Run stove without baffle board?

Well, I screwed up today. Pulled the fiber baffle board and blanket and set them in front of the stove while I swept the flu. While I was up on the ladder, one of the dogs walked on the board and cracked it to pieces.

I've got the pieces clamped together with some firebrick mortar, but that won't be dry 'til tomorrow and it's gonna be 13* tonight.

Any reason I shouldn't run the stove without the baffle board for a couple nights? Or will I risk damaging something?

 

Hmmmm

Seems like most of the heat will go up the flue if there's no baffle. No chance the baffle will work before tomorrow?
Order up a new baffle and have it delivered pony express. Overnight would be better.
Think about ordering two.

 

So, since posting, I've scrounged up an old gas grill grate that fits the baffle board spot almost perfectly and supports the blanket in place. Thinking I can make a few nights like that if I don't let the stove go nuclear.

 

I've got one ordered that'll be here in a week or so. I'd been thinking of ordering another since we bought this house, but this house, but there have been too many other priorities demanding the attention of my financial resources.

Stove has a blower too, so as long as I can heat the fire box I'll be able to put heat in the house enough to keep our heat pump from going to defrost mode. Just not worth it if I cause damage to the stove or flu obviously.

 

Yeah, found a piece that's big enough for $78 shipped. Stove is a Heatilator Contitution... Which is now made under the Quadfire brand name I think, but couldn't tell you what model.

 

So whadda ya think? Am I looking for trouble running it with a steel grate in place of the fiber board baffle? Refractory blanket is on top of the grate at this point.

 

I think you’ll be fine.. you have a pipe damper? That would help... any chance of putting the old baffle board on top of the grate and the insulation on top of that? My Buck is running with a warped steel baffle with insulation blanket on top right now and awaiting a replacement with the new fiber board baffle sitting in the box... I don’t know that all your heat will go up the chimney, but it might be much harder to get good action on the secondary burn tubes if you have them. Run it, and report back!!!

 

As some random guy on the internet, I think you'll be fine to limp it along, especially if you put the baffles on the grate, blanket on the baffle. I wouldn't try to set any temperature or tetris records, but I think you'll be okay. Fire it up with a little less wood and see how it responds compared to normal.

I have some thin plate steel that I planned to cut to baffle size in the event I have a whoops the same as yours.

 

The mortar I used to glue the pieces back together is water based I think. (Rutland fireplace mortar in the caulk tube) I tried warming it with a torch to see if it would speed up drying and it started to bubble, so I don't think it would survive in the fire box until dried unfortunately.

The stove has what are called "manifold tubes" in the manual. I assume that would be a secondary burn tube? Baffle board is supposed to lay on top of the tubes, then the blanket over that.

 

How big are the pieces? Got any pics? With the replacement on the way, if you can run it as is with the intent to toss it when the new one arrives, that might be your best option.... that or just run it with the grate with insulation on top of that. As long as you capture the heat at the tubes, they should work..

 

Kinda hard to see it, but 5 or six "big" pieces and some chips. Just filled some of the spots where it crumbled with mortar. Was thinking of flipping it and hitting the other side when dry, but laying it over the grate should make that un-necessary. Thanks for that idea!

 

Is there anything that holds the blanket down? My Drolet 1400i has a steel weight (plate) that lays on top of the blanket right under the flue connector hole...they say it is to keep the blanket from ever getting sucked up the flue.

 

Same on my Buck.

 

Nothing to the best of my knowledge.... In fact, I think getting sucked up the flu is the safety shut-off for a chimney fire!

 

Number 4 is the blanket:

 

So far so good... [Knocks wood]



Had it flared up with secondaries working before heaping some more fuel on and taking this pic. Blanket seems unaffected so far.

 

I would run it.

 

Yep, those are your 2ndary burns tubes. I'd keep an eye on the "blanket", but sounds like it's doing fine so far.
I doubt the grate will disinte-grate in a couple days.

 

They are right.