You want how much?!! AKA fixing a wood burning stove.

[mcmxi]

I burn wood in a Pacific Energy (Canadian company) wood burning stove over the winter months to heat the entire house. I've been in this house for a little over 8 years, and the first year had to replace the baffle in the stove since it was in very bad shape. The local fireplace store told me that the original owner had been running the stove way too hot which had damaged the baffle. It was around $350 for a new stainless steel baffle if I remember correctly.

Last winter I was aware that the baffle/brick supports on either side of the fire box were in bad shape too so once again I called the local fireplace store and left a message to request a call back with pricing and availability. After two weeks I hadn't heard from them so stopped by the store. The attitude of the "workers" there was so bad that I was already regretting the decision to go to the store. I was told that new parts were made of stainless steel sheet metal, and that with shipping I'd be looking at $300 or so, and that the parts would take a while to show up, and they would only order the supports if I paid in advance. I told the employee that I would make my own supports and walked out. That was last winter.

So this past week it's started to get cold and my Heeler likes a nice fire so I finally got around to making some new supports. I used scrap material that I had on hand and it took all of 30 minutes to make up the new supports shown. I looked at the original brackets and figured out what they were doing and why they were made the way they were and decided to go in a different direction, one that would allow me to make these up cheaply and quickly every year if necessary.

I now have a nice fire going and my Heeler is happy. If these supports last the season that'd be great. If it looks like I need to modify the brackets for next year I'll do that in the spring, unless there's a catastrophic failure this winter.

Old supports with new supports ... it's kind of obvious which are which.

Fireplace back together.

Nice fire going!

 

[Mark_BX25D]

Get an old Fisher. It'll outlast you and your kids! I've been heating with one for almost 18 years now.

I did have to replace the chimney last year, though.

 

[jyoutz]

I had a Lopi stove for over 15 years and heated exclusively with the stove. It was just as good at year 15 as year 1. I’ve never heard of a stove with components that burn out in a few years.

 

[Vlach7]

I'm in the same boat, 5 to 10 cords per year depending on the winter, my Elite 44 Extrodinare, on its 23rd year needs occasional welding, but it saves us more than $2500 in propane each year. Beautiful welds. have you tried Stainless or Cold rolled?

 

[Grindstone]

Good work. I also have. PE stove and love it. Wish I had the room for an old All Nighter Big Moe.

 

[Yooper]

Good for you! Looking at the pictures the old ones look like regular steel? Nice looking welds btw!

 

[mcmxi]

I had a Lopi stove for over 15 years and heated exclusively with the stove. It was just as good at year 15 as year 1. I’ve never heard of a stove with components that burn out in a few years.

I'm not a wood burning stove expert, but these Pacific Energy models have a reburn feature that uses a baffle. This is the only wood burning stove I've owned and it's been in this house for at least 20 years and probably longer if the build date is anything to go by. The addition of the baffle and supports means that there are some consumable parts and hence the reason why these parts are made and sold.

"Burn out in a few years" isn't what I said or implied. The baffle supports shown might well be the original parts, just as the baffle was most likely the original part. I'm quite happy with the stove I have and see no reason to spend thousands of dollars to replace what has and continues to be a good stove.


"Pacific Energy leads the industry in premium catalytic-free clean burn technology. Our unique high capacity baffle system preheats secondary combustion air for an extremely effective reburn. By burning the combustible elements in the air, we improve our stove’s environmental performance while significantly reducing the amount of wood that is consumed"

https://www.pacificenergy.net/app/uploads/sites/2/2019/05/2019_Super_LE_Brochure_LR.pdf

 

[mcmxi]

Good for you! Looking at the pictures the old ones look like regular steel? Nice looking welds btw!

Thanks, and I think you're right. The rectangular tubing I used is a bit on the thin side so if I have to revisit this I'll upgrade to some thicker tubing.

I worked as a welder (coded/certified) for many years, and although I've lost much of the skill I had developed over those years, I can still put down a good weld when the conditions are in my favor.

 

[mcmxi]

It's been close to a year since I started this thread. Last night I had the first fire of the winter season, but before I did I removed the baffle, checked the flue and inspected the baffle supports that I welded up last year. I had a fire going almost 24/7 for four months last winter so around 2,880 hours of burning. The pieces I made look great with hardly any loss of material. They should last at least another five years and maybe more.

 

[Lencho]

It's been close to a year since I started this thread. Last night I had the first fire of the winter season, but before I did I removed the baffle, checked the flue and inspected the baffle supports that I welded up last year. I had a fire going almost 24/7 for four months last winter so around 2,880 hours of burning. The pieces I made look great with hardly any loss of material. They should last at least another five years and maybe more.

View attachment 113816

View attachment 113817

Thanks for the follow up post. I bet we have quite a few folks here who heat with wood.

 

[D2Cat]

The metal from the burnt out parts look like cheap, thin material to start with. Reminds me of what comes to the US on a boat! Your fabbed up piece has enough metal to last several years. Wonder what the weight difference between your and the factory one (new) would be?

 

[North Idaho Wolfman]

I used to heat with a wood stove, it was a hand made 1/4" plate steel with a really good design.
It put out a ton of heat.
I just got tired of all the work involved to make it happen, and had a pretty good scare with it.
It back puffed and blew the door open, and just by luck I had forgotten my wallet on the way to town, and turned around to get it, I was in complete shock when I opened the door and smoke just billowed out.
Wife was really upset about it, so that's when we switched to a pellet stove.
I bought a unit that would be big enough to heat the house we are in now (was just getting started constructing it then).
But the hydronics system heats it so efficiently there is no need for a pellet stove.

 

[FTG-05]

Thanks for the follow up post. I bet we have quite a few folks here who heat with wood.

Yep:

 

[mcmxi]

Yep:

That's a wonderful stove and hearth you have there.

 

[mcmxi]

The metal from the burnt out parts look like cheap, thin material to start with. Reminds me of what comes to the US on a boat! Your fabbed up piece has enough metal to last several years. Wonder what the weight difference between your and the factory one (new) would be?

I don't know if the supports I show in the first post are original, but if they are, they lasted 20 years or so.
The replacement parts that the local fireplace wanted over $300 for were stainless sheet metal and if my memory serves maybe 10 or 12 gauge. I'm confident that the pieces I made up are quite a bit heavier than the "upgraded" stainless parts.

The back piece that supports the rear of the baffle could be replaced, but it's not in terrible shape and actually looks better currently than it did in the first photo that I posted.

 

[mcmxi]

Wife was really upset about it, so that's when we switched to a pellet stove.

I have one of those ... it's called a Traeger!!

 

[North Idaho Wolfman]

I have one of those ... it's called a Traeger!!

Yea I need to get me one of those!

 

[WFM]

Nice fab job on the brackets...
I run a Yodel Oslo model here. The top baffle is like a poured cement piece.
It has four stainless tubes with holes in them right below the baffle for gas reburn. This will be the 24th year with it.
I think with the implementation of emmions laws even the Oslo's design has changed some.

 

[Trimley]

Yea I need to get me one of those!

 

[John T]

I like that flex hose setup on the Trager..... That almost qualifys for hillbilly status....

My pellet smoker is a 1950's fridge..... I cut a hole in the side and mounted the hopper and burner...
It works great.

Wood stoves:
We supplement/heat with wood .... for years I had a big old Warm Morning coal/wood stove..... used mostly wood.

the wife wanted a new one with a door window etc...

I was very resistant..... because of the new secondary burn technology.....
I grew up with old school wood stoves...

Finally decided on a larger Model Jotul stove..... It has a secondary burn chamber BUT it does not use a catyletic element...... It uses stainless tubes ....

I must say, This Jotul stove puts out just as much heat as my old monster with a smaller footprint.

MUCH more efficient too
I don't use half as much wood .... and very long burn times.

looking at the chimney outside, there is rarely any smoke. that seconday burn is quite impressive.

the only possible issue is the wood has to be dry.

I am usually 1 season ahead with my wood, so it's not an issue.