I installed the EF-2 in my tenant's downstairs apartment, it puts out good heat, and I like the simplicity of its controls. We have had it for a year and a half. I noticed that the firebox liner warped and pellets were spraying everywhere and there were little fires below the burn pot. So I called the dealer and they replaced it for $140. Then I noticed a screw popped out and the little metal circle had fallen out, found screw, tried to refasten but it wasn't long enough, went to home depot and bought a longer stainless screw and got it to go in, but metal circle wasn't flush, it can move back and forth. Now, the new firebox liner is warped above burnpot again, not as badly, but pellets are sitting on the lip burning and combustion is all wrong: embers piling up in burnpot and overflowing. I know people love this stove, but I have to say i am much happier with the mini I have upstairs. Any thoughts?
Enviro EF-2 problems
- Thread starter saigon71
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Is the burn pot in backwards? The higher edge should be towards the door. As far as the clean out cover that is no big deal. Sounds like you need to give her a thorough cleaning. The brick I believe is a thin metal one and does tend to warp a bit.
The brick liner is decorative? I will totally scrap it. How do you get it out? It is in there with very little play. I sheared off a second screw head on the other clean out cover and tried to extract it but ended up just drilling it out. Found that sheet metal screws went in nicely. Vacuumed out the stack and it seems to be burning much better.
I always put burn pot in with holes facing ignitor and fresh air feed, that's what they are for right?
charger1966
Member
Hey Saigon, The brick is decorative but if you remove it the heat from the flames will eventually burn right through the liner that is behind the brick. I had to replace that liner in my stove because the brick warped then finally burned through and fell into the burn box. I let the stove continue to work and it did burn through that liner. After I bought the new liner I had some stainless steel sheet in my shop so I made a cover plate for the liner right above the pellet drop tube. Then I installed new brick. Works great and no signs of burn through. My suggestion would be to not burn the stove so hot all the time and to put the burn box liner in with the higher edge towards the door. Let us know how it burns then.
Hey charger1966, is that for a EF2? Didn't know the "brick" liner was necessary. Mine never had one.
nailed_nailer
Minister of Fire
The "Fake" fire brick is decorative but has to help on wear and tear of the smoke chamber panels.
IIRC it takes a bit of cyphering to figure out how to remove the trapezoid through the square front opening of stove.
The Firebox liner (in the burn pot) is very necessary as it holds the pellets (fuel) in the combustion air stream.
Mine warped too. I replaced it once (just once)
The second time it warped I just used a BFH to make the front edge flat again.
It is important that the front and rear of the liner are straight as they "seal" the liner into the firebox.
This forces the combustion air to flow over the pellets (fuel) in the liner instead of around the fuel.
With a "sealed" liner you will get a much improved burn.
The higher side goes towards the front of stove (Glass)
Also the Smoke chamber walls (3-panels held in with the rod) are removable for deep cleaning.
Amazing how much crap gets behind them.
PITA to pull out but well worth it.
---Nailer---
IIRC it takes a bit of cyphering to figure out how to remove the trapezoid through the square front opening of stove.
The Firebox liner (in the burn pot) is very necessary as it holds the pellets (fuel) in the combustion air stream.
Mine warped too. I replaced it once (just once)
The second time it warped I just used a BFH to make the front edge flat again.
It is important that the front and rear of the liner are straight as they "seal" the liner into the firebox.
This forces the combustion air to flow over the pellets (fuel) in the liner instead of around the fuel.
With a "sealed" liner you will get a much improved burn.
The higher side goes towards the front of stove (Glass)
Also the Smoke chamber walls (3-panels held in with the rod) are removable for deep cleaning.
Amazing how much crap gets behind them.
PITA to pull out but well worth it.
---Nailer---
charger1966
Member
Hey Chamas, Yes my stove is the EF 2. You can run it without the brick but that just increases the possibility for burn through. IMHO.
Well, ok, now I'm in the market for a "brick" liner.
charger1966, where did yours burn thru? I will do a close inspection on mine there.
nailed_nailer, you confused me there for a minute. Then I figured it out. What you are calling a firebox liner I think of as the burn pot liner.
charger1966, where did yours burn thru? I will do a close inspection on mine there.
nailed_nailer, you confused me there for a minute. Then I figured it out. What you are calling a firebox liner I think of as the burn pot liner.
charger1966
Member
hi I'm new here but can you describe how you got the brick plate out because after many tries and much frustration I cant figure it out ,thanks.jalby.
Lake Girl
Moderator
Manual, page 9, goes through removal ... hardest part will be screw removal. The rest is just figuring out proper angles to get pieces out.
http://www.enviro.com/images/manual...9 Instruction EF2 Domestic Owner's Manual.pdf
http://www.enviro.com/images/manual...9 Instruction EF2 Domestic Owner's Manual.pdf
Nothing really difficult to figure out. On the metal firebrick, once the upper and lower screws are out, then take out the circles at the bottom and their screw, pull the top of the brick towards you, holding sides inward and extract them from the stove. Take out the locking bar from the 3 liners behind the bricks (if they have them) and clean well behind through the exhaust ports. Give a good cleaning to the airtubes as well, taking care to clean under the top baffle that locks into the inner metal housing. The EF2/3 series are pretty straightforward, very reliable units, my EF3 is from 2009, I've had no burn thru of the metal bricks nor warpage of the burnpot liner. Hang in there, its not real difficult.
I have to assume that the EF3 has a much larger door opening than the EF2 because there is nothing easy about getting that brick plate out,i have tried many times and had to walk away out of frustration.Bad deign I guess!
johneh
Minister of Fire
The manual gives a pretty good description on how to remove
That said it is still a PITA to find the right angle for removal and reinsertion
Its a game of who will win the plate or you
That said it is still a PITA to find the right angle for removal and reinsertion
Its a game of who will win the plate or you
Sorry guys must be that I have cleaned EF2s many times and am certainly not belittling anyone... pellet stove service is mostly experience, its nothing special. Anyway, I reach in, grab the tops of the metal brick, pull them forward, mash them together and wiggle them through the door. You are very right, the EF3 being a bay window door is much easier. After you get them the first time, they will be no biggie to you. Again no offense intended.
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