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E Classic Fire Brick Fell Out!!!

Started by waorgany, December 15, 2008, 12:00:49 PM

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gapperpolice

Hello I had the same issue with the bricks falling out. I called cb I was told just to take them all out. I pulled them all out.

Tombstone

 Have a new 6048 no bricks, no problems been burning 3 months non-stop so far so good!
1976 Clark 666B Cable Skidder,Huskie 372, Old Johnny Red Saw, Old Chevy Ton Truck,1972 Massey 20 Tractor, Cutting keeps me sane!

MudBud

Gapper, I have lost a couple and if I get a letter from CB authorizing me to pull them I will.  I would hate that by word of mouth may cause a problem with warranty issues 20 years from now.  Also did they offer any rebate for the extra cost of putting them in and now we don't need them?  I hope so!!!

Does this also go on the ash pit area down below?

whitepineheating

Gapper,  hope I can help.  I put mine in back in Feb. 2008 I was the first dealer in Michigan to get an E-Classic.  Feb. March, April, May, my fire brick stayed in place but did crack not fall out.  The fall season started and around Nov. half fell out and have not taken the rest out yet.    The furnace is still working just fine do not see and difference in  useing more or less wood.  In December I did get 3 new E-Classic in for stock to sell and they did not have fire brick in them.  Sold 2 and the folks did not care about the new ones without the brick.
Your other question, yes keep it clean in the reaction chamber.  I take ash out of there every other week.
Hope that helps...Kevin 

gapperpolice

If there is any question call cb right away. I contacted my dealer and he also confirmed that the bricks should come out. CB is notify dealers at this time but have not mailed out any updates to owners as of today.

gapperpolice

hello I was also advised to only remove the bricks on the right and left side against the water jacket. and to leave in the bricks below the air holes alone.

waorgany

Hello again everyone, welcome to the missing brick thread!!! OK...I have now lost, let me count, 12 total bricks, these include all of the lower wall bricks on both sides with the exception of the front two (one on each side), and the back two (also one on each side). Many had fallen out by themselves, some had cracked and half stayed and half fell into the fire box, a few others I removed when cleaning out the ash for the last time for 2008. I talked to Ryan at CB on the 31st of DEC, and said that I do not need to worry everything is fine. They no longer ship eClassic 2300's with these side fire bricks in place, they do not change any of the EPA requirements for this stove, everything is fine...still doesn't explain why they are falling out and why WE all paid for the bricks, and aren't covered under warranty and just have to suck it up and get on with staying warm. I guess that we are all just guinea pigs along for the experiment and have to live with it. The stove works great with or without the bricks, I guess I am still not sold on the idea of a design that had (faux) fire bricks in place to help with burning of the wood and now are no longer needed. Only time will tell if the advice we have gotten from CB and our dealerships is correct. Happy New Years to everyone, thanks for all the great information on this site. All the best for 2009  8) ;D

beenthere

Just look at them as extras (like a bow and ribbon on a present) that they threw in.  ;D
If they won't stay in, seems you are better off not having them to deal with.
I'd think a good layer of ash would be better than the firebrick anyway.  ::) ::) :)

So according to gapperpolice, there is water behind the steel that has the firebrick on the sides?
If so, that water will keep the steel cool and not affected by the heat from the fire. And it will be cool enough to have a good thick coating of creosote, if like mine.
south central Wisconsin
It may be that my sole purpose in life is simply to serve as a warning to others

stumper

Did the lower the price on the new ones? 

We certainly paid more then we should have if they are not needed.  One we paid for the bricks (probably .50 a brick).  Two we paid for the extra steel and welding or bending for the lips above  and below the bricks.  More steel and more work. 

I would rather have the money then a pile of used and/or broken fire bricks.  If they refund the difference to me then I'll consider it a "bow and a ribbon".

Jeff

If it was me, and I was central boiler, I would increase my price rather then reduce it. Help pay for the time and expenses that they have to burn dealing with unsatisfiable customers.  There are thousands and thousands of products that start out one way and through use become better and cheaper via the first customer "testing". Buying something that is brand new to the market place is taking a risk that you might not have if you waited for the next generations to come out.  its the same with all high tech products and that is exactly what these stoves are. High tech cutting edge technology that will improve in time.

I think I'll shed some tears now about how my seems like new to me tube type television, that I paid more for then, then what a 36" flat plasma costs now. I should have waited. They should have told me this was coming.
Just call me the midget doctor.
Forestry Forum Founder and Chief Cook and Bottle Washer.

Commercial circle sawmill sawyer in a past life for 25yrs.
Ezekiel 22:30

stumper

You are correct new technology does come with some issues.  That is exactly why I chose Central Boiler and not Bob's back yard boiler. Best company and reputation.

I also bought a motorola cell phone for the same reasons.  Difference is that when it went bad the said sorry we had this problem with the new phone and then repaired it.  No questions, no excuses, and no the warranty does not cover that.

Jeff

Quote from: stumper on January 03, 2009, 11:40:45 AM

I also bought a motorola cell phone for the same reasons.  Difference is that when it went bad the said sorry we had this problem with the new phone and then repaired it.  No questions, no excuses, and no the warranty does not cover that.

So, your saying that the boiler is bad because the bricks are cracking? According to all reports, that's just not the case.

Just call me the midget doctor.
Forestry Forum Founder and Chief Cook and Bottle Washer.

Commercial circle sawmill sawyer in a past life for 25yrs.
Ezekiel 22:30

stumper

No I am saying that I bought from what I thought was the best company so that I did not have any issues with new technology.  I thought that they would do the best research & engineering and produce the best product with out any issues, and that if there were any they would stand behind the product.

I am disappointed with their responce to issues. 
1. Fire going out - result paper clip from this site and supported through my dealer. Question if it invalidates EPA test and is legal
2.  Wood gas explosion/fire balls - Responce is that is the nature of the beast and you should feed it when cool, work great when I do not have to work and have time in my schedlue, not practical on the days I work.  Just have to learn to stand behind the door or learn to like the short eyebrows.
3. Fire bricks - first responce was that is not covered, then modified to those are not needed.
4. Winter shutdown - first responce just flip the switch (answer through the dealer and would have resulted in freeze up), second chance through the dealer resulted in no responce, I proposed a solution and the dealer OKed it and checked with the company a 3rd time, no responce.  I contacted the company directly, again told to flip the switch (freeze up) when I explained the issue with that they said just leave it on with out wood (blowing cold air through the boiler and continupus opperation of the blower for the duration of the shutdown), then they said run an extension cord, I expalined my concern about tripping the ground fault outlet and freeze up and suggested hard wiring another outlet or rewiring the outlet in the boiler.  The tech support guy said he would check into it and get back to me -result -no responce since prior to Christmas.

In particular I am concerned about what their responce will be if there is an issue that I can not solve (with the help of this site and or the dealer).

Jeff

I can see where you have reason to be concerned with all of those things going on at once.
Just call me the midget doctor.
Forestry Forum Founder and Chief Cook and Bottle Washer.

Commercial circle sawmill sawyer in a past life for 25yrs.
Ezekiel 22:30

Dana

Stumper, For winterizing your boiler why not just put boiler anti-freeze in the furnace. You can then shut down her and have peace of mind.
Grass-fed beef farmer, part time sawyer

Reddog


Reddog

Quote from: stumper on January 04, 2009, 07:53:36 AM
In particular I am concerned about what their responce will be if there is an issue that I can not solve (with the help of this site and or the dealer).

After you listed out the issues, I do see your concern.

I hope you never find something that stumps this group. ;)

stumper

I understand that you loose efficency with anti freeze as well.  Also this is the first time I will have had more then 4 days off in a row in more the 7 years so a repeat every year is unlikely.

I have pulled and additional line through the conduit and wired an additional outlet.  Thankfully I installed conduit instead of direct burial.  

DouginUtah


I can't discuss this in technical terms but I know there is anti-freeze and there is anti-freeze--meaning that you do not use automobile anti-freeze, rather you use RV anti-freeze. You are correct that you loose efficiency by using automobile anti-freeze.
-Doug
When you hang around with good people, good things happen. -Darrell Waltrip

There is no need to say 'unleaded regular gas'. It's all unleaded. Just say 'regular gas'. It's not the 70s anymore. (At least that's what my wife tells me.)

---

JJ

Hi Stumper
My E-classic thermostat goes down to 150F.
My oil boiler is set to 170F (e-classic is set to 187F).

When I idle e-classic to 150F, the wrap around pump (on oil boiler) and heat exchanger (works both ways) keeps water in e-classic above 160F, and works as heat storage.

Try this (lower e-classic to 150F), and I think blower, and air vent solonoids will stay off, if you have addtional boiler e-classic is connecting to with heat exchanger.

I think only heat losses is going up chimney (from hot water jacket around boiler), but that is in both directions with both my inside oil boiler and outside wood boiler.
I think this is case as I can see heat rising from my oil boiler chimney, even when it is not running.

               JJ

waorgany

Well I got the offical notice this week from my dealer from CB to remove all the interior fire bricks on the walls inside the fire box that they are no longer neccisary!!! So there ya have it, take em out they say it will be easier to clean and will not affect the performance. They also enclosed a flier on bridging and how to prevent it, and how to keep your fire buring hot..LOL best of luck to all. I have about half the bricks in and the other half as you know have fallen out.

beenthere

What is the trick to avoid the bridging?

and how to keep the fire hot?
south central Wisconsin
It may be that my sole purpose in life is simply to serve as a warning to others

leeallen

My dealer told me the same thing. Rick Young in Conway,NH has been extremely helpful to me as a CB dealer. He goes out of his way to check on my eclassic and even made a site visit on his own accord- I am an hour from him in Maine.
I have taken a lot of the brick out on the left side  - all are still present on the right- I suspect this might help with the bridging issue too. Any chance you could post the flyer regarding bridging on this site??? Thanks.

leeallen

ooppppppss - forgot to ask
Does anyone know if the brick in the reaction chamber are set in there or are they glued in with furnance cement. Luckily , I took some pictures of the primary burn chamber and the reaction chamber before I fired my stove up. They prove helpful to look at once in a while to refresh my memory of what things looked like when the stove was new. I think once the stove gets several years of use and  I need to do more maintainence on it, the pictures will help even more.
I am anxious to see what changes CB makes next year to correct issues that we have faced in 08-09.

beenthere

leeallen
Would you post some of the "before" and after pics you have?

I'd be interested....and we like pics.

thanks  (chase them down with the Java Uploader after you have your gallery).
south central Wisconsin
It may be that my sole purpose in life is simply to serve as a warning to others

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