New ashford 30.2 installed this summer have a few questions!

[Tron]

Yes i did notice the stat is super sensitive.

It totally is. Even 10 degrees rotation on the knob make a difference.
And as others have said, it regulates heat output, not room temperature, so the position will be different depending on outside temperatures.

 

[Cburke]

Ok looks like this week we’ve got some cooler temps finally. Hopefully the door adjustment and thermostat adjustments as well as cooler weather takes care of the smell I’ll let you know in a few days!

 

[Highbeam]

Some of the woodstock stoves have ridiculously long intake air levers and very large well marked dials so that it is easier to set the intake for a repeatable and dependable burn. If you have a new BK stove you can mark the tiny thermostat dial with something that helps you but since it is only a tiny dial it is a challenge to get it right especially in the darker conditions around most hearths. I spend a rather excessive amount of time trying to hit the same spot each night.

I do not find much variation with outside temperature other than I use a higher setting when it's really cold and the same lowest setting when it's not. I also recommend you all not try and run on the ragged edge of cat stall or the minimum setting. That leads to really low flue temperatures and excessive creosote. My low setting is low but high enough that internal flue temperatures near the stove hang at 400 with a black box.

 

[Tron]

I do not find much variation with outside temperature other than I use a higher setting when it's really cold and the same lowest setting when it's not.

Now that is exactly the kind of variation we're talking about ;-)

Regarding marking the dial: I placed a small magnet onto it, that lets me hit the right spot and I can move it a little depending on long-term outside temperature.

 

[Cburke]

Ok time for a very frustrating update. It’s been chilly here last night was in the high 20’s high 40s day same tonight. Still smelled some smoke smell,although not as bad I think, and now I’m starting to think it may be residual paint curing smell if that’s possible mixing in with the smoke smell making things smell worse. I’ve had at least 6 fires in this thing so far thought the paint smell would be gone. I’ve been burning t-stat mid way open. Start my fire the way the manual says to burn on high for 15-20 after cat is engaged which leads to more frustration. Right side of the fire wood is mostly coals at that point and left side hasn’t been touched! Still un charred wood. Chimney an hour after setting t stat to mid way on a very active cat is still pouring smoke out. What am I doing wrong here? Is it something I’m doing operating wise that is causing all this and also causing the smoke smell as well? Fires seem to burn pretty quick relatively speaking in this thing. Maybe the beech wood I have is too dry lol. I know there’s a learning curve but I sure feel like I’m missing something. Thanks!

 

[Mreif]

Hello everyone. I have been a member for a while just lurking though. I recently got rid of my non cat wood stove and upgraded to a bk asford 30.2. Haven’t been able to run it too much here in pa because it’s been rather warm. But I have had a handful of fires. Overall love the stove big learning curve switching to a cat stove. Few questions. I have been getting small amount of smoke smell about 6 hours or so into my burn at a fairly low setting. Don’t smell it on when first starting the fire. Is this normal due to it being in the 40s to high 30s at night and mid 50s day time, or do I have one of those strange ashfords that have smell issues. I was inspecting the door and I’ll post some pictures of the hinge area seems a little off to me as the pin looks smashed up a bit and some washers and bolts don’t really match up. I had the stove professionally installed it’s a straight run of double wall pipe probably about 16ft high. Any way. The smell seems to come from the upper left hand corner of the door. The wood I have on hand for burning right now is 4 year old America. Beech stored off the ground in a well ventilated wood shed. Here’s some hinge pictures and stove pipe set up. Thanks for the hel

Hello everyone. I have been a member for a while just lurking though. I recently got rid of my non cat wood stove and upgraded to a bk asford 30.2. Haven’t been able to run it too much here in pa because it’s been rather warm. But I have had a handful of fires. Overall love the stove big learning curve switching to a cat stove. Few questions. I have been getting small amount of smoke smell about 6 hours or so into my burn at a fairly low setting. Don’t smell it on when first starting the fire. Is this normal due to it being in the 40s to high 30s at night and mid 50s day time, or do I have one of those strange ashfords that have smell issues. I was inspecting the door and I’ll post some pictures of the hinge area seems a little off to me as the pin looks smashed up a bit and some washers and bolts don’t really match up. I had the stove professionally installed it’s a straight run of double wall pipe probably about 16ft high. Any way. The smell seems to come from the upper left hand corner of the door. The wood I have on hand for burning right now is 4 year old America. Beech stored off the ground in a well ventilated wood shed. Here’s some hinge pictures and stove pipe set up. Thanks for the help!

Small world, I'm right down the road from you in glenmoore. Enjoy your new stove and this site lots of useful info here.

 

[kborndale]

The paint smell will come back every time you hit a higher temp than the stove had ever been before.

 

[Tron]

The paint smell will come back every time you hit a higher temp than the stove had ever been before.

Indeed. Even after five seasons, if I forget to close the bypass and to dial down on startup, flue temperatures go through the roof and the smell is very noticeable.

 

[Cburke]

Ok still searching for potential areas of smoke smell. Is this pipe supposed to be sat all the way down? It’s also some what loose. I can move it around

 

[Highbeam]

Ok still searching for potential areas of smoke smell. Is this pipe supposed to be sat all the way down? It’s also some what loose. I can move it around

That's fine. The outer wall of the double wall is shorter and you want the inner wall with the taper to bottom out to form the seal before the "skirt" hits the stove top which would hold the taper away from seating.

There has been a history of smell from ashfords. BK will always start with investigating the chimney so we may as well ask for pictures and accurate description of the actual chimney from stove to cap. Sometimes the photos show something that you don't think to describe.

Oh and the smoke thing. These stoves smoke. Especially for the first few hours before the entire load has off gassed and settled in for a long burn. That smoke should be from the chimney though and not into your home!

 

[Cburke]

That's fine. The outer wall of the double wall is shorter and you want the inner wall with the taper to bottom out to form the seal before the "skirt" hits the stove top which would hold the taper away from seating.

There has been a history of smell from ashfords. BK will always start with investigating the chimney so we may as well ask for pictures and accurate description of the actual chimney from stove to cap. Sometimes the photos show something that you don't think to describe.

Oh and the smoke thing. These stoves smoke. Especially for the first few hours before the entire load has off gassed and settled in for a long burn. That smoke should be from the chimney though and not into your home!

Yes I’ll grab some pictures shortly I’m away from the house now. But I did pull the pipe up and the double wall inner portion does not fit tightly inside the stove. The inside portion of the pipe is actually shorter than the outer wall that has the flare to it. I assuming that’s not correct?

 

[Mreif]

Yes I’ll grab some pictures shortly I’m away from the house now. But I did pull the pipe up and the double wall inner portion does not fit tightly inside the stove. The inside portion of the pipe is actually shorter than the outer wall that has the flare to it. I assuming that’s not correct?

You may need a adapter to fit into the stove first then the dw would go into the adapter. Check the stove pipe manufacturers website to see what's available

 

[Highbeam]

Where’s your adapter? That piece was necessary on my princess to go from duravent double wall into the stove collar.

To be fair, it’s not always required. Some stoves have a taller collar like my old hearthstone that accepted the plain end of the double wall perfectly.

 

[Cburke]

Where’s your adapter? That piece was necessary on my princess to go from duravent double wall into the stove collar.

To be fair, it’s not always required. Some stoves have a taller collar like my old hearthstone that accepted the plain end of the double wall perfectly.

I was in contact with the installer he said he will make it right for me he may not have realized that those two raised areas of the stove prevent the pipe from seating all the way into the collar. He’s going to bring an adapter with him as well as we’re going to add a foot to the chimney just to be on the safe side since I’m at 15 ft( min. Required height.)

 

[Highbeam]

I was in contact with the installer he said he will make it right for me he may not have realized that those two raised areas of the stove prevent the pipe from seating all the way into the collar. He’s going to bring an adapter with him as well as we’re going to add a foot to the chimney just to be on the safe side since I’m at 15 ft( min. Required height.)

You want that taper to tighten up as you set it into the stove collar. Air leaks into the flue spoil draft.

 

[Cburke]

Ok time for a long over due update sorry life had been crazy busy lately. Finally got the stove collar adapter in and I believe another 4 ft section of pipe was added and this thing is a completely different stove! In a good way. Cold starts are so much easier, and getting the Temp setting dialed in it’s way more flexible for me now. Before it was too hot or not enough. And best part is I’ve had no smoke smell whatsoever! Thanks everyone for your help! I’m loving this thing. Finally got cold enough to burn here in pa. Getting a good consistent 15 hour burn with temps in the low 20’s now just gotta dial in the new set up and learn the new stack height and I’ll be good to go!