Could someone advise me what I could do to resolve a stiff bypass handle issue. It makes a grinding noise at the stiffest point when opening and closing the bypass. It has been stiff before but always seemed to resolve itself. I'm not sure who services BK where I live. I know the fellow who installed it only services pellet stoves. I'd appreciate some sound advice.
BK Sirocco 20 bypass handle difficult to move
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Warm Floor
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I don't know how to describe it, but on my King model it matters how you Tork the handle. If I pull on it from the wrong direction, I can make the stiffness even worse. But if I'm patient and gentle with the way I approach it I can usually find a sweet spot for overcoming it with the least amount of effort. Little jiggle doesn't hurt either. In the past I tried some of that high temp grease they use on brake systems, and it might have made it smoother for a few opens and shuts but it wears off quick and is not really all that effective to do regularly because of where the friction is located (You have to get to it by removing the cat, and that's not something to do frequently).
On my new Ashford 30.2A, after 2/3 days, the by-pass became very stiff and not smooth at all, I removed the stove pipe to have access to the by-pass link. The inner part of the U like part and the rod were covered with gray grease that was as hard as cement. I scraped the grease with a flat screw driver, sanded , then I adjusted the by-pass bolt anf finally grease the sliding parts ( inner of the U and around the rod) with H.T. copper grease. Now just as smoot as a Henry.
You do not have to remove the cat to access the bypass opening mechanism on a freestanding stove. It's right under the flue opening. SO you pop off the flue and do your work through the top. I used antiseize lubricant. Sure it burns off but leaves behind a coating that seems to help. That all said, it's sort of a clunky mechanism nomatter what.
Maybe a roller on the by-pass rod, where it touches the U shaped clamp use to move the by-pass open/close, a roller ( not shure of my English ) like the one on the Ashford 30.2 door's latch, so the by-pass action would be a lot more smoother than a metal on metal action...
A St-St roller on the by-pass rod , just like a St-St tube placed on the B-P rod would makes the by-pass action as smooth as a Henry lever action LOL.
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