OUR OLD RAYBURN

[sylvcolv]

Our solid fuel Rayburn gets very dirty and sooty over the oven and at the bottom of the flue box.Lifting the large, heavy metal rectangular plate is proving too much.Someone recently suggested getting a replacement plate made from a lighter metal without the heavy' fins'on the underside above the firebox and maybe splitting it in 2 so we could just lift the side above the oven and clean it.We do not cook on the top of it and it doesn't heat water or rads.Does anyone know if this idea would work or will the new plate warp.

 

[maltaron]

I would think its risky to change the hotplate if its not damaged. I would think that if its too heavy it would be a lot less expensive to pay for a service now and again. Cleaning the flueways would be included.

 

[TicklyT]

IIRC some Rayburns had a small round hatch set in the hotplate for cleaning. Maybe it would be possible to swap your hotplate for one so equipped.

 

[sylvcolv]

the rayburn needs cleaned on almost a daily basis, it has the small pot circle over the oven but its very hard to get the scraper in and over to the bottom of the flue box.Its going to cost about £40 to get a replacement steel plate cut for it but we're not sure if it will warp.

 

[Boilerman2]

You should not alter the top plate at all! the fins are part of the top plate, they collect heat from the POC's and make the top plate HOT, in short yes thinner lighter material will warp, you could get products of combustion including Carbon Monoxide spilling into the room, AND MOST IMPORTANT the top plate will not be able to retain Heat making cooking very difficult

 

[outinthestix]

Sounds to me to be more of an air flow problem. Either not enough fresh air entering the room or a fault or blockage in the flue ways.
Has the rayburn always sooted up to this extent or is it a new problem ?
Could also be the type of fuel burn't as some fuels are far more clean burning than others.