Not cleaning the ash pan

My stove burns better and longer with a good amount of ash buildup.
I do always rake a channel through the ash from the air inlet to the back of the stove.

Rob

No ash pan on my stove. While the coals keep longer with a thick bed of ashes, I get more heat out of the stove if I empty the ashes. I try to time the ash removal with the outdoor temps.

Rob, you have a defiant? Where does the air get into the box? Its still a mystery to me!

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Sorry, no.
I don't have a defiant, or an ash box, I was just describing how mine burns better/longer when ash is allowed to build up a bit, as opposed to no ash.

You might try a cigarette, or insense, or something that makes smoke to locate the intake while the stove is burning.
On mine, I had to unbolt the outside air connection under the stove to see the two separate intake areas.

Rob

The fire will usually do much better with some ashes but you can also have too many ashes.

I always take a page from Goldilocks -- too much ash is bad, not enough ash is bad, but somewhere in the middle is just right . . . for me that's having an inch or so of ash/coals in the firebox.

For me it's a full ash pan and an inch in the box.