Silicone Rope Gasket Eko 40

[trumpeterb]

I had replaced my original gasket with a silicone rope gasket a few years ago. I noticed at the end of last year that, despite turning the door pegs all the way little by little over time in order to get a good seal, there was still some smoke escaping from around the gasket after three years of use. I ordered a new gasket, but before installing it, I had the idea to take the old gasket out a just turn it upside down so that the "clean" side that wasn't in contact with the boiler was now facing out. I readjusted the door pegs, and so far so good...a clean seal. Hopefully it holds up over the winter. I can keep the new gasket for future use. Anyone else ever have success doing this?

 

[arngnick]

No Gaskets to maintain on my maintain...Sounds like you should get a few extra miles out of it!

 

[rkusek]

I was thinking of doing the same thing. Another poster here was using the original rope gasket and coating it with some silicone. I think he would redo it every year or two. I think I will try your method first. The silicone has worked great the past 2 seasons.

 

[muncybob]

I ran a bead of silicone around my door gaskets this year, let it dry for 24 hours and the seal is noticeably better.

 

[Nofossil]

About four years ago I turned the gasket around and hammered it into place. Couldn't get a good enough seal, so I smeared a layer of high-temp silicone RTV onto the gasket surface. I immediately covered the RTV with a layer of plastic film (Saran Wrap). I closed the door and latched it snugly. Let is dry overnight and cut/peeled off most of the Saran Wrap. It's been perfect ever since. The RTV is pretty black and crusty on the inside, but it molded itself exactly to every nick, dent, and scratch in the door flange.

 

[JTWALL]

I had replaced my original gasket with a silicone rope gasket a few years ago. I noticed at the end of last year that, despite turning the door pegs all the way little by little over time in order to get a good seal, there was still some smoke escaping from around the gasket after three years of use. I ordered a new gasket, but before installing it, I had the idea to take the old gasket out a just turn it upside down so that the "clean" side that wasn't in contact with the boiler was now facing out. I readjusted the door pegs, and so far so good...a clean seal. Hopefully it holds up over the winter. I can keep the new gasket for future use. Anyone else ever have success doing this?

Good day. I have a new door gasket coming. How do you adjust door pegs? Thanks!

 

[Nofossil]

Good day. I have a new door gasket coming. How do you adjust door pegs? Thanks!

Yours might be different than mine, since I think mine is older. On mine, there are a pair of nuts on a threaded stud. You move both nuts along the stud to set the door 'depth'. It's a bit tricky to say the least. I got mine approximately in position, then lightly latched the door and kept adjusting. One it's close, I reefed on the latch to force the gasket to seat, then tightened both hinges to seat the hings side of the gasket. I did all that before the silicone job described above.

 

[Blennophobic]

I ran a bead of silicone around my door gaskets this year, let it dry for 24 hours and the seal is noticeably better.

When you say "gaskets", did you do the lower door as well? I thought that would be too hot for silicone/

 

[muncybob]

When you say "gaskets", did you do the lower door as well? I thought that would be too hot for silicone/

Yes and no, the front lower door gasket looked fine at the start of this season so I left it alone. But when I did put a rope gasket into the rear lower door I did coat it and it seems to have held up OK. Maybe the temps right at the door are not as severe as inside the boiler itself?

 

[Fred61]

When you say "gaskets", did you do the lower door as well? I thought that would be too hot for silicone/

Bob's Wood Gun is set up different than your Eko. His unit actually uses the door as a target for the flame. On your Eko the flame isn't directly aimed at the door so it is therefore under less stress from the flame. The large (and fairly thick) refractory heat shield actually creates a substantial labyrinth that protects the gasket from the most intense heat. The outer boiler wall has a cooling influence on the gasket so I don't believe it's as hot at that point as you think it is.

I haven't had any problems with leaks on the lower door up to this point in time but I can see it coming. When the time comes, the first thing I'm going to try is, head to my local stove shop or hardware store and purchase a length of rope gasket, unravel it 'til I have only a few strands and use them as a filler behind the present gasket. When I place the gasket back into the door I will orient it the same as it has been all along. If I have trouble keeping it in place I will anchor it in place with sodium silicate (waterglass).

Silicone sealer will be plan - B.