Air intake door ’knocking’

[Qryztufre]

The timing on this never seems to fail. I can have a fire going all day long, but as soon as I lay down to go to sleep, the door on the air intake begins to open and closed making a tapping sound that would put any leaky faucet to shame.

If I open the intake a bit to allow more air in just a bit, it will stop, but will often begin again (of course, right before I fall asleep). If I open the door too much, it often allows too much air in causing the stove to over-fire (which is something I'd just assume not sleep though).

Its a wonderwood wood stove similar to this one (http://www.usstovefactorydirect.com/images/woodstove/us2941.gif) but I am not sure of it's actual model type (as I am not at home at the moment).

Any clue as to what causes this, and how I can go about fixing it?

 

[kenny chaos]

I had an old stove I could simply lay a couple of metal washers on for extra weight and it stopped.
You gotta look at it and see how it works. Maybe there is a hinge that's slightly bound.
Good luck-
Kenny

 

[Battenkiller]

Dang thermostatic air controls. :roll: ;-)

Mine does the same thing, but it's in the basement so it doesn't keep me up. In my case, as the stove heats up, the air flapper gets closer and closer to the stove back until it gets close enough for the draft to pull it all the way closed against the tension of the bi-metallic spring. This cuts the draft enough for the spring to be able to pull it back open, and so on, until the stove cools off enough that flapper stays open wide enough for the rest of the burn cycle that it stops happening.

On an old VC, you can put a small bend at the corners of the air flapper that will prevent a perfect seal. It doesn't seem to affect the operation of my stove, so I leave it the way it was made. I don't know what yours looks like, but it might be worth a try.

BTW any pics? Always helps with the diagnosis.

 

[begreen]

Our old Resolute used to do this. I fixed it pronto by placing a tiny magnet on the bottom outside edge of the flapper. It doesn't take much and worked like a charm.

 

[Battenkiller]

Our old Resolute used to do this. I fixed it pronto by placing a tiny magnet on the bottom outside edge of the flapper. It doesn't take much and worked like a charm.

Didn't the old Riteways come that way?

 

[Qryztufre]

FLAPPER! HA! that's why I was not finding my answer on google, I was looking for other things... but lol, what a name, I bet it gets it from the flapping noise it makes

Dang thermostatic air controls. :roll: ;-)

Mine does the same thing, but it's in the basement so it doesn't keep me up. In my case, as the stove heats up, the air flapper gets closer and closer to the stove back until it gets close enough for the draft to pull it all the way closed against the tension of the bi-metallic spring. This cuts the draft enough for the spring to be able to pull it back open, and so on, until the stove cools off enough that flapper stays open wide enough for the rest of the burn cycle that it stops happening.

that makes sense, thanks for the 'why' of the matter!

On an old VC, you can put a small bend at the corners of the air flapper that will prevent a perfect seal. It doesn't seem to affect the operation of my stove, so I leave it the way it was made. I don't know what yours looks like, but it might be worth a try.

I think I can try that...

THANKS!

Though, from the bit above explaining the why, I may use a bit of that string stuff used to seal the main doors...then it can 'flap' all it wants too, but it wont be metal on metal (thats kinda how I got the cupboards to stop banging, but I used cotton, which would likely be bad in this case).

But it does seem that anything that can allow SOME air in, will keep this from happening. The trick in my case is to just not let enough in for over-firing, which is something I can likely do with some testing (and some hot fingers).

BTW any pics? Always helps with the diagnosis.

Not at this time... I'm not at home, and didn't think of that before I left.

I live without electricity (by choice) so I can only get online at my daughters house...

Our old Resolute used to do this. I fixed it pronto by placing a tiny magnet on the bottom outside edge of the flapper. It doesn't take much and worked like a charm.

I'm not sure I follow...

That would close the air off completely would it not?

 

[begreen]

Our old Resolute used to do this. I fixed it pronto by placing a tiny magnet on the bottom outside edge of the flapper. It doesn't take much and worked like a charm.

I'm not sure I follow...

That would close the air off completely would it not?

Yes, it's supposed to. What is happening is that when the demand for heat has been satisfied and the thermostat has closed the flapper, the flapper is hanging in free air. Minor turbulence from wind or moderate air draw from the stove will cause it to swing back and forth slightly. The tapping you are hearing is when the flapper hits the stove body. The magnet stops this. As soon as the thermostat calls for heat it will overcome the magnetic pull and open the air intake. Just don't use a big honking magnet. A little 1/4" bar or circular magnet should do the trick.

 

[Battenkiller]

Just don't use a big honking magnet. A little 1/4" bar or circular magnet should do the trick.

And stay away from those rare earth magnets (usually shiny nickle-plating on the outside) unless you use a real tiny one. That's all you need anyway, like the ones in those little push-pin looking things you see sold everywhere. Buy a pack, trash one for the magnet, then use the rest to put pics of the grandkids on the fridge... or whatever you are using to keep things cold in there. No electric at all, eh? Rock on. ;-)

 

[begreen]

Yes, a tiny 1/4" one from the back of a refrig magnet would be fine.

 

[Qryztufre]

I feel like an idiot because I don't know the terms... so please bear with me.

I fixed it by just twisting the wire thingie attached to the air intake effectively pushing it down the spring thingie on the control. Now it actually closes all the way when I turn it to low, and actually opens all the way when I put it on high! So I reckon that was my trouble all along.

 

[webbie]

Sound like somewhat of a fix - BUT, it still may do it at rare times when the air is almost closed......if so, there are various remedies - a barometric control on the pipe can help, so can a simple paper clip or other spacer put in so it cannot close 100% - realistically, no air control on a stove should close super-tightly.