Regency 3100 warped baffles

[papa-d]

I bought a new Regency 3100 wood stove to upgrade my 23 year old wood stove that had become a creasote maker. The new stove took care of my creasote problem ( epa cleanburn technology ). I burned about 3 to 4 cord of wood thru it and the baffles over the air tubes in the fire box have warped twice. The second set they put in warped on the first fire. I start my fire and get stack temp to about 500 degrees then damper back to run 300 to 400 degrees. I do this morning and night. I have a plenum over the top of stove leading from basement to first floor. Regency is saying that the plenum is overheating the stove and makes the baffles in the firebox warp. The plenum rests against the back lip of stove and has at least a 2 inch air gap all around the other 3 sides. the plenum is back away from the front of stove so heat from glass doesn't go into plenum. It has a 1 foot square register in top going into main floor. Has anyone had similar problems with a plenum or is Regency just blowing smoke.

 

[webby3650]

I'd say Regency is right on. That type of install is not really approved by fire codes, or Regency. Stoves are designed to release heat as quickly as possible, this set up prevents this from happening. What is the reason for a setup like this? It would make much more sense to have the stove upstairs if that's where you want the heat. Forcing heat from a basement to the upstairs is probably the least efficient way to heat a house. Can the stove be moved to the upstairs?

 

[bholler]

what type of baffles are you warping? Is it the old steel plate ones? I have heard of plenums overheating stoves before but I would think it would over heat the top not the baffles. Regardless there is something odd going on with your stove this is not a common regency problem.

 

[bholler]

I would at least raise the plenum up a foot it will still collect the heat but allow free air flow.

 

[begreen]

If you want to heat the joint with a connected plenum, get a modern EPA furnace that is designed to do that safely.

 

[papa-d]

I have the wood stove in a finished basement because i can heat all 3 floors from there instead of just the top two. Wood go in basement mess stays in basement and I don't have to carry the wood from basement to 2nd floor. This is the 3rd stove i have had in this set up in the 30 some years I have lived there. the last stove a Englander was there for 23 years. No cracks no warps no sheet metal problems at all. Only reason I replaced it was because of creasote problems. I would think if it was over heating that the metal would fatigue after 23 years. Insurance company gave install their blessing so I assume it was OK with fire codes. They tell me the baffles are made out of ceramic.

 

[begreen]

ME is a bit more lax with firecode than some states.

FWIW, I have never heard of a ceramic baffle warping. What temperature is the stove being run at? What is the air control set to when the stove is running at peak of burn cycle?

 

[bholler]

yeah I have never seen a ceramic baffle warp either I have seen tem crack and crumble but never warp that is a new one. I have my stove in the basement to so I agree with you on that part but you definatly need to raise up that plenum at the very least. .And possibly shut down harder

 

[papa-d]

Like I said in original post stack temp 500 degrees on start up then target burn temp is 300 to 400 at stack. Air control knob out 1 to 2 inches. I'll try to down load a picture

 

[bholler]

Those temps seem slightly high but not really that much but I would definatly raise that plenum. There is definatly something weird going on to warp 2 sets of ceramic baffles. and no that would not pass code in most states I don't know anything about ME codes though.

 

[papa-d]

Is it normal for air tubes to get red hot on maximum burn. I notice when I run stack temp up to 500 degrees on start up they do get red. When running at 350 degrees I don't think they are red. Stove shop I bought it from indicated it was normal. Does anyone know what is normal operating temp for top of stove and what would be an overheat temp so I would know what is going on here?

 

[BrotherBart]

Where are you reading those flue temps?

 

[STOVEGUY11]

The stove is not meant to be installed in that matter. From the sounds of it, it is being over fired. If your cracking your baffles in one fire, I can only imagine the temp the stove is at. Are the re-burn tubes still intact?

 

[webby3650]

Take some stove top temperatures, stack temps don't really mean a whole lot on new stoves. It is normal for those tubes to glow some, over time it will wear them out if left this hot for longer periods of time.

 

[begreen]

Stove top temp is what I was looking for. A picture of the warped baffle would also be helpful. I have never seen a ceramic baffle warp.

 

[papa-d]

Stove top is in 700 to 800 degrees when I am at my hottest 500 at flue. I measure this temp right at front of flue that is the hottest spot on top of stove.

 

[papa-d]

sorry those pic's didn't come out good try these

 

[bholler]

It might be the pics but those look like they are sitting flat just pulled apart. What is the problem with these baffle plates?

 

[begreen]

Running the stove over 700 for a long time is going to stress something out over time. Still that is odd. Can you push the baffle sides closer together in the middle or are they too warped to fit?

 

[papa-d]

Its a little hard to see in the picture but they warp front to back. If you look close at pic 3 of 3 you can see a tiny gap between air tube and baffle. Book says to push plates to out side edges so it leaves no gap on out sides. When new they just barely overlap at the shiplap grove in center by 1/8 to 1/4 inch. So just a very small warp and it leaves a 1/2" gap in front to nothing in back. I don't think they always used these baffles. Salesman at stove shop said he has smaller model 2400 and baffle is made of vermiculight?

 

[begreen]

Vermiculite and kaowool board are sometimes used for baffles too.

 

[bholler]

they started with steel plate and insulation blanket then vermiculite panel and blanket now the ceramic. And honestly the ceramic seems to hold up the best

 

[papa-d]

I want to thank everyone for their imput. I am still working with shop where I bought it and Regency. I will let you know as it goes forward.

 

[bholler]

Keep us posted I am curious because we sell regencies also and I am always curious about problems that people have had and like i said this is a new one.

 

[firefighterjake]

ME is a bit more lax with firecode than some states.

FWIW, I have never heard of a ceramic baffle warping. What temperature is the stove being run at? What is the air control set to when the stove is running at peak of burn cycle?

Not everywhere ... depends a lot as to where a person lives ...