Anybody else break their cleaning rod (Eclassic)?

[stumper]

I truely wonder how this company has produced the products they have and be able to not only remain in business but actually has an acceptable to a good reputation.  I guess I just seem to get thing they built just before closing Friday afternoons.

As noted in the title my cleaning rod broke today.  The welded on little tab broke off due to a bad weld.   This weekend I'll break out the welder and fix it.  I will admit it is a handy litle tool to clean the creasote off the brick ledge and to stir the coals

By the way I am still using the same little kids garden hoe to clean the boiler but it was not built by CB.  This is the same hoe I have used since I installed the boiler.  The first year of use I used it to clean the ledge, scrape the walls and stir things.  Just to scrape after I received the new tool.  It will go back to doing everything till some time on Sunday.

[buckgrunt]

Hello Stumper,

When you say cleaning rod, do you mean the fiberglass rod with the attached steel brush to clean the heat exchanger channels ?  I broke this last year due to the rod getting stuck/wedged between the channels and me pulling too hard to get it "unstuck". I had to buy a new one.  In order to avoid this, when cleaning the channels, one has to be elevated so that the rod/brush is at a proper angle while cleaning.  I now stand on a 5-gallon bucket when using the rod/brush.   Which E-classic do you have ?  I have a 2300....

The other rod I have, which I use to scrape the accumulated creosote inthe firebox is still intack and OK.....Sounds like this is what you are talking about.  If so, your fix would be less costly than mine.

I haven't started my 2300 up yet. It has been too warm thus far...If this warm weather persists, I will most likely start it in late October.  OK with me..

[stumper]

I was the steel rod for scraping, the fiber glass rod.  Yes, the repair will be inexpensive just some time and a welding rod if I can find the tabe. 

I also broke the fiberglass rod, like you, but that was an opperator issue.  My son (7 years old at the time) dropped a peice of firewood on it and cracked it, I then got my brush stuck out the bottom of the tube and pulled to hard breaking the rod at the crack.  It only cost a bout $5.00 to replace the rod.  I use a milk crate to stand on.

[Dean186]

Hi Stumper,

Yes, the welded piece, at the end of the rod, broke off of mine after two months of use.  Since it was a free cleaning rod from Central Boiler I didn't worry about it.  My dealer said I wasn't the only one to have the weld break.  It was my understanding that a new design is forth coming.

However, before you weld a a new piece on the end, consider this.  I used a grinder to remove the rest of the weld and it now has a rounded point, which works perfectly to clean the air holes in the back side of an E-Classic 1400 firebox.  It still functions pretty well to stir the fire and scrape the bottom of the box.  I will look at the new design when it is available and may purchase it for scraping. 

[WI Fire]

I haven't started my 2300 up yet. It has been too warm thus far...If this warm weather persists, I will most likely start it in late October.  OK with me..

Hello, I'm new to posting here...and since you have a 2300, I'm wondering....I have an opportunity to buy a 2300 from a CB dealer who will take my 5036 with gas ignition on trade. He has a unit that had the fire brick removed and the 'slider' bars welded in place. He says I'd burn approx 40% less wood, as long as I have it split and dried, which I do.

My question: I've seen many web post negative about the 2300. This one has the gas ignition, and I presume would have a waranteed.  What's the difference between the 2400 and the 2300? Any pitfalls?
Thanks
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