Keystoker: Repairing Hole in Heat Exchanger

TamaquaMan · Post by **TamaquaMan** » Thu. Sep. 25, 2008 4:28 am

I have an 11 year old Keystoker AX-120 Hot Air Furnace that now has about a 2' hole in the heat exchanger. Can this be fixed?

I figured I would get 2 square pieces of steel, each about 4" x 4". I would then place on piece of steel on the inside of exchanger (at hole) and the other on oustide of exchanger (hole). I would also put fiberglass mesh between steel and iron to prevent galvanic metal reaction.

Lastly, I would have hole in center of each metal plate, in which I would insert a nut, bolt and washer, and tighten snug.

Would this work?

WNY · Post by **WNY** » Thu. Sep. 25, 2008 7:41 am

That Should work.

or you can also put some hi temp silicone between the plates or go to a local Auto Parts store and get some Muffler Cemet/putty or they make Stove Cement or Stove Pipe Sealant at any hardware/stove store.

orvis · Post by **orvis** » Thu. Sep. 25, 2008 12:57 pm

The patch sounds reasonable, but if the hole is due to corrosion, I would worry about pinholes in other parts of the sheet metal that you have not found yet..

Post by **coaledsweat** » Thu. Sep. 25, 2008 1:18 pm

TamaquaMan wrote: I figured I would get 2 square pieces of steel, each about 4" x 4". I would then place on piece of steel on the inside of exchanger (at hole) and the other on oustide of exchanger (hole). I would also put fiberglass mesh between steel and iron to prevent galvanic metal reaction.

Lastly, I would have hole in center of each metal plate, in which I would insert a nut, bolt and washer, and tighten snug.

Would this work?

The heat exchanger is cast iron? I would find a piece of cast, grind the hole and/or piece and braze it in place. I would not use fiberglass in the manner you describe nor would I bolt the patch in.
If the exchanger is steel, weld a patch in.
You better go over the whole thing with a chipping hammer to make sure it is worth saving, your life is.