Rattling Baffle/Retarder Plates

[glynn]

I have a Potterton Statesman 70/90 Utility Oil Boiler which is approx 3 years old, located under stairs with conventional flue running up centre of house.

Inside the boiler combustion chamber there is a base ceramic baffle plate, and 3 or 4 retarder plates sitting above. All plates have a slide in fit into steel C shaped brackets welded onto boiler side walls..

One or more of these plates (not sure which) seems to rattle in the housing (there is a small clearance where the plates slide in, which allows them to lift off their seat slightly). The rattle is worst at initial fire up from cold, and then gradually reduces as the boiler warms up. I don't feel the noise is serious, it's just a bit of an annoyance.

Does anyone have any ideas how to eliminate / reduce this noise? I thought about dabbing some fire cement in the clearance gap between plates and brackets, but I don't want to risk the ceramic plates cracking if there is insufficient room for expansion, also they need to be removable for the annual clean.

 

[PTH]

I'm sure someone will give you a definitive answer, but I would have though you could line the 'C' shaped holder with Scandura - mineral fibre rope used for door and inspection cover seals to combustion chambers, also used as sealants for some balanced flue boiler casings I believe.

I would expext that fire cement will either just crumble as the plates expand or, as you suggest, will crack or break the plates.

 

[wilhelm]

some ceraboard baffles on the statesman are mounted in clips to prevent this, but i use wick . and regin glue.
perhaps potterton will have the definitive answer on the clips. or a supplier should /will know the answer. i ought to order some clips, but i always forget to.

 

[glynn]

Wilhelm / PTH

Many thanks for your replies. Can you tell me what is wick. and regin glue? And where I can get it?

Thanks again.

Glynn