How do you like the mechanical ash system in these stoves? How many gaskets do you have to deal with? Are they standard gaskets or special size gaskets only available though your local dealer? Thanks
Pacific Energy Alderlea T5 and T6 owners
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Ash system on it is useless, but that is my opinion (trap door is too small). However, never even tried to use it as I placed a metal plate over it, to bring it up the the height of the (bottom) of the firebox when it was new. Consequently, I only need to maintain the door gasket & the little gasket that goes under the baffle -- both are available at the dealers. Some folks are really into their ash systems & buy the stove based on them. However, an ash shovel & bucket works just fine -- it is not a daily thing -- only 1-2x /month even burning 24/7.
Added: The stove is about as maintenance free as any wood stove you can buy. Going into the 10th winter with it & I just installed the 2nd new door gasket & replaced the cracked glass in the door as it broke for absolutely no good reason (stove was cold, in summer when it cracked across a corner -- glass warranties are essentially useless). Door hinge has given us some issues, but easily fixable. A great stove, we recommend -- a good dealer is an advantage, though.
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T6 owner for about 9 years - pretty much ditto bcrtops opinion regarding the ash chute as well as his other T5 experiences.
I've replaced the door gasket once (gasket adhesive failure of the OEM gasket) and I replaced the OEM baffle gasket once, after year one > (baffle gasket replaced with Hog's excellent suggestion of fashioning a gasket out of 3/8" rope gasket) .
I've replaced the door gasket once (gasket adhesive failure of the OEM gasket) and I replaced the OEM baffle gasket once, after year one > (baffle gasket replaced with Hog's excellent suggestion of fashioning a gasket out of 3/8" rope gasket) .
We don't use the ash system either, however ash pan makes a dandy bun warmer if you keep it clean. 
I've tried both non-oem and oem door gaskets. OEM seals much better. For several years I used the oem baffle gasket because I bought a batch of them but now also have the hogwildz patented 3/8" gasket donut in place and it's doing fine.
I've tried both non-oem and oem door gaskets. OEM seals much better. For several years I used the oem baffle gasket because I bought a batch of them but now also have the hogwildz patented 3/8" gasket donut in place and it's doing fine.
Thanks everyone. Sounds low maintenance and simple and that is always a good thing.
Woody5506
Minister of Fire
I use my ash pan on the T5, but I guess I could do without it. I don't mind it though. I wouldn't say it was much of a selling point.
I pulled my baffle a few weeks ago to clean the chimney and noticed that there was no gasket on the back of it. This was the first time I ever pulled the baffle since I just got the stove new last year. What affect would not having that gasket really have on the stove?
I pulled my baffle a few weeks ago to clean the chimney and noticed that there was no gasket on the back of it. This was the first time I ever pulled the baffle since I just got the stove new last year. What affect would not having that gasket really have on the stove?
I recall that the gasket back there is a thin flat gasket like a head gasket and not a big roll of rope. Is it possible that the gasket was there and just stuck to one side? Or do you think it was never installed?
A leak there would allow secondary combustion air to enter the firebox at a place other than the little holes in the baffle. You would probably see little jets of flame and less air making it to the little holes. Burn could be slightly dirtier.
A leak there would allow secondary combustion air to enter the firebox at a place other than the little holes in the baffle. You would probably see little jets of flame and less air making it to the little holes. Burn could be slightly dirtier.
When I first pulled the baffle for cleaning there was no evidence of a gasket. I assumed the factory did not install one & ran the stove for several years without the gasket. Some air comes in the back, but does not affect the burn too much. Later on, I realized that those factory gaskets are very fragile & pretty much disintegrate when you take out the baffle for cleaning. I would recommend keeping a gasket installed there -- just because it will run fine (apparently) without one, does not mean that it is the most efficient nor clean way of running the stove -- it was designed with a gasket there for a reason.
KISS design and low maintenance is why we have the T6.
The gasket is thin and frail. It often turns to dust when the baffle is removed.
Agreed! One of the easiest maintenance "modern" (epa) wood stoves you will find! The whole PE series, actually.
Woody5506
Minister of Fire
Thanks for all the feedback to my question, and to the original poster I apologize for hijacking your thread...lol
Woody5506
Minister of Fire
Pulled the baffle again yesterday and looked for the gasket inside the stove, and yes it was deteriorated up inside the stove. They do seem pretty flimsy. Guess I'll be buying a few replacements from the dealer.
If I owned a PE I would be looking into making the reusable rope gasket version instead of buying a new one every year. I've seen photos on this site of how to make it and I'm sure one of the other members could show you a link.
Woody5506
Minister of Fire
The original version #1: https://www.hearth.com/talk/threads...le-gasket-shes-cooking-now.23717/#post-325220
I believe there is a version #2 - but the above works
I believe there is a version #2 - but the above works
What size and type of steel is your metal plate for your stove? I dont think I will use the ash system either. Thanks
Just a scrap piece of 5/16" or 3/8" I had laying around -- doesn't fit tight -- & not necessary -- just let the ash build up over the clean-out & leave it there. It is a good idea to always leave a layer of ash in your stove anyway. My stove only gets all the ash removed during summer chimney cleaning, & even then, the floor I don't vacuum, unless I need a side brick replaced. It is only the area above the firebricks that I am meticulous about cleaning 1x/year.
Do you guys get a lot of ash outside the stove when reloading the Alderlea? On the hearth or floor?
It depends on how close the log ends are to the glass. When reloading, we usually get very little ash spill if any and that is on the ash lip. Mostly we get bark crumbs on the hearth.
I like our new t6 stove.
way better than my old r.j or r.l challenger stove. full cast iron (came with house)
all cemented up..massive air leaks.
I had to keep door shut with a brick
My one issue so far is squeeky t6 door hinge.
I tried graphite but didn't seem to fix it.
way better than my old r.j or r.l challenger stove. full cast iron (came with house)
all cemented up..massive air leaks.
I had to keep door shut with a brick
My one issue so far is squeeky t6 door hinge.
I tried graphite but didn't seem to fix it.
I like our new t6 stove.
way better than my old r.j or r.l challenger stove. full cast iron (came with house)
all cemented up..massive air leaks.
I had to keep door shut with a brick
My one issue so far is squeeky t6 door hinge.
I tried graphite but didn't seem to fix it.
The hinge has been an issue on mine. Pins too short, & slipped into pre-drilled holes in door too far. Easily fixed.... but kind of scary when you have a fire going & door is sort of hanging in your hand!
Squeaks on door hinge & hardware, as well as the top grate hinge are solved with some aerosol graphite lube applied yearly during summer cleanup & chimney cleaning. Cold stove, of course -- then door just "glides" closed, as if a ball-bearing hinge.
Like anything else that you haven't done before, if you give it a chance you might be able to develop a way to make it work pretty well.
One problem I see, as mentioned, might be the small ash dump opening on the PE. But I'd think that the opening lever on the outside of the box would be better than fiddling with a plug.
The ash dump on the Buck 91 was pretty good. It had a hinged lid inside the box that I could lift with the corner of the shovel, and a big opening, something like 3.5 x 5.5". The opening was also off to the left side, so with the side of the shovel I would scrape everything to the left, skim the big coals off the top to the right, clear and open the lid, then scrape the ash down. Being an insert, the pan wasn't big. In the manual, the PE pan didn't look real big, either. Another problem with a dump hole, as opposed to a grate, is that you get a pile of ash right under the dump, and you need to distribute the ash around the pan so you can get more loads in there before you have to pull it. On the Buck, I could stick an L-shaped poker down the dump opening and shove the ash away from under the opening. I could get about four loads of ash in the pan before I had to pull and dump it. Ashes slid out the open back end of the pan, into a metal bucket I kept outside.
My MIL was very sensitive to any dust in the air, and using the Buck pan kept dust to an absolute minimum. It's a bit of work to shovel ash, yet keep it from floating around the room...that's why I'll only shovel if I have no other choice. I shoveled out the Fireview for a while, and got good at containing the dust, but I was glad to get back to a grated system with the Keystone.
As far as the Alderleas, I'm seriously looking at a T5 for my SIL, mainly for the simplicity of the stove. The other option is a Woodstock AS which has more moving parts, but also has attractive features like grated ash handling and the ability to get low, long heat with a cat-only burn.
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