Napoleon S9 door tuning

[brightblack123]

Hello,

New poster here. Good to meet you.

We have a Napoleon S9. I have only had this stove since acquiring our house in January and we are planning to burn in earnest this coming season. I went through everything (replaced some bricks, and did the dollar test on the door which had a large gap). I decided to replace the gasket (1/2" per Napoleon specs), but I am still having trouble getting the door fully tight all around. There is nothing in the manual regarding any kind of latch adjustments. Is it possible that the latch has worn down and that is preventing me from closing it tightly? Am I missing anything here? Any S9 owners, I'd love any suggestions.

Thank you!

 

[Burnin Since 1991]

While you're waiting for someone with knowledge of this stove to post, a couple of pics would be helpful. Welcome to the forum!

 

[brightblack123]

Thank you Bob,

I think I may have found the culprit here. The latch plate mounting screw holes are countersunk which means it should have flat head machine screws, this one was likely swapped by the previous owner and they used round head screws. What happens here (I believe) is that the round head screws from the latch plate (door) meet the round head screws (stove body) which prevents the door from getting 100% tight.

In a quick fix, I've picked up some flat head metric screws this morning to swap out on the existing latch plate (door), and have ordered a replacement latch plate and latch.

I would still like any info, from other S9 owners on any tips and tricks to level or tweak the door if possible.

I'm grateful for this forum, my apologies for not investigating this issue further.

 

[Burnin Since 1991]

Thank you Bob,

I think I may have found the culprit here. The latch plate mounting screw holes are countersunk which means it should have flat head machine screws, this one was likely swapped by the previous owner and they used round head screws. What happens here (I believe) is that the round head screws from the latch plate (door) meet the round head screws (stove body) which prevents the door from getting 100% tight.

In a quick fix, I've picked up some flat head metric screws this morning to swap out on the existing latch plate (door), and have ordered a replacement latch plate and latch.

I would still like any info, from other S9 owners on any tips and tricks to level or tweak the door if possible.

I'm grateful for this forum, my apologies for not investigating this issue further.


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sounds and looks like you nailed it! Well done... Please update after you make the fix as it's good info in case someone else has a similar issue

 

[d-dayman]

Thank you Bob,

I think I may have found the culprit here. The latch plate mounting screw holes are countersunk which means it should have flat head machine screws, this one was likely swapped by the previous owner and they used round head screws. What happens here (I believe) is that the round head screws from the latch plate (door) meet the round head screws (stove body) which prevents the door from getting 100% tight.

In a quick fix, I've picked up some flat head metric screws this morning to swap out on the existing latch plate (door), and have ordered a replacement latch plate and latch.

I would still like any info, from other S9 owners on any tips and tricks to level or tweak the door if possible.

I'm grateful for this forum, my apologies for not investigating this issue further.


View attachment 341871View attachment 341872View attachment 341873

How did you make out with your S9? Did you fix the issue with the door? How has it been burning for you this season? I’m currently looking at possibly picking up the same model, and curious as to how you like yours.

 

[brightblack123]

@d-dayman
Thanks for checking in, and my apologies for not responding to this post sooner. I've been meaning to take some photos to better describe the solution, but the description below should suffice.

Essentially, the latch and latch-plate were replaced by the previous owner, and instead of using flat head screws, they used pan head. They also had these same screws on the corresponding latch-plate on the stove. This created an issue where the heads of the screws were bumping into one another, preventing the door from fully sealing.

I replaced the latch and latch-plate (door) and re-drilled out the taps on the corresponding latch-plate (stove) (they were rusted and seized) and replaced with flat heads. I also replaced the door gasket.

The door is almost 100% sealable now, except my problem is the the hinge plate is very slightly bowed, as if someone was hanging on the door. The paper test works well, but not perfect around the entire door. A problem to solve over the winter.

Alas, things have been working well and we've been using the stove in earnest this winter. I placed an order for a new brick and baffle set, but Napoleon's production is far behind (it's been over 8 weeks now). I'd also like to replace the air control assembly at some point.

@d-dayman, I think the stove is great. We're happy with it. I wish we inherited it brand new. It seems to have held up well over the years and my understanding is the previous owners blasted this thing full time, all the time. Ours has the mechanical blower on the back which is super helpful. If I had to get a new one, I might select the same one -- or perhaps something without as many parts or as many expensive replacement parts or a brand that is more responsive to consumer inquiry. Napoleon refuse to communicate about technical or production issues on the phone -- they require you to go through a dealer. Maybe all manufacturers are that way, but it's not particularly helpful for the DIY-er. I hope this is somewhat helpful.