Still confused!

I dont know. If the firebox goes black… cat mode … it’s not if, but when ….. Big Bang coming .

 

Visible flame always seems to work best.
I get some backpuffing once in a while with humid weather but i seldom try to burn cat only.

 

Maybe time to clean the cat?

 

Did about 2 weeks ago…. Honestly think it made the problem worse..
I did a load this morning… cat was glowing like a red light outside a cat house…. Try to tame stove down…. Few minutes later BOOM !!!
Tried cutting draft back… nope … air up… just get bigger fire….
May be time to get out the drill and a 1/4” bit…

thinking it may be the wood… only used to do this with ash… now it’s doing it with oak.

 

If I go below 2.. which is half… on the air… it gets sketchy.

 

Do you think the wood you are into now is wetter, or dryer than what you had before?

 

It’s pretty close to the same… some days it’s not bad… other days you don’t want to put in more than 3 or 4 pieces… otherwise you have to burn it too hot

 

I’m usually pretty good at figuring out problems that fit in a pattern…. Just have not been able to find the pattern to this one….. even the wife is stumped.

 

Is it possible that the air intake is blocked somehow?

 

Yeah, where is that hole that Barcroftb said you have to keep clear of ashes?

 

The way the stove burns it must be up front on the right side as you face the stove but not sure.

 

Nitrodave, you're running an AS, right?

 

I lower the air down slowly and around 450 Stt it really likes it and i can lower the air farther with no back puffing, otherwise i can get a little.
I am sure you've been doing that as it's been working up till now.

 

Nope… have tried it with the oak unhooked, blew air through stove, all open passages

 

Yes

 

Yes… used to be able to run cat only… very seldom would it puff….
Now, you are guaranteed to get big puffs-if you go cat only…. Do not like to load for an overnight fire… going to wake up to an exploding stove.

 

Oh man that sucks, does Woodstock have any advice?

 

Have not called them yet… kinda a busy time of the year for me..

 

That sounds like a backpuff, not a backdraft. I have had those in the past with different stoves and the cause was not enough draft from the chimney causing wood gas building up in the stove, waiting for enough oxygen. When there is enough, it really is a small gas explosion and very bad manners in a wood stove. My sympathies, that situation sucks.

You may want to check the combustor for any build- up, then the stove flue and the actual chimney. If none of that works it may be time for a draft inducer. Not desirable but perhaps necessary to get the stove running right. The ones that mount on the top of a chimney actually work very well but are not cheap.

My only suggestion would be to make sure the entire load of splits is up to temp. before damping down the draft and closing the bypass. Very dry wood exacerbates this problem so while it goes against all generally held wisdom, mixing a couple of [less dry] splits in the reload may calm things down. ??

What do you have for a chimey?

 

oldspark there is an air hole that feeds the bottom of the air box. It’s located in the middle below the door gasket here:

it feeds into a channel below the andirons and it does collect ash under there. Ask me how I know

Edit: disregard I see you’re running the AS Nitrodave