Friends Fireview 'emergency'

My buddy called this am. His inlaws have been living with them for about 6-8 months, that's a whole different conversation. Anyway, he says he needs to call WS cause he needs some emergency parts. He can't talk much at the time cause of ppl nearby, but says the fil overfired the stove yesterday while they were gone. Below is the pic of the hole.



I told him I doubt WS is open being a Saturday. He just told me he called and left a message. Do yall see a safety issue running the stove like this? It's his only heat, he's planning on running it, but knows he'll have to watch it extra since that hole leads straight to the cat....

 

Another pic he sent...

 

Not knowing much about these particular stoves, can the cat be pulled and used as an old style “smoke dragon”? If needed find something(steel, fire brick, a welded stack of soup can tops) to put on that hole from the top to cover for a temp fix. Being an only heat source, get creative and keep everyone but him and his Mrs. away from the stove. Get the in-laws each, watch caps, hoodies and mittens.



Owl

 

He could probably take the cat out and run it without it for an emergency. It would certainly be a better option than freezing to death.

It looks like the scoop was damaged. Either the camera angle is weird or something else is going on because my scoop has two posts and cotter pins that hold it in place. See pic below. I have a fireview 205, so I am not sure if he has an earlier model.

My understanding is the air scoop protects the cat and causes turbulence when the air goes through the screen portion of the scoop. Turbulence enables more of the wood smoke to come into contact with more of the surface area in the honeycomb cells.

 

I doubt that was totally from the FIL, but he very well may have finished it off.
I think I'd find some stainless steel sheet metal, cut out a piece for each side of the hole, then drill a hole through each piece, use a small stainless bolt through the drilled hole to hold one piece of metal on each side of the hole to more or less plug it up.
You could use plain steel too, but it won't hold up as well or as long.

 

I don't remember him saying what year his is, but it's older. He got it out of PA, had been wrongly installed in a house and never used....and I think he said he's been using it about 6 years.

 

So I know he said it got hot last season, cause the metal piece was bowed some. Not sure if the inlaws were here at the end of the heating season, or if it was his better half. We were over there one night last week, and the stove was rollin fine rhat night. He said he could tell by the way it was burning when he got home last night that something was going on.

I will pass on yalls suggestions. I'm sure he's going to order the parts as soon as he can get ahold of someone Monday morning. So anything he does will be temporary, hopefully they have the parts in stock.

 

He will definitely be ringing them up in the am. He communicated with them a lot when he got the stove....they told him the year and changed that stove over to his name, so they should be able to get straight. I think he was already going to order gaskets, and maybe another cat....

 

That looks like the older cast iron scoop. I had one on my Fireview 205 back in the day. He should be able to order the new s/s scoop and cat heat shield. Probably needs a new cat as well.

 

Their website says the cats are back ordered, he can still ask if they have any or AM recommendations. I would recommend to them having a spare on hand after two years of use. They last approximately 12,000 to 14,000 hours. I’m in my third year and have one stashed in the closest for when the one in the stove fails. The Woodstock cats are normally in stock in the summer. I also have a spare gasket kit for the fireview. It never hurts to be over prepared.

 

Yesterday am I copied and pasted the responses yall had provided to my buddy in an email. He responded to me that he thought he had the new design.... Ohio s pic didn't go through. So I downloaded it and texted it to him while ago, he was like oh wow. So I'm sure he'll be asking them more questions in a bit....

 

Had I known you were going to send him pictures of the firebox I would have cleaned out the ashes.

 

He's got a hole in his...he won't judge!

 

Woodstock parts tend to be quite reasonable. I haven’t been into a Fireview, but have worked on a Keystone and have been deep into my PH. They also provide pretty decent instructions for replacing common parts.

edit: sometimes the parts come with gaskets pre-cut and taped in place so you have a better idea on the assembly.

 

Just another reason to love Woodstock Soapstone Stove Company.

 

Here's a place for an after market cat, it is a 2 squares and you need the surrounding frame and gasket material. The frame you need to get from WS but they sell the right size/length gasket material. I've got one on year #6. Still heating very well. It's ceramic.

Woodstock Soapstone

 

Stove requires 2 correct?

 

Yes you need 2 of the square cats, they fit side by side in the frame, which is not sold by them. But they give just the right gasket with the kit. I think they need the ACI-23 if it is the older Fireview.

In 2018 it cost me $204 for the 2 combusters and the gasket kit.

I wouldn't be hesitant to go with this product as long as you can use a frame from one of the newer stoves. Mine is still working very well at 5 full years and it will most likely complete this year. I like it as I don't need to do the 50/50 vinegar/distilled water thing. I just gently tap the dust out once or twice a season and then brush off the protective screen around the cat.