LL Pocono Hopper Rust Issue After Only 3 Years

I have got an issue with hopper rust and the 3 year warranty is just over.

See this link of a previous comment I made on this forum just after I had the furnace installed. Just Installed a Pocono If you scroll down, there are some photos of the install and the rust in the hopper after only a few weeks. I initially sprayed the interior of the hopper with WD 40 and then found in the forum that LPS Rust Preventive was recommended. I have used it for the past three years after each cleaning. I usually clean pipes, fire box and hopper a couple of times each winter.

Then a week ago we had a warm day so I shut down the unit and found a pretty good chunk of rust in the coal. It came off of the back of the hopper. I'm concerned that after only a few years of use that this furnace is going to rot apart even with cleaning it.

During the summers, I have put a 60 watt bulb in the ash pit and also have a dehumidifier in the basement to help get rid of moisture.

I've read that some users have retrofitted with stainless steel or other liner material and that maybe this is my next fix. I really feel though, that there is an issue with either the steel that is used or the initial paint coating may not be adequate.

Any other advice would be appreciated.

Thank in advance.

Joe

You might want contact leisure line about this , they have a good Warranty. I just checked my hopper so far so good.http://www.leisurelinestoves.com/owners/warranty- ... formation/

Do you have a chimney or is this unit power-vented?

Mark,

I have an external chimney with excellent draft. There is a baro on the lateral stack pipe.

Joe

On further inspection, I found an area on the back side of the hopper that had white effervescent salts that were coming through the metal. Probably a good sign that there is a fare amount of rust rot. There are also blistered areas of paint that indicate rust ready to penetrate the metal.

Joe

I've been thinking about spending the money to get my hopper ceramic coated. Like powder coat, only able to handle high temps. Would love to get the entire boiler done, but I'm not taking this thing out of here just yet. I've been getting it done on motorcycle exhausts and automotive headers for about 20 years now. Holds up real well to the road salt and heat.

Beats a rattle can paint job in terms of durability by far. My Krylon Rust Tough Industrial has worn through, and rust is forming in little cancer spots all over the inside of the hopper, after almost 18 months of continuous use. When it sits idle, this will accelerate BIG time.

Wow, I thing we finally found a weak point on the Leisure line stoves, I did not think this would happen, Now they are going to switch to stainless steel hoppers, But will not Warrant, the Previously made ones, Makes one Think .Just saying.

Tee fire wrote:Wow, I thing we finally found a weak point on the Leisure line stoves, I did not think this would happen, Now they are going to switch to stainless steel hoppers, But will not Warrant, the Previously made ones, Makes one Think .Just saying.

No manufacture warranties against rust. We can't we can just try to make improvements. Not sure what your just saying?

Just saying, May be your, warranty should include that statement about your rusty hopper problems.

MY Harman back in Maine is rusting also. I havnt been running it for the last 2 winters and the rentor(my son) has no vested interest in babying it like I would. Still, it might have rusted thru on me also. Wet coal, humidity, etc. along with sulfuric acid from the coal along with regular steel.......equals rust. Just the way things are.

Kevin

Take some of the money saved from heating bills and improve it.

I am well a where of the damage that coal can do on steel ,But this post is about a L.L. stove that is only 3 years old .I would like to think a stand up company like leisure line would help out with this problem.

Tee fire wrote:Just saying, May be your, warranty should include that statement about your rusty hopper problems.

We don't have rusty hopper problems. Some people have rusty hopper problems . Most do not . I would bet we only sell maybe 20-30 hoppers / yr for replacements and there are over 15000 stoves out there. Our warranty does specifically state that corrosion/ rust is not covered.

Tee fire wrote:I am well a where of the damage that coal can do on steel ,But this post is about a L.L. stove that is only 3 years old .I would like to think a stand up company like leisure line would help out with this problem.

No one asked if we would help with the issue they were having, Instead of calling us and asking if there is something we can do, they went to a public forum and spoke out about an issue that is out of our control. Wet coal humidity improper draft all contribute to corrosion. No moisture no corrosion.

What difference does it make what brand you have? Steel is steel, no one has any magic in theirs. Yes, you might have got a bad piece of steel. Very hard to look at a piece of steel and say, "that is going to be a bad piece of steel". Sooooo, the warranty says no warranty for rust because they can't control how the owner takes care of it and the conditions it lives in. No matter what. I have no warranty on mine either. And I don't expect one.

Kevin

If you think LL is not being upstanding, just try being a Harman owner.