are thesa secondary burn holes?

[gogreenburnwood]

I have a question for all you PE Alderlea owners out there. I cleaned out the ash the other day, and we had a pretty good fire going yesterday to warm up the house. After I shut it down I noticed little flames shooting out from the bottom front of the firebox, much like you see coming out of the secondary holes at the top. We could actually see the air supply coming into the firebox because the flames were curling around in there, but these little jets of flame were shooting out at the bottom like I had gas hooked up to it. This morning with the stove cooled off I felt along the bottom and sure enough there are holes all along the bottom. They seem a little bigger then the secondary holes. The manual says to clean out the ash when there is 3 to 4 inches, which essentially covers these little holes. I can't find any more information about them. Are the like secondary burn holes except along the bottom? I think I'll keep the area clean of ash from now on. It tends to get covered because of dragging the coals forward in the morning to get the fire going.

 

[LLigetfa]

Folks here call them the doghouse or zipper air. They are a source of primary air and on most stoves are unregulated. They are not superheated as are the secondaries.

 

[Hogwildz]

Yes this will happen, especially when you have the stove on the hotter side.
My Summit does it at about 650 degrees or so.
They are not secondary jets, they are the primary air that is the portion allowed in even with the lever all the way to low.
Also makes for chinkers on the firebrick just in front of it.

 

[BrotherBart]

PE calls that the boost manifold and the air coming out boost air.

 

[LLigetfa]

PE call that the boost manifold and the air coming out boost air.

Great, more nomenclature to remember.

As for not clogging them, use an ash hoe to push the ashes to the back of the stove and then use a coal rake to separate the coals and pull them forward. I tend to let the ashes pile up much higher at the back of the stove.

 

[Treacherous]

(broken link removed to http://www.northweststoves.ca/pdf/pac-wood/m-pacific-wood-insert-part2.pdf)

 

[Treacherous]

I think boost air on my Lopi is cracking the door.

 

[gogreenburnwood]

Thanks for all the replies and especially the link. I will pay more attention to keeping the ashes away from the very front of the stove.

 

[woodmiser]

Both my stoves have control over the doghouse.

 

[Dakotas Dad]

Both my stoves have control over the doghouse.

Mine too.. The air across the top/down the glass and the afterburner air is what is uncontrolled on the Homestead.

 

[gogreenburnwood]

Well it's practically impossible to keep the ashes away from the front lip and these holes. Now I'm wondering what is keeping the ashes from falling in the holes and filling whatever air chamber might be there. How do i clean them out.

 

[gpcollen1]

Well it's practically impossible to keep the ashes away from the front lip and these holes. Now I'm wondering what is keeping the ashes from falling in the holes and filling whatever air chamber might be there. How do i clean them out.

With the air being sucked in there, it should not be an issue. Does the manual indicate you need to clean them?

 

[gogreenburnwood]

Manual doesn't even mention that they are there.