Old Insert Questions - Newbie - Pictures now attached

[BIGRED]

Hi all!

New to the world of using wood for heat. I did search but did not find the answers to my questions. Glad your around and thanks for any help!!

We have moved into a house that has an old plate steel insert. I have no idea how old nor the brand. No idea if the following details are important to help with my questions but.... here are descriptive features...

1. The metal door has 2 spring insulator handles with an eagle in the center
2. There is a slide pull on the right, under decorative steel which causes oval slotted vents below the door to either be open or closed
3. Has a blower output in oval slotted into the steel at the floor-line
4. Has a blower mounted on the right lower back (as you face it)
5. Has 2 tubes that rise at the front sides (near the doors) and sweep pointing towards the back
6. With the blower on 3 and 5 have output
7. From front of door to back of insert, it is about 3 feet
8. The insert door assembly protrudes into the room from the face of the fireplace, about 1 foot
9. There is a dampener control that pulls out or is pushed in (wide open to fully closed)

I am trying to figure out how to best use the insert. Given the large box and the blowers inside, where is the best location to build the fire? What are the purpose of the blower tubes inside? At what point should the blower be turned on? What is the purpose of the dampener control? Door open or closed etc. Any tips are appreciated.

Thank you
Don

 

[DriftWood]

Photo's of your set up would help us under stand the Old Insert you have. Add them as attachments to a post only 350KB photos will post. use multiple posts for more shots.

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[BIGRED]

Various pictures attached.

Thanks for your help!!
Don

 

[titan]

Is that insert in the Bat-cave? :cheese:

 

[Corey]

Kind of reminds me of an old earth stove, but I'm sure someone on here can ID it.

The pipe you mention in the firebox is really tied into the blower? Wow! That's probably gonna be bad news. If you are blowing air into the firebox, it will be pressurized. Which means if you ever have any slight crack, a gasket that doesn't seal, or the door doesn't close 100%, you could be blowing smoke and all the other nasties (CO) back into the house.

I can't hardly believe that it came from the factory like that...maybe some of the previous owner's handy work? A lot of people will say 'run out and buy the latest EPA wood stove. That is fine if you have the means. If you are looking to press this beast into service for a couple more seasons, I'd definitely look into that air tube more.

Corey

 

[JMF1]

I'm no expert but that stove looks similar to an American Eagle stove. I have only seen free standing models, but it sure looks like one of there's.

 

[BIGRED]

Is that insert in the Bat-cave? :cheese:

As a matter of fact.... :D

 

[BrotherBart]

That stove probably has some life left in it. It looks pretty well taken care of. But do pull it out of there and either inspect/sweep the chimney or have it done. The older inserts are notorious for gunking up chimneys and then lighting off chimney fires.

If you are going to burn in it make sure you use good dry wood and get you a stove top thermometer and keep'er burning in the five to six hundred range and it should knock out some heat and hold down the creosote as much as can be withl the old pups.

BB - Who had an oldie until last year.

PS: Get us a closer pic of that tube in the firebox. That is weird.

 

[BIGRED]

Kind of reminds me of an old earth stove, but I'm sure someone on here can ID it.

The pipe you mention in the firebox is really tied into the blower? Wow! That's probably gonna be bad news. If you are blowing air into the firebox, it will be pressurized. Which means if you ever have any slight crack, a gasket that doesn't seal, or the door doesn't close 100%, you could be blowing smoke and all the other nasties (CO) back into the house.

I can't hardly believe that it came from the factory like that...maybe some of the previous owner's handy work? A lot of people will say 'run out and buy the latest EPA wood stove. That is fine if you have the means. If you are looking to press this beast into service for a couple more seasons, I'd definitely look into that air tube more.

Corey

Corey,

Came here to hopefully sort out the various "features" of this ole box. Some of them didn't make sense to me either. The tubes in the box are from the factory for sure. My guess is that with part of the blower force coming out of the tubes, it is used to create a hotter burn. The logs almost look white hot with door open. OR it maybe that one can keep the door open and this will cause heat to exit the opening? With the depth of the box, one thought I had was that the fire should be built all the way at the back (about 3 feet) and the air coming out of the tubes would superheat the burn. Another possibility is that it is there to help it burn cleaner. I do know that the flue can be 90% closed with the blower on (door shut) and there is no smoke and certainly with the door open and the flue past 50% open, no junk enters the room.
A new one isn't an option at this time.

(shrugs shoulders)

Thanks
Don

 

[webbie]

There were hundred of "off" brands - many local and regional - made in the late 70's - yes, there was one named American Eagle...... this could be that.

Personally, I would sell or scrap the thing - I don't like the "fanned" fire and a lot of other aspects of it. Of course, if you are down to your bottom dollar and need the heat and the money, then it might be possible to safely install and use....but I sort of doubt it.

It may have no safety testing (either pre-dates it, or company was too small to pay for it).....

 

[jtp10181]

I've been wondering if its even got a liner, or if its just a slammer install. Chimney could be pretty nasty.

 

[BIGRED]

As near as I can tell...

The house was built in the early 50's. The insert has been in there for a long time. Given our location, the fireplace has been the primary source of heat for more than 50 years. I am no chimney expert. I did look down it to insure it wasn't capped off. I didn't see anything that the untrained eye would see to point to an issue. Clearly it is a masonry unit with the chimney being about 2 feet by 3 feet with a flue that I guess is about 1 foot by 2 feet. I'll have a talk with a neighbor or two and see if they know anything more about its installation or maintenance and get back up there and take a better look around.

As to my original questions... I guess the answer is ...If I am going to use it, play with it until I am happy with it.

 

[Gooserider]

Definitely sounds like a "make sure you have plenty of CO detectors" type stove. I would agree that it looks like the blowpipes inside the stove might be intended to give fan forced secondary combustion - I'd bet it throws serious heat with the blower on, but also goes through wood like mad. The pressurized draft might take a lot of heat up the chimney though.

I would certainly suggest pulling it out and cleaning / inspecting the chimney to make sure it's clean and in good condition. At the very least I'd run a brush down the chimney.

If you are going to burn it, looks like they'd want the fire near the back so the air tubes would blow at the base of the fire.

Gooserider

 

[DriftWood]

You could call a chimney sweep to tell you the condition of your set-up and chimney.

 

[BIGRED]

Not worried about the condition of the box nor its installation. Before using it I checked it out and have used it since without issue. I was trying to figure out through presenting the pictures to the forum, how to best make use of the various features, but have been figuring it out through trial and error. The box is a front to back burner type for which I have found some articles about how to best operate it.

Thanks for the input.
Don