Pacific energy Alderlea T6 no longer has lazy flames

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skootch13

New Member
Jan 7, 2022
15
cincinnati
This is the 8th season for my Alderlea T6. it seems like the flames are no longer slow and lazy/ The wood just burns like crazy. Also it seems the secondary jets no longer make the flames blue or purple but are always yellow. the wood is red oak and well seasoned.

the ash door is as tight as it can be, which in my opinion isn't very air tight and never has been.

Should I change the gaskets around the door and glass? What size are they?

I've adjusted the catch for the door handle so it is as tight as possible.

is there anything to adjust such as the damper to slow these flames down?

Explain the dollar test to me. I put the dollar in between the body and the door and can pull the dollar out. Is that too loose? It stays in place on its own, but ican pull it out.
 
It's likely ready for a door gasket change. The dollar bill should need a tug to come out, not easily.

Get the OEM replacement gasket from a PE dealer. Use RTV (black or red) for the gasket adhesive.
 
For the RTV is 500 degree F the correct type and is 2.7 Oz. enough for 1 door? How thick of a bead, as thick as a pencil?
 
Supersurvey said:
For the RTV is 500 degree F the correct type and is 2.7 Oz. enough for 1 door? How thick of a bead, as thick as a pencil?
Click to expand...
I keep the RTV at my house for the stove. I got the 700 degree tube. You dont need a lot.. the adhesive is just to keep the gasket in place. My thoughts are the higher the temp on the adhesive the better.. mine is gray in color. got it on Amazon.. free delivery..
 
skootch13 said:
Should I change the gaskets around the door and glass? What size are they?

I've adjusted the catch for the door handle so it is as tight as possible.

is there anything to adjust such as the damper to slow these flames down?

Explain the dollar test to me. I put the dollar in between the body and the door and can pull the dollar out. Is that too loose? It stays in place on its own, but ican pull it out.
Click to expand...
The gasket size required is listed in your owners manual, should you not find your manual you can download it from Pacific Energy's website.
Your dollar test , the bill should be difficult to pull through if door gasket is good and tight . If the stove baffle is correctly seated and in place ( this is explained in your user manual ) there is nothing else to check and adjust as you have already checked the ash dump door.
 
Get the OEM gasket. I tried a couple of others, Rutland and Meeco, and the results were worse than the old gasket.

pellet-stove-parts-4less.com

Pacific Energy Alderlea Door Gasket Kit (5/16 x 7'): 80001503 (RT 323A)

Replacement Door Gasket 5/16 For Stoves That Take That Size Part Description: This is the door gasket kit for the Pacific Energy Alderlea wood burning appliances. This is the exact kit provided by the manufacturer Pacific Energy. Applicable Models: Pacific Energy Alderlea T4, Alderlea T5 and...
pellet-stove-parts-4less.com pellet-stove-parts-4less.com
 
Definitely will need the secondary air tube baffle sealing gasket after so many years of use if never changed before. You can see and obtain the part # for your stove from your user manual.


.
Secondary air baffle gasket.png
 
It is the gasket that goes between the secondary air tube top and stainless baffle , You install the gasket before re-sitting the stainless baffle back in to its position. There are various videos on You Tube covering this.
You may not have installed your new Meeco door gasket correctly as any new gasket should seal the door properly even inexpensive ones, they just will not last as long as the OEM one.
 
It definitely doesn't seem like the handle is pulling the door tight enough. There is a ton of slop in the handle where it goes through the door itself.

I tried tightening and adjusting the "clasp" that the handle grabs onto, but then the bearing on the handle just hits the body of the stove and doesn't pull the door any tighter.
 
It looks like my baffle gasket has disintegrated. So I guess this helps with the uncontrolled burn by not allowing air into the firebox. Right?

And the second photo is the door gasket. Which seems skimpy to me. When closing the door, it used to be you moved the handle and it was snug. Then you gave it more force and it really got tight. Now, it just closes and doesn't feel snug or tight at all. There is a ton of slop in the handle.

20220111_163031.jpg 20220111_163010.jpg
 
Pacific Energy does not need to use a super large door gasket because of the knife edge door that closes tightly against the door gasket, most competitive stoves do not have that. You may very well have a loose/worn door handle or the latch itself needs to be hammered in a wee bit.
You have the correct place for the air tube/baffle gasket placement, that gasket in my experience never last more than 2 years depending on amount of usage. Without the secondary air tube gasket it seems to send extra air into the firebox causing higher primary temperatures and less secondary's, that has been my experience anyways with my PE.

Knife Edge Door Seal – Pacific Energy

www.pacificenergy.net www.pacificenergy.net
 
Last edited:
I installed the OEM door gasket last night. Night and day difference between it and the Meeco crap gasket. It's denser so it can't crush as much. The door gets snug, then give it a little more oomph on the handle and it gets TIGHT.
 
Several years back I had the opportunity to speak with a PE executive regarding door and glass gasket explaining that no dealer in my area ever carried PE OEM replacement gaskets, all I could get where cheaper Imperial, Kel-Kem, Rutland, etc. big box store replacement gasket or gaskets purchased by length off a dealers 1000 foot roll.

For my particular PE stove it was recommended I use: standard OEM ½'' medium density door gasket as their standard OEM fitment on my stove, also a 5/8'' as maximum size medium density door gasket can also be used but that is maximum size for my stove. Replacements should be medium density unfortunately their is no way of knowing this as it is not listed on any of the aftermarket packages and not surprising the dealers in my area anyways do not even know the density of gasketing they sell off the roll.

I do not know also if all OEM's are using medium density door gaskets as their standard that could be ordered from them.
 
I usually replace the baffle gasket annually on my T5. I drop the baffle to run a soot eater through the pipe every year, and usually the baffle gasket is shot at that point or damaged when removing the baffle. On the few times I have removed the baffle and the gasket has looked passable, I'll just leave it as is, but overall it's a pretty lame gasket.

I would think 8 years on a door gasket is pretty good. Mine is going on 6 or 7.
 
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Woody5506 said:
I usually replace the baffle gasket annually on my T5. I drop the baffle to run a soot eater through the pipe every year, and usually the baffle gasket is shot at that point or damaged when removing the baffle. On the few times I have removed the baffle and the gasket has looked passable, I'll just leave it as is, but overall it's a pretty lame gasket.

I would think 8 years on a door gasket is pretty good. Mine is going on 6 or 7.
Click to expand...
Yep, unfortunately that baffle gasket rarely last much more than a burning season, it does need to be replaced yearly with its annual cleaning / sweep.
 
Trevor Tahclep said:
Yep, unfortunately that baffle gasket rarely last much more than a burning season, it does need to be replaced yearly with its annual cleaning / sweep.
Click to expand...
Yeah even if you can remove the baffle without roughing up that gasket usually they are just pretty well shot after 1 season. Some day I'll get it together and make the home made ones that a couple people on here have posted about which will last far longer.
 
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