Tried something today and was quite pleased. Since I don't have storage yet I get a lot of idle time and the big creosote cycle in the upper chamber. My upper door gasket gets more than I would like, gets hard and eventually has to be removed and cleaned because it starts leaking smoke. I have taken the original gasket out once, cleaned it, and re-used it for about a year. It only required new gasket cement and a single turn of the hinge bolts to get a good seal. I then ordered a high density 1 1/4" gasket and recently replaced the original gasket. The first time I cleaned the gasket was with a propane torch and a goodly amount of time. Today I let the EKO clean it's own gasket. When the boiler went into idle I turned it off and positioned the old gasket on top of the U shaped blast blocks in the secondary and left the gasket there for a couple of hours while the boiler did it's usual thing. The cleaning appears to have been gentler than the propane episode and certainly did not try my patience. The gasket is soft to the touch and flexible even after it has cooled and looks fit enough to re-use again. Of course this would not have been possible without the replacement gasket so it was a needed expense but it now looks like I can clean and re-use the new gasket when the time comes and save even more. Something to try...Stay warm
EKO40 gasket cleaner trick
- Thread starter Duetech
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i tried your trick. Perhaps i should have gone back and re-read your message first. I put the gunked up gasket in the U of the blocks in the lower chamber. I had to fold it a bit to fit. I left it in the lower chamber overnight.
When i removed it the next morning is was gunk free, but overdone. its brittle and flaky and actually broke at the bend.
No creosote though!!
When i removed it the next morning is was gunk free, but overdone. its brittle and flaky and actually broke at the bend.
No creosote though!!
Guastini,
I think all I can say is ouch and glad you already had your boiler working. Perhaps I should have stressed my concerns of damaging the gasket by having it in direct contact with the gasifier flame and I only let it stay in the secondary chamber a couple of hours. I really didn't know if the experiment would work when I tried it and I certainly did not know it would overheat the gasket if in direct contact with the flame. I really am sorry it turned out the way it did especially with this cold front moving in. It sounds like the gasket material was overheated and actually started to melt but it also sounds like your boiler is tuned well. The new gasket I bought was the 1 1/4" high density gasket from http://www.Patriot-supply.com Item # 114HDBR. At the time I purchased it the gasket was only $11.70 for around 5' of length and I think the shipping was just a little more. I am at the point that I was waiting for a little warmer weather so I could take out the gasket I got from Patriot Supply and clean it. Your information has warned me against trying to place the gasket in the fires direct path. Best to you...
I think all I can say is ouch and glad you already had your boiler working. Perhaps I should have stressed my concerns of damaging the gasket by having it in direct contact with the gasifier flame and I only let it stay in the secondary chamber a couple of hours. I really didn't know if the experiment would work when I tried it and I certainly did not know it would overheat the gasket if in direct contact with the flame. I really am sorry it turned out the way it did especially with this cold front moving in. It sounds like the gasket material was overheated and actually started to melt but it also sounds like your boiler is tuned well. The new gasket I bought was the 1 1/4" high density gasket from http://www.Patriot-supply.com Item # 114HDBR. At the time I purchased it the gasket was only $11.70 for around 5' of length and I think the shipping was just a little more. I am at the point that I was waiting for a little warmer weather so I could take out the gasket I got from Patriot Supply and clean it. Your information has warned me against trying to place the gasket in the fires direct path. Best to you...
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