HI group,
I have a pellet stove wherein I have repaired the fire grate annually. Attached is a photo link of the grate.

https://picasaweb.google.com/1101012...eat=directlink

Purchasing a new grate is to be avoided ($100 +). My last repair used heavy nails for the grate elements. Obviously they burn right through. All comments on what type of metal I should be using would be appreciated. Said metal should be easily obtainable. Metal diameter from 3/16" to 1/4" should work well.

Could I cut stainless pieces from refrigeration grates or oven grates?

Thanks,

Ivan Vegvary

On 10/15/2011 3:40 PM, Ivan Vegvary wrote:
HI group,
I have a pellet stove wherein I have repaired the fire grate annually. Attached is a photo link of the grate.

https://picasaweb.google.com/1101012...eat=directlink

Purchasing a new grate is to be avoided ($100 +). My last repair used heavy nails for the grate elements. Obviously they burn right through. All comments on what type of metal I should be using would be appreciated. Said metal should be easily obtainable. Metal diameter from 3/16" to 1/4" should work well.

Could I cut stainless pieces from refrigeration grates or oven grates?

Thanks,

Ivan Vegvary
That looks like the fire grate in the Kozi Bay Window pellet stove I
bought for our rental house about three years ago. It has been about the
only source of heat during that time.

I am sure the renters have cleaned the grate/stove, but I cleaned it for
the first time last month. The grate looked almost as good as new! I
don't know about the quality of pellets being used, but the cheapest
locally are made right in Redmond, OR. So I suspect that is what they
used and what was in the stove when I cleaned it.

The house is at 3,000 ft, the limit for normal use of the pellet stove
and the air feed is taken right from the house air. Built in 1927!

So, I wonder what is causing your burn out problem? Do you run with the
draft wide open? Have you written to the company in Canada that built
the stove? And, do you have the manual showing the proper adjustment and
cleaning of the stove?

A renter took the manual and never returned it, so I went to their web
site to download a copy. Wouldn't work. Emailed the company for a copy -
PDF- and it was here the next morning.

Sorry, I don't know what the box and grate are made of.

Paul

On 10/15/2011 3:40 PM, Ivan Vegvary wrote:
HI group,
I have a pellet stove wherein I have repaired the fire grate annually. Attached is a photo link of the grate.

https://picasaweb.google.com/1101012...eat=directlink

Purchasing a new grate is to be avoided ($100 +). My last repair used heavy nails for the grate elements. Obviously they burn right through. All comments on what type of metal I should be using would be appreciated. Said metal should be easily obtainable. Metal diameter from 3/16" to 1/4" should work well.

Could I cut stainless pieces from refrigeration grates or oven grates?

Thanks,

Ivan Vegvary
That looks like the fire grate in the Kozi Bay Window pellet stove I
bought for our rental house about three years ago. It has been about the
only source of heat during that time.

I am sure the renters have cleaned the grate/stove, but I cleaned it for
the first time last month. The grate looked almost as good as new! I
don't know about the quality of pellets being used, but the cheapest
locally are made right in Redmond, OR. So I suspect that is what they
used and what was in the stove when I cleaned it.

The house is at 3,000 ft, the limit for normal use of the pellet stove
and the air feed is taken right from the house air. Built in 1927!

So, I wonder what is causing your burn out problem? Do you run with the
draft wide open? Have you written to the company in Canada that built
the stove? And, do you have the manual showing the proper adjustment and
cleaning of the stove?

A renter took the manual and never returned it, so I went to their web
site to download a copy. Wouldn't work. Emailed the company for a copy -
PDF- and it was here the next morning.

Sorry, I don't know what the box and grate are made of.

Paul

On Sat, 15 Oct 2011 15:40:18 -0700, Ivan Vegvary wrote:
I have a pellet stove wherein I have repaired the fire grate annually.
Attached is a photo link of the grate.

https://picasaweb.google.com/110101292398085234210/PelletStoveGrate?authuser=0&authkey=Gv1sRgCLDV4_3h 2NzVDw&feat=directlink

Purchasing a new grate is to be avoided ($100 +). My last repair used
heavy nails for the grate elements. Obviously they burn right through.
All comments on what type of metal I should be using would be
appreciated. Said metal should be easily obtainable. Metal diameter
from 3/16" to 1/4" should work well.

A 10-pack of 3/16" x 7" tungsten electrodes is $50 at eg
http://weldingdirect.com/turoelandpr.html. I don't know
if that's a competitive price, or how tungsten would hold up
in a firebox.

--
jiw

On Oct 15, 12:40*pm, Ivan Vegvary wrote:
HI group,
I have a pellet stove wherein I have repaired the fire grate annually. *Attached is a photo link of the grate.

https://picasaweb.google.com/1101012...etStoveGrate?a...

Purchasing a new grate is to be avoided ($100 +). *My last repair used heavy nails for the grate elements. *Obviously they burn right through. *All comments on what type of metal I should be using would be appreciated. *Said metal should be easily obtainable. *Metal diameter from 3/16" to 1/4" should work well.

Could I cut stainless pieces from refrigeration grates or oven grates?

Thanks,

Ivan Vegvary

I'd try stainless steel but don't really know. I'm pretty sure those
grates are plated steel.
Karl

build a new one out of 304 stainless, it should last for years.

Karl

On Sat, 15 Oct 2011 21:07:50 -0700, Paul Drahn
wrote:

On 10/15/2011 3:40 PM, Ivan Vegvary wrote:
HI group,
I have a pellet stove wherein I have repaired the fire grate annually. Attached is a photo link of the grate.

https://picasaweb.google.com/1101012...eat=directlink

Purchasing a new grate is to be avoided ($100 +). My last repair used heavy nails for the grate elements. Obviously they burn right through. All comments on what type of metal I should be using would be appreciated. Said metal should be easily obtainable. Metal diameter from 3/16" to 1/4" should work well.

Could I cut stainless pieces from refrigeration grates or oven grates?

That or maybe 316 stainless deck nails?

That looks like the fire grate in the Kozi Bay Window pellet stove I
bought for our rental house about three years ago. It has been about the
only source of heat during that time.

I am sure the renters have cleaned the grate/stove, but I cleaned it for
the first time last month. The grate looked almost as good as new! I
don't know about the quality of pellets being used, but the cheapest
locally are made right in Redmond, OR. So I suspect that is what they
used and what was in the stove when I cleaned it.

The house is at 3,000 ft, the limit for normal use of the pellet stove
and the air feed is taken right from the house air. Built in 1927!

That's illegal or frowned upon in post parts these days. All new
stoves have to have an external air source. Yours is probably
grandfathered in.

--
....in order that a man may be happy, it is
necessary that he should not only be capable
of his work, but a good judge of his work.
-- John Ruskin

On 2011-10-16, James Waldby wrote:
On Sat, 15 Oct 2011 15:40:18 -0700, Ivan Vegvary wrote:
I have a pellet stove wherein I have repaired the fire grate annually.
Attached is a photo link of the grate.

https://picasaweb.google.com/110101292398085234210/PelletStoveGrate?authuser=0&authkey=Gv1sRgCLDV4_3h 2NzVDw&feat=directlink

Purchasing a new grate is to be avoided ($100 +). My last repair used
heavy nails for the grate elements. Obviously they burn right through.
All comments on what type of metal I should be using would be
appreciated. Said metal should be easily obtainable. Metal diameter
from 3/16" to 1/4" should work well.

A 10-pack of 3/16" x 7" tungsten electrodes is $50 at eg
http://weldingdirect.com/turoelandpr.html. I don't know
if that's a competitive price, or how tungsten would hold up
in a firebox.


It will burn up quickly.

i

Thanks everybody!!

I decided to take the easy way out and use the same fix as last time. (20d nails). Due to comments I will read the stove manual and adjust the flame, possibly obviating another 'burnout' of the grate.

Fixed grate picture link below.
https://picasaweb.google.com/1101012...CLDV4_3h2NzVDw

Thanks!

Ivan Vegvary

Ivan Vegvary wrote:
Thanks everybody!!

I decided to take the easy way out and use the same fix as last time.
(20d nails). Due to comments I will read the stove manual and adjust
the flame, possibly obviating another 'burnout' of the grate.

Fixed grate picture link below.
https://picasaweb.google.com/1101012...CLDV4_3h2NzVDw


Thanks!

Ivan Vegvary

That grate shouldn't get very hot in use. Not even close to red hot. The
combustion air blows up through it and keeps it from getting hot.
I would check your combustion air and make sure that pellets cannot fall
through the grate until they are burned down all the way.

Most of the ones I have seen were made of stainless steel.

--
Steve W.

On Sat, 15 Oct 2011 15:40:18 -0700 (PDT), Ivan Vegvary
wrote:

HI group,
I have a pellet stove wherein I have repaired the fire grate annually. Attached is a photo link of the grate.

https://picasaweb.google.com/1101012...eat=directlink

Purchasing a new grate is to be avoided ($100 +). My last repair used heavy nails for the grate elements. Obviously they burn right through. All comments on what type of metal I should be using would be appreciated. Said metal should be easily obtainable. Metal diameter from 3/16" to 1/4" should work well.

Could I cut stainless pieces from refrigeration grates or oven grates?

What does the factory grate look like it's made from? I'll
guarantee you that the factory cross-bars are a better class of steel
than common nails.

If the side rails and ends of that "firebox bucket" structure is
regular steel, I'd just get 1/8" or 3/16" hot-rolled steel bar stock
and set the cut-off saw 1/2" wider than the bucket - use MIG or Arc
tack welds to hold the bars in, and you can pop them out with a quick
shot of a grinder.

If you pre-order it cut off, you could get Stainless rod stock, and do
the same weld trick to fasten it in.

Like someone said, check the draft and the flue for obstructions - the
incoming air is supposed to keep those rods from burning through. You
might even have to put a forced draft blower on the unit to make sure
it's getting enough combustion air flow.

And check that the stoker mechanism is keeping the fuel bed on the
fire grate deep enough to block the heat going down - the fuel in
contact with the grate shouldn't be on active fire, if anything it
should be the finished off ashes that are pretty much out and about to
fall through anyway.

Only reason the grates on a coal burning locomotive or boiler last for
more than a few days - the incoming air keeps the grates from getting
to the glowing-hot point, and then the water inside the boiler does
the same thing to protect the steel lining of the firebox, and the
fire tubes headed for the flue.

You want to see how that works,light a nice fire in the boiler and let
the water level get below the top of the Crown Sheet - and I'm gonna
go stand about a quarter mile over --- that-a-way...

-- Bruce --