I have pacific energy spectrum and found cracks in the upper inside front corner welds. I was wondering how many people have dealt with this and what was the outcome dealing with pacific energy. Any information would be appreciated. Thanks
Pacific Energy cracks inside upper front corner welds
- Thread starter Antghunter
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The first step is with the dealer. They should come out and document the issue and escalate it to PE if it is found to be a warranty defect.
Would it be possible to post some pictures of the firebox and of the cracks?
Would it be possible to post some pictures of the firebox and of the cracks?
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I sent pictures to dealer as requested. They got back to me and said they would need to do a draft test on my woodstove, charge me $250.00 and drill a hole in my double wall pipe to do it. I refused. He then told me that PE was not going to warranty my stove.
The good news is that both cracks don't appear to be too serious. If they get attention soon they can be rewelded. The first one looks like a weld failure. Where is the second one, the air wash diverter??
Did the dealer install the stove and flue system? $250 for a draft test is painful. Would they accept you doing a draft test with your own manometer? It's not a complicated test. Should be less than $50. It's best to have the dealer on your side so try to be polite and patient.
Can you describe the flue system? How tall and is it straight up or out the wall and then up?
Did the dealer install the stove and flue system? $250 for a draft test is painful. Would they accept you doing a draft test with your own manometer? It's not a complicated test. Should be less than $50. It's best to have the dealer on your side so try to be polite and patient.
Can you describe the flue system? How tall and is it straight up or out the wall and then up?
The first batch of pictures was the left side. The first picture in this batch is the upper right side. The second picture is the door flange where the crack from the weld ran down to from the upper right side (first batch of pictures) I purchased the stove, all piping and had them do the install. I did all this to protect my invest when I purchased it. I have approximately 15 feet off piping straight up in a 1300 sq foot house. To say I’m disappointed with the response from PE energy is an understatement. I own two pacific energy wood stoves and have supported them and recommended them for years and years.
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I understand the disappointment. The dealer needs to check for overfiring. That's why the draft test. IMO, with only a 15 ft flue, it's unlikely the issue is overdrafting. Ask if you can do the draft test and document it. If so, a manomenter is under $50.
Thanks, I’ll look into that. I am still interested in hearing from PE stove owners that have dealt with this situation. Do you know the history on weld failures in PE woodstoves?
Defects, both human and machine made, happen in any product. Overall, these stoves are simple, made with good materials, and robust. That said, it's a bummer when things don't go right and one has to deal with the issues. Hope you can get the dealer over and get it settled soon. FWIW, our stove is going on its 16 season and is doing well.
True, I did some digging on a couple different forums. It does appear that there is history of PE cracking particularly ones manufactured in the 2006-2009.
Begreen - would you expect PE to honor their lifetime warranty on your 16-17 year old stove if it were cracking like mine, without any indications of that it was overfired?
Begreen - would you expect PE to honor their lifetime warranty on your 16-17 year old stove if it were cracking like mine, without any indications of that it was overfired?
To me, the dealer needing to do a draft test (and charge ridiculous money for it!) is a red flag for a crappy dealer, at the minimum.
1. They should have done it when it was installed if there were concerns, (shouldn't be, not on a 15' chimney!) and if PE is such a stickler when it comes to standing behind their stuff .
2. Anyone with any stove/chimney experience at all knows that a single draft test on a chimney is a complete joke anyways...draft can fluctuate wildly depending on outdoor temp, and wind speed/direction...it could easily pass the test on a warmer/calm day, and not on a bitter cold/windy day!
1. They should have done it when it was installed if there were concerns, (shouldn't be, not on a 15' chimney!) and if PE is such a stickler when it comes to standing behind their stuff .
2. Anyone with any stove/chimney experience at all knows that a single draft test on a chimney is a complete joke anyways...draft can fluctuate wildly depending on outdoor temp, and wind speed/direction...it could easily pass the test on a warmer/calm day, and not on a bitter cold/windy day!
The dealer is pointing the finger at Pacific Energy regional distributor saying they are requesting the draft test. When I refused the draft test, the dealer sent me an email stating that honoring the lifetime warranty was at pacific energy’s option and stated in the fine print. This is a major red flag for pacific energy customers. Basically they can deny warranties for any reason they choose.
I feel that this could have been handled a lot different from the beginning. The stove should have been physically inspected by a PE rep or dealer, if the stove was found to be from mis handling, over fired……etc, I would have been fine with paying for a service call. If the stove was found to be manufactures defect, then in my opinion, pacific energy should cover the service call and the fix. This stands the same with the draft test even though I am really against drilling holes in my double wall stove pipe.
I contacted the regional distributor in North Carolina to get an explanation from them and they refused to discuss anything with me. Their answer was that I had to speak with the dealer. So basically everyone is pointing their finger at someone else. I requested a contact at PE headquarters from the regional distributor. I have since left a message and sent emails to them with no response.
I feel that this could have been handled a lot different from the beginning. The stove should have been physically inspected by a PE rep or dealer, if the stove was found to be from mis handling, over fired……etc, I would have been fine with paying for a service call. If the stove was found to be manufactures defect, then in my opinion, pacific energy should cover the service call and the fix. This stands the same with the draft test even though I am really against drilling holes in my double wall stove pipe.
I contacted the regional distributor in North Carolina to get an explanation from them and they refused to discuss anything with me. Their answer was that I had to speak with the dealer. So basically everyone is pointing their finger at someone else. I requested a contact at PE headquarters from the regional distributor. I have since left a message and sent emails to them with no response.
I agree with you regarding the finger pointing etc.
I do suggest to buy a flue thermometer and stick it in the hole after measuring draft (if that ends up being done).
Many folks here (me too) have one and the hole is not a problem.
I do suggest to buy a flue thermometer and stick it in the hole after measuring draft (if that ends up being done).
Many folks here (me too) have one and the hole is not a problem.
PE has had troubles in our area. In the Albany area, I think all of the dealers are gone. At 1 time there were around 5 of them within a hour’s drive. One stated that PE forced him to deal with the distribution center in Hudson vs one in Boston. He had enough troubles with the guy in Hudson that he quit carrying the line. He was able to order the gaskets I needed in though.
The way I handle plugging the hole is to "thread" the appropriate size bolt into and through both walls of the pipe...the bolt head painted flat black makes it all blend in and it's not even noticable, or it looks intentional...and it's easy to remove if you want to check something again later on. You do not need to "tighten" it, just thread in until it goes through both walls.
If you have a hard time getting a bolt to start/thread in, a self tapping machine thread bolt makes it easier. Should be available at any decent hardware.
The cracks back then showed up in the 2008-2009 Summits. Cracks in the Spectrum/Super are not common, but anything is possible.
Probably not, our dealer died and we live in a remote area with the closest dealer a couple hours away. Too much travel time for a dealer.
It sounds like the dealer is willing to submit, but may be required to include a draft strength test. Ask if you can do the test and document the results for them.
Dwyer Mark II 25 Manometer Liquid Filled Wall Mount | eBay
Other accessories not pictured. Not Included.
www.ebay.com
Wow that’s pretty cheap, thank you. when I asked him why the price for the draft test was so high he told me the tester he had to order was $1500.
That is one deluxe manometer. Most use a standard HVAC manometer or magnehelic. They come in various reading ranges. You will be looking for a reading somewhere around .05" ideally. A range of .00 to .2 would be ideal but may be harder to find. The one I showed will cover the low end well enough. If the draft is > .1 it's too strong for some stoves. Here is a magnehelic that would do the same thing.
New -
Used - https://www.ebay.com/itm/167941956323
The test is done with the stove running. It needs a section of copper tube at the end in order to stand up to the heat of the flue.
New -
Dwyer Magnehelic Differential Pressure Gauge (Model 2300-0) 0.25-0-0.25" w.c. | eBay
(Reseller) The Dwyer Magnehelic Differential Pressure Gauge (Model 2300-0) is a high-quality pneumatic gauge designed for measuring pressure differences as low as 0.25 inches of water column. Made in the United States with durable materials, this gauge is known for its reliability and accuracy...
www.ebay.com
The test is done with the stove running. It needs a section of copper tube at the end in order to stand up to the heat of the flue.
Some stoves can be pretty fussy about draft and have a narrow ideal operating spec. The PE is much more forgiving. Here's some chatter, mostly amongst BK stove owners.
