outside air kit question

[WellSeasoned]

I read the wiki on the oak, and researched here and there and I have a general idea of why poeple install them. I live in a mobile home, therefore one is required. My questions are: when I have a fire going, and want to "shut down the air" quite a bit for a longer burn at night, will I still be able to do this with an oak? On the Jotul F400, the air lever on the bottom front is to allow me to turn it down, but is this nessesary with the oak too? Can that be turned down?? If not, will I be able to still get a longer burn? Thx

 

[madison]

you will continue to operate the stove the same way, with or without an OAK. The OAK only provides and conduit for outside air into your living space/stove.

 

[FGZ]

The lever on the front controls all air going into the firebox, so closing that down has the same effect whether you have an OAK or not. However, that lever doesn't let you shut it COMPLETELY down if this is a recent / EPA stove, and that is something you CAN do with the OAK if you put a damper on the OAK itself. I don't think you would want to do this unless you're still burning too hot with the lever completely closed, which I don't think is very common.

The hole where you hook the OAK up feeds the valve that the lever controls which feeds the firebox, so with an OAK you will now have outside air going through that hole instead of inside air. That will be the only difference in airflow and you won't see any difference in stove operation except maybe (probably?) better draft.

That's my understanding anyways.

 

[WellSeasoned]

The answers I was hoping to hear. Thanks a bunch!

 

[madison]

You may have to check with local inspectors but I would hazard a guess that in a mobile home you would not be permitted a "shut off" option on the OAK.

 

[Backwoods Savage]

Right. No shut off option on the OAK. No need for one either.