Help with fresh air vent install - Whitfield Advantage II-T C FS

Hello -
New member and first post.

I have a 1983 Whitfield Advantage II-T C FS and it runs great. I just purchased a fresh air (cold) intake kit and am very confused about installing it.

I assumed (evidently incorrectly) I could just attach the new pipe the kit came with to back of the stove as it has a what I thought was a fresh air intake. I never checked to see if it was actually sucking air into the stove before I purchased the kit. So yesterday when I went to install it I notice there is no air current going in.

I removed the rear cover and found that just inside and to the right is a round hole measuring about 1 1/2". I didn't measure it - it's about the same diameter as the intake on the back.

This first pic is where I assumed I could connect the new pipe (rear of stove with the rear cover removed):


This 2nd pic shows 2 things: 1. the other hole I found (to the left of the circled area) and 2. what appears to be a high temp cut-off switch (circled and labeled 'B') in yet another smaller hole. Sorry for the fuzzy pics - the camera wouldn't focus that close up.


Here's where I am confused. When the blower is running neither of these two larger holes seem to be drawing any air. If you look into the 2nd hole (to the left of the circled area) you can see a 'wall' that blocks the passage. This does not make any sense. The cut-off switch is behind that wall, but is mounted in a smaller hole on the side of this ..umm.. square tube (I don't know what it's name is) as shown.

The manual is worthless regarding any info about this.

So now I have two problems: 1. No air being drawn in, and 2. even if there was air being drawn in, the second hole inside is still open and would just suck in air from the interior of the stove along with the outside air. Not exactly what I had in mind, but maybe there's a reason for it that I am unaware of.

Now let me throw in one more confusing item: the blocking 'wall' is not completely blocking the passage. There is a gap on the bottom of this wall that I guess will allow some air in although I can't feel it, but it certainly does not match what is being exhausted out the hot vent.

Angling my camera just right I was able to get a pic of that wall with the gap in this 3rd picture (circled and labeled 'A').. This is looking through the 2nd hole. The dark black line is the gap.


I really don't know how this is supposed to work - why put an air intake on the back of the stove if it does not take in air? I always assumed that was where the air was being drawn in.

If anyone can shed some light on what I'm missing I would very much appreciate it. Thanks.

Roger

 

Lots of older stoves,and some new ones,are like that,they draw in a mixture of room and outside air.Is important to have all stove panels in place.Some can be easily modded to draw only outside(austroflamm)but do not think yours is.Do not know your stove well,but think what you are seeing in A is the air adjustment plate,hooked to the adjustment rod.

 

Thanks for your reply.

The adjustment rod is not connected to that. I've had to take the adjustment plate and rod apart a couple of years ago to free it up so I know that's not it. That blocking 'wall' is welded in place and cannot move.

 

Ahh just a baffel then.Snowy here on this site knows those old whits,could send a pm.

 

Agreed.... Snowy Rivers is the person you need to talk to. She's the resident "old whitfield stove" expert.

 

I contacted Snowy as badbob and imacman suggested - thank you for that.

Dexter, I am not debating whether to hook up an outside fresh air vent. I already know I want one - I just need to figure out how to do it.

 

jtakeman - I did think about that, but I cannot feel any air current being drawn into either or both of these openings. I don't know where the air is coming in. There must be some other opening somewhere.

Hmm.. maybe the air flow is supposed to go into the rear fresh air connection on the back and flow out the other hole into the interior of the stove? It would still mix with 'house' air as there are lots of vents allowing house air into the interior of the stove. If that was the case I should be able to feel air being drawn into the rear intake - but I don't. So it still won't draw outside air.

 

I guess I'll have to yank it out of the wall and poke around some more today. What's the best way to check air current - matches? Incense? Smoke bomb?

 

Yep a stick of incense will tell you whats going on

 

He@@ where were you planing on setting that smoke bomb when you touch it off? I like to see that mess just for s&giggles .

This is how you make friends with the wife.

 

here ya go smokey---https://video.search.yahoo.com/yhs/search?fr=yhs-mozilla-004&hsimp=yhs-004&hspart=mozilla&p=smoke+bomb+in+stove+video#id=3&vid=274e25b945a2af180694722d0237a9c6&action=click

 

lol some stoves (ussc) open up into a false bottom,and you have to caulk/seal the whole bottom to make a dedicated oak work,maybe others also

 

Yep, true,but not my search,just tryin to help out a member,hope things are well back there,stay warm!