Wood pellet stove hopper restore - caution some of these pics are nasty!

[Don2222]

Hello

Has anyone seen something like this?
This is one of the skankiest hoppers I have seen. Gives stove cleaning a brand new meaning!

Cleaning it is a real challenge. So if you have a hopper like this and I hope not, this is what I did!

After vacuuming the pellets out, I tried a wire wheel and acetone but it was not enough to cut the mustard!

Is there a tool that will will perk this up? I looked at dremel attachments. I could not find the emory pad in the stores.
I found a Proxxon online 28594 but it is 12 volts and takes 3-5 days to get
http://www.sears.com/proxxon-pen-sa...x000001&kpid=00902367000P&kispla=00902367000P

I tried a Husky straight die grinder but it would not fit into the hopper very well.
Finally I found a new smaller Husky right angle mini die grinder H4230 and kit of sanding disks for it at Home Depot! A 360 Deg NPT swivel for the tool fitting was also needed to keep the air house out of the way!
See > http://www.homedepot.com/p/Husky-1-4-in-Angle-Die-Grinder-H4230/203463410?keyword=H4230+Husky+die+grinder#.

That was the tool to that did the trick! After I got the hopper clean and smooth, the wire wheel cleaned up the corners and the Acetone cleaned up the shavings!

The VHT flame proof flat black was used on the bare metal as a primer coat. Then 2 coats of Stove Bright Satin black gave the hopper a nice smooth clean look!

See pics below
Click to enlarge.

Pic 1 - Burned pellets in hopper
Pic 3 - Pellets vacuumed and hopper brushed down. Still has sticky lumpy creasote!
Pic 5 - Tool of choice, the mini right angle die grinder
Pic 6 - Acetone
Pic 7 - Wire wheel
Pic 8 - Hopper clean and smooth but does not look pretty!
Pic 9 - Primer - Flat black VHT FlameProof 2,000 Deg F
Pic10 - 1st coat Stove Bright Satin black 1200 Deg F
Pic11 - 2nd coat of Stove Bright Satin black 1200 Deg F -- Clean and smooth now!

 

[DexterDay]

Is that a Baby Don?

 

[Don2222]

Is that a Baby Don?

Yes, this can happen if it is not kept clean and maintained. New door and ash pan gaskets along with a high speed exhaust blower really help to prevent this but keeping the top ash chamber clean is key!

 

[smwilliamson]

Yes, this can happen if it is not kept clean and maintained. New door and ash pan gaskets along with a high speed exhaust blower really help to prevent this but keeping the top ash chamber clean is key!

Another perfect example of a brand of stove made to fail. I think we all know how I feel about AES products.

That's a HUGE hopper fire. not being able to clean out the horse shoe above causes those things to really choke up, then burn dirty, then form creosote, then have a hopper fire. Someone says to me that they had a hopper fire in a Baby...I say get a new stove...restoring it so it will just happen again is silly.

Good job though Don. PM me how much you get for a job like that.

 

[Don2222]

Another perfect example of a brand of stove made to fail. I think we all know how I feel about AES products.

That's a HUGE hopper fire. not being able to clean out the horse shoe above causes those things to really choke up, then burn dirty, then form creosote, then have a hopper fire. Someone says to me that they had a hopper fire in a Baby...I say get a new stove...restoring it so it will just happen again is silly.

Good job though Don. PM me how much you get for a job like that.

When the stove gets dirty the pellets backup the drop chute. That is the first sign.
For some customers it may not be the right stove for them so a different brand would be better.

 

[smwilliamson]

When the stove gets dirty the pellets backup the drop chute. That is the first sign.

Actually, if the pellets are backing up in to the drop chute....that's not the first sign.

Burn pot overflowing, partially burned pellets, creosote in the fire box...those are first signs.

Hopper fires don't necessarily happen because the pellets are not falling down the chute. You need air and fuel for things to burn.

If you get a fire like that in the hopper...you have an air leak in the hopper too. How was the high-limit switch on that thing? Bypassed?

In that stove, the hopper is actually held in place by silicone and then the top and sides are screwed in to the hopper. Not good.

Silicone is a sealant, not a fastener. That whole design of how the feed system and hopper are fit together with the top is such a joke. Truly, AES should be ashamed. Not even trying to make a better product...good enough for now, now let's get thins thing out the door and make some money.

 

[Lousyweather]

Another perfect example of a brand of stove made to fail. I think we all know how I feel about AES products.

That's a HUGE hopper fire. not being able to clean out the horse shoe above causes those things to really choke up, then burn dirty, then form creosote, then have a hopper fire. Someone says to me that they had a hopper fire in a Baby...I say get a new stove...restoring it so it will just happen again is silly.

Good job though Don. PM me how much you get for a job like that.

I'd be curious to know how much as well......that's pretty time-intensive.......