I am unfamiliar with modern stoves but this spring bought a new T5 Alderlea and had a few small 'break in' fires before it warmed up. Now I am using it in earnest to heat a home about 1700 sq. ft. Finally seem to be starting a fire correctly and have many good things to say about the stove. But, here are a couple of things I'd like some help with. Firstly, I don't mess with the ash pan and have no intentions of doing so. Shovel works, knees don't. 1) As I've been having hotter fires, the door is getting harder to close all the way. The dealer was no help nor was the owner manual. I could just not try to press it down as far as it goes without it leaking; but, so far I can still get the handle to the bottom. Anyone else have that problem and, if so, how did you deal with it? 2) The door swings L to R and the right side of the stove is getting more outside air than the left. Yes, the draft is fully open when this is happening. It is only obvious when starting a fire or after adding wood to a bed of coals and waiting for it to char. Once it's flaming and the thermometer is on the rise, the difference is hardly observable. Book says the air comes in from front under that little shelf so I try to push ash away from the front. Also, when starting a fire, I try to have a some kindling land on the shelf near the glass to keep air coming in under the wood till it gets going. I'm assuming this is not a design flaw but a user flaw - any input on that? Thanks for any help.
Hello NJ, our Alderlea handle latches just fine. I lubed it with some caliper grease (I think), the first month I had it. When my gasket at the top of the door in the center 6"-7", it was very hard to close. I just ripped a bead of RTV in the groove and we're fine. I havnt experienced the condition with the air favoring one side. I hate my ash flap too. Used it once, and leave it filled with ash, just a quick shoveling.
Thanks coreboy. Not familiar with the terms caliper grease or RTV so not sure what kind of lubricant you are talking about. I would have thought any kind of lube would melt, drip, smoke and disappear quickly. Are these lubricants something special?
I use graphite lubricant on my stove door. I have the powdered kind but there are types that come in a spray aerosol can that are wet when applied, the graphite is in the spray. After applying the spray it dries and is a dry lubricant. It is commonly used for door locks. There is no smell.
OK, Ohio, now I understand how this can work. I hear "grease" and think of a gel. Handsome pooch. Thanks..........Lou
Disc brake calipers on a car , van or truck. Have pistons in them and they have pins in them that have to allow movement over long periods of time. Disc brakes make a lot of heat at times. There are high temp greases formulated just for disc brake caliper pistons and slide pins. They can really take a lot of heat and still do their job of being grease. And yes, it is just gooey grease.
Thanks CTF. The graphite did not help. Nor did a salesman at the place I bought it. Since it is guaranteed, they are sending a guy out next week. He set it up and is no dope so I am optimistic it will be resolved and I will post even if it’s something dumb I did. lou
Thanks for the help you guys. I was glad to get the same guy that installed it out here today as I had a number of questions. He rounded the steel that the door latch grabs with a file and used a dob of that high temperature disc brake lube CTF talked about on the inside piece of the handle. Now I can shut the door all the way without using two hands! he said if it happens again use the lube before going for the file. lou
