PE Summit door won't shut tight enough

[red247dog]

New freestanding stove only burned this season. There was a sticker on the door that said new easy latch system (or something), so it may be different than some of you have.

Anyway, lately the stove seems to get too hot, damped all the way down right now and is at 650 on a surface thermometer mounted approx 12-18" up a single wall flue.

I have read about tapping in the "latch" mounted on the stove to help the door shut a little tighter, but the end of my handle has a little rolling wheel on the end which when shut all the way now rubs between the latch and the body of the stove. Tapping on the latch would make that gap so tight that the wheel wouldn't fit in the gap and door would not close properly.

Anyone have this style door that could provide any suggestions. I don't think that the gasket is getting compressed enough, but can't imagine I would need to replace it already. Only thing I can see to do is bend the "latch" out and also move the handle mechanism out at the same time, giving the little wheel a bit more clearance, but I don't know how the handle is secured.

Any thoughts appreciated. I do generally get very good draft in cold weather, like now. I realize that explanation is a bit confusing, but if you have this stove you will understand, thanks!

 

[Hogwildz]

All the newer PE's have the roller latch design like you have pictured. Have the same on my Summit.
650 to 700 is what my Summit cruises at. Its not too hot.
PE uses high density rope gasket, thus does not need to be crushed against the knife edge.
You might want to back that off a tad, so its not too tight. Cause in th future, if you do need to tighten, there will be not more adjustment left.
I personally am not all that happy with the 7/8" high density rope gasket. I have used 1" low density and had to actually had to pull the tab out a bit.
Next gasket change, I will be going back to the 1" low density. There is no question the door seals with that stuff. The knife edge set in a good 1/4" or more.
But for the stock gasket, again, you don't need it to be as tight as the low density gaskets. Your fine at 650, that where they like to run.

 

[Jimbob]

Seeing this got my curiosity, so I want & checked ours. The handle end is about 1/8" from the stove body, and that is with a fairly tight adjustment.
Right now we are closed right down & cruising @ about 650 stack temp also, measured in the same place. If I measure 54" from the collar, I get a temp reading of around 350.

 

[begreen]

Chrisr, try a dollar bill test on the door gasket. If it's snug, leave the latch alone. Like Hog said, 650 is nothing for a Summit stove top temp. Damping down (closing the air) encourages a robust secondary burn. That's when the temps will be highest. We normally see about 700 on our stove at that point.

Hog, FWIW, I don't think the PE uses a roller latch, it is a much simpler cone/wedge design. I'm pretty sure that Jotul used a roller latch on our Castine and it was smoother. If I still had the stove, I'd take a picture for you to show the difference.

 

[Hogwildz]

Chrisr, try a dollar bill test on the door gasket. If it's snug, leave the latch alone. Like Hog said, 650 is nothing for a Summit stove top temp. Damping down (closing the air) encourages a robust secondary burn. That's when the temps will be highest. We normally see about 700 on our stove at that point.

Hog, FWIW, I don't think the PE uses a roller latch, it is a much simpler cone/wedge design. I'm pretty sure that Jotul used a roller latch on our Castine and it was smoother. If I still had the stove, I'd take a picture for you to show the difference.

All I know is what I have. Its the "new" design.
Its merely a sleeve that spins around the lever as you close the door. Same as is his photo. Its ok, but its not the smoothest thing in the world

 

[begreen]

Yeah, I have the identical assembly. It's functional and effective, but takes a bit more oomph than the Jotul design to achieve a good seal. At least that is what my wife tells me. Not a bad latch and for sure better than the simple wedge in a slot design of some stoves.

 

[10-cc]

On my T6 I have the same roller design as Chrisr. I had to compress it to the max in order to reduce overdraft or fire run over, or over fire whatever you want to call it.

My T6 is happy with 900 + temps on top, I cannot get less than that even if I want to, with Maple to the rim.

 

[Hogwildz]

On my T6 I have the same roller design as Chrisr. I had to compress it to the max in order to reduce overdraft or fire run over, or over fire whatever you want to call it.

My T6 is happy with 900 + temps on top, I cannot get less than that even if I want to, with Maple to the rim.

Put larger splits in, and fill the rest with mediums & smalls, and that will help keep the temp down some, and give longer burn times.

 

[red247dog]

Thanks for the comments, especially Hogwildz, I will try that when I change the gasket some day. I did do the dollar bill test and it is a bit looser in some spots than it used to be. It may be that I was shutting it too tightly and overcompressed.

The other thing I discovered is that the EBT was stuck open. I jiggled it around a bit and seems to be free now. I am guessing that was the real reason that it was running hotter than normal when I have it on low. Second time that has happened with that little contraption, not sure why.

 

[madison]

Thanks for the comments, especially Hogwildz, I will try that when I change the gasket some day. I did do the dollar bill test and it is a bit looser in some spots than it used to be. It may be that I was shutting it too tightly and overcompressed.

The other thing I discovered is that the EBT was stuck open. I jiggled it around a bit and seems to be free now. I am guessing that was the real reason that it was running hotter than normal when I have it on low. Second time that has happened with that little contraption, not sure why.

If your stove is actually as hot as your report, the EBT probably is functioning properly as it should be open when the stove is hot... search for the EBT threads from a couple weeks ago for users observations with stovetop temps and EBT flap operation.

Also, I was looking at the schematic on the summit user manual, specifically the door hinge pins. Would it be possible to manipulate (bend) the pins carefully to adjust the door fit on the pin "hinge" side of the door? Just a thought.

 

[Hogwildz]

Thanks for the comments, especially Hogwildz, I will try that when I change the gasket some day. I did do the dollar bill test and it is a bit looser in some spots than it used to be. It may be that I was shutting it too tightly and overcompressed.

The other thing I discovered is that the EBT was stuck open. I jiggled it around a bit and seems to be free now. I am guessing that was the real reason that it was running hotter than normal when I have it on low. Second time that has happened with that little contraption, not sure why.

If your stove is actually as hot as your report, the EBT probably is functioning properly as it should be open when the stove is hot... search for the EBT threads from a couple weeks ago for users observations with stovetop temps and EBT flap operation.

Also, I was looking at the schematic on the summit user manual, specifically the door hinge pins. Would it be possible to manipulate (bend) the pins carefully to adjust the door fit on the pin "hinge" side of the door? Just a thought.

Not sure that would work. If you bend the pins, they would first off have to be bent fairly evenly. But they are fixed on the bottom side, so now they would not let the door come down to where it needs to be or, they might but at the bottom, it will still be at the set width because they are fixed. Any adjustment problems are usually on the latch side that I have read complaints about.
I have used 1" low density gasket before and it sealed all the way around. Its some thick stuff.
In my case, the hinge side was the part that got knife edged the deepest. I know mine needed adjustment from day one, as I was having the thermo peg at maxed the first few days, until I found out they do not come fine tune adjusted from factory. Since then I have learned the door does not need to be as tight as one may think. Even if I forget and get Hades inferno going on, as soon as I cut the air down it will settle in at about 800, then drop down to its cruising temp of between 650 and 750 depending on the wood load, outdoor temps, wind etc. I have a 27' rigid insulated double wall liner except for the last 5' and must be lucky, cause I have no under or over draft problems.
I do think I made the mistake I think others are doing, and adjusted the door too tight, and now the handle has about a 1/2" of wiggle play. Will be installing a new handle next off season. Unless the cast wore on the door itself, then I'm forking for a new door. Bottom line is, too loose not good, too tight, just as bad.

 

[iceman]

Hog, where did ya get the 1 inch low density?

 

[iceman]

New freestanding stove only burned this season. There was a sticker on the door that said new easy latch system (or something), so it may be different than some of you have.

Anyway, lately the stove seems to get too hot, damped all the way down right now and is at 650 on a surface thermometer mounted approx 12-18" up a single wall flue.

I have read about tapping in the "latch" mounted on the stove to help the door shut a little tighter, but the end of my handle has a little rolling wheel on the end which when shut all the way now rubs between the latch and the body of the stove. Tapping on the latch would make that gap so tight that the wheel wouldn't fit in the gap and door would not close properly.

Anyone have this style door that could provide any suggestions. I don't think that the gasket is getting compressed enough, but can't imagine I would need to replace it already. Only thing I can see to do is bend the "latch" out and also move the handle mechanism out at the same time, giving the little wheel a bit more clearance, but I don't know how the handle is secured.

Any thoughts appreciated. I do generally get very good draft in cold weather, like now. I realize that explanation is a bit confusing, but if you have this stove you will understand, thanks!

it doesnt have to go all the way in (the latch) you see a indent on the actual catch as long as it gets just past that its tight
i was trying to get the roller thing all the way over and thought the door was to loose then went to a dealer and noticed it did go all the way over and was tight ... came home tried it and bam door seals tight .. dont try to force the door closed (the latch)

 

[Hogwildz]

Hog, where did ya get the 1 inch low density?

Well after a trek to HD, Lowes, and the smaller local hardware stores, I found it at a Larger ACE hardware store.
They have spools of all the sizes. It isn't cheap but it works well.