Start up air control question

[woodhog73]

I've got a quad3100 insert. It's not the newer ACC model. Instead the start up air control rod you have to manually pull out ( shutting air off) after roughly 15 minutes on a new fire so you don't over fire it. Then just use the primary burn rate air control like normal for the duration of the burn.

Here's my concern and question. The start up air control is extremely hard to move when the stoves cold. It's as if it's begging for a squirt of oil or something, but the mechanism is inside. Whatever the rod is moving inside must be heavy and dry with lots of friction.

Sometimes it's so hard to push the rod in and out I'm afraid something's going to break.

The primary regular burn control rod is the opposite it moves nice and easy but it's only moving a little lightweight looking plate under the stove.

Is this something other people experience ? And what are the chances I could just leave the start up air closed ( so I don't have to risk something breaking inside) and just start my new fires using only the primary burn rate control ? With dry wood and dry kindling do you think I'd be fine with the start up air left closed ?

Thanks

 

[EatenByLimestone]

I've never run your stove so I can't comment on that, but you can use powdered graphite to lube the mechanism.

 

[begreen]

You can certainly skip using the startup air control. If necessary, leave the door slightly ajar for 5-10 minutes to get the fire started.

 

[woodhog73]

Thanks for the tips.

The powdered graphite sounds good but the mechanism is inside the stove I can't get to it unless I explore more about taking it apart.

So I did a cold start just a little while ago and tried skipping the start up air part and simply left it pulled out (closed) where it's been from my last fire. It was nice not having to push hard on the start up control I just never touched it.

To my surprise I had no problems with the cold start . I put 2 splits of dry red oak ( over 2 years seasoned) and 5 pieces of very dry popler split into large kindling size pieces. I used my usual lightening nugget natural starter puck bottom up.

What's strange is I couldn't detect any difference ? The fire roared to life like normal even with the cold start up control closed. I kept my primary burn control wide open for 20 minutes, and once up to a good heat and established fire I throttled the primary burn control back to almost closed.

Must be I'm getting plenty of air even with start up air closed ? Now I'm wondering if the start up valve even works ?? Since it was so easy to not even bother using it But when I lower the primary burn rate air I have no problems controlling the fire which indicates normal operation as usual.

Makes me wonder why I would ever bother with the start up air since it goes so hard to begin with ?