30NC BAFFLE BOARDS

[El Finko]

Yes Virginia, there is a Santa Claus.
The baffle boards on my 30 are looking rough after 3 years, and I'd been dreading shelling out the $$$ that Englander wants for new ones.
I'd seen some of the posts about sourcing the material elsewhere (EBay, etc) and today it fell in my lap.
While picking up rock wool to insulate the block-off plate (30 mounted in fireplace) I scored a 2' x 4' x 1/2" ceramic fiber board that's normally used to insulate boilers (good to 1800F). It was a remnant and these guys just wanted to get rid of it.
Price paid: $20.
I can replace five baffles with this.
HOO- WAAAAAAHHHHHH

 

[pen]

Good score.

Some scars won't hurt the boards any, did you end up knocking a hole in the original boards?

pen

 

[Mountaineer]

4 winters with our nc30 and my boards were toast

 

[pen]

6 or 7,,, I've lost count now, years now into this stove's life with me, and I've shoved somewhere between 25 and 30 cord through it, plus whatever its previous owner did, and it's still on its original boards, and I see no reason to replace. Lots of dings, mostly from me doing something with the help of my friends who make products in Kentucky that come in 1.75 liter bottles,,, or the Scots, or god forbid, the Polish,,,

My buddy with a 30 had his baffles destroyed 3/4 of the way through his first season with the stove.

They are tough when it comes to handling heat, but they are not meant to be touched. If they are failing, loading or getting a poker in there and banging against them, is probably taking place and changes to that habit are the solution.

In all, rather than changing my habits and loading stone sober, I got rid of the poker, as that was an accident waiting to happen, (and how my buddy killed his) changed my loading practices so that I didn't need to adjust things once the fire was established until the the wood was low, and then I use a rake that I made up. In the rare event I do need to re-arrange something, I use a set of log tongs.

pen

 

[BrotherBart]

I got rid of the poker, as that was an accident waiting to happen, (and how my buddy killed his) changed my loading practices so that I didn't need to adjust things once the fire was established until the the wood was low, and then I use a rake that I made up. In the rare event I do need to re-arrange something, I use a set of log tongs.

Exactly. Threw out the poker and mine are on year nine. Dusted them off the other day when I cleaned the chimney. Funny thing is three or four years ago I bought a second set along with gaskets on the free shipping Fall special at ESW and all of it is still sitting on a shelf. Love that set of tongs I got at Lowe's at year end closeout of three bucks.

 

[pen]

Exactly. Threw out the poker and mine are on year nine. Dusted them off the other day when I cleaned the chimney. Funny thing is three or four years ago I bought a second set along with gaskets on the free shipping Fall special at ESW and all of it is still sitting on a shelf. Love that set of tongs I got at Lowe's at year end closeout of three bucks.

I owe Mike from ESW a beer someday, when the original owner of the stove bought the thing, he noticed how delicate the boards are after the first nick on loading the stove for the first time (it still is probably the deepest one). The guy called up ESW complaining that the boards would never make it through the season, and wanted another set. ESW took it in stride, indicated that the boards are meant for heat and not shock/impact, and sent him a brand new set. Guy was heating a single wide trailer with the stove

So, I still have a brand new set of them suckers, due to ESW's generosity, and the previous owner being concerned these things were going to fall apart in no-time, even when it was just him being a fool. In all, even after all these years, that set the original owner thought was going to die right out of the gate, shows scars, but no reason for replacement.

pen

 

[begreen]

4 winters with our nc30 and my boards were toast

That's probably not too bad for a stove that has been run wide open for those 4 winters.

 

[beatlefan]

OK, I'm about to begin season 2 on my 30. I haven't paid much attention to the boards, other than making sure they are always pushed toward the rear. I'm sure I've banged into them at times though. How do you know if they are bad? Is there something I should be looking for?

 

[BrotherBart]

Holes and cracks.

 

[PWash]

The nc30 has a vermiculite baffle? I repaired a crack and a hole with the stuff and seems to be holding up fine... so far

 

[El Finko]

My originals have a nice crescent shape to them, and the leading edge is banged up. They'll last for a while yet, but I thought about doubling up with the new boards for extra insulation across the top- see if I can get the secondaries to light off earlier in the burn. Thought I read somewhere that others had success along these lines after adding insulation above the burn tubes.

 

[Z33]

My originals have a nice crescent shape to them, and the leading edge is banged up. They'll last for a while yet, but I thought about doubling up with the new boards for extra insulation across the top- see if I can get the secondaries to light off earlier in the burn. Thought I read somewhere that others had success along these lines after adding insulation above the burn tubes.

If you decide to do this I would be interested in hearing your results.

 

[pen]

There's not a lot of room above the current baffle before you get to a deflector that hangs down infront of the flue collar.

I don't think doubling up is a great plan.

pen

 

[johnpma]

SCORE!! I just paid $100 for a pair of Quadrefire 5700 baffles for my NC30....they fit nicely just had to trim 1/2" off the width

I read some where here about a fella adding ceramic blanket insulation above the baffle boards