# Scandia 308 efficiency tips



## hekdic (Dec 6, 2013)

We've had an old Scandia 308 for years and I just found this forum while I was replacing the flue.  The stove normally sits partially in a converted fireplace.  While it is out, I wondered if there are any tips or mods to help the efficiency?  I understand that it is a knockoff of the Vigilant and I have downloaded the Vigilant manuals that somebody kindly provided to the forum.  I don't remember getting much of anything with the Scandia.  So far it's done it's job of adding to our comfort but I'm sure that I'm behind the curve on making it better.

One thing that i've noticed is that the air holes in the fireback are pretty low and even removing ashes every day if we're using it all day means that some ash gets in those holes.  Maybe we're using too much wood for some reason.  We do seem to need more air than I gather is expected.  The installation uses 8" flue pipe inside the old fireplace extending 16' up the chimney with a metal face that the pipe passes through.  Most of the wood is oak, hickory or black locust.


----------



## gzecc (Dec 6, 2013)

How long has the wood been split and stacked?


----------



## hekdic (Dec 6, 2013)

More than 2 years.


----------



## MDFisherman (Dec 6, 2013)

Do you have a block off plate at the bottom of the chimney?  You may be losing some heat up there.  If you could capture more heat you could burn less wood and have less ash.


----------



## hekdic (Dec 6, 2013)

I'm sorry but although I've heated partially with wood for years I've never learned the language.  I don't know what a block off plate is.


----------



## BrotherBart (Dec 6, 2013)

https://www.hearth.com/econtent/index.php/articles/making_a_block_off_plate/


----------



## hekdic (Dec 7, 2013)

Gotcha.  Yep, we have one except that it is vertical, blocking prior to the turn up the flue of the chimney.  This is an old chimney, built in the late 1920s and doesn't match what's shown in that article.

Just fired it up this morning after replacing all the flue pipe and it's doing much better.  

I've never figured out anything about that secondary air thing on the left side of the stove.  It always stays open.  Also, just how effective are those air holes in the fireback?  If this stove is supposed to be horizontal burning, then the air source at the left end of the stove should be the main air source, right?  Is there a discussion of these things anywhere?


----------

