PH air control install

My PH is from the original run, installed just about this time of year in 2012. We use it as our primary heat, and put 6-8 cord per year through it (fewer now, since the kids are no longer here to fill it after school). We have also had the chance to test two of their newer stoves (IS and AS) on this same flue. When we first fired the IS, the fire was practically uncontrollable, which greatly puzzled them. They patched me through to the owner, at home, and he had me open the cover at the rear and make sure the air control plate was sitting flat (it wasn’t- it had moved during shipping). With it sitting flat, suddenly the IS had incredible air control as compared to the PH, and I’ve wished for a modification to the PH ever since. They’ve been dropping hints of a new control, and there was confirmation late summer of an upgrade, but it has not yet been released. Well, I finally got my hands on one (but they are still not making it available for sale yet).

 

First impressions: solid, firm, much more precise. Very happy.

Why replace the existing one? We have a 32’ tall lined and insulated internal chimney that drafts like crazy. We reload the PH with the damper wide open, and then once it catches well we would move the control lever 75% of the way to closed before seeing any change to the fire. The cruising sweet spot for us was fully closed but then slightly opened back up. But not too much. On a lever that had maybe 12” of swing, we were always searching within a quarter inch range for the sweet spot. (Closed too much and the stove would back-puff, eventually, always).

The original design would sometimes stick a bit, making the precision even more difficult. Plus it felt like sheet metal moving against sheet metal. Whereas the new design is plate steel sliding on plate steel.

 

Thanks for the info. I remember your comments about this very thing back when you were comparing the PH with the AS.

When I bought my AS, I was really sitting on the fence right up until the day I paid for it- I was vacillating between the PH and AS myself. I actually went for the PH but by that time they did not have any in stock and there was some trouble sourcing new castings so it was an AS for me. I am overall quite happy with the stove though I think both the end- loading and the full grate at the bottom of the stove are superior on the PH. Of course the AS has advantages as well, such as easy to clean glass and a very easy to R & R combustor.

Just curious but have you ever thought about a key damper above the stove? When I switched from a med. length masonry chimney to a taller SS chimney, the draft went up to the point it was difficult to control on a very cold night even with the draft closed all the way (which is not really all the way of course but a minimum). A key damper solved the problem and slightly increased the stove's efficiency by dropping the flue gas temperature a bit.

Brian

 

Brian, when we installed the AS we had more difficulty controlling the fire than with the IS. They sent someone down to check, and determined our draft was on beyond what they expected (they measured it). So they installed a key-style flue damper, on the horizontal, and it has been great for the PH. It is still installed, and we are still trying to find out what combination works best with this new control.

 

Here is the control plate in place. Still to be added is a cover plate that “captures” it and allows an OAK adapter. The plate is in the fully closed position in this picture.

edit: the top opening is secondary air, and the bottom is primary.

 

Gotcha'. I find when it is very cold (cold for here, single digits to below zero) and the stove is running (not starting it) I can just close the damper all the way and work on the small hole in the damper disc as well as the amount it leaks around the circumference.

For a lot of years with a shorter, 8" X 8" masonry chimney, I never thought I would be saying anything like too much draft. But these insulated 6" diameter (ID) chimneys really do develop a tremendous draft. Really strong when warm but it still pulls pretty hard when the stove is cold but it is also very cold outside.

 

You just can't get any customer service better than that!!

 

So how difficult was the install? Can't wait to upgrade mine, my original air control has all the same issues you describe- no fine control where you need it, hard to find a setting that doesn't back puff, too loose when the stove is at low temps, tight and hard to adjust when hot. This is the only thing needing correction to make it a truly great stove. Time to call Woodstock and be a pest again....

 

Well, they have not yet written their instructions for installing, which is why they haven’t been selling these. I ordered a new cat, andirons, and some gaskets, and talked with them about the air control. We left that conversation with the intent on my wife picking up the parts I had ordered, and when it fit my schedule I would coordinate with the stove assemblers to get firsthand instructions and watch them do it on new stoves. When my box of parts arrived the air control was in it, and I couldn’t help myself from having at it.

Tools:
7/16” wrench, an Allen wrench, and something to scrape off old cement and apply new.

Removing the old was straightforward unbolting. Plus I had replaced a bunch of internals two years ago and it involved removing the air control to apply furnace cement, so I knew what to do.

Assembly: They had the fasteners in 2 or 3 separate bags, with brief notes. 6 bolts and washers of one size, 2 and washers of another, and 2 cap-head (Allen wrench) of another, 2 with lock washers, another 2 with washers, two nuts with washers, and a bolt with 2 washers and a locknut. Some were obvious, and some took a bit to figure out. I got it all right the first try, but there were two that I should have started first, and then slid the control into place.

 

When can expect to to tell them to take my money! My exact instructions on reloading the stove are turn the air all the way down them bump it up a 1/4”

Of course now that it’s 0* outside and I’m heating 3000 sqft it’s running almost wide open 24-7

 

In this cold weather I am not fully closing the new air control (maybe 85%). I’m playing with the pipe damper, but it is not a necessity like before. I am not sure if the coal burn-down phase has become longer; it will be good to hear other’s experiences. There has been none of the variable feel (stiffness) like with the original control, which has been really nice. I am thinking I will see the best improvement when we get to shoulder season.

 

I can get my arm in back of my stove both sides, based on your install do you think I would be able to install it without moving the stove? I work as a tech at Pastime Pinball (plug) and am used to putting screws in hard to reach places.

 

I won’t say it can’t be done. I crawled back into my fireplace and still had to contort some. Cleaning the old cement and applying new will take some effort, and while you have it apart you really want to inspect and maybe touch up the cement that seals around the entrance to the secondary air.

 

Blue arrow is primary air (looks the same on the other side). Green arrow is secondary air. The part where the head of the green arrow is the top of the firebox. There is gasket covered by cement all around that connection to the rear of the stove that you should at least inspect.

 

Note the bolt hole in the picture above that the green line runs through. A Allen head screw goes here, and I didn’t realize that until I was attached at other points. These two should be started, and then slide the control up in under the accompanying washer.

 

Ok, these colors bear no connection to the earlier pic. This, above, is the side that goes against the stove. Blue is where the Allen head screws will be.

Green is where two bolt studs coming off the back of the stove will be fastened from the other side. There are 4 studs, but you will only be able to reach two.

Below shows where you reach in (green arrow) to attach washer and nut to the stud.



The blue circle shows two holes - the left is tapped and will have a bolt holding the cover that captures the sliding plate. The right hole is for the Allen wrench, and there is an inch wide channel behind there. Those will be your biggest challenges.

 

I believe this assembly completely replaces the rear heat shielding. I didn’t ask and don’t need rear shielding. The threaded rod with spacers that holds the top of the rear shield in place come out, and the Allen screws described above go in those holes.

 

ABSOLUTELY AWESOME!!! I’ve sent numerous emails to Woodstock over the last 5 or 6 years asking them to make a better, more mechanical “geared” type air control for the PH for the exact reasons you mentioned….

Flame, I am currently using the outside air kit on mine. I saw you mentioned “an OAK adapter”? Is this an adapter to make the new kit adapt to the old OAK ? Or are they making a new OAK altogether to work with the new air control?? From your pics, it definitely doesn’t look like the new air kit will fit my old OAK …. I’ll be calling them 1st thing in morning

 

Here’s the adapter for OAK…