Safety of well used Energy Harvesters Stove

[ephriam]

I burned my Energy Harvesters stove hard for the past twenty five years. On ocassion I burned it so hard that the sides glowed. This past year the baffle disintegrated and pieces of it dropped off. I've read that a repacement baffle can be fabricated using an angle iron frame and split fire brick and that sounds appealing except for my concern about the safety of continuing to use the stove. It's made of class 30 grey iron. Any advice will be greatly Appreciated.

Fred from Rhode Island

 

[BrotherBart]

No advice, just an opinion. That stove has cost you about sixteen bucks a year. Time to wire brush and paint it and make one of the nicest plant stands you will ever see out of it and get a new stove. My 20+ year old stove didn't look as cute as the EH so I made a meat smoker out of it.

 

[ephriam]

Thanks BrotherBart. I took a quick look at the Jøtul F 118 CB Black Bear on the Jotul site. It looks to have about the same BTU rating as the Energy Harvesters. I didn't check the price but it looks to be high end. I burn a stove so that I can work in the basement in the winter and to keep the floors warm upstairs so appearance is not a consideration. Any suggestions on other stoves in this BTU range? Thanks again.

Fred from Rhode Island

 

[webbie]

That is a great old stove.
Basically, if it is in good shape, there is no reason you cannot continue to use it. You'd want to check that the seams still had furnace cement in them..

to test, hold a bright light inside the stove in a dark room and check the stove seams. If you can see some light, then they need to be resealed.

Resealing can be done in two ways - either clean the inside of the joint, dampen and push black furnace cement into the joint from the inside.

If you really want to go nuts, you can take apart the stove so it is just plates and then put it back together again.

As to the baffle, you could do what you suggest...or, you could look for the original. Woodmans Parts Plus very might might be able to get your the original part.

 

[BrotherBart]

I burn a stove so that I can work in the basement in the winter and to keep the floors warm upstairs so appearance is not a consideration. Any suggestions on other stoves in this BTU range? Thanks again.

Fred from Rhode Island

For that use I agree with Craig. Give that sucker a little TLC and keep on keeping on. For better wood economy there are a lot of reasonably priced plate steel EPA certified stoves around.

 

[ephriam]

Thank you Craig. I'm checking with Woodmans Parts Plus for a replacement smoke shelf and if they don't have one I'll try the frame and fire brick route. I'll check for leaks using your technique; thanks for the tip. Anal as I am, taking the beast apart and reassembling it appeals but I think it's more than I should tackle. I'm handy but have zero experience with something as big and heavy as a stove. For one thing I wouldn't have any idea of where to start disassemby. And for another I can visuallize breaking some part in the process. I know better than to use a hammer but cast iron is very brittle (so I've been told). Besides, I'm older than dirt, still intact but not brawny.

Thanks again.

Fred from Rhode Island

 

[BrotherBart]

If you do disassemble it count on replacing the bolts holding it together. After all these years they will snap off when you take them out so drilling out a few will probably be part of the process. Replace them with stainless steel bolts coated with copper based anti-seize compound that you can get at any auto parts store. And put a liberal bead of furnace cement in the joints going back together. You can wipe the excess off of the outside of the joints with a wet rag before the cement dries.

If won't be a hard job. It is just a big iron box bolted together.

If you don't disassemble it, but do find leaks with the light test, work the furnace cement into the joint real well and then wipe off the excess with a wet rag.

 

[webbie]

Yeah, taking apart is chancy, because there is a good chance the bolts are frozen and will break off when turned - that would mean a lot of work to fix it.

I think furnace cement from the inside is the best idea. Some even add cement from the outside - and then press it in and wipe off very well with a wet rag....then painting.

 

[ephriam]

Thanks Craig and Brotherbart. I'm going to clean it out, knock out what's left of the smoke shelf, seal the seams and replace the shelf (if I can find a part) or make a frame and use split firebrick. Thanks again for your advice. Really appeciate it.

Fred from Rhode Island