New Stove Question

Hi Jerry,

I read a recommendation on another post and wanted to get your input. For a new stove, before the first burn, a member recommended to clean the inside of the stove with a degreaser, then coat the inside of the stove with POR-15 high temp paint to prevent rust. This sounded like a good idea to me, but is this something that you recommend? And would this do anything to the warranty on the stove (LL Pioneer Top Vent)?

Thanks as always for the advice.

That's not a bad idea. I don't know if it will hold up with the fly ash, but give it a try. Just make damn sure the stove is aired out real well before you fire it. We don't need broken glass.
Jerry

I'm the maniac who made that suggestion. I wish I would have found this site before I bought my stove and fired it up. I just finished doing my stove with regular POR-15 which is rated at 750 degrees. It may burn off but we'll see. If the stove was new I would have used the high temp POR-15 paint that is good for 1400 degrees.

Hey, traderfjp. I didn't mean any offense, I just wanted the manufacturers input before I went and painted a brand new stove. It sounds like a great idea to me, and I think I'll go ahead with it.

I looked at the POR-15 website. There are a couple of different types of high-temp paint - black (1200* F), manifold gray (1400* F) and aluminum (1400* F). I'm thinking the aluminum would be best. Any thoughts?

http://www.por15.com/products.asp?dept=8

I don't blame you - you never know what will void a warranty. I have no idea which product would be best. I would call their tech line and see what they suggest. Remember to use gloves, a long sleeve shirt, and a respirator. This stuff is amazing but will mess u up.

I wouldn't use the silver. I'd use the black. It's only 200 degrees different. The reason? Color. The reason solar panes are black is obvious. What a lot of people don't realize is that it works backwards too. If you paint the inside of your stove a light color and the burning of the fuel does not change it, you'll see your efficiancy drop in a big way. The heat will get reflected around the inners and go up the chimney.

I own two stoves that are over 100 years old both burn every winter and both burned coal most their life. One stove is a Round Oak with a sheet steel barrel (thin like a regular barrel) and a Glenwood cast iron kitchen range. Neither of these stoves show any sign of deterioration from their long life burning coal. Painting the inside for corosion protection sounds like a good idea but I question the need and the POR paints are expensive

Steve: The cost is 40.00 for a quart which is plenty of material to do a regular stove. If it keeps the metal from flaking off then it's priceless.

I would buy the paint in the small 1/2 pint cans because once its opened it will dry out. A little goes a long way. I used a lot of POR15 paint restoring my 67 Chevy truck and found when I would try to reopen a previously opened can I would destroy the can.I would also get some of the cheap brushes from POR and just throw them out when done. Chris

new2coal wrote:Hi Jerry,

I read a recommendation on another post and wanted to get your input. For a new stove, before the first burn, a member recommended to clean the inside of the stove with a degreaser, then coat the inside of the stove with POR-15 high temp paint to prevent rust. This sounded like a good idea to me, but is this something that you recommend? And would this do anything to the warranty on the stove (LL Pioneer Top Vent)?

Thanks as always for the advice.

I would think that if any of that was really beneficial that new stove's operating manuals would recommend those actions. None do, that I am aware of. The only thing I would recommend with a new stove is to have plenty of cross ventilation the first few burns ,to get rid of the very strong paint/metal burning in smell & smoke that you will always get.

Chris: I would paint inside the hopper, the fire chamber and the ash pan. I used just under 1 quart. A pint would be cutting it very short. Devil is right the stove will smell in the beginning. Don't freak out. This is normal. You have a new stove so you have the luxury of using high heat paint. Make sure u use black. Also, I took some metal and painted it with regular por-15 and then used my torch to try to burn it off. it seemed to hold up very well.

Devil: It would be nice to think that stove companies are sitting around trying to make improvements in their product but I honestly believe that these companies are old school and if the design works then why try to make too many changes. Harmon seems to be the most up to date and then lesiure Line. I would like to see a safety device for hopper fires, a stainless steel hopper and ash pan, a rust proof fire chamber, improvements in DV units and a better heat exchanger on most of the stokers sold today.

traderfjp wrote:Devil: It would be nice to think that stove companies are sitting around trying to make improvements in their product but I honestly believe that these companies are old school and if the design works then why try to make too many changes.

Agreed but I think a company like Dane Harman's started out at least with pride in their craftsmanship & would have recommended those things being done to a new stove if it really added to the usefulness or life expectancy of their stoves.

The biggest pet peave is how the ash rust everything and then the inside of the metal starts to flake away. It's very messy even though it will not effect performace. Companies have to make a profit so I think there is a compromise between adding bells & whistles and profit. Also in the last 50 years oil & gas was a cheap source of energy so coal stoves were probably not in demand and those buying these stoves wanted to save money are probably didn't want to spend a lot of money on a stove.

this is a great posting i just bought a hyfire 2 (thanks jerry) I am having the outside painted by the dealer before delivery. I think it is a great idea to paint the inside. what would be the best thing to clean it with first that will not leave a residue itself? brush on or roll? I will definatly use black I agree with the reflective paint post by freddy. Now all I have to do is convince my wife so that I can buy the paint.

Moriss: If you use POR-15 products you can brush it on - there are several other high heat paints that can be sprayed on too. If you can take the stove outside then either method will work fine if you have to paint in the house then a brush would makes less fumes and will not be as messy. Make sure you research the paint you use and spend a little more if you have to. There are many sites that compare high heat paints.