My bad. I just conferred with my next-door neighbor who told me he loads his Spectrum E/W from time to time. He said that the splits are shorter, more like 14-15" for that loading. So I went and checked the EPA lab report. You are right. The LE firebox dimension has not changed. It's 15.125" wide according to the report.
Don't bother. The Super LE's secondary feed is on the bottom of the stove, regulated by the EBT. It feeds secondary air via the tube that goes up into the rear center of the baffle. The boost air is not needed with a strong draft. That can be permanently blocked off. I would put in a key damper before messing with the secondary. It's the draft that will vary with outdoor temps and wind.
I've found, with the two dealers here anyway, that it's hit or miss as to how much they really know about wood stoves. You want the option to be able to load more wood for a longer burn or more heat if you need it.
I've found, with the two dealers here anyway, that it's hit or miss as to how much they really know about wood stoves. You want the option to be able to load more wood for a longer burn or more heat if you need it.
Putting in a flue damper is pretty easy, and doesn't take too long. If you have backup heat, let the stove go cold and slap one in (I stacked two in my SIL's connector pipe, and that's on only 16' of chimney.) Now, if she loads big but gets too much wood burning initially, she can actually slow the air to the point that she can cut back the amount of wood involved.
All you do is disconnect the stove and see where the damper needs to go in the pipe so that it doesn't stick down into the firebox when in the closed position. Get the first one as low as possible, so that you can add another if you want (or you could put the upper damper in first.) Then measure the circumference of the pipe where you want to drill the holes for the damper shaft. Half that and mark your holes, getting them at the same height. Drill 'em out. Then before you install the damper, take it off and back on the shaft a few times to familiarize yourself with how you will have to manipulate the shaft with one hand, as you hold the damper plate in the other up inside the pipe. Easy peasy.
The dealer is being difficult because he is either ignorant or is fully aware his product won’t work right without controlling my draft and he feels unable to do it.
The problem is the thermometer and trying to control fire. If it looks fine and is burning fine then what is the issue? You're literally dumping ashes on your fire. A bit excessive and not worth it to me. Maybe just let it go and burn your wood. Flues get hot. Mine burns upward of 1200° on a double wall and then settles to burn at 900 for most of the burn. That's in the safe zone according to my Condor thermometer. The temps will rise and fall with woodstoves. They will not burn at a steady rate for your fire. Heat.org goes into this with detail. I feel it's good advice from woodheat.org.
The problem is the thermometer and trying to control fire. If it looks fine and is burning fine then what is the issue? You're literally dumping ashes on your fire. A bit excessive and not worth it to me. Maybe just let it go and burn your wood. Flues get hot. Mine burns upward of 1200° on a double wall and then settles to burn at 900 for most of the burn. That's in the safe zone according to my Condor thermometer. The temps will rise and fall with woodstoves. They will not burn at a steady rate for your fire. Heat.org goes into this with detail. I feel it's good advice from woodheat.org.
A non-commercial service in support of responsible home heating with wood - Flue Pipe Thermometers
The Wood Heat Organization was formed to support the public in the responsible use of wood energy in the home. We fulfill our mandate by providing reliable information, by conducting research into wood heating-related issues and by representing the public interest in discussions of policies that...www.woodheat.org
Best of luck.
That's a bit inefficient. It's sending excess heat up the flue. Try closing down the air a bit sooner so that the peak, probe flue temp does not exceed 800º and cruises once it has settled down around 650-750º.
I also burn a lot of birch. Probably 70%. Instead of completely plugging the boost air hole, I'm using the magnet from my old flue probe, which has a hole in the center. It calms down the draft and still allows for some air to be pulled through.
My dealer strictly advised against a key damper. Yes, my draft is very strong but I just gave to get used to high flue temps. I can cover the boost air hole if I wish. It does slow it down. I let my coals burn way down too.
Your dealer advised against it because technically the stoves are required to be installed as tested which is without a damper. But they also need to be installed within the specified draft range which you are obviously over. So to me you have a choice of violating the rule in one way and having your stove work properly. Or violate it in a different way and have the stove running to hot leading to wasted wood short burn times and possible damage to the stove
Yup its a bit strange. They said the key damper just leads to creosote. They also said my stove is burning fine. I might get a second opinion at another dealer. It can be frustrating talking to my dealer so I let it go.
If you need one, and use it correctly, while burning dry wood, you'll not have creosote issues.
