Okay, it does seem that I covered up the air wash - which is on the bottom of the window for my stove.
Aside from cleaning dirty glass whenever I vac out the stove, is there any detriment to having the air wash gone?
The stove does seem to be burning hotter,and other posts seem to confirm that covering the air wash will make the stove burn hotter. But will I be harming anything?
Zach
Welcome to this forum, Zach. This is one of several of the 'consummate Quad tinker-er' modifications developed my B-mod, Swine flue, and TJ, among other sharp folks on this forum, who wanted to maximize the BTU output of their Quad stoves. The idea is to pull most of the 'forced draft' created by the combustion blower through the fire pot, instead of dividing it between the air wash and the fire pot, which gives a lower but hotter and more intense fire pot flame, as you found.
Think of how a wind driven fire increases the 'forced draft' effect, versus a fire burning with no added wind component. With the air wash mod, I average about 15 degrees higher air temps coming out of each heat exchanger tube, X the 8 tubes (if you have the newer generation Castile model than mine you have 10 heat exchanger tubes), which gives about 120 degrees more of heated air blowing out into the room as compared to the air wash unobstructed - definitely a noticeable difference. The other major advantage is that all the fly ash gets blown out of the fire pot, even after multiple days of running it 24 / 7 in the dead of winter, as all the fire pot air holes remain unobstructed, which maximizes the pellet burn efficiency.
I find if I completely obstruct the air wash, as you did inadvertently, then there is too much air flow, and it blows half burned embers out of the pot, which results in less complete pellet combustion - ie partially burnt embers get blown out into the fire box. Swine flues recommendation to cannibalize an old tadpole gasket works great - I cut it into 2 sections about 8" long each, and the thin part of the gasket will friction fit into the air wash gap. I leave about a 3" center section of the air wash open, which for my stove is the 'sweet spot' of complete pellet combustion, while maximizing the fire pot 'forced draft' effect.
Depending on your EVL / vent configuration, you may have to have more or less of the air wash unobstructed to get the optimum burn efficiency for your stove. So, if you decide you want to continue to use this 'Quad mod', I would recommend replacing your incorrectly placed tadpole gasket with a new one in the correct place, then you can cut up the discarded tadpole gasket to block your air wash as needed. I used multi-folded heavy duty aluminum foil to obstruct the air wash before my tadpole gasket needed replacing last season. The aluminum foil worked OK, but the tadpole gasket blocks it more effectively and is more heat durable over time.
There is certainly a risk of over-firing your stove if you do this modification ! On the medium heat setting, burning La Crete 100% softie pellets, I get about 185 F degree air temps coming out of the hottest exchanger tubes, and about 150 F out of the coolest tubes (measured with a candy thermometer in the air flow at the exchanger tube opening). If you average those temps it is getting pretty close to the 175 F #2 snap disc limit ! I've also done the heat exchanger tube spring insert modification that TJ cleverly came up with, as well as B-mods #2 snap disc wiring over-ride modification to keep the convection fan running on high regardless of the stoves heat setting.
So those other mods are cumulatively increasing my exchanger heat output as well, besides the air wash mod. (Search the forum link function to read about 'Quad modifications' if you're interested). By partially obstructing the air wash I do get more ash build-up on the glass of course, but my La C pellets burn so completely and leave such a light ash that I can just brush the glass with a 2" paint brush that I use to sweep the firebox, with the ash vacuum next to the brush, and the glass comes clean. I don't need to wipe it with wet paper towels until after 3 or 4 paint brushing / vacuum cleaning cycles.
Though I rarely if ever need to use the high heat setting, it would likely trip the #2 snap disc running it on high with the air wash obstructed. Hence the advantage of being able to easily remove the tadpole gasket for the rare occasion in Maine that it is well below zero and blowing like stink outside, and I need to run the stove on the high setting. With the air wash partially blocked I find I can tweak the pellet feed rate to a bit more open, due to the lower flame height, so I'm getting more heat out put (more pellet feed = more BTU output, assuming complete pellet combustion) without having to run the stove on the higher heat settings, and also without over-firing the stove.
As always, with any after-market stove modification, you DO SO AT YOUR OWN RISK ! Stove mods are certainly not Quadrafire, nor homeowners insurance company sanctioned ! But for me, heating 1300 + sq ft, the upper end of the heating capacity of my Castile, in a drafty 1870's New England farmhouse, they have worked great to keep the family and the pets warm and happy, burning 4 tons or less of pellets per heating season. As always, your results may vary !
