Inherited Stove with internal crack

[Maine_Cat]

Greetings from Maine!!
First time posting.
I bought my first house about three years ago, first year we didn't fire up the woodstove it came with (Regency F3100L). In the two years we have used it, I've never exceeded 550F. Second year I noticed extensive wear on the inside right above the door, where a metal piece seems to have been disintegrated in the middle. This year, after I started a fire and the metal expanded, I noticed a crack that's hairline on the outside, but is wider inside in that same spot. It's possible it was there all along and I somehow didn't notice, kind of unsure. I'm attaching photos because I cannot explain it well enough. Basically. Is this something I should be concerned with? Repair it, replace it? Any insight is appreciated. Thank you very much.

 

[begreen]

The hole may have stopped the further spread of the crack. Which model Regency?

 

[Maine_Cat]

The hole may have stopped the further spread of the crack. Which model Regency?

This is an F3100L, adding to the description now.

 

[begreen]

The F3100 had that perforated top area which looks like it was intended to scavenge some airwash air to boost secondary burn as the wood gases do the 180 turn around the front of the baffle. It looks like a right-angle, stainless plate could be bolted across that area to reinforce it. bholler can better answer this question. He may have seen it before.

Check the front secondary tube to make sure it has not cracked or split and concentrated heat in that location.

 

[Maine_Cat]

The F3100 had that perforated top area which looks like it was intended to scavenge some airwash air to boost secondary burn as the wood gases do the 180 turn around the front of the baffle. It looks like a right-angle, stainless plate could be bolted across that area to reinforce it. bholler can better answer this question. He may have seen it before.

Check the front secondary tube to make sure it has not cracked or split and concentrated heat in that location.

Thanks,
I've been thoroughly examining the stove and only found two other points of damage other than some worn firebricks- two hairline cracks along the frame of the door. No damage I can see to any of the tubes, thankfully.

 

[begreen]

It looks like the stove has been run hot during its lifespan. How does it look overall? Is the paint light grey in many areas?
These are more serious and need to be stopped and welded. Drill a tiny (3/32") hole at the end of the cracks to halt their spread and then get the cracks welded.

 

[Maine_Cat]

It looks like the stove has been run hot during its lifespan. How does it look overall? Is the paint light grey in many areas?
These are more serious and need to be stopped and welded. Drill a tiny (3/32") hole at the end of the cracks to halt their spread and then get the cracks welded.

It really isn't bad overall, still black in a lot of places but yes, splotches of grey around front of sides. Do you know the thickness of metal on this model? I don't have a micrometer but could get these all welded by a friend, so that's good.

 

[bholler]

The internal area that is cracked is the air wash channel. And yes it can be patched over we have done a couple. Newer models have a replaceable stainless deflector there.

The cracking on the face could be drilled and welded