Added outside air to my Whitfield

[Ranger72]

I haven't posted in a while, but I added true outside air to my Whitfield Advantage II-T insert yesterday. My house is very tight, but you could feel th draft along the floor in front of the stove. Not anymore, what a difference! Should have done this years ago. I did bend up some sheet metal and cover the holes on the air intake. (Yes I removed the wall between the two holes. Haha)

 

[MapleHill]

Ut oh, now you've done it! The OAK is always a hot topic (although I wouldn't run without one, myself).

 

[Washed-Up]

Ut oh, now you've done it! The OAK is always a hot topic (although I wouldn't run without one, myself).

Same

 

[SidecarFlip]

Not a hot topic with me. A COLD topic as in cold intake air. In the dead of winter my intake piping (heat riser foil hose) can actually frost up. I know it's cold outside when that happens.

 

[tlc1976]

My mid 1980s house is so tight that the stove won’t run without it. I tried. Can’t imagine modern construction.

My OAK frosts up when it’s super cold like-20f. Last winter it never frosted up.

 

[607PelletBurn]

Got our used pellet stove all hooked up in our new home with OAK, I'm wondering if it's worthwhile to wrap the intake pipe with some kind of insulation...

 

[Ranger72]

It's definitely worth it. The duct can get frosty on very cold days, which will subsequently melt inside your home possibly causing a puddle.

 

[607PelletBurn]

It's definitely worth it. The duct can get frosty on very cold days, which will subsequently melt inside your home possibly causing a puddle.

Makes sense. Now what to insulate with....

 

[Washed-Up]

I use a small fan to keep the air moving behind the stove, keeps the frost off even in -40

 

[Ranger72]

Makes sense. Now what to insulate with....

(broken link removed)

Something like this is fine. Apply some foil tape or clamps at the ends and you're good to go.

 

[SidecarFlip]

I've never got enough to drip actually.

 

[SidecarFlip]

I do get a kick out of this forum. I always thought it was an FAK (fresh air kit) not an OAK

 

[Ranger72]

I do get a kick out of this forum. I always thought it was an FAK (fresh air kit) not an OAK

I've only been burning pellets for 10 years, but I have always heard it referred to as an Outside Air Kit. Semantics really I suppose.

 

[tlc1976]

I do get a kick out of this forum. I always thought it was an FAK (fresh air kit) not an OAK

I’ve seen it both ways. I prefer outside air kit because it’s simple and to the point on its purpose.

Call it a fresh air kit and people may think its purpose is air quality and think “I have an air purification system, isn’t that good enough?” Or some may even think it helps clean the air.

 

[Washed-Up]

It’s better with an F’n OAK….FOAK

 

[Pellet-King]

Can you post a pic on what you did you cover that round hole on side of the air intake and what else you did as there's just a slit on the bottom on the air box

 

[Ranger72]

Can you post a pic on what you did you cover that round hole on side of the air intake and what else you did as there's just a slit on the bottom on the air box

Sure, it's not pretty though. Haha. Just bent up a piece of aluminum sheet metal I had laying around. I used RTV to affix (clamped it until it was dry) then ran ran some RTV around the seems. As for that blocker plate, I used some pliers and a grinder to remove the spot welds and then the plate. I also didn't take great pictures when I did it, sorry.

 

[bogieb]

I do get a kick out of this forum. I always thought it was an FAK (fresh air kit) not an OAK

All the pellet stove manuals I have (Englander, St. Croix, Harman) calls it Outside Air. US Stove calls it Fresh air

Duravent and Selkirk call it outside air, but pelletvent pro calls it a fresh air (or just air intake, depending on the ad).

Just depends on the brand on what it is called.

 

[Pellet-King]

Sure, it's not pretty though. Haha. Just bent up a piece of aluminum sheet metal I had laying around. I used RTV to affix (clamped it until it was dry) then ran ran some RTV around the seems. As for that blocker plate, I used some pliers and a grinder to remove the spot welds and then the plate. I also didn't take great pictures when I did it, sorry.

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Did you cut a hole in your fireplace?, I really need to do this!! also the blocker plate do you mean this plate circled inside the hole area?, where did you buy your flex hose?

 

[tbear853]

I used 2" ID radiator hose to connect my stove's 2" OD outside air intake to a custom bent outside air 2" car pipe bent to my specifications by my local muffler man, clamped screen wire over outer end, painted it black. Goes outside through 2" hole sawed holes in the thimble pieces beside the larger pellet flue. No insulation. Warm moist air in the house if present might would condense on it, but it's so close to the exhaust pellet flue, I guess the connection and short section of 2" pipe are heated enough that I have never seen a drop of condensation since done in the '90s. The screened over end is about 6 feet below the exit of the flue outside, hot air goes up.