Quadra fire isle royale issues

[projectanavita]

We picked up a used IR and it seems to have some issues. We are seeking advice on how best to move forward. 2009, looks like it was likely over-fired.

1. Top plate on the baffle bypass is warped. I measure 3/8" clearance between the top plate and the tubes on either side and 1/4"in the center. The baffle board is also missing ...I believe this was a 1/2" piece of ceramic board as pieces of the rear baffle board are still in place (also mostly missing).
   1. We were thinking of not trying to fix or replace this and simply go with a ceramic blanket in place of the board to account for the different clearances.
   2. A second option would be just ordering the top plate ($175 if I recall) and hoping the tubes are not warped as well. (the less nuts / bolts / screws we have to take off the better) [the whole bypass unit is something like $750 >__<]
2. In cleaning this stove we are coming across many pieces of what appears to be cured high temp gasket sealer. They are sharp, light, fragile yet strong, and can scratch you up real good if you are not paying attention.
   1. Do we need to run a bead of high temp sealant wherever we find these missing or can we assume there is product in between the two matted parts?
   2. What is the best product for this? We have some black 2000 F caulk we planned to use when installing the chimney liner / pipe and we were thinking of using this if needed.

There are other "minor" issues we think we can resolve with the knowledge out there but these two issues were giving us trouble when searching for information on the solutions.

Thank you for your time and consideration. Let us know if you need pictures and we can get them posted ASAP.

 

[begreen]

Calling Jags.

The IR was a good stove and durable, but abuse is abuse. Are there signs of the paint going grey or white in some areas? Not sure what the shards are that you are seeing. They may be seam cement. Take a bright light and shine it from the inside with someone on the outside seeing if there are light leaks thru the seams. If so, It will need recaulking. Hearthstone makes a good quality stove cement.

Normally one doesn't need caulk on a flue system except at the storm collar and that can be regular silicone.

 

[projectanavita]

Hello begreen thanks for the reply and suggestions,

I don't see signs of the paint being different on any part of the stove that a wet sponge can't remove. There is interior rust to some extent but I assume that comes with age. Should I be checking the interior for discoloration? (the latter would be hard to discern as I am not sure what condition these should be in and how much of what I see is ash buildup / erosion over time.

Good idea with the light ... I am using a very bright light right now to help clean / inspect it and that would be a good away of seeing if there is a need or not.

For some reason i thought you needed caulk to help seal between the connectors / fittings (like adapter or T fitting) and the flexible liner?

 

[begreen]

Normally no sealant is needed on the flue system. If the flue collar adapter is a little loose then some flat gasket can be used to fill the gap, but often it is not necessary.

 

[Jags]

Sounds like they got the internals plenty hot at some point. The shards of seam sealer is not unheard of. Mine did the same and after a full inspection from me and then again from a local pro it was determined that it was nothing more than the squished out excess of sealer when it was put together. The seams were still sealed....but by all means, confirm that is also the case with your stove. On the baffle...I am the person that believes the mfg made it that way for a reason. Going from a baffle board to a non rigid insulation will have different reflective properties and could affect the performance of the reburn tubes.

 

[projectanavita]

On the baffle...I am the person that believes the mfg made it that way for a reason.

If it were you would you take the existing baffle appart, inspect the true'ness of the tubes, and if straight buy the replacement plate?

This part seems to take 4 - 6 weeks to ship if I decide to order it 0__0

I can't think of a way to easily straighten the existing top plate though :/

 

[Jags]

I wouldn't be super concerned about the tubes as long as they are intact and in position. For the top plate I would need to see what you are dealing with to have an opinion.
(Full disclosure....I have been known to beat metal into submission.)

 

[projectanavita]

I know a 1/2" ceramic board would not fit into this without some serious scraping.
How hot does a piece of cast iron like this have to be to beat it back into shape?

Whole plate

LEFT side

Center

Right

 

[Highbeam]

That sure looks reasonably okay. I wouldn’t try to beat that flatter, it’s almost flat.

 

[projectanavita]

That sure looks reasonably okay. I wouldn’t try to beat that flatter, it’s almost flat.

How would you address the 1/2" baffle board not fitting in the center as there is only 1/4" clearance at that point because of the level of warp in the top plate?

 

[Jags]

Not sure it is even feasible (I dont recall how it is attached) but could the plate be flipped over?

 

[projectanavita]

Not sure it is even feasible (I dont recall how it is attached) but could the plate be flipped over?

Sadly I don't think this can be flipped. It has ridges on top and it attaches via 4 Allen key screws on each corner.

 

[Jags]

At this point - if it were me, I would have had one on order a few weeks ago. It’s getting cold.

 

[projectanavita]

At this point - if it were me, I would have had one on order a few weeks ago. It’s getting cold.

LOL
We just picked this up Friday ... and we have alternative means of heating but yeah getting cold.

Later today I will try to remove the existing plate in case any of the screws snap on removal and I have to extract them as well :/

Mid day update:
Two front screws out ... right one backed out half way before the allen hole stripped and I had to switch to vice grips. The left front wasn't as lucky ... only got maybe 1/6th the way out before that happened >__<

Tried to remove rear but the 4mm allen socket wrench wont even fit in the hole :/ ... adding some anti-rust stuff to bolt hole to help clear it up a bit before trying again.

I have NOT removed the baffle assembly as it seems like a PITA and would require resealing the two side portions holding it up.

 

[projectanavita]

Update ...
Removed the baffle plate ... front two screws were not too bad given their condition. I had to use vice grips on both at some point (one earlier than the other) turning their heads into hexes by the time I was done. Going to add these to the list of screws to replace.

The back two screws were not going anywhere .... I tried to de-rust the allen head holes and when that didn't work I didn't even try to use the vice grips given the clearance issues and went straight to slotting the heads with a rotary tool. When this failed I simply cut the heads off of the screws to remove the plate and the tub / assembly.

I now need to remove those screws and add them to the list of replacements as well lol

 

[Jags]

That many heat cycles on any fastener is sure to take its toll. I guess it doesn’t surprise me that they were a monster to get out.

 

[projectanavita]

Anyone have a template for this? I suspect I am going to have to do some CAD (cardboard aided design) to make it :/

What metals are acceptable for this application? Can I get away with galvanized sheet metal or will it off gas?

For those interested ... added pictures to the album here https://flic.kr/s/aHsmHGzaeE

I have all the gaskets replaced, installed the new baffle plate, cut baffle boards, installed the baffle assembly and the rear baffle plate (sealing it as well), installed rear heat shield, installed doors ... all that is left is the small shield above and to make a hearth :D

 

[begreen]

Use regular steel, not galvanized.

 

[Jags]

Agreed...keep the galvanized stuff out of there. Standard carbon plate steel should do the trick for a long time.