Ash Pans: Yea or Nay

Blue Vomit said:

I just started to NOT use the ash pan.
I get longer, better, consistent burns with a layer of ash in the Oslo.
So far, I find it easier to shovel ash every few days to get a more consistent burn. Using the ash pan, I found myself waiting a few days for a layer of ash to build up.
I did like the ash pan in my VC encore though. Cool handle that covered the pan to prevent spillage. Too bad the door on it rarely sealed correctly without manipulation and cursing.

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Interesting. I can tell when my ash pan is full on my Oslo because the stove will not perform as well. My old Dutchwest cat seems to like some ash in the pan.

The large pan was one of the features that sold me on the Oslo and I would hate to be without it. I do not like to rekindle fires and when I burn 24/7 it is so easy to dump the pan every third or fourth day.

Fv doesn't have one, Keystone has a great (grate) one.
The Buck has a 3.5x5.25" 'ash drop' hole with a hinged lid. Kind of a pain but not too bad. Pan holds several loads' worth. I might try shoveling but the stove isn't very tall so I will need a shallow pan; Can't have any ash floating around MIL's house...
I would always want an ash pan (well-designed) if I had a choice; It's the quickest, easiest, cleanest way to deal with ash IMO. And your wood stays in the stove for the most part. Any small coals that fall through the grate slowly burn out in the pan, getting the most BTU out of all the hard work expended getting the wood. Hate carrying out half a bucket of coals. If you start fiddling around trying to separate the coals out, it becomes as big a pain as the dreaded 'plug' I would imagine...

Most stoves requiring only ember protection, versus an R-value hearth, require some sort of shield on the bottom. Might as well be an ash pan.

The Cape Cod has the floor grate but you must
tilt the ash pan 45 degrees to get the pan out of
the drawer,spilling ash all over the hearth.
Defiant had a grate and the ash pan was easy
to remove and had a cover with handle so never
any dust in the house.

I empty mine monthly, but that correlates to 50+ bags.

pen said:

Yep, Englander's have an ash pan as well as some of the highest r-value requirements for hearth pads.

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Yeah, but that's not unusual for more inexpensive stoves.

I could swear I've seen at least one old stove manual stating you needed to use their heat shield OR ash pan, on any hearth less than masonry on earth. Was likely a VC or old Jotul manual.

My stoves ash pain is not worth it along with plug.

I just shovel ashes into steel container put lid on it then take it outside set it on concrete.

Joful said:

Yeah, but that's not unusual for more inexpensive stoves.

I could swear I've seen at least one old stove manual stating you needed to use their heat shield OR ash pan, on any hearth less than masonry on earth. Was likely a VC or old Jotul manual.

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Can't be VC. The ash pan is not an optional item. You have an ash pan whether you want it or not.

I have what I would call a capable ash pan and I no longer use it; the ash vac is just so much simpler and faster and cleaner. I also always had some anxiety about the ash pan's lid and ash pan's firebrick not seating so well and causing air to enter the firebox. I think the truth is that as effective as the ash pan is, I found myself fiddling with it too much whereas with the ash vac it is just 1, rake coals forward, 2, vacuum the firebox, 3, redistribute the coals evenly mostly just to get the small amount of ash redistributed evenly. So, I vote "nay".

turbocruiser said:

I have what I would call a capable ash pan and I no longer use it; the ash vac is just so much simpler and faster and cleaner.... with the ash vac it is just 1, rake coals forward, 2, vacuum the firebox, 3, redistribute the coals evenly mostly just to get the small amount of ash redistributed evenly.

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You vacuum a firebox with live coals?

I actually like using the encore ash pan... the small capacity is a pain though, if I dont empty every 2 days it makes a mess.

The idea to buy two and swap them is ingenious - why did I never think of that? Going to go look for one now....

Slow1 said:

I bought a second pan insert with lid so I can simply pull the full one out and swap it for the empty one which makes ash removal take less than a minute and absolutely no ash dust blowing around in the house. I then empty the full one outside in my ash can whenever it is convenient for me (anytime before next ash removal which is generally at least 4 days later).

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That's a great idea! Off to order a 2nd pan for mine...

Joful said:

You vacuum a firebox with live coals?

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Well i typically wait til there are no active flames but sure if some coals are live and i need to vacuum I'll vacuum. The two key words here are "Ash Vac".

On our hearthstone- shelburne, we use the ash drawer always. On this small capacity stove, there isn't much firebox space to devote to ash . Also, the ash grate is a great way to fan a stubborn light-off. With the ash drawer ajar, coals will turn into blow torch flames in seconds. I like dealing with one big scoop of ashes instead of a bunch of little ones. The down side is, the cast iron ash grate warps and eventually breaks.

begreen said:

Had both grate and plug. Found I rarely used the pan on the Castine after the first year and never use the pan on the T6.

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Why's that Begreen?

pen said:

I find about a 1/2 dozen ash pan references in the Shelburne manual that all mention something to the order of:



Using the ash pan as an air entrance to start the fire is not advised.

pen

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Well, he did say the grate eventually warps and breaks.

The T6 ash pan is a joke. Never use it. The VC Encore was a great setup. Plenty of coals left in the firebox or empty the ash with the firebox full of wood. It didn't matter. Obviously the T6 has other attributes that I like and it is my primary heater for now.