Do I need a new baffle gasket?

[bfast250]

I am getting pretty intense flames at the back of my Pacific Energy FP30. I did some searching and some threads mentioned this is a sign that there is an air leak at the baffle gasket. I don't recall seeing these intense flames earlier in the season. Do I need a new gasket?

Pics aren't great, but I think you can see the steady rolling flames in the back of the baffle. Thanks in advance!

 

[Squisher]

If your baffle hasn't been removed it's highly unlikely anything could've happened to the gasket.

 

[begreen]

Odds are it's not the gasket. It's more likely that it's now colder outside and draft has increased, intensifying the fire show. Try turning down the air sooner and more aggressively. Before reloading on a hot coal bed, open up the air 50% and let the coal bed burn down more before reloading.

 

[10-cc]

It is normal to have fire in the back, and it is a good thing as well, note that there are some holes in the baffle back there. As for the gasket, it doesn't take match to be displaced a bit by filling the box all the way to the top the wood may slide the baffle sideways and will affect the gasket. In my summit and T6 replace it every season by a home made one, using a stove window glass self adhesive fiberglass gasket.
Henri

 

[saydinli]

Ya it’s because of the crappy gasket used. I replaced mine when I swept the chimney and it’s already broken and half hanging down. PE makes a crappy gasket.
Might try hogwildz rope gasket next time.
I had that happen last year. I didn’t worry about it too much, just kept an eye out on temps.
The FP30 is an easy breather so make sure you cut the air back soon enough.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Squisher]

My factory gasket is on its third season. And like I just posted a pic of today in another thread, I run hot. Like 800 stovetop hot at times. I am truly torture testing this stove.

It's not easy to knock the baffle around with the pin in. You'd have to work at it I think to mess up the gasket.

I Service a lot of PE's so I am pretty adept now at removing the baffle and putting it back without damaging it. But it's easily damaged that's for certain.

Hogwildz diy gasket is what I plan to replace mine with when I need to.

 

[bfast250]

Thanks for the input. I will keep an eye on it.

I am shutting the air down all the way within 10-15 mins. Usually settles in at 600-700. Getting 8-9 hours with plenty of coals to relight on a reload. I love this thing!

 

[Dantheman300z]

My baffle gasket was gone after the first season. This year after sweeping the chimney I used header exhaust wrap that I had left over. We will see after this season how well that works.

 

[Woody5506]

I didn't even know there was a baffle gasket on my PE T5 because it literally desinigrated when I pulled the baffle and there were no signs of it except for some torn up cotton looking stuff I eventually spotted way back in the firebox. Yeah, pretty crappy quality gasket.

 

[gusguy]

Does anyone know why the gasket goes all the way across the back of the stove. I can understand around the tube but can't make sense of the rest of it. I pulled my baffle after the first month to sweep and check everything out. My dealer didn't have my specific gasket in stock so we put one for a summit and I haven't noticed any difference in burning.

 

[Squisher]

i couldn't really speak to the changes myself. I believe it's a change from the b to c series in the summit lineup? I can't believe the gasket is doing a whole lot. In my insert I've run with and without it and not been able to notice a difference. I know others feel it does make a difference.

As to why they changed? Maybe thinking a more complete seal, or supporting the entire back of the baffle, more durable possibly(but I don't really see how). It'd be awesome if Pacific Energy ever had a rep or anyone come online to pipe in on their stoves engineering.

I certainly don't think there's any benefit to not having a good seal at the baffle tube connection I just haven't seen evidence of it being vital in my own use. It's a simple enough and cheap enough thing to have on hand and just replace though, even if it were annually.

 

[begreen]

The gasket does have a function. It puts a gasket seal between the metal to metal seat of the baffle to the back ledge and secondary supply tube.Without it there is more leakage at the rear of the firebox which it seems would translate to weaker secondary air at the front of the baffle. The factory gasket is thin, sacrificial and cheap. I bought 3 at a time just to have them on hand. If you have them pre-ordered then it's no big deal.

I made my own gasket last year and so far it is doing the job. Hogwildz showed the way here and it provides an alternative for those wanting a longer term solution.

 

[bfast250]

Are we talking about the fp30 or the summit? I looked today and can only see part of the gasket at the tube. I don't see a gasket gong all the way along the back of the baffle. I have the fp30. Not the summit.

 

[begreen]

Older Summit. The FP30 and newer Summit B/C use a different gasket. I'm not sure why the long flat gasket. The secondary feed tube hole is the only penetration. Maybe it's just easier to punch it out of the roll of gasket stock that way? What does the FP30 baffle gasket cost?

 

[gusguy]

I have a series A fp30. Maybe the b body's have a different style gasket.

 

[Sodbuster]

I'm running my Summit B with no gasket, and no discernible change or difference in secondary flame output.

 

[gusguy]

Not trying to hijack your thread but it seems like all the PE gurus are chiming in. Can anyone tell me the purpose of the insulation on either side of the baffle and if it should be snug against the baffle as well?

 

[kennyp2339]

Nice conversation guys, PE's are proven heaters.

 

[Mike M.]

I had thought that the long full length gasket had something to do with shipping. Still haven't found a PE dealer that sells the a replacement full length one. I am running the standard size summit gasket this year. Not convinced it really does a lot of good, I could see it doing something if it actually fit better.

 

[Woody5506]

Not trying to hijack your thread but it seems like all the PE gurus are chiming in. Can anyone tell me the purpose of the insulation on either side of the baffle and if it should be snug against the baffle as well?

I'd also like input on this. As far as I know it's there for efficiency reasons but how and where it should be against the baffle is a good question. I knocked mine outta whack when I pulled the baffle last spring and kind of just tucked it back how I thought it was.

 

[Squisher]

A couple bits from the manual:

Ensure that the two side pieces of insulation are set inside the siderails and tight against the baffle. If the insulation is damaged during removal, it should be replaced.

DO NOT OPERATE WITH BAFFLE ASSEMBLY OR INSULATION REMOVED.

NOTE: AFTER YOU REMOVE THE BAFFLE, ALWAYS COVER THE BAFFLE AIR TUBE THAT PROVIDES AIR TO THE BAFFLE. THIS PREVENTS DEBRIS FALLING DOWN THE TUBE.

 

[saydinli]

Not trying to hijack your thread but it seems like all the PE gurus are chiming in. Can anyone tell me the purpose of the insulation on either side of the baffle and if it should be snug against the baffle as well?

I believe the insulation helps to keep the baffle and the top of firebox as hot as possible so the secondary air heats faster and hotter to promote cleaner burns.
The insulation should wrap over the top edges of the baffle as in in this picture from PE's website...

 

[saydinli]

Well my new PE baffle gasket didn't even last 2 months. (piece of junk..LOL). When this thread started, I could see the front piece of the gasket starting to hang down, and then finally it came off completely. Now I have rear secondary burn going on starting at the middle and then spreading outward of each side of the air tube and along the strip of reinforcement metal tacked onto the back of the baffle.
Going to have to replace it with another piece of crap gasket for now since I don't have time to make one out of rope gasket.

 

[AlbergSteve]

i couldn't really speak to the changes myself. I believe it's a change from the b to c series in the summit lineup? I can't believe the gasket is doing a whole lot. In my insert I've run with and without it and not been able to notice a difference. I know others feel it does make a difference.

As to why they changed? Maybe thinking a more complete seal, or supporting the entire back of the baffle, more durable possibly(but I don't really see how). It'd be awesome if Pacific Energy ever had a rep or anyone come online to pipe in on their stoves engineering.

I certainly don't think there's any benefit to not having a good seal at the baffle tube connection I just haven't seen evidence of it being vital in my own use. It's a simple enough and cheap enough thing to have on hand and just replace though, even if it were annually.

Yeah, good luck getting any info out of PE. I live 10 minutes from PE's shop and my dealer is practically in their back yard and even he couldn't get any answers from them...

 

[crepitus]

I just order a 12x24" sheet of ceramic gasket material from amazon. Going to just try to make my own and see how it lasts.