Hearthstone Manchester 8362 Middle Support Baffle Bracket Warping Every Year

[Mynamesnotrick]

Hello,
I bought a Manchester 8362 winter of 2020 and I’ve had an issue with the middle support bracket warping every season.

When the bracket warps, the baffles cave in towards the bracket, losing their seal and leading to less efficient fires and shorter burn times.

I’ve had a few other components damaged from what seems like over firing, but again neither the stove nor the chimney has ever register an over fire.

I combed through these forums and I’m not seeing anyone else reporting this issue. Is this ‘normal’ to have to replace this component mid season every year?

I’m considering selling the stove to someone that isn’t going to use it like a workhorse and buying a lopi liberty before the tax credit expires.

Is anyone else having this problem? Is this normal wear and tear? Should I move on? I’d love some advice from some seasoned burners.


A couple FAQs:

• I have a moisture meter. My wood is dry.
• I monitor the thermostat and it has never read an over fire.
• I burn about 6 cord of wood per season.
• Replaced gaskets in 2024. Tested using a lighter and a dollar, seals are tight.
• My stove had the air control issue, it took a couple seasons, but ultimately they figured it out.
• I do a break in fire every season.
• The team at my local dealer and at hearthstone have been great. They’ve covered a lot under warranty and stood by their product.

 

[begreen]

Are there a stove top and stove pipe thermometers on the stove? If yes, what temps does it normally run at?

 

[Mynamesnotrick]

The stove doesn’t have a temperature display, just too cold for cat, cat active, and too hot. With that said, it’s usually about halfway to 2/3 of the way in the cat active zone. Usually the stove pipe runs between 200-350

 

[begreen]

If those are single-wall stove pipe, surface temperatures, they sound normal. So does the cat temp.

 

[Mynamesnotrick]

Correct, single wall stove pipe.

I’m bordering on neurotic about stove and pipe temperature. It seems obvious that the stove is getting too hot with the warping, but nothing is reading so.

Mostly curious if anyone else with this stove has this problem or if it’s a part of general maintenance.

 

[begreen]

The Manchester is a handsome stove but I can understand why you would be looking for an alternative. There are simpler designs that work well with low maintenance.

 

[Mynamesnotrick]

The Manchester is a handsome stove but I can understand why you would be looking for an alternative. There are simpler designs that work well with low maintenance.

@begreen is there a stove you'd recommend for a 2200+ sqf? We try to keep the fire going from December through February with very few cool downs.

 

[begreen]

There are several choices in the 2.5 to 3.0 cu ft range. The Liberty is a good choice. It's a solid, well-made stove. In non-cat there are the PE Summit (or Alderlea T6), Regency 2450, Osburn 2000 or 3500 ( or Drolet equivalents), and the big Quadrafires. In catalytics there are the Woodstock Ideal Steel and Progress Hybrid, Blaze King Princess or Ashford/Chinook/Sirocco, Kuma Ashwood, Regency Pro 3500, Hearthstone Mansfield or Green Mtn. 80, Buck 91, etc.