Enviro EF2 Heat Exchanger Tubes Cleaning Rod Sticks - Found reason and Fix for 0.14 Cents!!!

[Don2222]

Hello

Enviro EF2 Heat Exchanger Tubes Cleaning Rod Sticks.

Yellow arrow shows that the rod does not pull or push the rake evenly. It seems to really stick when one side goes too far!!

Any suggestions?

See pics.
Click to enlarge

 

[cold front]

I get the same type thing with my St Croix with ash build up. Looks like you have rust pitting causing an uneven surface. Make sure the pull rod is clean and scrub the tubes with a wire bush. You may have to get a bit inventive to get around the tubes with different types of brushes.

 

[slls]

Too many tubes for one rod.

 

[Stevekng]

I have the same set up on my Enviro Vista Flame. But after 5 1/2 years, I don't have the rust I see in your pictures. How old is your EF-2? Put some Damp-Rid in your burn area between seasons and you can keep the rust down. In the mean time, get a set of brass detailing brushes at the auto parts store and a round wire brush that's used for cleaning the inside of copper piping at the plumbing store; will work good in between the tubes.

 

[Don2222]

Hello

I agree there is some rust here, but my other stove in pic below has NO sticking whatsoever and 2 more tubes!
This stove shows no side action when pulling and pushing. The rod always stays perpendicular to the rake!

Click to enlarge

 

[Don2222]

Hello

I found the reason

The Enviro cleaning rod EF-051 (See pic below) goes right thru the rake with a nut on each side.
Also each end of the rake drags on a lip on each side of the stove.

The Avalon Astoria Cleaning Rod screws into a nut that is attached to the rake. This gives no side to side flexing when pulling and pushing the cleaning rod!

The last picture below shows the Travis Ind. cleaning Rod screwed into the Nut on the Rake. Much more rigid!!

So any ideas how to re-engineer the Enviro Rake or where the cleaning rod attaches to the Rake??

 

[jtakeman]

Don, Ever stove will have some sort of an Achilles heel. EF2 was pretty much unchanged since the early 90's. AFAIK Enviro doesn't make the EF2 any longer......

Does your Travis have high/low mode or cutting edge multifuel units??

 

[Don2222]

Don, Ever stove will have some sort of an Achilles heel. EF2 was pretty much unchanged since the early 90's. AFAIK Enviro doesn't make the EF2 any longer......

Does your Travis have high/low mode or cutting edge multifuel units??

My Travis has a multi-fuel burn pot but no auto hi/lo. Also Travis support has made note of quite a few requests for a Hi/Lo feature!

Yes you are correct the EF-2 and EF-2i the last few years was made from 1991 to 2010 and a very rugged stove that pushes out 34,000 BTUs. Also a nice ash pan system!

No stove has everything, I was just a little frustrated at the stuck cleaning rod, did not mean to take it out on Sherwood!!
But there is a suggestion here now if they want to make improvements on other models!

 

[jtakeman]

EF3 had 2 rows of tubes on the heat exchanger. I'll have to check my friends to see how they have the pull rod on that one. My Omega has single row tubes, But the split the scraper in 2(there are 2 short instead of 1 long).

Anyway you could add nuts on either side the pull rod?

 

[Don2222]

EF3 had 2 rows of tubes on the heat exchanger. I'll have to check my friends to see how they have the pull rod on that one. My Omega has single row tubes, But the split the scraper in 2(there are 2 short instead of 1 long).

Anyway you could add nuts on either side the pull rod?

Thanks for your nice suggestion Jay!
Well Hokey Pokey, This rod has no nuts at all!! It screws right into the rake!! That is the Problem
I just removed it, see pic below!

I can check the hardware store tomorrow and see about some washers and nuts!

Please check your friends too, I am very interested now, we may have a good solution in the works

 

[DexterDay]

Don..... When did you get an EF2??? Where did you put it???

 

[Don2222]

Don..... When did you get an EF2??? Where did you put it???

Hi Dexter

It is a EF-2i that really was dirty, broken and destitute that needs a good home. So I took it in and I am fixing it up. If I may not have a good place for it but if I can sell it for the time and money for paint and parts and labor then maybe someone will give it a good home. It should have many many years left. I gave it a complete paint job with good quality 1200 Deg F stove paint and 2000 Deg F header paint on the inside metal brick lining.

See listing. https://www.hearth.com/econtent/index.php/forums/viewthread/80449/

 

[DexterDay]

Sweet. You are not interested in how well it might heat your home? I know it has a smaller hopper than your Avalon. But it does operate on High/Low. I would be tempted to put it upstairs somewhere. Especially if you got it for fairly cheap.

I just Fired my Fahrenhiet Endurance up yesterday. After all this time wanting to sell it. After one burn last night, I am looking at buying 4" Selkirk DT venting. Got the Wifes approval somehow. Looks like it will end up in the basement.

Anyways congrats on the 2nd stove. Even if its short lived. I dont know if I could sell it and not at least try it. 2 stoves equal, = less work load.

 

[Don2222]

Hello

Found the Fix for 0.14 Cents for a Stainless Steel nut

The cleaning rod threads at the end are M7 metric or 1/4-20 US

So I put the rod into the stove and threaded on the nut then screwed it into the rake!! Just like the Astoria!

Before the rake would not only warble from side to side but also up and down. As Mike Do it Right, Holmes on Homes would say "That is unacceptable!!" LOL

Now no warble and it pulls in and out just fine! Strait as an arrow!!

Amen

 

[jtakeman]

Sweet. You are not interested in how well it might heat your home? I know it has a smaller hopper than your Avalon. But it does operate on High/Low. I would be tempted to put it upstairs somewhere. Especially if you got it for fairly cheap.

I just Fired my Fahrenhiet Endurance up yesterday. After all this time wanting to sell it. After one burn last night, I am looking at buying 4" Selkirk DT venting. Got the Wifes approval somehow. Looks like it will end up in the basement.

Anyways congrats on the 2nd stove. Even if its short lived. I dont know if I could sell it and not at least try it. 2 stoves equal, = less work load.

Hey Dex, Just some FYI on the older Enviro's with the "dial a fire" control. There is a kit for a stat option but its not very reliable and very pricey. No hi/lo feature either. For just about the same cost for the stat kit you can upgrade the unit to the newer control and gain the stat feature, Hi/Lo mode and variable blowers so no more damper changing when selecting different heat settings. Easy to install for a novice. But tricky for a beginner though.

So your gonna keep the 50F???

Hello
Found the Fix for 0.14 Cents for a Stainless Steel nut
The cleaning rod threads at the end are M7 metric or 1/4-20 US
So I put the rod into the stove and threaded on the nut then screwed it into the rake!! Just like the Astoria!
Before the rake would not only warble from side to side but also up and down. As Mike Do it Right, Holmes on Homes would say "That is unacceptable!!" LOL
Now no warble and it pulls in and out just fine! Strait as an arrow!!
Amen

Really after all that complaining? It only cost .14 cents to fix! Cool. I'm wondering if someone just forgot to install the jam nut? Got to go check out the EF3!

 

[Don2222]

Sweet. You are not interested in how well it might heat your home? I know it has a smaller hopper than your Avalon. But it does operate on High/Low. I would be tempted to put it upstairs somewhere. Especially if you got it for fairly cheap.

I just Fired my Fahrenhiet Endurance up yesterday. After all this time wanting to sell it. After one burn last night, I am looking at buying 4" Selkirk DT venting. Got the Wifes approval somehow. Looks like it will end up in the basement.

Anyways congrats on the 2nd stove. Even if its short lived. I dont know if I could sell it and not at least try it. 2 stoves equal, = less work load.

Thanks Dexter
I am interested on how it heats.
The Englander 25-PDVC is 22,000 BTUs with no ash pan and the EF2i is 34,000 BTUs with a really nice ash pan system!
The EF2i is real easy to work on. I pulled the Blowers and gave them a good cleaning with no problems at all! The Exhaust blower takes the standard 6" round gasket and since it had the original Lytherm gasket, I guess I gave it the 1st cleaning!! See pic below!!
It is a pretty stove. However I am not using a drop of oil with the Asti and no place to put this upstairs at all! So if I do not sell it right away I will set it up in a new 10x10 shed I am getting in a few weeks for Display and people can see it working. It should heat that ok?

 

[smoke show]

pellet fired sauna

 

[Don2222]

pellet fired sauna

"Igor Put another bag of Stove Chow in the Sauna Stove"
"I want to feel the HEAT!"

Igor - "Yes Master" LOL !!

 

[Don2222]

Hello


From the EF2 manual page 26

THE TUBE SCRAPER ROD:
Put the stainless steel rod through the hole in the heat exchanger located behind the top louvers. Thread the rod into the scraper plate, which is visible from inside the firebox by removing the top baffle.

This certainly implies there are no nuts that come with that cleaning rod.

Therefore adding one nut before screwing it into the rake is a modification or improvement that I highly recommend to make it much more stable and easier to pull in and out to clean the heat exchanger tubes!

 

[jtakeman]

The EF3 also doesn't have a nut. His rod is solid and no side sloop. I'm not sure you could get a nut in there, Let alone tighten it.

 

[smwilliamson]

His rod is solid... and I'm sure you could get a nut in there, Let alone....

out of context but I get what you mean.

 

[Don2222]

The EF3 also doesn't have a nut. His rod is solid and no side sloop. I'm not sure you could get a nut in there, Let alone tighten it.

Maybe the rake is more solid. The rake on the EF2 has a lip all around so the center is thin and not so not much to thread into. One nut is all I can ad but that certainly does the JOB!

How old is the EF3?

 

[jtakeman]

His rod is solid... and I'm sure you could get a nut in there, Let alone....

out of context but I get what you mean.

Think I should have said scraper rod! :cheese: pervert!

How old is the EF3?

fall of 2000

 

[Don2222]

His rod is solid... and I'm sure you could get a nut in there, Let alone....

out of context but I get what you mean.

Think I should have said scraper rod! :cheese: pervert!

How old is the EF3?

fall of 2000

Ok, this EF2 is September 2008 so 3 years old.
I hope Enviro did not shoot themselves in the foot by making the rake cheaper and not adding some strength where the rod attaches. But on the these newer EF2s a 1/4-20 or 7mm Nut before threading into the rake is now Highly Recommended!!

 

[chrisasst]

Great info, my ef2 is really hard to pull and push. I guess I will have to try the nut and see if that works. It may not help either that the rod seems to be bent. I haven't taken it out to really check it though.