Used P43 advice

[escyr]

Hello again, this forum helped me with the install of my new Absolute 43 in the fall of 2021. It has had no issues and runs great. My entire family loves it. While it heats well, I would like to add another in the basement. I'm looking for a used P43, something that I can rebuild.

I came across a 2011 P43 for sale, from the original owner, at a fair price for a project, but it looks like it hasn't been kept very clean, and I know a clean pellet stove is a well running pellet stove.

Owner says it has a new blower, the combustion fan motor was replaced 2 years ago and has all new gaskets.

I have no problem with disassembling the unit and cleaning, fixing, replacing parts, lubricating and painting everything, but what concerns me is the area around the combustion fan, especially the exhaust outlet.

Does that look like it's rusted/burned through, and if so, can it be replaced or is it part of the body of the stove and would have to be welded?

Anything I should be concerned with around the burn pot?

Please see attached photos

 

[bogieb]

To me it looks as if they burned softies at very low setting, for short periods of time so nothing heated up, and creosote developed. My P61a will do that with softies because it is in a very small space (long story) - so I run chit pellets in that stove so it has to run longer.

That is very thick metal and I would be super surprised if the rust was further than just below the surface. My P61a has rust in the ashpan area (it lives in my basement which is humid during the off-season, and is currently 77%). Although it doesn't look great, it is strong, fine and safe.

Thinking about it, the black around where the cover plate goes for the exhaust may be dry graphite being sprayed there. I do that every couple of cleanings, and at season end cleaning, to keep the screws loose enough that I can lever the holding bracket up.

Of course, I'm no expert, so you probably would want others to chime in with their opinions. And, if you go to look at it, you can always decline if it is in too rough a shape.

 

[Whitenuckler]

Hello again, this forum helped me with the install of my new Absolute 43 in the fall of 2021. It has had no issues and runs great. My entire family loves it. While it heats well, I would like to add another in the basement. I'm looking for a used P43, something that I can rebuild.

I came across a 2011 P43 for sale, from the original owner, at a fair price for a project, but it looks like it hasn't been kept very clean, and I know a clean pellet stove is a well running pellet stove.

Owner says it has a new blower, the combustion fan motor was replaced 2 years ago and has all new gaskets.

I have no problem with disassembling the unit and cleaning, fixing, replacing parts, lubricating and painting everything, but what concerns me is the area around the combustion fan, especially the exhaust outlet.

Does that look like it's rusted/burned through, and if so, can it be replaced or is it part of the body of the stove and would have to be welded?

Anything I should be concerned with around the burn pot?

Please see attached photos

Thanks for the pictures as I have a new one and it inspired me to take care of it. I'd clean it now, but I'm still using it every night
It looks to me like a big project to clean it. Being that it's loose and you can put it on a bench, the cleaning should go fairly well. The dirt is not rust. Only rust or some other corrosive film could thin the metal. If the metal is still the same thickness, then you are good to go. Let us know !