Hello, I purchased a house with DS stoves Energy max 160 this spring. I have had a few fires in it now with temps dropping. New stove leads to new learning curve and hoping to jump that curve if anyone has any experience with this stove.
This stove has a bypass damper, airwash adjustment (High and low), and a DS hot air regulator. My previous stove had a simple single adjustment to control the amount of air. I am trying to figure out with this stove how to best burn "low and slow" without risk of overfiring using these controls. I have turned the air regulator low, closed the damper and set the airwash to low. However when it was in those settings the stove, which has sheet metal sides attached to it, seemed to be expanding creating a loud "pang" type noise. I am unsure if this is normal? or if the stove is getting too hot. I have two Rutland burn indicators, magnetic temp gauges, on both the top of the stove and the front next to the door. when the sheet metal starts panging the front indicator seems to be showing right on the line of "burn zone vs overfire" (about 575 degrees F). However, the top indicator is in the middle of the burn zone about 400 degrees F
I am wondering if its getting to hot when the sheet metal starts expanding or if its normal. If its not normal then I am unsure how I will be able to load the stove full and let it burn without overfiring.
link to stove manual
Thanks for any advice in advance.
![Burning with DS stove Energy Max 160 Burning with DS stove Energy Max 160](https://www.hearth.com/talk/data/attachments/285/285524-a9c895f9ff60c4c9b9c1722ef07e2133.jpg)
This stove has a bypass damper, airwash adjustment (High and low), and a DS hot air regulator. My previous stove had a simple single adjustment to control the amount of air. I am trying to figure out with this stove how to best burn "low and slow" without risk of overfiring using these controls. I have turned the air regulator low, closed the damper and set the airwash to low. However when it was in those settings the stove, which has sheet metal sides attached to it, seemed to be expanding creating a loud "pang" type noise. I am unsure if this is normal? or if the stove is getting too hot. I have two Rutland burn indicators, magnetic temp gauges, on both the top of the stove and the front next to the door. when the sheet metal starts panging the front indicator seems to be showing right on the line of "burn zone vs overfire" (about 575 degrees F). However, the top indicator is in the middle of the burn zone about 400 degrees F
I am wondering if its getting to hot when the sheet metal starts expanding or if its normal. If its not normal then I am unsure how I will be able to load the stove full and let it burn without overfiring.
link to stove manual
Thanks for any advice in advance.
![Burning with DS stove Energy Max 160 Burning with DS stove Energy Max 160](https://www.hearth.com/talk/data/attachments/285/285522-d6bc404379b29e3e4336a1e442c82857.jpg)
![Burning with DS stove Energy Max 160 Burning with DS stove Energy Max 160](https://www.hearth.com/talk/data/attachments/285/285523-abb862e8e0399160aee7378eb47423c7.jpg)
![Burning with DS stove Energy Max 160 Burning with DS stove Energy Max 160](https://www.hearth.com/talk/data/attachments/285/285524-a9c895f9ff60c4c9b9c1722ef07e2133.jpg)