# Ponderosa Wood Stove with 3 Dampers



## kacccd (Dec 12, 2016)

Hi everyone - I'm new to the forums (lots of good info).  This might seem like a very trivial or curiosity question.  I've been using a Ponderosa wood stove for many years now (inherited from my grandfather, so it's old - I'm 62).  Never had any problems - works great.  The stove has 3 dampers on the door - two towards the bottom part of the door spaced equally across and one on top spaced equally across.  The 3 together make a triangle.  I generally use the bottom 2 dampers and keep the top one closed with no problems.  I'm curious if there is any functional reason for having 3 dampers (or was it just the way they built them years ago).  Any thoughts or history on this stove?


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## bholler (Dec 12, 2016)

Well first off you should post some pics to help us better understand your stove.  Next those are not dampers they are air intakes.  Dampers on stoves go after the firebox in the smoke stream.  I would say the bottom 2 are your primary air and the top one is for some secondary air.  It will probably not do much unless it dupms right onto a baffle or something.  I also see them allot on coal stoves to burn off the coal gas.


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## begreen (Dec 12, 2016)

The upper is probably secondary air. If so, try starting the stove with all three open. Then close down the lower 2 as the fire gets going. How far you close them down will depend on the wood. Close down the upper when the fire is in the coaling stage.


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