New guy with a problem from last year

If you can, step back and give us a picture of all four of the primary intakes and the surrounding area. We'll come up with something.

 

You say there are 5 holes? The easiest/cheapest method I can think of is to get 5 magnets and slide them over the primary air holes as needed...you won't want to cover them completely (at least not all of them) because very likely the fire would go out with no primary air...modern stoves always leave the primary air open a little, even with the air adjustment closed down as far as it goes.

 

Oh my I overlooked that tiny step! Thanks for pointing it out!

 

As Mr Whoopee said. Picture of all five holes. Should be pretty easy to create a slide or even revolving plate to work. Anything that comes out of China that costs more than $50 usually needs to be reengineered anyway

Just for giggles you can always shove tin foil balls into some of the holes just to test the stoves reaction. Leave the secondary’s alone and keep the damper wide open,,,,,at least in the beginning of testing.
You want the secondary’s to burn. They need air and draft for that. Just tinker with the primary’s.

 

Magnets with hooks like this would give you a "handle" to slide them around, and the hook probably would not get too hot either...

 

Welcome aboard SD Steve

 

A lil tweak here and there, might be getting your burns a little bit longer. Not that I’ve used them but isn't there a temp where magnets stopped working?

 

Yeah...buts its high...like 7, 8, maybe 900*. Those primary intake holes shouldn't be too hot...cooled by incoming air n all...I still wouldn't just latch on to a magnet with my bare hands without checking first...

 

I guess I wasn't real clear, but my thinking was to use the magnets to test the theory before investing the time/money to make a slide gate air control...and if it doesn't make much difference, then you know you have to make a decision...live with it, or replace the stove.

 

Hooks make it a smart addition to that!good suggestion. I’ll remember if needed... if they don’t work or provide enough change to register on the stove, at least it’s an option.

 

This is a single burn rate stove.
Burning hot it passes minimum emissions.
It has no controls to control the burn rate.

You need those inlet slots to be wide open to get the fire going, but then you need to make them smaller to adjust the fire output if you want to add a large charge of wood rather than adjusting your charge of wood size and have a fire last longer than 2 hours (if that) .

As built, It's like trying to win a road race with a single speed bicycle.
It works, but you'll never win the race in a field of multi-speed bikes.


edit: I'ma guess the secondary air is sourced through the slots as well and blocking them will destroy the functionality of the secondaries.

 

It won't/might not pass emissions with a flue damper.
Doesn't mean it won't work with one.
Technically, you shouldn't use any length chimney but the length and size they used for testing as well. to maintain emissions efficacy.
And, if you really wanted to get anal about it, your indoor and outdoor temps should approximate those existing at the time of the test. :insert grain of salt smily:

 

Certainly agree with the bicycle analogy
Steve says the secondary’s are fed by to separate rectangular slots. Might as well believe him. Secondaries don’t require too much air. They do require good draft and that he’s got. Nice chimney job Steve.

We’ve concluded its a “fireplace” design. A little loophole the Chinese found in the epa regs to market some cheap stoves while prices on real stoves were increasing. No longer legal for sale after 2015.
A single secondary burn tube? I’m no expert on different stove designs but a single tube would throw up red flags for me. Not sure a single tube is capable of really performing the job. Any single tube users out there that can attest to the efficacy?

A little tinkering may help enough that Steve can begin saving his nickels for a real stove. Having the chimney warm will cut down greatly on his first problem too.
An Ideal Steel would work nicely down there. Feed it every 8-12 hours.

 

Ok, I will definitely take everything into consideration. Thanks everyone for their input!!
So if I was to buy another wood stove, but brand/model do you guys reccomend? I definitely wouldn't want something with ornate designs, just something that will heat my home efficiently.
Before I make any purchases I will do some experiments on my own with the primary air intakes.

 

As jo said, Woodstock IS. We have one and love it. We use to get a ball of newspaper and just before we started the fire place it on top. Then light it an let it go. We have an ash pan on ours. Occasionally we do crack it open to get things going but we do not walk away from it. Good luck. What type of wood are you using?

 

Well I’m a fan of Woodstock’s hybrid design of stoves. You get both secondary and cat burn. Not. A huge fan of all the aesthetic things they do with em. I’m pretty old school when it comes to that.
South Dakota has been know to get a little chilly at times. You’d probably want to be looking at their two largest models.
The Progress Hybrid which I have (avatar) A pricey unit but after having one of their smaller soapstone models I felt it was worth it.
The ideal Steel is their more utilitarian workhorse stove. Still has some stone in it just not all soapstone. Shows in the price also the IS is completely customizable as to how much or little fooferaw you want. I like plain myself.
Would spend for the ash box tho. I’d never go back to no ash box. That’s savagery. Stone lined over firebrick would also be on my checklist of upgrades.
Cleanest burning wood stoves in America


There’s other manufacturers. Blaze King is a big name out west. Info on all these others is a little out of my wheelhouse tho.

 

I am a Woodstock fan also. A Budget would help..

 

Do you have a friend who welds? It would be easy to make a slide gate with holes that match your main intake vents (with the quarter) that would slide side to side to partially eclipse the actual vents. Sure wish we lived close. I could knock one together in a jiffy. If I had an overall picture of the front vents and a dimensioned drawing of the front. I could whip up a proper slide vent and send it to you. That would leave you to have some one tack it to the stove or perhaps drill and tap to bolt it on. Conduct some experiments and let me know if I can help.

 

Now that’s why this forum is the best

 

Agreed

The Brotherhood of the firewood hoarders right there!