Harman Oakwood question

[MarkT]

I just purchased a used Oakwood, I am ordering a new fire dome CP for it, but my question is, I just noticed the two tabs on the top loading door that act like the hinge when you open the door are broken off so you can lift the door right off the stove. My question is two part, 1 can you use the stove with the top door resting in place and 2 is it possible to purchase a replacement door if so anyone know where?

Thanks
Mark

 

[branchburner]

Welcome to the forums! Good stove, but a little tricky to run. Are you going to vent it with a 6" liner?

It might be a real pain to use that stove without the hinge tabs, but the best way to find out would be to play around with the cold stove, and try filling it with wood. Maybe there's another way to rig the top door if it falls away from the stove. Since I haven't used my stove for a few years, I don't exactly recall the design, but don't the tabs keep the lid from falling all the way back and popping out of place? Were you thinking of loading through the front?

Probably the cheapest way to get a replacement lid would be from someone with an otherwise inoperable Oakwood, as I imagine the piece would be pretty expensive through a dealer. Where upstate are you?

 

[MarkT]

Welcome to the forums! Good stove, but a little tricky to run. Are you going to vent it with a 6" liner?

It might be a real pain to use that stove without the hinge tabs, but the best way to find out would be to play around with the cold stove, and try filling it with wood. Maybe there's another way to rig the top door if it falls away from the stove. Since I haven't used my stove for a few years, I don't exactly recall the design, but don't the tabs keep the lid from falling all the way back and popping out of place? Were you thinking of loading through the front?

Probably the cheapest way to get a replacement lid would be from someone with an otherwise inoperable Oakwood, as I imagine the piece would be pretty expensive through a dealer. Where upstate are you?

Thanks for the reply,
Yes we currently have a 6 inch single wall pipe that connects to the top of the stove goes up about 2 ft to a 90, to a 20 inch pipe then connects to a double wall pipe that goes through the wall to a double wall T. I believe there is enough of a lip on the lid that if we use the top load the door can rest against the pipe while putting wood in an the lip will rest in the groove on the top of the Stove. The stove will be at my daughters house in Petersburgh, she currently has a Pleasant Hearth but it is just to small to heat her house, she has about 2200 sq ft to heat. I personally just purchased a Harman TL2.6 for my house and I agree it is a bit tricky to get those stoves to the point the Combustion Chamber will work efficiently. My previous stove which I had for 25 years didn't have the secondary burn chamber like the Harman's do, so it has been a trial and error to get it working good. I thought that my stove kicks some serious heat that the Oakwood should be able to do about the same. The one thing I have noticed though is that I seem to be using a bit more wood with this stove than I have in the past with my old stove.

 

[branchburner]

Yeah, my stove was halfway in a fireplace so the top lid would lean against the brick. Just make sure a good pair of welders gloves is available to pick the lid up if needed. These stoves do go through a bit more wood, as higher temps are needed to get the secondary combustion, and you lose a bit more heat up the flue. Key also is having very dry and seasoned wood. Stove can really throw some heat when it's subzero out. Good luck!

 

[MisterFixIT]

The Harman Oakwood is almost identical to the Lopi Leyden that I had. Have to make sure that combuster gets cleaned out as it tends to fill with ash over time. Also the main air channel in the base can also fill with ash and get clogged so check that if it seems to stop breathing. The combusters would last me 2-3 years. at 2-3 cords/year. Other people can speak to the thermonuclear capability of that stove. ;-)

 

[MarkT]

The Harman Oakwood is almost identical to the Lopi Leyden that I had. Have to make sure that combuster gets cleaned out as it tends to fill with ash over time. Also the main air channel in the base can also fill with ash and get clogged so check that if it seems to stop breathing. The combusters would last me 2-3 years. at 2-3 cords/year. Other people can speak
to the thermonuclear capability of that
stove. ;-)

Like I mentioned I got this used, the previous owner bought it new in 2009, after reviewing various post I learned about the issue with the combustion chamber, so I took this stove apart when I got home an sure enough the chamber was packed full an the to broken off, also about 6 inches of soot an such on either side of the chamber, an as you mentioned the main air chamber was plugged also. So being the top was broken off I ordered a new one, should be here tomorrow then I can test this stove out.

 

[begreen]

The Oakwood likes a good draft on a 6" pipe. What is the flue setup that the stove will be connected to?

 

[MarkT]

The Oakwood likes a good draft on a 6" pipe. What is the flue setup that the stove will be connected to?

Yes we currently have a 6 inch single wall pipe that connects to the top of the stove goes up about 2 ft to a 90, to a 15 inch long pipe then connects to a double wall pipe that goes through the wall to a double wall T.
Then vertical 14 ft

 

[begreen]

That is marginal for this stove. If you find it backpuffs a lot the chimney height may need to be increased.

 

[MarkT]

That is marginal for this stove. If you find it backpuffs a lot the chimney height may need to be increased.

Wow, didn't realize that, about how much taller should it be?

 

[begreen]

A minimum of 16 ft. straight up. The two 90º turns are going to slow draft down and make the chimney perform like a 10-12' stack. If this is a basement install it could have more issues.

 

[MarkT]

A minimum of 16 ft. straight up. The two 90º turns are going to slow draft down and make the chimney perform like a 10-12' stack. If this is a basement install it could have more issues.

This is installed on the first floor, I didn't realize the 90's had that much of an effect on it, I thought the total length of the chimney from the stove had to be 16ft. Guess when I get it hooked up this weekend I will find out if it has to go up more. Thanks for the advice.

 

[begreen]

First floor install helps. Draft can be peculiar. Your setup is pretty common. It may work in one house in a specific geographic location and fail in another just a mile down the road in a valley. The stove will tell you if it's unhappy with balky starts and puffbacks. It wants draft and the wood to be just right. Your flue will draft better when it's cold outside so these issues may not show up until the weather gets mild.

 

[MarkT]

First floor install helps. Draft can be peculiar. Your setup is pretty common. It may work in one house in a specific geographic location and fail in another just a mile down the road in a valley. The stove will tell you if it's unhappy with balky starts and puffbacks. It wants draft and the wood to be just right. Your flue will draft better when it's cold outside so these issues may not show up until the weather gets mild.

First floor install helps. Draft can be peculiar. Your setup is pretty common. It may work in one house in a specific geographic location and fail in another just a mile down the road in a valley. The stove will tell you if it's unhappy with balky starts and puffbacks. It wants draft and the wood to be just right. Your flue will draft better when it's cold outside so these issues may not show up until the weather gets mild.

Thank you for the info, I'll be sure to post an update on how it goes this weekend

 

[MarkT]

Thank you for the info, I'll be sure to post an update on how it goes this weekend

Update to the installation.
We installed the wood stove yesterday, so far it has been working great, appears to have sufficient draft, fired right up and kept burning all night.
Again thank you to all that responded to my question.

 

[begreen]

Good news. Sounds like you have a nice dry wood supply. Enjoy the warmth!