Gasket seal on new 55TRPEP

[pageyjim]

The seal on the door is fine as verified with "dollar bill test." But the hopper lid and ash tray don't come close to a proper seal. I have read where people are using weather stripping from the thread below. Is this safe? It will solve the potential problem. Latches are already adjusted as tight as possible.

https://www.hearth.com/talk/threads/attention-englander-owners.135717/

 

[Lake Girl]

Your still better off to use door gasket material ....

 

[pageyjim]

Yeah I know that's the right thing to do. I guess I'm a little upset about it and trying to save a few bucks.

 

[OhioBurner©]

What is the dollar bill test anyhow? I suspect my gaskets aren't sealing up 100%, I get what might be really fine ash accumulation in a pattern around the door. Also the ash pan seems like it doesn't really even apply any pressure on the gasket.

 

[pageyjim]

Here is a link showing the "dollar bill test."



It seems to me that the ash pan is open to the combustion chamber. Otherwise how would ashes get in there? Englander is very specific about this in their dvd also saying they are not responsible for damage caused by gaskets not sealing, including the ash pan gasket.

 

[OhioBurner©]

Thanks pagey, I'll check it out when I get home (the video is blocked here at work for some reason). Yeah the ash pan is open to the combustion chamber just the same as the front door is, its only like a couple inches below it. I need to watch the dvd... never have... don't have a working player atm. Doesn't sound like Englander is standing behind their product if they wont even warranty a stove with a defective gasket straight out the factory? Sure gaskets are a wear item, but surely they could be included in warranty for some time. My Jotul and Hearthstone stoves are going on 3-5 yrs with no problems with factory gasket.

 

[Lake Girl]

Have you registered your purchase? Email Englander about the defect...

 

[OhioBurner©]

Oh and to answer your question, no I don't believe there is any common 'weather striping' that would be non-combustible for stove use. You could temporarily put it on the hopper lid just to test, since it doesn't get hot (well verify that first, mine doesn't get hot but its a different model). But on the ash pan certainly not, that will get much hotter.

 

[pageyjim]

Have you registered your purchase? Email Englander about the defect...

I didn't receive anything to register it lol, never thought about it. I brought some other things to their attention and they responded in great fashion. Other emails with questions they have responded with partial answers or none as of yet. I guess I don't want to be a pain for when I really need them. The hopper lid gasket either needs a thicker gasket or another layer of gasket material. The ash pan gasket isn't as easy to seal properly since there is only a latch in the front and it is 3 sided. It needs a thicker gasket again and should have latches on the sides as well. If I could do it cheap enough I would just let it go. Oh well.

 

[OhioBurner©]

OK so I finally did this dollar bill test... Sounds pretty much like your situation pageyjim. The ash pan I can insert the dollar bill through the door even while the door is closed! And slide it from latch to latch. Similarly the hopper lid test the bill could nearly fall out on its own. The door was mostly good, just the very center of the top I could pull the bill through with a little bit of force.

These gaskets were new - still had black paint over spray on them. Besides I'm a bit pissed to get a stove in this condition (especially since I thought the refurbs were individually inspected) but how do I know the replacement gasket will work? Seems to me they are just too thin. Can thicker ones be had? Or doubled up?

 

[pageyjim]

I have pretty much the same going on here. Except the door is loose around the left side. I stopped looking after that. I was thinking of doubleing up also. Mine is new or a refurb also, little frustrating. Mine was running horribly today then I pushed the ash pan in and applied some metal tape. Running somewhat better. Let me know how yours gets resolved. Ashpan and hopper lid gaskets as they are seem almost useless.