Englander pellet stove - a little fire box rust relief and smoothing out the ruff areas!

[Don2222]

Hello

Here is a procedure I am testing on an Englander 25-PDVC pellet stove firebox for a little Rust Relief and smoothing out the ruff areas for better air flow and stove performance!

The importance of the die grinder is that it grinds alot of the rust and carbon up so the Acetone wipes it away!

Has anyone else tried something like this?

A normal wood pellet stove sees alot of action in the firebox with flames, heat and summer storage moisture issues. Most stoves can use a real pimping up!
Here is what we do in the Pellet Stove Master workshop.

Pic 0 - Remove all ash with the vacuum and inspect the unit.
Pic 1 - Blow out unit with 200 PSI DeWalt air compressor to get it really ash free.
Pic 2 - Knock down rust with drill/driver wire wheel
Pic 3 - Grind ruff surfaces smooth for better air flow and performance with pnuematic die grinder
Pic 4 - Grinding area above fire box, this also removes much more rust and carbon buildup
Pic 5 - Grinding wear plate to remove rust and built up carbon
Pic 6 - Clean firebox, impingement plate and wear plate with Acetone. Apply 2 - 3 times and it will remove alot of the loosened ground rust and carbon deposits
Pic 7 - Spray VHT very high temperature auto flat black header paint to firebox and impingement plate. Apply "Dry Moly Spray" To wear plate and fire box area.
Dry Moly is high temperature and does adhere to the metal. It is also easier to re-apply to keep the stove clean and performing well.
Pic 8 - Finished results. No more rust! New Door & Window Graphite Impregnated Gaskets too!
Click on images below to enlarge:

 

[joescho]

Don how did that get so rusty? I've never seen a stove get that rusty. I guess you would need the wire wheel in that case.

 

[Don2222]

Don how did that get so rusty? I've never seen a stove get that rusty. I guess you would need the wire wheel in that case.

Hi
Good question.
I believe it was in a damp basement not being used for quite a while. The wire wheel just would not cut the mustard here. I did use the wire wheel to knock down the rust on the initial pass, but then I had to pull out the pneumatic die grinder to really smooth it out and grind the rust up. Then the Acetone wiped it away and it was good for painting.

We have alot of old houses in the NE here with damp basements below grade! I grew up in a 90 year old house like that with a cemented fieldstone foundation below grade. We never got water but it was still musty! Tools left in a basement like this get rusty real fast! So when I purchased my own home it was a walk out basement and is as always, dry as a bone!

 

[moey]

You need to make some type of table with a ramp so you don't have to work on the ground

 

[Don2222]

You need to make some type of table with a ramp so you don't have to work on the ground

Great idea!

 

[joescho]

Hi
Good question.
I believe it was in a damp basement not being used for quite a while. The wire wheel just would not cut the mustard here. I did use the wire wheel to knock down the rust on the initial pass, but then I had to pull out the pneumatic die grinder to really smooth it out and grind the rust up. Then the Acetone wiped it away and it was good for painting.

We have alot of old houses in the NE here with damp basements below grade! I grew up in a 90 year old house like that with a cemented fieldstone foundation below grade. We never got water but it was still musty! Tools left in a basement like this get rusty real fast! So when I purchased my own home it was a walk out basement and is as always, dry as a bone!

There's an area like that here in NE PA such that most basements in the area have sump pumps because the basements are below the water table so they're kind of wet.

 

[Don2222]

There's an area like that here in NE PA such that most basements in the area have sump pumps because the basements are below the water table so they're kind of wet.

Damp and wetness is the Wood pellet stove's # 1 enemy!