Pacific Energy Insert Baffle

[PistolPeets]

Hello all. New member with a first post/newbie question. I just moved into a home with a fireplace insert that's approximately 40 years old I believe. There's a baffle plate on the top of the firebox. I've read that it aids in secondary combustion. My question is: what position is this baffle supposed to be in? It slides toward the rear of the box to close off the pipe, and also slides rearward to expose some of the pipe. I had one fire already but left this in the fully open position.. Someone told me that you start with the baffle rearward (open) until a good fire is established, then move forward (closed position). Is that correct? A Google search doesn't yield much results. I believe it's a Pacific Energy Summit model but can't verify that.

Thanks!

 

[DAKSY]

I don't know your particular unit, but in ALL the stoves that I am familiar with, The baffle(s) slide to the rear & stays there. The object being to keep the gases & particulates released in the combustion process IN the firebox in order for them to burn as completely as possible, by having them take the LONGEST route to the chimney.. Allowing the pipe to be open to the fire box unobstructed kinda defeats the secondary (Clean) burn design.

 

[PistolPeets]

Thank you for the response. That makes perfect sense. The baffle remains in the closed position on start up as well? Or should it be opened to allow the smokey start up to be released and create a proper draft?

 

[DAKSY]

Leave it. If you have trouble getting a draft going, Google Top-Down Fire.

 

[PistolPeets]

Thanks again!

 

[weatherguy]

It's probably newer than 40 years old. Show us a pic someone will know what it is.

 

[PistolPeets]

It's probably newer than 40 years old. Show us a pic someone will know what it is.

That's about how old the house is and everything was original. So that was just my assumption. It may very well be newer

 

[begreen]

Definitely newer than 40 yrs. The Summit baffle should not move. It sits on the rectangular secondary tube at the rear of the firebox. That keeps it pretty much captive, though there is supposed to be pin holding it back there too. Hogwildz has some good pics a few years back of the Summit baffle assembly and secondary tube at the rear of the firebox.

 

[Hogwildz]

That is an A body style. Not sure when they had natural finish handles, but I know my 2006 model had black painted handle, so it's def older than that. Baffle is set back to rest over the vertical channel opening. As BG said, a pin gets installed through the baffle tab and into the rear horizontal channel. Baffle is left in this position till next cleaning.

 

[PistolPeets]

Thanks all for the replies. I do not have that baffle pin! Is it absolutely necessary? I'll probably try a fire in the upcoming days with the knowledge I've obtained from this site and other googling.

 

[begreen]

No, the pin is not necessary though it does stop the baffle from being lifted if a big log is trying to be crammed in. As long as the baffle is properly seated on the secondary tube it will be ok. There should be a gasket around the secondary tube. This is sacrificial and just a few bucks from the PE dealer.

NOTE: When cleaning the stove with the baffle removed, be sure to cover the secondary tube hole with a rag so that sote doesn't drop down it.

 

[PistolPeets]

Thanks for the advice everyone. Just started a fire this morning and still going. I preheated the flue with a hair dryer for a couple of minutes to try to establish a proper draft (first two attempts to light a fire resulted in a house full of smoke). Build a top down fire as per DAKSY's recommendation and it took right off immediately with NO smoke inside the house. Fire started burning hot and fast with the damper in the fully open position. Backed it down once the larger logs on the bottom were running pretty good. Current outside air temp is around 25, and it's currently 80 inside! Wasn't quite sure when the best time to refuel would be, so i pretty much let the fire go out to where I just had a hot bed of coals. Threw two more logs on and opened the damper and it took right off again. I'm liking this so far! Might just be a new addiction!