NC30 Fiberboard?

[bluedogz]

Just got to looking at the ceramic boards above the burn tubes in the 30. Mine are oriented so the the long edge runs N/S above the firebox, leaving a seam N/S down the middle. Also, they overlap by about 1.5" all the way down. I cannot at the moment tell if they are pushed all the way to the back or not.

The manual is a bit unclear on whether this is right or not, or whether it makes any darn difference. Searched the site but couldn't really find this question.

Is it? Does it?

 

[Seasoned Oak]

Wow that is messed up. Are you saying you have a 1.5 "gap on either side? They should not OVERLAP at all,but butt together.And go back as far as they can leaving a gap at the front. Mine have a 1/4 inch gap that i closed by putting a steel rod on one side.

 

[PapaDave]

From the manual:
HTH


FIBER BOARD: CARE & MAINTENANCE
THIS WOOD HEATER UTILIZES NEW TECHNOLOGY, WHICH INCLUDES CERAMIC FIBER
BOARD THAT IS LOCATED IN THE FIREBOX, AND RESTS ON TOP OF
FOUR STAINLESS STEEL TUBES.
DO NOT REMOVE THIS CERAMIC FIBER BOARD
IT IS A NECESSARY COMPONENT OF THE FIREBOX.
ALSO PLEASE NOTE: THE CERAMIC FIBER
BOARD MAY BECOME LOOSE DURING INITIAL
SHIPPING. BE SURE IT IS LYING FLAT, ON TOP OF THE STAINLESS STEEL TUBES, AND
PUSHED ALL THE WAY TO THE BACK OF THE UNIT, WITH NO GAPS BETWEEN IT
AND THE BACK WALL.

 

[Seasoned Oak]

Also they should sit right on top of all 4 burn tubes. No significant space between the burn tubes and the board.

 

[Seasoned Oak]

Any gap anywhere other than in the front will have serious burning performance issues,essentially making a "smoke dragon" out of your EPA stove.

 

[bluedogz]

From the manual:
HTH


FIBER BOARD: CARE & MAINTENANCE
THIS WOOD HEATER UTILIZES NEW TECHNOLOGY, WHICH INCLUDES CERAMIC FIBER
BOARD THAT IS LOCATED IN THE FIREBOX, AND RESTS ON TOP OF
FOUR STAINLESS STEEL TUBES.
DO NOT REMOVE THIS CERAMIC FIBER BOARD
IT IS A NECESSARY COMPONENT OF THE FIREBOX.
ALSO PLEASE NOTE: THE CERAMIC FIBER
BOARD MAY BECOME LOOSE DURING INITIAL
SHIPPING. BE SURE IT IS LYING FLAT, ON TOP OF THE STAINLESS STEEL TUBES, AND
PUSHED ALL THE WAY TO THE BACK OF THE UNIT, WITH NO GAPS BETWEEN IT
AND THE BACK WALL.

I got all that... but does the seam go N/S or E/W? Or am I thinking too much?

I reached in and eliminated the overlap so that the boards are butted together at the center, and are pushed all the way back.

 

[Seasoned Oak]

The boards go N/S. YOU should see a tremendous improvement in performance now.

 

[EatenByLimestone]

I noticed mine had crept up and I was having a hard time lighting it off too. I was thinking I had ash buildup in the flue causing bad draft until I happened to nudge the board and noticed it moved back. Problem solved.

 

[bluedogz]

The boards go N/S

So, yeah... thinking too much.

And I guess they got knocked around a bit which lifted one to overlap the other.

 

[Seasoned Oak]

So, yeah... thinking too much.

Its easy to bump the boards when loading the stove and knock them out of place.Also they are fragile and would be easy to break IMO.

 

[Highbeam]

The boards will walk around on you. The only damage I have to my boards is from me resetting them with a piece of kindling. Man they're soft.