Castle Serenity Blower Gasket 18522 importance

[mudeprived]

My gasket is pretty shredded up from removing the blower for cleaning the past few years. I think it is now on it's last leg so I am going about replacing it but not sure which way to go. I think I asked this before and I was told I could use RTV instead and I was planning on that until I was looking at the gasket and how it covers the entire surface. Does this gasket provide insulation to the blower motor on the backside? If removing it and replacing it with high temp RTV, the surface will be bare metal and I wonder if the heat transfer will damage the motor.

What say you?

I rather use RTV since each gasket is $22 from Castle ($15 on some other sites) but if it plays a part as insulation then I pretty much don't have a choice.


Thanks

Chris

 

[jerrieric]

I just bought gasket material online that I use for replacing worn-out gaskets. Costd $18 for 16 in by 2 ft sheet and then you just cut your own gasket pretty easy with a sharp razor.

 

[mudeprived]

I just bought gasket material online that I use for replacing worn-out gaskets. Costd $18 for 16 in by 2 ft sheet and then you just cut your own gasket pretty easy with a sharp razor.

Can you share the website where you ordered it from?

Thanks!

 

[johneh]

Yes you can use RTV I don't it is to had to remove .
The gasket is not an heat insulator (think about where the rest
of that end of the unit is) .
I make my own gaskets and buy the material from my dealer

 

[jerrieric]

(broken link removed to https://pellethead.com/product/liotherm-high-temperature-fire-rated-stove-gasket-seal-sheet-12-x-24/)

 

[Overfireinthehole]

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00XLVN5ZC/?tag=hearthamazon-20

 

[Talegas]

do you mind sharing a picture of where that gasket would go? first year i cleaned it up i called support to figure out the part i needed to replace after removing the blower. The support guy ended up telling me i should just use the same silicon to seal the pipes with.

I did that for the past two winters and no problems.. so i now wonder what you mean by the gasket providing insulation.

 

[johneh]

gasket providing insulation.

never heard of a Gasket providing insulation in this type of application seal at best
use what ever works to seal

 

[Overfireinthehole]

I’m talking about the fiberglass that is on the surface of the blower mounting plate below the impeller. It does not provide insulation.

 

[Talegas]

I’m talking about the fiberglass that is on the surface of the blower mounting plate below the impeller. It does not provide insulation.

THIS!
This is exactly why i was asking on this thread. I noticed that the first time i was cleaning the blower there was this paper-like sheet that was already sort of pealing off the side of the blower's plate (right underneath the "fan blades"/impeller).
I cut the excess leaving a smaller ring under the impeller but i was always wondering if it was just ash, or some sort of seal/protection for the impeller's post.
See image below.. does anyone actually disassembles the impeller and clear the whole plate?

 

[johneh]

I clean the backing plate with a brush and scraper being careful
not to bend the impeller . I have never removed the impeller
they can be difficult to remove so I leave mine alone and clean
around it

 

[Talegas]

I clean the backing plate with a brush and scraper being careful
not to bend the impeller . I have never removed the impeller
they can be difficult to remove so I leave mine alone and clean
around it

So that means that betwene the impeller and the plate there is nothing in your set up? Does that mean that mine had a very bad case of ash? or was there truly a piece of material?

 

[johneh]

I wood think Ash
I have never heard of anyone else
having a full plate gasket just a ring gasket
around the edge

 

[Overfireinthehole]

They have a full plate gasket. I remove the impeller, clean off the fiberglass and remountwith a silicone gasket.

 

[Mt Bob]

They have a full plate gasket. I remove the impeller, clean off the fiberglass and remountwith a silicone gasket.

"Full plate gasket?" What is that? Older Harmans an some Whits had a bigger gasket, but, as the shaft is not sealed, they figured out what a waste it was. No manufacturer has "sealed" the shaft on an external combustion blower motor, even in LPG or NG home hot water heaters.In most pellet stoves, you can remount the combustion blower with no gasket at all,and never have a problem(not that i would recommend it).

 

[Overfireinthehole]

"Full plate gasket?" What is that? Older Harmans an some Whits had a bigger gasket, but, as the shaft is not sealed, they figured out what a waste it was. No manufacturer has "sealed" the shaft on an external combustion blower motor, even in LPG or NG home hot water heaters.In most pellet stoves, you can remount the combustion blower with no gasket at all,and never have a problem(not that i would recommend it).

 

[johneh]

Well I stand corrected : In all my years I have never seen
a full gasket like that in a pellet stove .
What a waist of material

 

[Talegas]

well darn.. this was what i was talking about (and what my picture showed). Next season i'll remove the impeller and check if the center portion of the gasket is "bad".. if is not as dirty/bulky then i'll leave it there and continue use silicone to seal edges of the plate. My main concern was the possibility of ash getting through the shaft opening and into the actual motor more than the possibility of fumes coming out of it.

 

[mudeprived]

I removed the blades and ran a wire brush over the plate to get it off. Then I ran a bead of high temp silicone along the very edge of the plate. It MUST be along the very edge. Then i let the bead sit overnight to harden into a soft gasket that compresses and seals as you tighten it. Works great so far.