How to know when to replace the door gasket?

[Pellet_Power]

Hi all,

I have a question concerning my door gasket. I have a 5 year old Harman P61a which we bought new. Within the last month after cleaning my stove I will get a brownish haze over 90% of my door glass. This occurs within a couple of hours after relighting. I had a friend at work tell me about using a dollar bill to test the tightness of my gasket. I tried this and when I put it in the bottom of the door and close it I can't get it out but when I try it in the top part of the door I can get it out with a little tug. Does this actually mean anything? Is there anything else that could be causing this that I should be checking for?

Thanks for any info.

 

[imacman]

Hi all,

I have a question concerning my door gasket. I have a 5 year old Harman P61a which we bought new. Within the last month after cleaning my stove I will get a brownish haze over 90% of my door glass. This occurs within a couple of hours after relighting. I had a friend at work tell me about using a dollar bill to test the tightness of my gasket. I tried this and when I put it in the bottom of the door and close it I can't get it out but when I try it in the top part of the door I can get it out with a little tug. Does this actually mean anything? Is there anything else that could be causing this that I should be checking for?

Thanks for any info.

The test you did was correct. It seems that the top of your door is either out of alignment, or the gasket needs to be replaced. I'm not all that familiar with Harman door adjustments, if there are any...I'd check your owners manual.

You might want to put a new gasket in anyway....5 years on the original gasket is pretty good, IMO. Hopefully, other members who have Harman P-61's will chime in on this.

 

[DAKSY]

Hi all,

I have a question concerning my door gasket. I have a 5 year old Harman P61a which we bought new. Within the last month after cleaning my stove I will get a brownish haze over 90% of my door glass. This occurs within a couple of hours after relighting. I had a friend at work tell me about using a dollar bill to test the tightness of my gasket. I tried this and when I put it in the bottom of the door and close it I can't get it out but when I try it in the top part of the door I can get it out with a little tug. Does this actually mean anything? Is there anything else that could be causing this that I should be checking for?

Thanks for any info.

Is the gasket still pliable? When you push it in, does it pop back out?
If it does, your gasket is probably fine, but after 5 years, replacing it can't hurt.

 

[Pellet_Power]

Hi all,

I have a question concerning my door gasket. I have a 5 year old Harman P61a which we bought new. Within the last month after cleaning my stove I will get a brownish haze over 90% of my door glass. This occurs within a couple of hours after relighting. I had a friend at work tell me about using a dollar bill to test the tightness of my gasket. I tried this and when I put it in the bottom of the door and close it I can't get it out but when I try it in the top part of the door I can get it out with a little tug. Does this actually mean anything? Is there anything else that could be causing this that I should be checking for?

Thanks for any info.

Is the gasket still pliable? When you push it in, does it pop back out?
If it does, your gasket is probably fine, but after 5 years, replacing it can't hurt.

No it isn't still pliable. It is pretty hard/crusty all around. Guess a replacement is in my future. Thanks for the replies guys.

 

[gbreda]

I believe the P61 and P68 are very similar. The P68 has an adjustment inside the fire box where the door handle latches to it. 2 bolts insode the forebox and then I think you need to loosen the bolt on the latching pin itself.. Not mutch adjustment, but enough to maybe get you by until the gasket is replaced.

Good Luck
Geno

 

[Pellet_Power]

I believe the P61 and P68 are very similar. The P68 has an adjustment inside the fire box where the door handle latches to it. 2 bolts insode the forebox and then I think you need to loosen the bolt on the latching pin itself.. Not mutch adjustment, but enough to maybe get you by until the gasket is replaced.

Good Luck
Geno

Thanks Geno I will check that out

 

[Pellet-King]

10+ yrs on my never changed door gasket....aint broke dont fix it!

 

[arnash]

Hi all. I'm new to pellet stoves and this forum, but in investigating my new old-2nd-hand $50.00 Whitfield Advantage pellet stove (serial # about 7,000) I removed the top piece from over the burn chamber and could then see straight down into the space between the top of the door and the body. I saw that there was a gap between the gasket and the body, so I assumed that the problem was with the gasket having shrunk with age (even though it appeared to be in perfect condition).
But a week or so later I discovered something that may apply to all old pellet stoves. I looked at the locking pin that the latch locks onto and saw that it was no longer round, but had a gouge worn into it from years of use. It's loss of metal was essentially the same thickness as the gap between the body and the door. To fix the pin I coiled a common piece of wire around it several times to fill in the area of the gouge. Now the door closes tighter and not as easily as before, when it was too easy, -just a bump and it would pop open.
Bottom line is that the issue of checking the gasket tightness should probably begin with inspecting the pin if the stove has had lots of use. Hopes this saves someone from replacing a perfectly good gasket.

 

[Iceshack]

U got a Whitfield advantage for 50 bucks?!! Do they have any more??? - I just replaced my gasket but read your post before hand and checked my pin - it was ok and not rounded as you describe but I appreciate the post and the heads up - my whitfield is 1993 vintage and I hope to have for many more years! I'm looking for another one in good shape =- preferably an Advantage 3 so if ya hear anything..... lso loking for a new one piece glass for the existing one but dont want to pay 500 bucks new

Iceshack