Woodstock Progress Hybrid Owners

2.8 cu ft is likely all that is mentioned.

Someone here will likely have to measure it for you. Since many are burning now it might be a while.

 

Slocum
Checked out the full manual and read through it, on the very last page (of course) it lists the maximum sized log it will take is 22''.

https://www.woodstove.com/image/cat...k-Soapstone-Progress-209a-Complete Manual.pdf Page 41.

 

I saw that, that would be for loading long ways through the door. I’m curious if my 16” splits would fit front to back. My IS will take 22” east-west and a 16” north south. Just tossing ideas around about the progress.

 

I just reloaded, but will try to get you a measurement. I think 16” would be difficult but may be wrong.

 

The sideloading PH would be a bear to load NS since you would have to chuck them way in. Side loaders are great for side loading straight in even though I understand NS loading burns really well when the air supply is from the front.

 

14” max for easy routine loading. 16.5” was diagonal, against the glass. As noted above, might want shoulder length leather gloves for getting the first ones placed. I cut mine 21”. I think you can get one or two 23” pieces in on the diagonal.

 

Thanks!!

 

Didn't you post the same exact "stuff" about the PH about 4 or 5 years ago, on another forum?? Sure sounds familiar, same verbiage and everything! hmmm....

I have had a PH running since 2012. I've had a few leaks over the years: bad gaskets, a warped ash grate (do you have the ash drawer?), last year I broke the "hinge" bolt off on the ash tray door and had to replace the ash tray assembly that bolts up onto the bottom of the stove. Some things I broke(ash tray bolt), some warped probably from leaving open on accident or something (ash grate), some just normal maintenance (gaskets...). Of course, when things like this occur you get a stronger wood burning smell, like an old open fireplace used to smell. During normal operation of any woodstove, you will almost ALWAYS have a bit of wood burning smell. Some from loading the stove, and some from minor leaks. Lets face it, these are wood burning devices, they are not surgically sealed biological products for the medical field!

So my advice is this:
1. If you have the Ash drawer option, check both the gasket under the ash grate, AND the ash grate itself that it is not bent, warped or cracked particular around the edges... If you open the ash door or leave it open when the PH is running full blast, it can easily warp from the cold air rushing in onto the extremely hot grate at the bottom of the fire and burning coals. One year I could not get the fire to slow down, it was just burning hot with lots of air getting in. Couldn't figure out how or where. AT end of season while doing a good cleaning out/checking gaskets.... I found the grate warped and cracked. Replaced and solved problem.

2. Check the FLUE collar where your stove pipe inserts into the PH at the top (you said you are top venting). My flue pipe exiting the PH is notoriously loose because I had to have a custom pipe made from the collar of the PH to the entrance of my chimney about 4' above the stove, but offset about 3 or 4" to the rear. I don't get a perfect fit around that collar, so after re-installing it each year after chimney clean-out, I stick some 1/4" gasket material around the collar and jam it in tight with a flat screwdriver. If I get a bit more than a normal slight wood burning smell during the season, the first thing I do is check and tighten up that "collar gasket", and that often fixes it. I wonder if this is the same issue you have?? And, I also wonder how in the world smoke could come out of this spot as the draft up the chimney is like a vacuum cleaner. It doesn't seem like smell would come out of that seam/collar, but somehow it does. And PS, when my custom gasket is not sealed very tightly around my collar, the wood smell seems to come from the back right top corner of the stove, right near/just above the load door hinge area. I used to think I had a leak around the hinge, until I discovered the flue collar issue by trial and error.

3. You mentioned you put in wood, wait for proper temp, flip cat, and slowly turn down air until the air is OFF. THAT could also be your problem. If I shut my air down to 100% off, my stove goes black, the temp rises extremely fast (cat burning extreme amounts of smoldering smoke), and then it starts burping/back-puffing! Which is to say it stays black for 30 seconds, builds up combustible gasses, and then ignites and the stove kinda blows up (blows the cooktop and stones up a 1/16"), and a puff of smoke comes out/can be smelled. Sometimes worse than others, but it will cycle like this until you just tap the air damper open ever so slightly which allows enough air to allow it to settle down. I know where this spot is, and after a re-load, I always just shut down the air to this spot by closing 100%, then tapping it up a hair, done! Now for me, this is a point I have brought up to Woodstocks attention, and have suggested for a couple years now to them that they make an add-on accessory to the PH, making the air damper control more sensitive on the last 5 or 10%. I suggested making more of a mechanical geared type control handle. Currently you are just adjusting a 12" or 18" long x 2" tall panel/flap over the intake port of the same size, like an old cheap carburetor choke. I would like to see a simple geared mechanism attached to that flap/panel, that is non linear in movement. Lets says the first 90% of closure is 3" of physical movement of the handle, and the last 10% of closure is another 3" of physical movement of the hande for example. And the movement would have some sort of physical repeatable clicks or something to them. So for example I could close it down 100% and then just open back up 3 clicks and know that setting worked perfect for me. A nice repeatable setting. Currently your just guessing with a very unwieldy piece of metal sliding against another, to make it worse, its works differently when it's very hot compared to when it is cold due to the expansion of metals/temp change.

Lastly, if you don't like the smell of wood burning, I would recommend installing an oil or gas burner and remove the wood stove. If you burn wood in your house via a fireplace, a fireplace insert, a wood stove whether epa or an old smoke dragon, you WILL smell smoke. Will it kill you? Doubt it, at least no more than the smell of oil burning in the house when my oil burner comes on when I'm not burning wood! Just saying. Possibly your being a bit too sensitive to the smell? Not trying to be a wise guy, just pointing out that may be a possibility.

Hope that may help....

 

I would LOVE to hear if you got this "new air dampener", and installed it, and how it works/what you think??? I'm surprised to hear they have designed something.... I need to contact Woodstock regarding this...

 

They have a damper ready to go awaiting detailed instructions. Give Lorin a call and get on the list

 

I’ve got the new air damper installed and have burned about 5 cord with it. Super sweet with respect to no more fiddling to get the damper set between slow and too slow. No sticking, either. I do find it has reduced the primary air flow when wide open, making warm weather startups slower, especially with one a few live coals. I don’t know if it is really available yet - we live nearby, and they know I know the stove inside-out, so I got one before ready for sale. I’ve got pictures on here of it, somewhere.

 

PICS PLEASE!! And they damm well BETTER get me one! It was my idea and suggestion to them! ;-))

 

When we first tested the IS it was uncontrollable compared to the PH. It turned out the plate that slides back and forth was jounced up on edge during shipping. Once we got it settled right, and burned the first time with that control my eyes got big and I said ‘wow’ more than once - the PH control was suddenly incredibly substandard.
Here’s the thread on the new draft control…
PH air control install

 

I’ve had a PH since the beginning. Once I had a faint smoke smell coming from the area near the bypass switch. It turns out that the bypass plate that drops down was slamming shut too hard and over time the plate that it hits developed a small crack. I ordered a replacement plate and had it replaced and installed by a professional and the smoke smell went away.

 

Lol! Dog is wondering why it is suddenly August!!

 

Not exactly the same problem as you mentioned hinge side.
I do understand the frustration with replacing the gasket. They seem to compress easily and then you have a leaky door. Today I decided to tackle that as easily as possible hahaha. My gripe is no way to adjust the handle. I went to Napa and bought a 5/16” metal fuel line. Cut off the flange then cut off a small piece. Slipped it over the steel roll pin that serves as a door catch.
So the door closes tighter now. Is it perfect? Don’t know I didn’t do any testing. It’s cold out . It’s better anyway. The gasket had been compressed for quite awhile as I was “letting it slide”.
It’s a neat trick for PH owners that get compressed gaskets. Maybe not so much on the hinge side.
Last time I bought a door gasket kit Woodstock it came with an extra hinge side strip. Actually said they included it because of complaints. I didn’t use it. Have you tried on of those?

 

I was just about to post about those different bolts. I put them in my stove years ago as part of a normal upgrade process but never had the smoke problem so can't say if they help. I have a 2300 sq ft leaky house and as you point out maybe that is why I dont get the smoke smell.

Mine was one of the original 2012 (practially beta) Progress stoves.

 

Wow this brings back memories. I was the first one to call WS with this problem.They eventually figured it out and made it right as they usually do.

 

Yep, they actually came to my house to replace that burn plate at the top....

I NEED THAT NEW AIR DAMPER SETUP!!! HELLO WOODSTOCK!!!! ;-)