loud vibration on Woodstock AS with ash pan removed

This morning I raked the coals in my Woodstock AS into a small pile and took the ash pan out to empty it, leaving the pan door open. While I was outside dumping the pan, I noticed a deep rumbling, humming sound, which I thought must have been the washer or dryer running. When I came back inside, I realized it was the stove, which was vibrating heavily, creating a loud resonant hum that seemed to be shaking the whole stove! I popped the pan back in and closed the door, and it promptly stopped.

Anybody else ever have this happen, and is it anything I should be concerned about?

 

I always close the door after pulling out the ashpan on the IS.

That rumbling was air being pulled through the bottom due to heavy draft having the door open.

Even with only coals in the stove it can get quite agressive with the ashpan door open.

 

Thanks for the explanation and good advice! I'd actually tried to close the door after removing the pan, but with a hot pan full of ash in one hand, I wasn't able to get it to close with my left. It's kind of an awkward angle. Sounds like I need to figure out a system for my ash dumps that doesn't involve leaving the door open or putting a hot ash pan down near anything combustible while I close the door! Next time I'll try sticking the pan on the bricks under the stove first. I liked the idea I saw in another thread here about having an extra pan to swap in as soon as the full one is removed too. There's so much for a rookie to learn from more seasoned firewood hoarders here!

 

Not sure about your AS, but the IS has an ash lip that I can set one end of the ashpan on while I latch the door, then use both hands on the ashpan.

Wife gets the outside door for me most times.


Edit.. your hearth material should be able to easily withstand the heat of the ashpan for a couple of seconds.

I'd just hate for something to happen because of the open ashpan door.

 

Yes.
No. it normal. but be careful cracking the ash pan door. If there is fresh load of wood in the firebox and it's just smoking heavy but not flames yet, you WILL get a flash fire when it ignites. I popped the topp up on mine and blew the gasket loose on the front/top. filled the house with smoke trying to get the gasket back in...
I've had it flash out the ssh pan door a bunch of times also. flames shot out 2-3feet across the floor

 

I'm lucky if the wife gets the dog and the kid out of the way!

Brick hearth can definitely handle the hot pan. I was thinking there's not a ton of room to place it around the stove (hearth meets clearances, but with side load on the AS and a gate around the hearth I can't easily put it anywhere that I'm wouldn't be reaching over it), but then I remembered it can easily go underneath the stove for a minute while I close the door.

 

you can get some serious flames going by just loosening the ash pan door latch.
but you didn't hear that from me...

 

Wow, that's wild! I only had a very small pile of coals this time, but I'll definitely be more cautious about leaving that door open.

In normal operation, with the ash pan inserted and door closed, does any air feed the firebox from up under that grate? I've been wondering if I need to rake the coals more frequently to allow airflow there, or if it's only there for allowing ash to fall through.

 

No.

but...there might be a forbidden mod that you'll find with a search here

 

I got an extra ash pan. Pull one put on top of stove, put in extra one. Easier for me, I once had taken it out and shut door, forgot raked stove then couldn't get pan back in.. My stupidity..

 

I can see how easy that would happen!

 

The only time I ever have the ash door open is before a reload. Pull the ash pan and dump it, or to burn off coals. It will definitely get that resonance occasionally.

 

First three days after hooking up my AS, I ran it with the ash pan and pan cover securely in place and couldn't figure out why the ash kept piling up in spite of all my raking! I think I may have warped the cover a bit, because it doesn't want to go back on now.

 

Well, if'n ya want one I'd be willing to"un-secret" Santa you one, I don't use ours.

Assuming the ashpans are the same size of course.

 

I always leave the loading door open an inch when dumping the ash pan to avoid turning the stove into a forge.

 

You open both doors at the same time? I'd think that would be like crossing the streams!

 

Well, if you crack the main door as well it helps eliminate the massive buildup of gasses from the wood that can make the stove go..
Whoosh

Trust me, that rumbling is just the dragon intaking air for the fireball to follow.

 

Ya know, I’d call WS and tell them exactly that and ask how much a new cover will cost ya. I bet you’ll be pleasantly surprised. They don’t want you to be unhappy with your new stove in any way.

 

I think I just need to try putting them together when everything has cooled off a bit and I can work on fitting them together a little more carefully. I've been doing it with a pan full of hot ash so far, which hasn't helped.

 

I honestly dont even bother with the ash pan. It's more hassle than its worth if you have coordination.