NC30 with legs

This is the first year with properly seasoned wood. I have consistently been able to completely close the air on the NC30 and the stove still burns very hot 700+, not running away, but I would like to be able to tone down the burn a bit more if I wanted. I have an OAK installed. So today I took the pedestal off and installed the legs, so that I could have access to the air holes just behind the front legs. I seem to remember people using magnets to partialy cover these holes as well as the hole just above and behind the primary air to regulate the air even more. I don't recall though, which hole does which air?

I also swept the chimney while I had things unhooked, 35ft interior 7x7 masonry with no liner. Even with good wood and burning hot I still got about a quart of black powdery soot, mostly from the last 10ft where the chimney goes through the cold attic, this from about 1.5 cords.

 

Time for some experimentation, Dave.
I'd go ahead and get some magnets big enough to cover those behind the leg spots and test. Don't leave while you're doing it (good advice for other situations too). Seems as though some aluminum tape was used to cover a certain % of the 2ndary holes as well. Easy on, easy off.
YMMV

 

At what point are you closing the air down?

That's a really tall chimney. Might want to think about a damper.

Also, putting a liner in there might minimize your soot build up.

 

The air gets closed as soon as possible, on a hot reload it might take 10 minutes.

I had a damper for the Big Moe smoke dragon this stove replaced, I'll think about that one, might be a better idea than messing with air supply designed by engineers.

A liner in the chimney is being considered. First I think I will add some insulation to the outside of chimney in the attic, Roxul. I need to do this anyway so I can blow in some cellulose and keep it off of the chimney.

 

http://www.gulland.ca/florida_bungalow_syndrome.htm

 

The engineers had to do a juggling act to keep the EPA happy, and still get the stove to burn in real world conditions.
Maybe Mr. Holton could shed some light here, but he is probably somewhat constrained due to his position in the business.
Do people leave well enough alone when they get a vehicle? No, they don't, and some of the best engineers in the world create those.
Chips, and all sorts of mods are done to get better performance.
I do applaud the EPA and stove makers for cleaning up burns, but when it comes to a stove in my house, I'm going to try to get it to burn even better.....if I can.
Putting in a damper is "messing with air supply designed by engineers" too.
I'll stop now.

 

Thanks, I read that once before. Makes a bit more sense now that I am experiencing the issue. That article seems to favor modifying the stove air intake over the other three options, I'll just have to experiment and see what works bet for me.

 

That would be the direction I would take first. Nothing wrong with altering the stove to eliminate the secondary air if you feel comfortable with doing it, but the first step, for me, would be a damper. If you have a strong draft, the damper will always come in handy.

 

Great, thanks, that's what I wanted to know. I'll look for some magnets today for those front air holes. My primary air does seem to be very touchy, and since I'm hooked to an OAK, I would rather draw more outside air anyway.

My stove top to stack surface temp differential is around 300 degrees when things are cranking, seems like a lot of heat going up the chimney. Will see what more air control does before I add a flue damper.