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Weld broke on the Aladdin & heat exchanger tube fell in with smoke pouring out! Now what?

Discussion in 'Pellet Stoves, Pellet Fireplaces, Pellet Furnaces' started by don2222, Feb 19, 2023.

  1. don2222

    don2222

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    Hello
    Is this trash or treasure?
    This is a 2/1997 Quadra-Fire serial # 350513
    The heat exchanger tubes are solid steel and in good shape. However the weld on the 1st tube on the left in the right bank broke so the tube fell into the heat box on top of the fire box where the heat from the fire warms the air in the tubes that blows out the front.
    This problem was not easy because even though the curved part of the tube that pushes the hot air straight out the front pulled out easily, I could not get the heavy heat tube in the firebox pushed back into the heat box hole to weld it back together!
    The first step, I went to Harbor Freight and purchased a Pneumatic Air grinder with 3” extension and a good set of carbide grinding bits.
    Then I wire wheeled the end of the tube and used the new grinding bit to clean and grind a bit so the the tube easily pushed back into the firebox hole.
    The only trick was, I had to rotate the tube a bit so it would push back on. It is not perfectly round I guess after 26 years! Lol
    Now just some Mig welding and it should be good?
    Has anyone else had this problem??
    Pic 1 - Stove model
    Pic 2 - Broken heat tube
    Pic 3 - Cannot get tube back thru heat box hole!
    Pic 4 - wire wheel ash
    Pic 5 & 6 - use new die grinder and carbide grinding bit
    Pic 7 - Got it through the fire box hole and ready for a little Mig Welding :)
    Pic 8 & 9 - New pneumatic air grinder & carbide grinding bits with storage pouch!
     

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    Last edited: Feb 19, 2023
  2. don2222

    don2222

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    Luckily it did not break. I did not know this at first but the curved section of the tube fits inside the much heavier strait section of tube that is inside the fire box above the top baffles. This strait section weld is what broke and fell in. So I pulled on the curved section and it pulled out! This makes it a lot easier to fix because not only do I have room to get my grinder in there and clean it good but I made it easy to pull the heavy tube back into place. It sticks thru about 1/4” where it is now clean and room to weld it back in properly!!

    Then I can slide the curved section back in and it will be good as new!!
     
  3. SmokeyTheBear

    SmokeyTheBear

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    One of quads has just pressure fitted heat exchanger tubes that Kap did a fix on many years ago, I think it was a classic bay, there was a special tool that he used.


    new CB 1200 project
     
    Last edited: Feb 20, 2023
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  4. don2222

    don2222

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    Thanks for the link Smokey
    Kap said the pipes are friction fit and he is always correct!
    I see they are, the curved tube just fits into the heavier steel tube in the firebox and that tube is tapered and fits into the top hole in the heat box. I also see some type of sealant that is supposed to hold the heavier fire box tube in the hole. See the first pic below. However this sealant gets very very brittle and breaks apart very easily! So this can be a problem! So I need a good solution like using high temp silicon or a good tac weld or even both??
     

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  5. don2222

    don2222

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    Hello
    So it was not a weld that broke, it was old tired and very brittle furnace cement!
    I cleaned it off and welded as much as I could and sealed off the rest to prevent smoke from coming out of the firebox with high temperature Clear Silicone! :)
     

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