Found My Fields Type M Baro Stuck Wide Open

lsayre · Post by **lsayre** » Thu. Dec. 29, 2011 8:07 am

This morning I found my barometric damper stuck open. Fortunately the manometer was reading 0,02" of draft, even with it wide open. Any suggestions regarding how to cure this?

Post by **Rob R.** » Thu. Dec. 29, 2011 8:12 am

Is there flyash buildup on the backside if the flap?

lsayre · Post by **lsayre** » Thu. Dec. 29, 2011 8:14 am

There is some, but it appears minimal. I'm not experienced in this. It seems to be less than 1/16".

lsayre · Post by **lsayre** » Thu. Dec. 29, 2011 8:18 am

Would some light oil on the hinge pins be a good idea, or would that just attract and accumulate fly ash and then gum up and make for a bigger problem?

What is the purpose of the Philips head screw just above and to the left of the left side hinge pin?

Post by **coaledsweat** » Thu. Dec. 29, 2011 8:28 am

Check the small tab on the blade where it goes through the housing, it's used as a stop. Unfortunately it can stick if it comes in contact with the housing and jam it. You can give it a little clearance with a pair of needle nose pliers.

lsayre · Post by **lsayre** » Thu. Dec. 29, 2011 8:31 am

coaledsweat wrote:Check the small tab on the blade where it goes through the housing, it's used as a stop. Unfortunately it can stick if it comes in contact with the housing and jam it. You can give it a little clearance with a pair of needle nose pliers.

coaldsweat, where is this tab located? Do I need to remove the baro to access it?

whistlenut · Post by **whistlenut** » Thu. Dec. 29, 2011 8:36 am

Easier to remove it, and a small job. It will give an idea in how the damper works also. Here is another thought....based on things we see frequently: Some overzealous installers will put a few screws too close to the flapper radius and the thing will not open adequately or not at all...... I know common sense will be a difficult commodity as we go forth in this society, but try an once or two.

Post by **Rob R.** » Thu. Dec. 29, 2011 8:47 am

10-4 on removing the baro for a good cleaning and inspection. I don't think a drop of light oil on the hinge points will hurt anything. Just don't go nuts and wipe off any excess.

AA130FIREMAN · Post by **AA130FIREMAN** » Thu. Dec. 29, 2011 10:00 am

Are their any screws that protrude in too far that are catching ? The small tab, seems to me more to keep the flap verticle when closed. The tab on mine bent when I had started a new fire and made my only hiccup (boom)

lsayre · Post by **lsayre** » Thu. Dec. 29, 2011 10:07 am

I jiggled it a bit and wiped the back side off as well as I could (which was not very well), and now it seems to be working fine again. I wonder if a spray of some dry Teflon powder might benefit the hinge pins. I seem to recall seeing finely powdered Teflon in a small squirt bottle with a needle thin dispensing stem years ago somewhere. Either that or I was just dreaming.

Coalfire · Post by **Coalfire** » Thu. Dec. 29, 2011 12:16 pm

I posted about this last year, you need to file the edge right below the pins. it hangs up, I went from the cheap box store baro to the type M. Never had a problem with the cheap one

Eric

Here is the link Baro Damper Problem

McGiever · Post by **McGiever** » Thu. Dec. 29, 2011 2:10 pm

lsayre wrote:Would some light oil on the hinge pins be a good idea, or would that just attract and accumulate fly ash and then gum up and make for a bigger problem?

What is the purpose of the Philips head screw just above and to the left of the left side hinge pin?

Do NOT mess w/ that phillips screw...*watkindr* has already mentioned his crisis after doing that one. It's the factory calibration...sort of a mid-scale setting or something. He ended up buying a new one after he messed w/ it.

lsayre · Post by **lsayre** » Thu. Dec. 29, 2011 2:41 pm

Coalfire wrote:I posted about this last year, you need to file the edge right below the pins. it hangs up, I went from the cheap box store baro to the type M. Never had a problem with the cheap one

Eric

Here is the link Baro Damper Problem

Eric, are you talking about taking a file to the extreme outer edge of the flapper (damper proper) in the vicinity of the hinge pins?

lsayre · Post by **lsayre** » Thu. Dec. 29, 2011 2:42 pm

McGiever wrote:Do NOT mess w/ that phillips screw...*watkindr* has already mentioned his crisis after doing that one. It's the factory calibration...sort of a mid-scale setting or something. He ended up buying a new one after he messed w/ it.

OK, no messing with the Philips head screw. Thanks for posting this!!! I've been keeping my eye on it, and so far it is functioning normally again.

Coalfire · Post by **Coalfire** » Thu. Dec. 29, 2011 5:31 pm

lsayre wrote:
Coalfire wrote:I posted about this last year, you need to file the edge right below the pins. it hangs up, I went from the cheap box store baro to the type M. Never had a problem with the cheap one

Eric

Here is the link Baro Damper Problem
Eric, are you talking about taking a file to the extreme outer edge of the flapper (damper proper) in the vicinity of the hinge pins?

Yes file the edge of the flap itself below the hinge pins

Eric