service the units is a plus as they are not all that complicated. I had 2 sets of bearings go out on the convection fan on a bixby last season. Just bad luck on getting bad bearings. One set was ceramic and I never realized they were shipped grease free.:(
 
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