Hi everyone. I have been having some trouble with the bypass on my Lopi Declaration sticking. Sometimes it gets stuck in the open position and I can't close it until the stove cools. So I got to poking around in there tonight. I took the baffles and fire bricks out of the top. It looks like the rear baffle (the larger one) is warped. I didn't look too closely at it when it was new, but I am assuming that it was flat then. It's not flat now.
The two baffles hook together with 5 or 6 tabs. When I unhook them from each other, the bypass moves freely. When I hook them together, though, then the front baffle (still straight) bends the rear baffle (warped) into a shape that tends to make the bypass stick.
So how would this happen? Is this from a fire that got too hot? I have only used the stove for two winters now and I usually have trouble getting the thing to heat up. I rarely get the thermometer over 500. before I took it apart, I figured that the problem was the result of a build up of crud in there because I don't get hot enough fires. I did find some ash on top of the baffle but it was completely burned up and there was no sticky goo like the stuff that likes to collect on the glass doors. I guess that's probably the hottest part of the stove, so it makes sense that everything up there would be completely combusted.
I briefly considered trying to straighten the old baffle out, but I figure that once it's warped, it probably won't ever be the same. It will probably oil can when it heats and cools. So I guess I'll get a new baffle. How do I keep it from happening again with the new one?
Thanks
The two baffles hook together with 5 or 6 tabs. When I unhook them from each other, the bypass moves freely. When I hook them together, though, then the front baffle (still straight) bends the rear baffle (warped) into a shape that tends to make the bypass stick.
So how would this happen? Is this from a fire that got too hot? I have only used the stove for two winters now and I usually have trouble getting the thing to heat up. I rarely get the thermometer over 500. before I took it apart, I figured that the problem was the result of a build up of crud in there because I don't get hot enough fires. I did find some ash on top of the baffle but it was completely burned up and there was no sticky goo like the stuff that likes to collect on the glass doors. I guess that's probably the hottest part of the stove, so it makes sense that everything up there would be completely combusted.
I briefly considered trying to straighten the old baffle out, but I figure that once it's warped, it probably won't ever be the same. It will probably oil can when it heats and cools. So I guess I'll get a new baffle. How do I keep it from happening again with the new one?
Thanks
