Baffled by my PE vista baffle

[Vista 77]

Hello all....we're excited we got our new Pacific energy vista series D woodburning insert installed (although dealership was supposed to install vista LE). Installer showed us how to remove baffle when servicing insert. A few days later, being curious and mechanically inclined, I decided to remove baffle by myself. I did get it out of this compact and tight insert, but am now struggling trying to reinsert it. Called up our installer to ask how to insert it or what I'm missing...no help there, but instead questioned why I removed it. I think we got off on the wrong foot from the get go. (No apology from manager when they worked on the wrong flue of chimney - pulled off rain cap and damaged our water heater liner!) Anyways, if dealership doesn't want customer to service baffle, they should not show the customer....also, why does the owners manual describe this procedure also? Bottom line, if anybody has suggestions, detailed step by step guide or a goto link, we would immensely appreciate it. (Couldn't find much on you tube)....thanks.

 

[ispinwool]

is this the right stove?

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It looks like you should just kilter it at an angle, lift it high and up, level it out, then lower it onto the 'rails'....?
(this link is disassembly...but slow it down and watch it being removed. Then reverse it.)

p.s.--I hope you find another service company. Your experience sounds like ours.

 

[Vista 77]

No...its a Pacific Energy Vista series D woodburning Insert. It's a very small wood burner and compact and tight...a bit of bumping the baffle around inside trying to angle it right causes the gasket around the air hole to fall out of position also.

 

[Hogwildz]

Lift baffle in on an angle(one side higher than the other). then lift it so both sides are higher then the side rails. The level the baffle out, keep level & position to back of stove and lower over rear channel & onto rear rail. Buy yourself a boatload of extra baffle gaskets, they only last a season. Don't forget to put the pin back in the hole in the back.

 

[Vista 77]

Ok...thanks....will try it again for the umpteenth time. This insert is so small and tight, I can hardly get in there...the wife has smaller hands but don't think she can lift this hefty baffle....Next time I go shopping for a wood burner, I'll definitely look at how easy a unit is to service. Contacted the dealership to put it back in, but he wants another $100 just for that....felt like telling him where to put his $100...

 

[begreen]

It's pretty easy once you get the hang of it. I have done it several times and I am no spring chicken. It goes in at an angle so that you can get it to clear both side rails. Then straighten it out and go all the way back drop down over the secondary tube, making sure the side insulation is in place and not under the baffle, and pin it.

One thing that can help is to take a pencil and mark the centerline of the secondary tube opening on the bottom of the baffle. Then mark the secondary tube centerline on the back metal so that you have alignment marks to guide positioning.

 

[Hogwildz]

Ok...thanks....will try it again for the umpteenth time. This insert is so small and tight, I can hardly get in there...the wife has smaller hands but don't think she can lift this hefty baffle....Next time I go shopping for a wood burner, I'll definitely look at how easy a unit is to service. Contacted the dealership to put it back in, but he wants another $100 just for that....felt like telling him where to put his $100...

Once you get the hang of it, it is quite easy. One of the easier ones I think.

 

[Vista 77]

Success! I was initially discouraged because I couldn't see how a 15 inch wide baffle could fit between the rails having a 14 inch space...Feeling more energetic today I tackled it again. Thank you to all tips and suggestions... the key was to get the baffle close to a 45 degree angle and get her over the rails with an angle of about 30 degrees on the other axis....wish I had someone with me to record it on phone when service/cleaning is due....I couldn't really see the pencil mark as a centerline too well on the metal, so just eyeballed it and lined up the locking pin hole and it fell down over the air tube in place and think the gasket didn't move out of position. My only other question is does it matter what position those 2 rail extension angle pieces end up in located in front and on either side of the baffle? The left one is jammed tight along the left outer edge of the baffle, while the right one is tight against the front edge of baffle? Should they be in the same position in relation to the baffle or is this normal....I think its virtually impossible to have both angle pieces in the same position to baffle....thanks

 

[Hogwildz]

They have definitely redesigned the hole patterns.
Those angle pcs are new also. Probably to avoid the cracking problems they had in the front corners.
Are they made of metal or some kind of ceramic insulation?
I wouldn't worry too much is they are exactly touching at the same time, they are more of a shield I think.

 

[Vista 77]

Some sort of metal with iron in it....magnet sticks to it...

 

[Hogwildz]

Some sort of metal with iron in it....magnet sticks to it...

My guess is a shield to keep the flames & heat from the front corners of the stove. This the problem area for cracking in prior years models, not to mention they have many more jets on the front of the baffle that they used to have.

 

[begreen]

This is the little Vista baffle. Note how few holes in the middle. The larger stoves have more holes in the middle now and to the sides IIRC.