C-cast baffle better? OEM Vermiculite Baffle cracks every year.

  • Active since 1995, Hearth.com is THE place on the internet for free information and advice about wood stoves, pellet stoves and other energy saving equipment.

    We strive to provide opinions, articles, discussions and history related to Hearth Products and in a more general sense, energy issues.

    We promote the EFFICIENT, RESPONSIBLE, CLEAN and SAFE use of all fuels, whether renewable or fossil.

ctswf

Burning Hunk
Sep 23, 2014
154
ct, usa
Drolet 1800i wood insert:

Every single year for 5 years when I do the cleaning in the fall, my OEM baffle is cracked in half. Is it cracked even earlier throughout some of the previous burning season? Probably.

I have never tried to glue them yet I just replace.

I now see there's this C-cast baffle. Not finding much info online if it's any different or not. The OEM ones I keep ordering are always standard vermiculite baffle.

To add slight confusion... Here is one c-cast baffle that fits mine, however it's model # is the same as the vermiculite one, and the price is similar.


Here is another c-cast w higher price tag.
 
The Woodmans part is a non-OEM replacement. The dimensions are the same as the vermiculite baffle part 21388 - 20"x12.5"x1.25". The My Fireplace baffle is the newer C-Cast for the newer SBI stoves, part 21389, of the same dimensions. (Note that it is listing for $40 less on Amazon through them.)
 
So I would want the newer c-cast one right? Would you mind posting the Amazon link I'm not finding it. Is it one of the "Lynn manufacturing" products?

As far as the woodmans part, non-oem would be what I want, and it also says c-cast. However the model# matching the oem makes me think it's not the newer c-cast
 
Perfect thanks!

I see this one you linked, by SBI, says in the description that Lynn manufacturing is not OEM, and this one is original, by SBI.

I was thinking non oem was what I wanted because the c-cast was not original to the stove when I bought it.

Either way, this is SBIs official c cast of that size, so this is exactly what I wanted, and for basically the same price as the original.

Note that myfireplaceproducts had it cheaper in Canada version of the site, and on Amazon as you linked. Only the US version of the website increased the price.

But the question still stands, will the c-cast one Crack every year as well?

Also wtf is c cast I read ceramic but also not
 
C-Cast is tougher, but it depends on why the vermiculite baffle is breaking. Normally they last more than a season or two. The main reasons for breaking are hitting it from underneath when loading in wood for the fire and hitting it on top with a sweeping brush. Hit C-Cast hard enough and it will break too.
 
If it's at least tougher relative to the original I'm happy w that.

I have to assume it breaks from wood loading. I do bump the top air tubes a little sometimes, I guess that's all it takes. This would usually be due to non uniformed wood size

Although I must say, I've always orders the original vermicule baffle from sbi, and these things can't even get delivered to my house without breaking in the mail 1/2 the time
 
Thanks begreen! I got that SBI made c-cast baffle in the mail already at that lower Amazon price. It's definitely noticeably more dense
 
  • Like
Reactions: begreen
Thanks begreen! I got that SBI made c-cast baffle in the mail already at that lower Amazon price. It's definitely noticeably more dense
Good job. It'll hold up much better.

I got SBI to send me a c-cast after they replaced three vermiculite baffles under warranty. It must have been one for a different stove, as I had to cut about an inch off one side. After much fretting, a serrated bread knife did the trick! It has consistency of foamboard insulation. Somehow they are able to make a foam out of ceramic particles. They used to say in their marketing materials that it was a space age material developed for, and used on the space shuttle.