Has anybody added any electronic doo dads to there wood stoves other than fans?

[Deleted member 116684]

The problem I see with shutting down the secondary airflow is that it will lower the efficiency of the stove quite a bit. I like the idea of a thermostatic controlled damper and catalytic, that seems like an ideal combination.

yeah the effeciency factor is is something to think about, but I still get clean burns on mine. The air flow was so stong before I think the heat was going up the pipe and it would literally burn the wood off the top as well as the bottom. WE get longer burns and I swear more heat and less coalw ith no smoke out the top. Really dry wood is crucial for my set up.

 

[Del_]

The problem I see with shutting down the secondary airflow is that it will lower the efficiency of the stove quite a bit. I like the idea of a thermostatic controlled damper and catalytic, that seems like an ideal combination.

Shutting down the secondaries after the pyrolytic gasses are gone would increase efficiency. Air moving through the firebox that does not get involved in combustion just takes firebox heat with it on it's journey. Most secondaries are not adjustable for convenience sake. If accidentally one were to leave the secondary closed with pyrolytic gasses present then that would decrease efficiency and it is an easy one to forget. Older less efficient wood stoves had no secondary air at all and it is a good part of the reason that they do not build up a large bed of coals. Lack of secondary combustion is also why they are less efficient.

 

[chadihman]

The problem I see with shutting down the secondary airflow is that it will lower the efficiency of the stove quite a bit. I like the idea of a thermostatic controlled damper and catalytic, that seems like an ideal combination.

Del had a good explanation as to why shutting the secondary air down would help with efficiency.

If you can figure out a way to reduce the secondary air input you'll find the coal bed burn down at a faster rate. I fooled around making the non adjustable secondary air on my Jotul F600CB manually adjustable and found this to be true.

I believe what happens is that secondary air does not get to the coals like the primary air does due to the location of firebox entrance and when all of the combustible gasses are gone the coals burn down slowly. Also it figures that if secondary air in entering the firebox but not getting involved in the combustion process that this 'extra' secondary air would reduce wood stove efficiency by taking some of the firebox heat with it on it's journey through the stove. My experiments seemed to show this.

If you can find a way to 'auto reduce' secondary air input automatically when the stove reaches the bed of coal stage I'd be interested in the results.

 

[chadihman]

Sorry didn't read ahead

 

[ChoppyChoppy]

I gotcha. I have the same problem, only with ash and not coals. Not having an ash pan necessitates letting the stove burn down every few days and cleaning it out. Luckily the stove is just for supplimental heat and not primary, although it gets run 24hrs a day during cold weather. Cold around here is sub freezing.

What kind of stove is that? I empty ash out of my Blaze King maybe times 3 a season. Holds easily a cord of wood burned worth of ash.

 

[Full Chisel]

What kind of stove is that? I empty ash out if my Blaze King maybe times a season. Holds easily a cord of wood burned worth of ash.

Hearthstone castleton.