Heat output (and are the fake brick panels necessary)

[buggs_moran]

After years of running our stove (specs in signature) the fake brick panels it came with have broken and aren't usable. New ones are absurdly expensive.

This year and last it seems like we've had to bump the stove up to a higher setting to keep the house at 72deg. Obviously, these past two winters have been cold but we're noticing that it's just not putting out as much heat. I keep the stove very clean and have replaced pretty much every mechanical part so it's practically new.

I was wondering if the panels affect how much heat the stove puts out or if there is something else I should be looking at.

 

[Bob E]

I never tried it, but I think they put those there to keep heat out of the hopper and away from electronics/mechanics of the stove. Mine also covers up a couple of cleaning passage ways that are behind it. I bet if the manufacturers could have gotten away with saving money by leaving them out they would have.

 

[Wilbur Feral]

If all else is equal (stove parts, cleanliness, etc.) then I wonder if it comes down to pellets? Even from the same manufacturer, I see differences from year to year and the trend for the past couple of years seems to be toward fewer BTUs per pound. May just be due to available wood sources.

 

[Zebby]

A couple of these answers have left me curious about the brick panels as well.
I recently purchased a Breckwell SP 22 with a pedestal base for my first adventure into pellet stoves.
It was an unsold unit for a couple of years, and had some minor scratches and surface rust.
Plan is for it to be an occasional use supplemental heat source in an unheated addition room that is decorated in a rustic style.
It doesn't have any fancy trim, and no brick panels or hardware to mount them. The manual refers to the brick panel and ceramic log set as optional.

Looking at the stove, it seems the hot combustion gases must flow down behind the back panel and room air must pass upward behind the back panel, so the brick panel wouldn't have much protective effect to the hopper, other than maybe reflecting the heat of the flame forward.

Wondering if maybe I should invest the $100 for the brick panel. I know of one poster here who has said he doesn't use the brick panel. Are there others?


Edit: I meant that the parts list in the manual listed the brick panel as optional; nothing is otherwise mentioned.

 

[Wilbur Feral]

Firs time I've ever seen them as optional, so rather hard to say. On most stoves that use them, they are necessary.

 

[SidecarFlip]

You can make your own panels with a bit of time. some wood forms and refractory cement, tou can even put the 'fake brick joints' in the wet refractory cement for the OEM look, quite doable. I will say you have to 'cook' the poured refractory cement mixture in your oven for a couple hours at moderate heat to drive out the moisture, no biggie.

IMO, the panels reflet the combustion heat outward, a good thing in as much as these stoves aren't large BTU producers.

My first (origninal) panel lasted about 3 years but due to rough handling on my part (they are fragile), it finally came apart so I bought another. This one has lasted 7 years but I handle it very carefully when cleaning the stove... VERY CAREFULLY. It's brittle and it chunks easily. I never touch it with anything but a brush nozzle on my shop vac and when I take it out, I carefully lay it on top of the stove. If it ever comes apart, I'll make a replacement one from refractory cement. Rutland has refractory cement in 5 pound bags, just add water and mix to the consistency you want an pour into the form you make from scrap wood. No biggie.

 

[Zebby]

I might try that - thanks. Are they just refractory cement, or is there some kind of reinforcement mesh inside?

 

[checkthisout]

Unfortunately I can't comment on your model of stove because I don't know how it's designed but ALL pellet stoves I have seen have the "bricks" in there to direct and maintain proper combustion heat airflow around the heat exchanger.

The "bricks" or "refractory" can be pieces of refractory material or pieces of metal.

Again, not sure on your particular stove but not having them in place can definitely lower the efficiency of any stove I.E. you'll need to burn more pellets to get the same heat output.

And to add, your stove has been in service for 6 years and probably needs a nice thorough cleaning anyway. It would be a good time to really go in there and give it a good cleaning as well going ahead and biting the bullet and purchasing the new "bricks".

 

[Skier76]

While it may cost more, buying the OEM bricks may be the best option. You also ned to factor in the value of your time; getting the material, making the forms, letting it setup, then it potentially not fitting correctly. Worse case, you go through all that, it doesn't work out and you end up with the OEM ones in the end.

 

[SidecarFlip]

I might try that - thanks. Are they just refractory cement, or is there some kind of reinforcement mesh inside?

Nothing in the panels. The refractory cement is fiberous as it maintains itself after it hardens. You could, if you want to, add some chicken wire as sort of a .binder', like reinforcement mesh is added to concrete. Rutland sells it but I'm sure there are others as well.

 

[SidecarFlip]

While it may cost more, buying the OEM bricks may be the best option. You also ned to factor in the value of your time; getting the material, making the forms, letting it setup, then it potentially not fitting correctly. Worse case, you go through all that, it doesn't work out and you end up with the OEM ones in the end.

Thats no fun, where's your sense of adventure? Far as fitting right, the stuff is soft so it's easy to trim/shape with a wood rasp. It's an option for those of us with a thinner wallet and/or a DIY attitude.

 

[Zebby]

I could afford the brick panel, but I do have that DIY attitude as well, kinda short on time, though. Mandatory overtime for the foreseeable future - company can't find enough good new employees.

How thick is the panel? How is it held in place?

A three-piece aftermarket set is available that fits both my stove and the original poster's P4000 for $79.20 from (broken link removed to http://a1stoves.com/brick-panels-fire-bricks-p22-and-p4000-p-671.html)

The "bricks" or "refractory" can be pieces of refractory material or pieces of metal.

Pieces of metal? The inside panels are metal. Is that not redundant?


Gotta ruminate on this some more. Might be more cost-effective to buy one so I know what it is, and then maybe I could make one someday in the future if necessary.

Meantime, I found an old Breckwell sales brochure from 2010 that lists the log set and brick panel under options, again implying that Breckwell considers it not necessary.
I'd like to have one though.

My stove is unburned and didn't include the brickpanel. It's the "economy model"

 

[SmokeyTheBear]

At the risk of getting a talking to from a mod or two, on whether those panels are required or not, please consult those fine manuals that came with your stove, some are and some are not.

The manuals that come with your stove (and not those that may be online as they may be for another year's version of your stove) rule, if they don't say the panels are optional then they are required.

 

[bbfarm]

I've repaired ours twice now. It's currently broke in 4 parts and repaired. There's a thread on this site that will walk you through it

 

[Zebby]

Thanks to all who answered my questions; I'll purchase a fireback this time, even if it's considered optional. After I know what it looks like, I could use the methods suggested to repair/recast it if need arises.

 

[SidecarFlip]

I've repaired ours twice now. It's currently broke in 4 parts and repaired. There's a thread on this site that will walk you through it

Didn't know there was a discussion on herer about making homebrew panels, but then, it's not hard, just mixing the Rutland mix to the correct consistency, pouring in a suitable form and drying., sort of like making mud pies with a purpose...... No rocket science involved.