PDVC-25 hopper door bent... Can it be straightened?

[MountainDweller]

Good morning!

We have a 12-year-old Englander PDVC-25. It looks as though the stove has been repeatedly overfilled and the excess pellets have bent/dished the hopper door ever so slightly. Last year (our first season with it) the stove always had a slight smoky smell during a cold start, so I purchased a complete gasket set and will put that on when it arrives this week. I figured maybe the hopper door is contributing to the odor as well.

Has anyone ever encountered this and fixed it? I was thinking about taking it off, flipping it upside down with something bracing the center and applying pressure around the edges, maybe even make some wood forms to make sure it's even or something.

Best,

- Nathan

 

[jjones139]

Good morning!

We have a 12-year-old Englander PDVC-25. It looks as though the stove has been repeatedly overfilled and the excess pellets have bent/dished the hopper door ever so slightly. Last year (our first season with it) the stove always had a slight smoky smell during a cold start, so I purchased a complete gasket set and will put that on when it arrives this week. I figured maybe the hopper door is contributing to the odor as well.

Has anyone ever encountered this and fixed it? I was thinking about taking it off, flipping it upside down with something bracing the center and applying pressure around the edges, maybe even make some wood forms to make sure it's even or something.

Best,

- Nathan

It takes a great deal to bend the door and if someone was overfilling the hopper I would ask why? Nonetheless, I think your problem is the gasket so replacing should to the trick. I have this stove and it's big brother and they both run great. Keep us posted!

 

[MountainDweller]

It takes a great deal to bend the door and if someone was overfilling the hopper I would ask why? Nonetheless, I think your problem is the gasket so replacing should to the trick. I have this stove and it's big brother and they both run great. Keep us posted!

No clue, it ran 10-11 seasons before we bought it! Maybe someone was trying to get the full 40lb bag in there or something. Those latches are strong! It's not a huge bend, but noticeable when you compare it with the stationary top over the burn box, certainly enough to lift the gasket mating surface I would think. We shall see!

- N

 

[MountainDweller]

Ok, I beat the stuffing out of it with a heavy rubber mallet and got it straightened out well enough. You could tell from the dust ring around the inside of the lid that it wasn't contacting the gasket for the middle 8"-10" of the front and the back!

The back gasket mating surface on the door is actually the piano hinge, so I was able to lay a straightedge right on it, and then laid the straightedge on top of the door to check the front. Finally I took off the old hopper gasket and laid the door backwards on top of the stove to make sure it lined up all around which it did.

Cool!

- N