# Rust in pellet stove...........arrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr!!!!!!



## teeravis1 (Aug 19, 2009)

I had cleaned out my stove in the spring and put an open container of baking soda inside the ashpan to absorb moisture in case a little got in the stove.  I just opened my stove for the first time since and there is surface rust starting all over on the inside of the stove.  I do have the exhaust & intake a closed off outside with a plastic bag and duct tape but the stove is in my basement.  Can anyone give me any insight on this?  How do you or what can you do to prevent it?  Is this common or do I have a problem? - Thanks


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## Stentor (Aug 19, 2009)

I did the same. Seems OK. Do you have your stove in a damp area? Maybe search in this forum - - there were a number of posts on this rust topic. I doubt if it's that big a problem for you in just one year. Next year I'll take the suggestions to spray something on the interior after I do end of season cleaning.


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## Sting (Aug 19, 2009)

Baking Soda??????

This is a stove not a refrigerator

There are no smells to absorb -- sorry but that stuff didn't help -- you needed to place descant to absorb that moisture or a light bulb to drive off the moisture that is causing your problem -- or- as already stated coat ALL the surfaces in harms way with something that will protect it. And that's not a simple task.


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## Stentor (Aug 19, 2009)

Baking soda didn't absorb moisture?  I'm too young for this knowledge.  Next you'll tell me I didn't have to throw salt over my shoulder three times and dive into the neighbor's swimming pool during the full moon!

 :bug:


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## imacman (Aug 19, 2009)

I use something similar to this in my stove and my gun safe:

http://cgi.ebay.com/Dessicant-Silic...35a2e16464&_trksid=p3286.c0.m14#ht_2905wt_975


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## crausch (Aug 19, 2009)

Thanks macman!

All the talk about how to protect our stoves, I never thought to place something like that in my gun cabinet. Since your recommending this I'll guess it did a good job for your stove? I noticed the same thing as others, my stove is in the basement and I have some surface rust forming in some areas. I treated mine with cooking oil and some areas I wire brushed and re-painted after the heating season. Yet I still have rust forming.

I am going to look into buying a couple of these items you reference.


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## Wet1 (Aug 19, 2009)

Dont worry about it, this light rust wont effect anything and it will be fine once you fire it back up.


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## MainePellethead (Aug 19, 2009)

Every year I spray the inside with a high heat rustoleum stove paint and have never ever had a problem with rust at all.   Works for me


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## flashbang (Aug 19, 2009)

I have been using the GoldenRod in my gun safe for 10 years now with 100% effect. It is a 28 gun safe and I never seen a spec of rust,mildew,moisture or damp smell in the safe. It cost pennys a year o run and is maintenance free. BTW I have had guns start to rust just being in a wood cabinet in the living area of my house.


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## smalltown (Aug 19, 2009)

macman said:
			
		

> I use something similar to this in my stove and my gun safe:
> 
> http://cgi.ebay.com/Dessicant-Silic...35a2e16464&_trksid=p3286.c0.m14#ht_2905wt_975



I could see the reason for using desiccant in the stove during the off season, and I may try that myself after this heating season, but I would think you would need to block the exhaust vent and the air intake (mine has the OAK) The desiccant can only absorb so much.


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## muss (Aug 19, 2009)

I haven't even cleaned my stove yet & probably won't till September or October . I've done it this way the past 2 winters & it seems to be a nice coating from any humidity that may somehow occur in my home.  I haven't even gotten around to replacing the exhaust fan <empeller> gasket yet . Yes, i do have a bit of surface rust but after the 1st burn, it's gone .  Keep it simple is my credo. Must be cause i'm French .   Muss


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## imacman (Aug 19, 2009)

flashbang said:
			
		

> I have been using the GoldenRod in my gun safe for 10 years now with 100% effect. It is a 28 gun safe and I never seen a spec of rust,mildew,moisture or damp smell in the safe. It cost pennys a year o run and is maintenance free. BTW I have had guns start to rust just being in a wood cabinet in the living area of my house.



Yep, FlashBang, I considered using one of those, but they're much more $$ than the dessicant to buy, and cost $0 per year.  I also worried about them overheating somehow and starting a fire....not a problem with the dessicant.  

And after it turns pink, you simply put it in the oven to dry out, and use again and again forever.

As for sealing the exhaust and OAK, those are things that should be done anyway.


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## Sting (Aug 19, 2009)

Desiccant is not free to use -- As you point out Macman -- it needs to be refurbished by baking out the moisture -- and regularly-- The oven doesn't run for free! Desiccant quickly degrades - the life cycle is not infinite. Others complain about the "stuff" in the oven

And as for concerns about starting a fire overheating a 4o watt source -- In an appliance that's designed to burn stuff????  Oh please.  Just lamp a bulb in there and be done with the drama!


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## imacman (Aug 19, 2009)

Sting said:
			
		

> Desiccant is not free to use -- As you point out Macman -- it needs to be refurbished by baking out the moisture -- and regularly-- The oven doesn't run for free! Desiccant quickly degrades - the life cycle is not infinite. Others complain about the "stuff" in the oven
> 
> And as for concerns about starting a fire overheating a 4o watt source -- In an appliance that's designed to burn stuff????  Oh please.  Just lamp a bulb in there and be done with the drama!



Sting, as far as I'm concerned, placing the dessicant into the oven *after* we're done baking something is "free" heat.

As for your statement that "a fire overheating a 4o watt source -- In an appliance that's designed to burn stuff????"....that's not what we were talking about.   And don't be so dramatic in the future when you don't seem to understand how the conversation went......FlashBang and I were referring to placing the GoldenRod inside a GUNSAFE, not the pelletstove....DUH.  :roll:


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## stoveguy2esw (Aug 19, 2009)

ive used baking soda , works in my stove , put a box in the front and one in the hopper , change once during the summer, no appreciable surface rust you arent going to keep it all out anyway without going to extremes have OAK but disconnect in summer.


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## Sting (Aug 19, 2009)

macman said:
			
		

> [ don't be so dramatic in the future when you don't seem to understand how the conversation went......FlashBang and I were referring to placing the GoldenRod inside a GUNSAFE, not the pelletstove....DUH.  :roll:



OK MR DUH  EXCUSE meeeeee that my clairvoyance was off line at the moment - I thought this was a pellet stove forum  -- Imagine my chagrin! If don't find my advice appealing because it differs from yours.  Deal with it!


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## smoke show (Aug 20, 2009)

subscribed for entertainment


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## staplebox (Aug 20, 2009)

Dang, I haven' t been around in awhile, but this used to be a friendly forum.

On rust - don't sweat a little.  I just give it a light sanding before the first fire of the year.  It'll be gone quickly.


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## imacman (Aug 20, 2009)

Sting said:
			
		

> ........Imagine my chagrin! If don't find my advice appealing because it differs from yours.  Deal with it!......



Yeah, yeah, yeah....it had NOTHING to do with me disagreeing with you....YOU were the one who put his 2 cents into a "conversation" I had w/ another poster. 

Nuff said to you.


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## Sting (Aug 20, 2009)

No problem there MR DUH

Thanks for clearing that up then


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## pastera (Aug 20, 2009)

If the basement is used for living space, you should run a dehumidifier and you will get no rust if the RH is 40% or less. Seal the walls with a waterproofing paint to reduce infiltration.

Yes it cost money but the basement won't smell and you can actually use the space without fear of mold.

Aaron


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## tinkabranc (Aug 20, 2009)

Baking soda does help keep out the moisture/rust for me. I have been using it myself for a 
few years now with no issues. 

I put one box in the hopper and another in the ash pan.  Stuff the vent cap with 
newspaper and then wrap it up tight with a plastic bag.  No rust, no stale smell.


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## MCPO (Aug 20, 2009)

I`ve had a stove of one kind or another for 20 yrs in my finished basement where the summer`s humidity isn`t exactly low and I never saw any significant rust in or out of the stove.
 I have to wonder at the conditions some of you guys actually have in your houses.
 It`s not a piano so there`s no sense being paranoid over a bit of humidity and superficial rust  but a good dehumidifier would go a long ways in keeping it at bay.
 PS: in Pittsfield Ma. pellets are going for $315 per ton delivered.


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## slow-al (Aug 20, 2009)

Whats this about sealing the exhaust, and if applicable the intake, during the off season?
Is rust the prime concern or are there other benifits?

Come on you guys that have had these things a while, share with the group.

I'd think if capping them off during the off season was recomeded there'd be more said on the subject, or the rain caps would be available with something for the summer months.


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## imacman (Aug 20, 2009)

slow-al said:
			
		

> Whats this about sealing the exhaust, and if applicable the intake, during the off season?
> Is rust the prime concern or are there other benifits?......



Slow-al, sealing off the exhaust and also the air intake (on ones that also have an OAK) has been mentioned before on this forum, although not a lot.  It's mainly to keep "critters" (read that birds, bats, bees, bugs, etc, etc) from deciding that your pellet stove is a good home in the summer.

I forgot to close up my wood stove flue a few years ago, and had a bird decide to visit.


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## slow-al (Aug 20, 2009)

Thankyou sir, the rain caps I've seen (online stuff) have screens so the critter issue hadn't come to mind.

A stove is a bit of an investment, once it starts to rust it'll only continue to get worse year after year.

For thoes that are considering the 40 watt light bulb, something to consider. Guys that weld like to keep the welding rods dry, ovens and such are available for this, some have gone the route of using an old refrigator and put a light bulb in it to keep things warm and moisture at bay. When the bulb burns out your out of luck, solution is a simple diode, radio shack has them for $1.50. Place the diode in the circuit and 1/2 of the AC sine wave is stopped. This makes the bulb burn at a slightly lower temp but extends the life considerably. The light out put is less than 1/2 the usual out put too. Might make the stove look like it's running?


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## tinkabranc (Aug 21, 2009)

slow-al said:
			
		

> Whats this about sealing the exhaust, and if applicable the intake, during the off season?
> Is rust the prime concern or are there other benifits?
> 
> Come on you guys that have had these things a while, share with the group.
> ...



The end cap on my stove has a grill on it, but in the off season I block it off to keep the ornery bees around 
here from making a new home in the vent during the summer. 
They are attracted to it because the pipe is close to the ground and in the shade.  (Basement install)

Closing it up also keeps out the humidity/rust out.


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