brand new Drolet 2100 Escape, burning differently ( worse) after installation of blower and thermo-disc

[mouthfulloflake]

I put this stove into place a few months ago, and I have been burning it in the shoulder season.
Good burn times, good temps, easily ignites the secondaries.

it is totally different now, it takes way more air.

what did I clog, dislodge, or mess up while installing the thermo disc, and blower unit?

I really wish the manual included an air flow diagram for ALL air flow.

can someone explain to me the air flow?
I keep the tiny dog box in the front bottom cleaned out, but does it need a pipe cleaner or something else beyond moving the ashes/coals from it?

I was impressed initially, at this point, I am not.

 

[begreen]

Is it by any chance warmer outside right now? Or perhaps the fire had wood that was less seasoned?

 

[mouthfulloflake]

maybe a bit warmer, but it was just over 30 last night, stove struggled to stay lively
same wood I have been burning

i adjusted the baffle around, im not sure exactly where it should fit
push it all the way to the back?

or should there be a gap back there?

the manual is not that helpful in this regard.

 

[EbS-P]

Baffle goes all the way back. Do you have a moisture meter?

 

[begreen]

stove struggled to stay lively
same wood I have been burning

It's not uncommon for there to be variation of moisture content in the wood pile. This can be due to different species of wood in the stack or that some of the wood was on the ground for a time before it was stacked. Try adding some known dry wood to the next fire.

 

[mouthfulloflake]

baffle was up on the right corner, and not all the way back I think i dislodged it by hitting it with a large split I was tossing in.
dropped the front back down into place and slide it all the back, and it seems to be burning normally now.