Blocking air

[begreen]

Almost all EPA stoves have a regulatable primary air control. As one turns down the primary air the suction on the secondary air gets greater. The draft will pull from the point of least resistance. With a lot of primary air leaking thru the door, the pull on the secondary rack may be weak due to greater resistance there.

 

[Insanity]

Ah, of course. I'll try blocking the primary in an adjustable way and see what transpires. Thanks!

 

[BurningWood]

Ah, of course. I'll try blocking the primary in an adjustable way and see what transpires. Thanks!

A strip of aluminum foil set on edge leaning against the door and bent to the rounded edges of the door works well. The draft pull helps keep it in place. You can bend out one end to increase the airflow, or seal it off completely. I usually keep the holes blocked with aluminum foil at all times and then put that strip in place once the fire is going well (usually about 15 minutes or so after starting). Crude solution but it works. I'll be looking for magnets for the door holes once I get near a hardware store.

 

[Sprinter]

I'll be looking for magnets for the door holes once I get near a hardware store.

You can try the magnets, but just be aware that they may fail and drop off if the door gets too hot. Magnets do that.

Also, if you see no smoke from the chimney, that's a good sign that the secondaries are doing something.

 

[begreen]

The magnets may just be for experimentation. If the door gets over 900F they will probably drop off. If the door stays under 900F then they may continue to work.

 

[BurningWood]

You can try the magnets, but just be aware that they may fail and drop off if the door gets too hot. Magnets do that.

Also, if you see no smoke from the chimney, that's a good sign that the secondaries are doing something.

The magnets may just be for experimentation. If the door gets over 900F they will probably drop off. If the door stays under 900F then they may continue to work.

Hopefully the door, and stove in general, are not getting that hot. That would be some seriously concerning overburn! I found some fairly inexpensive magnets on Amazon that I think might work.

Good point about the smoke. I see smoke sometimes, but usually only right at the chimney in little white puffs. Definitely not a long smoke plume.

 

[Sprinter]

Good point about the smoke. I see smoke sometimes, but usually only right at the chimney in little white puffs. Definitely not a long smoke plume.

And that may just be water vapor.

About the magnets. I wouldn't think that the door would get hot enough for most common magnets to get that weak either. Just didn't want you to be alarmed if they did. And it depends on the type of material, too. Most get weak gradually. Neodymium magnets get weak faster than ferrite ones (temp wise). Ferrite magnets will completely fail at around 850 - 900F like begreen said. Neo ones much less, like 650 or so. That's the Curie point when they fail completely, But enough of that.

Nice thing about magnets here is that you can adjust them easily for the proper opening. I think I'd try that route, too, for this.

 

[BurningWood]

And that may just be water vapor.

About the magnets. I wouldn't think that the door would get hot enough for most common magnets to get that weak either. Just didn't want you to be alarmed if they did. And it depends on the type of material, too. Most get weak gradually. Neodymium magnets get weak faster than ferrite ones (temp wise). Ferrite magnets will completely fail at around 850 - 900F like begreen said. Neo ones much less, like 650 or so. That's the Curie point when they fail completely, But enough of that.

Nice thing about magnets here is that you can adjust them easily for the proper opening. I think I'd try that route, too, for this.

Yes, they are ferrite magnets. Good point about adjusting them! I actually had not contemplated that. Thank you for that.