PE Super 27 Baffle Gasket and Secondary Flame

[Wiess]

Our Pacific Energy Super 27 was purchased in 2018. It has some secondary flames from the front of the baffle but mostly the secondary appear to be leaking from the rear of the baffle where it sits on the support. I cleaned the stove yesterday, removed the baffle and installed a new gasket.

• While the baffle was out I noticed that the rear of the baffle was thicker than the front, it seemed to be hinged at the front. Should this be a consistent thickness? I did not think to take a photo.
• The baffle is not sagged.
• The old gasket was stuck to the bottom of the baffle and not deteriorated too badly, I replaced this in 2020.
• When reinstalling the baffle, the pin holes did not line up great and it was hard to get the pin in place, the baffle appeared to be high (perhaps from the gasket)
• I lit another fire and most of the secondary flames still originate from the rear of the baffle.

I would like to correct this if it does not sound like it is operating correctly.

• does that baffle require maintenance or cleaning?
• I can make a rope gasket to try.
• does the air tube feeding the baffle require maintenance or cleaning.

I will take the baffle out again in the next week or so, I will take a photo of the baffle then. Is there anything else I should do. Any tips or suggestion are welcomed.

Thanks!

 

[Wiess]

I should have posted this in the "Wood Stoves by Manufacturer" forum. Can I or a moderator move it or should I start a new topic in the correct forum?

​

 

[begreen]

It's normal for the secondary combustion to be more active in the rear of the firebox than in the front. The secondary air is fed at the rear of the baffle. That said, are the two side insulation blankets that sit alongside of the baffle in good condition?

Also, secondary combustion can be weaker if the stove was cleaned without covering the secondary tube that feeds the baffle. If too much debris falls into the secondary air tube it can get blocked.

 

[Wiess]

Thanks for the information. The secondary flames appear from the seam between the support and baffle, not from the baffle holes. This made me think air is still leaking between the secondary air tube and the baffle. The insulation alongside of the baffle is in good condition.

Secondary air is entering the fire box at the seam as mentioned above, this makes me think the tube is not blocked. I will check it when I remove the baffle again. Is vacuuming from the top the only way to clear the debris?

 

[john26]

The rear of the baffle just above the pin hole should be a thin metal strip welded parallel to the baffle so it runs horizontal when installed that should have small holes in it directing the air straight out towards the door, I usually see a lot of secondary action there sometimes the "Northern Lights affect". I see most secondary action there and from the big holes in the front which are hard to see because the view is blocked by the air wash. To see the secondary from the front of the baffle you have to look up into the top of the window at an angle. I don't see much secondary out of the bottom facing holes, and I like that I believe that ads to quicker wood consumption. In my opinion I believe air flow thought the secondary manifold follows the past of least resistance, like water flow or electricity. Many of the tube stoves I have used seem like most secondary action is in the rear of the stove or the very front.

 

[RickJocko]

I have the same stove, but mine is the insert. I believe the firebox is the same as the super 27. I had mine installed a year ago, and I noticed the same thing where a lot of the secondary flames emit from the back of the firebox from the gap between the bottom of the baffle and the support. I still get a lot of fire from the holes when it's running at a higher temperature, but I certainly notice the fire from the back. I like the "northern lights" comment because it's exactly what it looks like, a flat flame that just kindof floats out of the back...

I never had it checked, just assumed it was normal, glad others see the same thing.

 

[begreen]

Look at the baffle toward the rear closely. I thought there was a series of secondary holes toward the rear. Could this be what you are seeing?

 

[RickJocko]

I think the holes are in a T shape with the top of the T in the front of the firebox. I know the holes in the middle go almost all the way back, but I don't think there are any holes that run across the back... I could be wrong, I haven't taken out the baffle myself.

 

[begreen]

Yes, you are definitely right about the Super 27. I am not sure about the new LE though. I thought some additional holes were added but the OP has a Super 27, so I digress.

Going back over the first posting by Wiess, I was surprised that the baffle gasket was still intact. Ours always disintegrated when I removed the baffle. The locking pin hole being a bit high may be another clue. Maybe there is crud on the ledges that the baffle sits on or a slight front to back warping? One thing they could try is double up the gasket by putting two around the secondary tube to see if that improves sealing.

 

[RickJocko]

I'll have to take a closer look when I get home.. Thanks!

 

[Wiess]

Yes, you are definitely right about the Super 27. I am not sure about the new LE though. I thought some additional holes were added but the OP has a Super 27, so I digress.

Going back over the first posting by Wiess, I was surprised that the baffle gasket was still intact. Ours always disintegrated when I removed the baffle. The locking pin hole being a bit high may be another clue. Maybe there is crud on the ledges that the baffle sits on or a slight front to back warping? One thing they could try is double up the gasket by putting two around the secondary tube to see if that improves sealing.

I will have another look at the rear ledge when I remove the baffle again. It is possible some debris remains on the ledge. The baffle sits flush on the side rails from front to back, so from that perspective it does not appear to be warped front to back. Again, I will have a better look when removed again.

Thanks

 

[john26]

I have Pacific Energy Insert Design D i believe it is a 1997 model the baffle is stainless at the back of the baffle there is a piece of metal with a small offset welded on horizontally mine has small holes underneath it. I get secondary flames coming from that just kind of hovering at the top of the baffle neat the rear. Ita also has the T shape facing strait down. Next time I have it out I will try to take a picture.

 

[Hogwildz]

Look at the baffle toward the rear closely. I thought there was a series of secondary holes toward the rear. Could this be what you are seeing?

This is correct

 

[NeilB]

It's normal for the secondary combustion to be more active in the rear of the firebox than in the front. The secondary air is fed at the rear of the baffle. That said, are the two side insulation blankets that sit alongside of the baffle in good condition?

Also, secondary combustion can be weaker if the stove was cleaned without covering the secondary tube that feeds the baffle. If too much debris falls into the secondary air tube it can get blocked.

Hi, this is my first post on hearth.com, little confused about how to post sth new, so decided to start here.
I have a PE super insert, my second season to be using it. Bought it second hand. Guessing it's around a 2018 model. Anyway, It needs a baffle box gasket which I can install myself, and the left and right baffle box side insulating blankets look to me like they should be replaced.
Now, when I went shopping for this, (as part of a gasket blanket kit) I noticed that along with the two side blankets and the small air inlet gasket there is also available a top blanket that presumably positions itself between the top of the baffle box and the heat shield. My PE super insert doesn't have a top blanket and there s no mention of top blanket in the installation and parts manual for the super insert.
My Question is this. Should I go ahead and place an insulating blanket on-top of the baffle box making sure of course that it doesn't obstruct gas flow up the chimney opening. I'm in favour of installing it because I don't find my insert to burn that hot when I compare it with my friends Napoleon insert which has similar specs, and secondly my insert in my opinion is a bit of a log gussler and I'm wondering if I'm loosing a lot of heat up the chimney. Thank you for your help.

 

[begreen]

Only some years had the top blanket on the baffle. Other years had the blanket internally under a stainless top lid of the baffle.

 

[NeilB]

Only some years had the top blanket on the baffle. Other years had the blanket internally under a stainless top lid of the baffle.

Thanks for that

 

[Kominar]

Hi, this is my first post on hearth.com, little confused about how to post sth new, so decided to start here.
I have a PE super insert, my second season to be using it. Bought it second hand. Guessing it's around a 2018 model. Anyway, It needs a baffle box gasket which I can install myself, and the left and right baffle box side insulating blankets look to me like they should be replaced.
Now, when I went shopping for this, (as part of a gasket blanket kit) I noticed that along with the two side blankets and the small air inlet gasket there is also available a top blanket that presumably positions itself between the top of the baffle box and the heat shield. My PE super insert doesn't have a top blanket and there s no mention of top blanket in the installation and parts manual for the super insert.
My Question is this. Should I go ahead and place an insulating blanket on-top of the baffle box making sure of course that it doesn't obstruct gas flow up the chimney opening. I'm in favour of installing it because I don't find my insert to burn that hot when I compare it with my friends Napoleon insert which has similar specs, and secondly my insert in my opinion is a bit of a log gussler and I'm wondering if I'm loosing a lot of heat up the chimney. Thank you for your help.

Welcome to the fire, NeilB.
As begreen said, the baffle likely has its own blanket sandwiched within - at least mine does, and I probably got my PE Super LE from the same supplier as you, being in your neck of the woods.

If you're talking about adding more insulation above the insert itself, here's my post from a couple of years ago, and very useful feedback from others as I prepped for the installation - scroll towards the end of the thread. Might be too late for you though...

Insert just a little too deep for the upper part of the fireplace?

New to this forum, after soaking up lots of great advice on inserts, firewood, etc. - seems like a wonderful community of knowledge and experience! So... after much deliberation (and almost going with Regency i2450), we're about to have the Pacific Energy Super LE insert installed sometime in...

www.hearth.com

 

[NeilB]

Welcome to the fire, NeilB.
As begreen said, the baffle likely has its own blanket sandwiched within - at least mine does, and I probably got my PE Super LE from the same supplier as you, being in your neck of the woods.

If you're talking about adding more insulation above the insert itself, here's my post from a couple of years ago, and very useful feedback from others as I prepped for the installation - scroll towards the end of the thread. Might be too late for you though...

Insert just a little too deep for the upper part of the fireplace?

New to this forum, after soaking up lots of great advice on inserts, firewood, etc. - seems like a wonderful community of knowledge and experience! So... after much deliberation (and almost going with Regency i2450), we're about to have the Pacific Energy Super LE insert installed sometime in...

www.hearth.com

Hi Kominar, thanks for your feedback from sb so close to home! I couldn't see any blanket on my baffle box, so went ahead a placed a piece on top. It seems to have improved the heat output. I read your discussion which was very informative, no shortage of knowledge and experience on this site, it's great. Similar to what you had experienced, I also needed to have a couple of fire bricks removed from back corners of my fireplace to fit my PE super insert. My chimney runs up through centre of house so fortunately I don't have the issues of heat lost through cold bricks etc. Anyway, thanks again.