Fresh Air Intake Kits for Pellet Stoves--Do They Really Make a Difference?

[DarbyDog]

Okay, well, here's the pic.

But...The issue for me isn't how to get outside air into the pellet stove (even though using an opening in the thimble is an interesting alternative to another hole in the wall). The issue is how to get that outside air into the burn pot via a pipe. And unfortunately, there's no easy way at all for me to get a direct view of the space just behind the air intake openings beneath the burn pot. If I could easily pull the stove out from the wall and have direct access to the inside of the stove, I'm sure I could figure out how to get outside air directly connected there. But there's no easy way to get the stove out and then back again and I'm way too busy with other stuff to fit that project in. So it turns into cost-benefit. And the additional problem is that I don't think anyone at this forum has fitted my exact pellet stove with outside-air. Even those who have posted here about their own Quest pellet stove don't have the same Quest I have (the very first Quest model; only two models were made and I have the first one).

So anyway, I'm probably just going to crack a window next winter. Or...who knows--Maybe I'll just feed some outside air into the back of the stove with a pipe and let that ambient outside air get sucked into the air intake (wherever that is) on its own.

 

[DarbyDog]

The air intake pipe stops an inch short of the air intake on the stove.

There is no air intake pipe that came preinstalled in my stove that i can see anywhere. If you're saying that's where I should be installing a pipe--an inch short of the air intake (to then connect to an outside air pipe), well...there's no way for me to see exactly where the air intake opening is because I have to "see" everything inside the stove using a mirror crammed into a six-inch space between the back of the stove and the wall and I don't want to be pulling the stove out from the wall what with all the time/work that would require. Not that much of a masochist.

 

[johneh]

Maybe I'll just feed some outside air into the back of the stove with a pipe and let that ambient outside air get sucked into the air intake (wherever that is) on its own.

That's what I would do

 

[DarbyDog]

Okay, well, here's the pic.

But...The issue for me isn't how to get outside air into the pellet stove (even though using an opening in the thimble is an interesting alternative to another hole in the wall). The issue is how to get that outside air into the burn pot via a pipe. And unfortunately, there's no easy way at all for me to get a direct view of the space just behind the air intake openings beneath the burn pot. If I could easily pull the stove out from the wall and have direct access to the inside of the stove, I'm sure I could figure out how to get outside air directly connected there. But there's no easy way to get the stove out and then back again and I'm way too busy with other stuff to fit that project in. So it turns into cost-benefit. And the additional problem is that I don't think anyone at this forum has fitted my exact pellet stove with outside-air. Even those who have posted here about their own Quest pellet stove don't have the same Quest I have (the very first Quest model; only two models were made and I have the first one).

So anyway, I'm probably just going to crack a window next winter. Or...who knows--Maybe I'll just feed some outside air into the back of the stove with a pipe and let that ambient outside air get sucked into the air intake (wherever that is) on its own.

That's what I would do

Then that's good enough for me too. Done!

Thx

 

[Ricks]

Can you provide a picture looking downward at the back of the stove? I would like to see the entire back of the stove including where the exhaust pipe comes out of the stove.

Thanks

 

[DarbyDog]

Here you go. This is a reverse-image photo I took a few months ago thru a mirror I had placed against the wall behind the stove (to help me install the auger motor; previous thread of mine).

 

[DarbyDog]

Here you go. This is a reverse-image photo I took a few months ago thru a mirror I had placed against the wall behind the stove (to help me install the auger motor; previous thread of mine).

View attachment 328284

And here's the top-down photo you asked for.

 

[Ricks]

The reverse picture shows me what I needed. Right next to the plug or electrical connection for the stove is the fresh air intake pipe. So connect this up to a pipe that heads to th outside.

By connecting th fresh air intake to that pipe you will have an air gap or indirect connection to the stove’s intake.

If it helps here are some pictures of the back of my stove. You can see the fresh air intake right next to the plug for the stove.

 

[DarbyDog]

Thanks man for taking the time to do this. Appreciate it.

Yes--I'm aware of that "pipe" as you're calling it. I referred to it in a previous reply here as a "collar." Don't really know what to call it, but anyway, just as with my stove, it appears to lead nowhere except to open space and ambient air inside the stove. And it was in fact my original intention to connect to that collar. I had ordered an outside air kit about a year ago with intentions of doing just that when I got the chance, but then a few weeks ago when I took a closer look at the collar, I realized it wasn't connected to any enclosed piping directly connected to the air-intake openings below the burn box. And that's what prompted my thread here.

And I was visualizing an outside air connection that would produce exclusively outside air for combustion. But then I began to get comments above talking outside air getting mixed with room air, with some stoves having a "1" gap," between outside and inside air, etc, etc. So for whatever reason it seems that even modern pellet stoves (about which I have no knowledge) like the idea of mixing outside air with room air. That's something I don't get but maybe it has something to do with getting air pressure to equilibrate. Dunno.

Anyway--Knowing all this now makes my life a lot easier. I'll be connecting directly to the collar/pipe.