How to improve my cheap wood stove

[EastoutWest]

So I have a King brand wood stove in the house I rent. Been using it for 3 winters now as my primary heat source. Problem is, it is lacking any kind of intake air control. To get that, you have to get the next model up for $300 more. I have no clue why anyone would build (or buy) a wood stove without an intake air damper.

Without being able to damper the intake it runs wide open all the time and my only control is to close the flue damper. I do close the flue damper when the fire gets going. The only way I've found to maintain coals overnight or when gone all day is to load as big as possible wood into it and to let the ash build up very deep in the firebox... like a few weeks of ash. It also has this weird convex plate (heat sink/exchanger type thing) that protrudes low into the firebox from above, leaving only about 10" in height available in the firebox. So I can't put very fat logs in for overnight burning. I assume it holds coals longer with a lot of ash in the stove because the ash reduces the air reaching the smoldering coals.

Anyway, I've pondered ways to rig up an intake choke but haven't come up with anything that convenient to use. Here is a picture for reference. You may have to zoom in above the door to see the intake ports, they are a series of slots above the door.

My current solution is to attach a long magnet (specifically, a magnetic strip tool holder) directly over some of the intake ports. I can cover all but about 2.5 ports with it (out of 7) and it helps slow down the burn however it has a very strong grip and is therefore difficult to adjust, especially when the stove is hot. When I try to move it, it wants to get off-kilter and stick to the angled surface above the ports, allowing air in the ports.

I've pondered fabricating some kind of slotted pipe to cover the ports with damper(s) on one or both ends but I feel like I'd have to weld to the stove and I rent this home so...

Has anyone here dealt with a stove that doesn't have an intake damper and/or come up with a better solution?

 

[moresnow]

Not recommending a thing but... Think baked potatoes Orrrrr. I may have been told that 2 key dampers inline has been tried. I never tried the 2 damper setup but recently read about it. Sounded reasonable perhaps. Or desperate!
Keep in mind you are messing with FIRE inside your home! Be careful with the magnet. I had trouble with them falling off. While smoking hot. Lesson learned.

Best bet is to friendly up with your home owner to get a more efficient/controllable model. Any questions. PM me.

 

[U&A]

This may come off strong but it is MY OPINION


Heat can kill magnets.(fact)


Don’t risk it, and for gosh sakes do not alter a wood stove in you house. That is no joke and a HUGE.....HUGE.... liability.



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[EastoutWest]

Thanks for your comments and warnings. After posting, I did some searching for EPA stove threads on this forum. It seems most, if not all, don't have intake air control. I guess so the stove remains in the efficient, secondary burn zone as long as it has enough wood. I do really like the secondary burn; it looks super cool and puts out a lot of heat. I've also consistently noticed very little smoke coming out of the chimney except during startup.

Since I discovered that leaving a lot of ash in the stove can cause embers to last all night, I have had a better experience with the stove. I also save my biggest pieces for overnight. So I've been able to keep it going for about a week now without having to start a completely new fire.

As for the magnet, I've also heard that heat can kill them. This one I'm not sure though. It has tons of sticking power; enough that I have to use a tool to pry it loose. It's a flexible 1/2" x 10" or so strip sandwiched between two 3/8" steel bars. But thanks for the warnings, I'll make sure to check it regularly for sticking power.

 

[U&A]

Most EPA Stovers do have intake air controls they just do not allow you to completely cut off air. All the way on the lowest setting still allows a small amount of air in so you can not smolder a fire to much and hurt liberals fealings.

I have a stove pipe damper as well(always all the way open) to help slow down a fire that may get out of control if it is necessary in an emergency.

That’s the one bad thing about the EPA stoves is if you make a mistake and over fire your stove you have to basically ride it out. There are things you can do to clam the fire but most are dangerous for a stove that is in a house.

All my opinion

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[VirginiaIron]

Your photo: US Stove- When compared to the US Stove website, it appears there is a piece missing.

 

[VirginiaIron]

Looks like you have a part missing. I downloaded your image and it self identifies as a US Stove. When I went to the website it clearly shows a slide on the upper front. I tried loading images but it failed...., check out the website and the manuals. Maybe call the company on Monday.

 

[LondonNeil]

I've heard of people stuffing vents with Aluminium foil

 

[U&A]

I've heard of people stuffing vents with Aluminium foil

Probably the same people that think its ok to run 20w oil in a 400hp V8. [emoji23]


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[SamT1]

I used to have a vestal insert. I’d just burn half green wood at night to keep the burn time up. Then dad put a gas thing in his and I stole his earth stove. Wow, if your buying the wood it may be worth your money to buy a better stove. Maybe keep the landlords stove in storage to put back if you move. Or talk about some sort of cost share on it.

If that’s not a piece missing and you have some fab skills you may can build a bolt on sliding damper. Drill maybe only 2 holes. That’s probably an acceptable mod, especially if you fab good enough it looks natural.

You could stuff steel wool in them maybe? Or some header wrap may be safest if it fell to the floor.

 

[EastoutWest]

Looks like you have a part missing. I downloaded your image and it self identifies as a US Stove. When I went to the website it clearly shows a slide on the upper front. I tried loading images but it failed...., check out the website and the manuals. Maybe call the company on Monday.

I initially thought that could be a possibility but on the home depot site, there is one like the first pic (like mine - without slider) for ~$750 and one like your second pic, with the slider, for ~$1100. Mine says 4 hour burn time, that one says something like 10 hour burn time...

Thanks for clarifying @U&A That's what I figured but some respondents on the Home Depot site said no EPA stoves have air intake controls. They are obviously misinformed.

@SamT1 , Luckily I scrounge my firewood from the 43 acres of mature forest I steward/rent.

 

[VirginiaIron]

So it comes from the factory like that? On the website of US Stove, I tried to open the manuals to observe the parts list and see how that piece is attached. The stove should have a model/ manufacture plate and maybe a phone number.

 

[4seasons]

I have no experience with that stove but you said the next model up has the damper. Is it possible that that damper would fit your stove? My be a simple mod if your stove is the same build type to put a next model part on.

 

[grizz55chev]

I initially thought that could be a possibility but on the home depot site, there is one like the first pic (like mine - without slider) for ~$750 and one like your second pic, with the slider, for ~$1100. Mine says 4 hour burn time, that one says something like 10 hour burn time...

Thanks for clarifying @U&A That's what I figured but some respondents on the Home Depot site said no EPA stoves have air intake controls. They are obviously misinformed.

@SamT1 , Luckily I scrounge my firewood from the 43 acres of mature forest I steward/rent.

Looks more like a door that raises to let air in, lowers to close it off, still an easy mod.

 

[VirginiaIron]

I saw an identical/similar stove with no controls in the latest NorthernTool circular, for 499 and rated at about 103kbtu, so it probably is not missing anything.

 

[EastoutWest]

Yep, same stove, except it seems they have reduced the inlet ports from 7 to 5 and they appear smaller. Perhaps a hint that the previous model (the one that I have) had too much breathing.