Hopper Question

Kungur · By: **Kungur** On: Thu Dec 25, 2008 4:28 pm

I will be getting my Alaska 140 next week and hile talking with one of the guys at the dealer me mentioned the idea of painting or treating the inside of the hopper? This was to prevent it from corrosion.
Have any of you guys donethis? I was giving Por 15 some thought.

WNY · By: **WNY** On: Thu Dec 25, 2008 6:44 pm

You could, but it's galvanized, my Keystoker hasn't rusted in 4 years, Just make sure you keep it cleaned out when you are done in the spring..

coalkirk · By: **coalkirk** On: Fri Dec 26, 2008 8:51 am

I've had the same experience. My Harman hopper hopper still looks like new after 5 years, no paint. It's had damp coal in in too. As long as you don't allow damp or wet coal to sit in it when not in use, you should be fine.

ken · By: **ken** On: Fri Dec 26, 2008 10:08 am

I was using Blaskcalk in bags. It was very wet. My hopper looked terrible after 3 years old. I took it off , sanded the inside and painted it.

traderfjp · By: **traderfjp** On: Fri Dec 26, 2008 10:50 am

If your hopper is rust free then you don't need to use por-15. Any good enamel should suffice.

LsFarm · By: **LsFarm** On: Sat Dec 27, 2008 4:22 pm

I wouldn't use an enamel paint.. unless you wait til summertime an bake the hopper in the sun.. Enamel is a soft paint.. the coal in the hopper will stick to the paint, make impressions in the paint film..

I'd either leave it unpainted and keep it clean like WNY recommended.. Or use an epoxy based, 2-part primer sealer.. Like PPG's DP-40. Very tough paint, sticks like glue, and is very resistant to abrasion..

Greg L

James Goodine · By: **James Goodine** On: Sat Dec 27, 2008 5:10 pm

This is what my hopper looks like on my channing with just a bit over a ton having gone through it. I'm thinking of just making a new hopper out of stainless next summer

traderfjp · By: **traderfjp** On: Sat Dec 27, 2008 7:59 pm

James: Your hopper is a great candidate for por-15. Sand off the heavy rust and then give it two coats and you should be good to go for quite a few years. There are fast dry enamels that are used for countertops, refrigerators and industrial applications. You'll pay more but they will dry quickly and to a hard finish.

James Goodine · By: **James Goodine** On: Sat Dec 27, 2008 9:00 pm

Is this rust issue common or is it the coal I'm burning. I was a little surprised on how much rust/coal/scale build up I had in the bottom of the hopper. This is the first time I have let it burn this far down I wanted to see how the bottom of the hopper and feed looked today.

gambler · By: **gambler** On: Sat Dec 27, 2008 9:27 pm

James Goodine wrote:Is this rust issue common or is it the coal I'm burning. I was a little surprised on how much rust/coal/scale build up I had in the bottom of the hopper.

I am a little surprised too. I installed a brand new hopper this fall and I painted it with stove bright paint to match my stove and with about a ton through it it still looks new and freshly painted. Are you sure you don't have a low draft issue that would leave your hopper wet all of the time? About 2 weeks ago I had constant moisture in my hopper but never smelled anything. Finally I had a slight sulphur smell and cleaned the fly ash out of the stove collar area and the smell went away and so did the moisture in the hopper.

traderfjp · By: **traderfjp** On: Sat Dec 27, 2008 9:49 pm

I have an alaska channing for 2 years with no rust problems but decided to paint it anyway. I don't think that the rust is normal at all. My coal is very wet too. I would send that pic to Alaska and see what they say. Is there any pitting or just surface rust?

LsFarm · By: **LsFarm** On: Sat Dec 27, 2008 9:56 pm

Trader, didn't you have problems with coal sticking to your paint in the hopper?

Greg L

traderfjp · By: **traderfjp** On: Sat Dec 27, 2008 10:11 pm

Yeah. But I don't have rust and the coal sticking was a minimal issue compared to the mess that is in the hopper pic. I still have some coal that sticks to the paint from time to time. Not a big deal.

cheapheat · By: **cheapheat** On: Sun Dec 28, 2008 9:15 pm

Hey Guys, Id be interested to know what Alaska said my hopper looks just like that too.

Jim

James Goodine · By: **James Goodine** On: Mon Dec 29, 2008 7:38 pm

Got an e-mail reply that due to their overwhelming orders that they are not able to reply to any e-mails. I'm going to call them tomorrow and see what they say. I'll keep you posted

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