Air wash ?

[velocity1]

Hi All,
I have an air wash question on my manchester. Long story short been battling the dreadful stuck air control lever issue. I had installed the repair kit Hearthstone has and didn’t do much. I’ve had the stove apart numerous times and tried a few different things including polishing the pushrod which helped a little on making the air control smoother to operate. End of the day the air wash flap at the top of the stove is connected to the flimsy pushrod that moves the flap open to close as your moving the air control. If i manually hold open the flap with a screwdriver the air control operates smooth as butter. Question is i can cut a tubular steel rod and wedge it so the flap for the air wash stays all the way open regardless of the air control lever. This would leave the flap always wide open when i’m running the stove. What’s the negatives of running the stove with the air wash flap always open? I can’t think of any reason how this would harm anything? Any thoughts are appreciated. Pic of the air wash flap included. Thanks

 

[begreen]

Which model Manchester is this? That sounds like it could lead to an uncontrollable stove with a risk of overfire.

 

[velocity1]

Which model Manchester is this? That sounds like it could lead to an uncontrollable stove with a risk of overfire.

It’s the 8362 model. the air supply comes in through the doghouse at the bottom of the stove. the top air wash flap is not an area that is a supply of air, it solely just allows air as it’s coming up to the flue to hit the little air holes and get redirected to the front of the window thus “washing” it if that makes sense

 

[begreen]

It’s the 8362 model. the air supply comes in through the doghouse at the bottom of the stove. the top air wash flap is not an area that is a supply of air, it solely just allows air as it’s coming up to the flue to hit the little air holes and get redirected to the front of the window thus “washing” it if that makes sense

Yes, it makes perfect sense. What doesn't make sense is why there is a moving part (flap) in the air wash feed path. It obviously added to the complexity of the stove manufacture and therefore its cost. I'm trying to get my head around why was engineered into the stove.

 

[velocity1]

Yeah agreed it’s really not a good design especially if you saw how thin the metal is for the pushrod to move the flap open and closed. My thought is that by wedging it open so it stays open regardless of the air control position i’ll just always have a super clean window. I bought some steel rod tonight and made a wedge for it so i’ll know in another day or two how it works when i re light the stove

 

[begreen]

It certainly has me scratching my head trying to figure out what condition there would be when the airwash is not desired or does it only partially block the air wash?

Be careful and watch out for a runaway fire if too much air is now being fed.

 

[velocity1]

It certainly has me scratching my head trying to figure out what condition there would be when the airwash is not desired or does it only partially block the air wash?

Be careful and watch out for a runaway fire if too much air is now being fed.

Will do! And when the air is fully “closed” the flap is completely closed like 100% flat against the holes in the picture.

 

[velocity1]

@begreen heres a video i had taken last time i had it apart so you can see how it operates. The air supply lever moves the slider plate at the bottom of the stove that covers the air inlets from the air supply. On the end of the plate is a roller the moves the pushrod for the air wash flap up and down. that part of the pushrod that rides that roller is what i had polished and that pushrod is the replacement rod that i got from Hearthstone. You can see in the video how clunky it all is, it’s almost like a last minute design that wasn’t thought through.

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[begreen]

Thanks! That's really helpful. Well done. It looks like some airwash air may also come down in front of the dampered holes. That would be necessary for keeping the glass clean when the air control is closed.

Just speculating here, but could the holes be secondary air or is there a ducted path to that area?

Have you been in touch with Hearthstone Tech on this issue?

 

[velocity1]

Thanks! That's really helpful. Well done. It looks like some airwash air may also come down in front of the dampered holes. That would be necessary for keeping the glass clean when the air control is closed.

Just speculating here, but could the holes be secondary air or is there a ducted path to that area?

Have you been in touch with Hearthstone Tech on this issue?

No problem, forgot i had that video and nope no path of air from the main air supply. I haven't contacted hearthstone mainly due to my past experience with trying to get their help on something much less minor. Stove is running right now and performing flawless, no difference in how hot it runs and glass is clean although its only been a few hours. The air control is smooth as butter right now too which is fantastic

 

[velocity1]

..

 

[begreen]

That seems great. Hope it works out, It's such a good looking stove.

 

[velocity1]

That seems great. Hope it works out, It's such a good looking stove.

Thanks, fingers crossed!