Aladdin Quadra Fire 4300 from 1994

[Ferndale]

We just bought a house with one of these stoves. We had the stove re-lined with fire bricks by a local Quadra Fire authorized dealer. However, he could not tell us how the controls operate (!) - just said to fool around until we figured it out and to leave the door cracked until the fire gets going. I cannot find a manual for this stove. I have model and serial numbers from the label on the back. I am posting a photo - in addition to the door handle there is a handle on the lower right and one in the lower middle. They move back and forth (not left and right). I assume these are equivalent to the Startup Air Control and the Burn Rate Air Control of the current Quadra Fires but don't know for sure.

Does anyone have one of these stoves, or have manuals, or know where I can get a manual, or have any good ideas about how these controls work?

 

[Jan Pijpelink]

Watch this video

It is the insert but has the same controls.

 

[begreen]

This is for the older 4100, Not sure if they apply. Is there a secondary air control in addition to the primary?

 

[Ferndale]

Thank you, thank you! Incredibly useful video. Also, thanks for the image of the operating instructions for the 4100 - they look exactly like what the video was saying, in addition to having suggested timings.

 

[David.Ervin]

I've got a 2001 version of the same stove, and love it. Burns easy, looks nice, heats well.

Both air controls work the same way. Pull forward to close, push in to open. The one on the right opens the air vents in the back of the fire box, which can be useful for startup air, but you HAVE to close it after the fire gets going or it'll turn into a blast furnace. It's also good to think of it as "on" or "off"; I've never gotten any appreciable fire control out of it. The center control is the main air that comes in the front of the fire box, and you can fine tune this to get the amount of heat you want.

When the stove is cold, I'll open both to get a fire started. If I have any coals left and I'm just reloading a warm stove, I leave the right air control shut and run everything with the center control.

If you're new to this stove, double check the insulating blanket that rides on top of the upper baffle is spread out evenly and not bunched up in the corners. That'll make a difference how much heat you get off the iron top of the stove.