Gasket help for Efel Arden Giant

 
kkadaras
New Member
Posts: 13
Joined: Mon. Dec. 16, 2019 12:26 pm
Hand Fed Coal Stove: Efel Arden Giant
Coal Size/Type: Pea
Other Heating: propane

Post by kkadaras » Mon. Dec. 16, 2019 12:49 pm

I've had the Efel Arden Giant for over 30 years now. Had it in 3 different houses. Its just been a fantastic stove. But in this house I am having problems. When I fire it up and have it burning, I get CO leaking from the top hopper plate. Using my CO meter, I can detect CO just "oozing" out (maybe 4 or 5 points higher than the room CO level). But this tends to build up in the house and being on the cautious side, I shut the stove down. Never noticed this problem in the other 2 houses. But, that does not mean it was not there. The new house is so much tighter than the other two houses I may not have noticed the problem actually existed before. In this new house, I have to open a window to allow enough air in to create a draft otherwise I get a "slow burn" situation. I've tried replacing the top plate gasket a couple times now. It almost seems like the new fiberglass gaskets are more granular than they used to be - that is, there are larger gaps between the different fiberglass strands. I've tried "soft" fiberglass gaskets, and some that seem a little denser. But, end up with the same "ooze". Anyone have a suggestion on what gasket material to use for sealing this top plate? Anyone had a problem like this that they were able to solve?


 
User avatar
warminmn
Member
Posts: 8108
Joined: Tue. Feb. 08, 2011 5:59 pm
Location: Land of 11,842 lakes
Hand Fed Coal Stove: Chubby Junior, Efel Nestor Martin, Riteway 37
Coal Size/Type: nut and stove anthracite, lignite
Other Heating: Wood and wear a wool shirt

Post by warminmn » Mon. Dec. 16, 2019 4:13 pm

A picture of the stove and the top would help a lot. Maybe your pipe too. You can add pics by clicking on "full editor & peview" you do not have to host the pics elsewhere first but can put them on straight from your camera or phone.

 
User avatar
keegs
Member
Posts: 678
Joined: Sat. Dec. 24, 2016 7:38 pm
Location: Bridgewater, ME
Hand Fed Coal Stove: Chubby (main floor)
Coal Size/Type: nut

Post by keegs » Mon. Dec. 16, 2019 4:39 pm

could it be a difference in draft ? are you in the same relative climate? .... chimney height?

 
franco b
Site Moderator
Posts: 11416
Joined: Wed. Nov. 05, 2008 5:11 pm
Location: Kent CT
Hand Fed Coal Stove: V ermont Castings 2310, Franco Belge 262
Baseburners & Antiques: Glenwood Modern Oak 114
Coal Size/Type: nut and pea

Post by franco b » Mon. Dec. 16, 2019 5:25 pm

With negative draft in the stove there will be no outward leak even with a bad gasket. When pouring in coal, what happens to any small particles of coal dust? Was startup smokey?

I would suspect that the house itself is losing air in the upper part and acting like a chimney and drawing air from the stove chimney periodically.

 
kkadaras
New Member
Posts: 13
Joined: Mon. Dec. 16, 2019 12:26 pm
Hand Fed Coal Stove: Efel Arden Giant
Coal Size/Type: Pea
Other Heating: propane

Post by kkadaras » Mon. Dec. 16, 2019 6:47 pm

Here are the pics of the stove, hopper cover plate on the top, and the pipes.

Attachments

DSC00715.JPG
.JPG | 190.8KB | DSC00715.JPG
DSC00718.JPG
.JPG | 357.4KB | DSC00718.JPG
DSC00717.JPG
.JPG | 214.6KB | DSC00717.JPG

 
kkadaras
New Member
Posts: 13
Joined: Mon. Dec. 16, 2019 12:26 pm
Hand Fed Coal Stove: Efel Arden Giant
Coal Size/Type: Pea
Other Heating: propane

Post by kkadaras » Mon. Dec. 16, 2019 7:09 pm

Like the folks that commented already, I suspect there could be some kind of draft problem. But the strange thing is, the only place that the CO meter detects increased levels of CO are around the top plate, and not everywhere on the top hopper plate, but in a couple places around the plate - like a small place in the front and in a corner. And this changes with the various times I changed the gasket. I feel like I'm screwing up putting the gasket in, but I've done this many times in the past 30 years. There is no CO detected by the front or side doors, and nothing coming out of the damper or pipe joints. Its like I need something that is going to provide a "smooth" seal around the hopper plate. I don't have a draft gauge to test the draft, so I can't tell what it is. Firing the stove has been straight forward - light paper in the damper to start the draft, light the paper in the stove, and work to get the coal going. Stove heats up well and burns smoothly (when I let it go) around 300 -350. I just can't get a good seal on that top hopper plate. I don't want to give up on the stove - its been so good all these years, but I got to get rid of this CO.

 
User avatar
keegs
Member
Posts: 678
Joined: Sat. Dec. 24, 2016 7:38 pm
Location: Bridgewater, ME
Hand Fed Coal Stove: Chubby (main floor)
Coal Size/Type: nut

Post by keegs » Mon. Dec. 16, 2019 7:39 pm

Okay... how about this? If the door is sealed by no other means but it's weight (gravity)., I'm wondering if the glue and gasket aren't getting an even seal. How about trying another gasket replacement but this time add a lot more weight to the door to see if you can get a better seal?

It might explain why the leak migrates.


 
kkadaras
New Member
Posts: 13
Joined: Mon. Dec. 16, 2019 12:26 pm
Hand Fed Coal Stove: Efel Arden Giant
Coal Size/Type: Pea
Other Heating: propane

Post by kkadaras » Mon. Dec. 16, 2019 7:58 pm

We are thinking along the same line. The gasket goes in a channel on the hopper plate itself, and when flipped down, the gasket presses on the top of the stove. I "gooped" the channel with gasket cement and put a new gasket in the cement, then lowered it onto the stove and weighted it down. When it was dry and I fired the stove, CO "oozed" out. I also tried a silicone extruded rope gasket. This started out well when I fired the stove. But soon, it went south. The air gaps in the extruded rope expanded with the heat and the gasket enlarged, raising the hopper plate up. I shut the stove down real quick when that happened. I have a solid silicone rope I might try, but it seems like its going to be too stiff to work, and might present a problem getting it into the channel. Like you suggested, I will probably try another fiberglass gasket. I don't know what else to do...

 
User avatar
keegs
Member
Posts: 678
Joined: Sat. Dec. 24, 2016 7:38 pm
Location: Bridgewater, ME
Hand Fed Coal Stove: Chubby (main floor)
Coal Size/Type: nut

Post by keegs » Mon. Dec. 16, 2019 8:16 pm

Are OEM gaskets available? Otherwise the appropriate gasket size/ thickness and an adequate and even amount of glue to the groove. There may be a recommended curing time for the glue.. I think the Chubby stove manufacturer recommends curing the load door gasket by lighting the stove.

 
User avatar
warminmn
Member
Posts: 8108
Joined: Tue. Feb. 08, 2011 5:59 pm
Location: Land of 11,842 lakes
Hand Fed Coal Stove: Chubby Junior, Efel Nestor Martin, Riteway 37
Coal Size/Type: nut and stove anthracite, lignite
Other Heating: Wood and wear a wool shirt

Post by warminmn » Mon. Dec. 16, 2019 8:23 pm

Nice stove and pipe install.

I suggest a manometer to see what your draft is before doing much else. If your draft is low its going to leak somewhere, either where it is or a pipe joint or thru the baro. It does seem odd that the top is the only leaking place.

That said, try leaving one of those heavy cast iron tea pot looking things full of water on top. If you weighted it down to seal the gasket at install of the gasket, it might need the weight to keep it sealed. It looks the same as the lid I had on my efel and my lid doesnt weigh much.

 
kkadaras
New Member
Posts: 13
Joined: Mon. Dec. 16, 2019 12:26 pm
Hand Fed Coal Stove: Efel Arden Giant
Coal Size/Type: Pea
Other Heating: propane

Post by kkadaras » Mon. Dec. 16, 2019 8:56 pm

Keegs, around here (NH) the only gasket sizes are "inches". I have to convert the metric size listed for the stove into inches. Haven't had a problem doing this. Hope I can say that going forward here...
Warminmn, we have a cast tea pot that we keep on top the hopper plate - full of water. Adds moisture and weight. Like you say, the plate itself is not all that heavy. Guess I'll take a ride to a local stove shop and see if they have a person to check the draft with a manometer.

 
franco b
Site Moderator
Posts: 11416
Joined: Wed. Nov. 05, 2008 5:11 pm
Location: Kent CT
Hand Fed Coal Stove: V ermont Castings 2310, Franco Belge 262
Baseburners & Antiques: Glenwood Modern Oak 114
Coal Size/Type: nut and pea

Post by franco b » Mon. Dec. 16, 2019 9:04 pm

With no gasket at all, with decent draft a match flame held to the hopper plate gap should be pulled in. Does the barometric damper plate move?

 
kkadaras
New Member
Posts: 13
Joined: Mon. Dec. 16, 2019 12:26 pm
Hand Fed Coal Stove: Efel Arden Giant
Coal Size/Type: Pea
Other Heating: propane

Post by kkadaras » Mon. Dec. 16, 2019 9:12 pm

Franco, the damper moves when the wind causes an increase in draft. It was windy as all get out the other day and the damper was dancing. Didn't have the stove running though. I have to clean the current gasket out to get ready to put a new one in and can try the match suggestion.

 
User avatar
warminmn
Member
Posts: 8108
Joined: Tue. Feb. 08, 2011 5:59 pm
Location: Land of 11,842 lakes
Hand Fed Coal Stove: Chubby Junior, Efel Nestor Martin, Riteway 37
Coal Size/Type: nut and stove anthracite, lignite
Other Heating: Wood and wear a wool shirt

Post by warminmn » Tue. Dec. 17, 2019 12:49 am

Franco is right. He has forgotten more about these things than I will ever know, even if I should live much longer.

The manometer thing, its better to have your own hooked up and mounted. That is completely my opinion. Drafts can change because of many things including weather, chimney blockage, draft, wind direction (my draft lowers with east winds as an example). Its a great way to troubleshoot problems. Around a $30ish investment. The baro's have that adjustment number on them also so I guess if someone with a gauge confims it is correct then that is right too.

 
kkadaras
New Member
Posts: 13
Joined: Mon. Dec. 16, 2019 12:26 pm
Hand Fed Coal Stove: Efel Arden Giant
Coal Size/Type: Pea
Other Heating: propane

Post by kkadaras » Tue. Dec. 17, 2019 9:41 am

$30 bucks? That's like nothing compared to all the gasket material I'm buying. Any suggestion on make or model?


Post Reply

Return to “Hand Fired Coal Stoves & Furnaces Using Anthracite”