Just wondering-NC 13

Is it possible/probable for the air inlet to get plugged up from the ashes in the firebox?
My 13 has been burning doggy for the last couple of weekends. Actually, it started right after I cleaned the pipe and vacuumed the top ceramic baffle free of debris. Now, it is like I have green wood that I'm using. Get a fire going and close the door only to watch it slowly die. Frustrating, no? I'm using the same old wood that I was using throughout the summer (when the overnights required a quick burn in the am).
Any ideas? I am always careful to sweep the ashes away from the door to the rear of the firebox when I'm cleaning them out.

Mike??

 

All the air for the Englander 13NC..............primary, secondary and tertiary............gets ingested from the within the OAK manifold on the rear/bottom of the stove.

It is possible to get ash into the "dog house" thru use.........but I can't see that happening from cleaning nor getting enough in their to affect performance.

I think it's just that it's not been all that "cold" yet and your draft isn't what it would be in mid-winter.

It takes a while for my bone dry pallet wood to get ripping in this mild weather with my 13.

 

I've had the stove perform like it should before the cleaning. Just thought that maybe there was an obvious answer.
Not at all concerned about the draft as the overnights have been in the 20's-30's these past two weekends...as opposed to when it burnt well with the summertime temps of 40's.......maybe I shouldn't have cleaned it? hahaha

 

Check your baffle board. Make sure it's sitting evenly on the burn tubes and pushed all the way to the back of the box

 

Done did that awreddy!

 

Wood???

Sorry, had to ask!!!!

 

No flue damper.

 

Is the OAK hooked up? Is it blocked somehow?

 

Never hooked up the OAK but I do have an older squirrel cage that I can hook up to it and blast some air through it.
I don't think the OAK would be blocked. If I get a day off this week, I'll try out the blower as I was busy with other chores and let the 13 go out.
I just find it peculiar that the "condition" started at the same time as the pipe was cleaned.

 

Like was said until it gets good and cold your draft will be poor , the draft of the stove is the main driver of the stove.

 

Thanks huntingdog, but since the stove has been burnt during warmer temps with never a problem, I can't accept that the draft is an issue.
The only thing that is different, now that I think about it, at the same time I cleaned the pipes, I put one of the cheap blue tarps over the wood pile. The pile is the same wood I have been burning for some time. (minus the ash I put in there a few weeks back) It has a southern exposure and gets almost all the sun from a day when we have it.
Maybe, and I don't think so, the tarp is holding/creating moisture?

 

Good points.

 

straight up pipe chimney? up and out external chimney? is there anywhere at all other than through the stove that the chimney can get air from? did we loosen any pipe joints while cleaning where air could get into the flue? youre description sounds like cool air intrusion into the flue from a leak

 

I think you nailed it Mike! I remember when I first installed the stove I had the same problem (along with wood that was too wet for this stove). First I tried some known to be dry and fully seasoned wood; it didn't quite solve the problem, but it was better. Then some guy with a heavy southern accent (and me with my heavy yooper accent) on your service line told me to try sealing the pipes. Something I never had to do before-ever. Worked!
I'm thinking that the stove top thimble where the very first piece of stove pipe hooks up is the culprit.
The stuff I used was rutland hi-temp black in a squeeze tube, not a caulking tube.
Yup, I'll bet that's what it is. Tune in next week for the results!
(I knew if I called your name you'd help!)

 

Looking for an update.................it's almost next week!!!

 

Just got back from the cottage and I sealed the stovetop thimble area with some of the rutland 2000f stuff. After I got done cleaning my hands, stove top and pliers (and come to think of it even the bar of lava got black) I lit her up and it seemed to help a bit...not exactly what I was expecting, but a slight improvement.
I had other stuff to do and didn't fiddle around with the nc-13 much more than that.
I had to pull the dock out of the lake-remove all the decking and than raise both the dock and attached boat lift at once-works great that way. No more getting wet. I think I waited a bit too long as there was a trace of ice on some of the decking and also the dock frame...
Then, i tried out the new moisture meter my bro picked up from Menards for me.
http://www.menards.com/main/tools-h...ools/moisture-test-meter/p-1710550-c-9163.htm
That thing is tiny! I only tried it on the ash (fresh split) that I was chastised for burning about 3 weeks ago.
It read anywhere from 17%-19%. It will get drier, right?
I'll have to gook up the single wall transition into the class A vent as I also had that removed while I cleaned the pipes. There's always next weekend or maybe a day off during the week? And then re-light for success I hope?

 

Yes, I did re-check the baffle board and it is properly positioned. It did take just a slight tweak, very slight, so I'm sure that it had nothing to do with the problem.
There is nothing blocking the air inlet and I also did dig out an squirrel cage blower motoe that just happens to fit right over the OAK inlet and plugged it in and let her rip! Nothing had "let loose" meaning there was no debris or even dust/ash coming out as the blower got up to speed. I had used this method to start the stove a couple winters ago and it operated the same way.
The cottage was built in 57' or 58' and the stove is in no-way shape manner or form starved for air! If you know what I mean! The person who built it viewed it as strictly a summer structure and put insulation only in the ceiling! All changed now.