Ashford 30.2 install thread

[xshmoox]

It's tough because you're supposed to measure draft with a hot chimney but the ASS seems to come out with a cool chimney near the end of the burn or at low burn rates. I suppose you could measure the draft strength when the flue temps are low to see how they drop off and compare that with ASS events.

Yeah I actually just tried to measure it now for sh!ts and giggles but pretty much sittin at 0 with the warm weather and cooler house. Once we get a low near 50 and I have time maybe I’ll just light a bunch of scraps and get the stove warm enough to test. I didn’t really want to have 5 feet of pipe above the highest part of my roof but I guess it’s that or switch to a easier breathing stove. Is the princess a better drafting stove?

 

[Highbeam]

Yeah I actually just tried to measure it now for shits and giggles but pretty much sittin at 0 with the warm weather and cooler house. Once we get a low near 50 and I have time maybe I’ll just light a bunch of scraps and get the stove warm enough to test. I didn’t really want to have 5 feet of pipe above the highest part of my roof but I guess it’s that or switch to a easier breathing stove. Is the princess a better drafting stove?

The princess isn’t known to have the ASS problem but still performs best on the recommended stack.

The ashford is much prettier to most people.

 

[xshmoox]

The princess isn’t known to have the ASS problem but still performs best on the recommended stack.

The ashford is much prettier to most people.

By most people you mean the wives lol

Probably just going to bite the bullet and add a 2 foot section.

 

[BKVP]

Obviously there are marginal chimney systems that can cause issues for cat activity. One family with AF25 has had smoke smell issues for two years. They posted their concern in social media. Dealer has no idea how to proceed. Everything was new, liner, cap, insert etc. System was swept twice in two years.

Two weeks ago dealer went to pull insert and install "easier breathing" unit.

BKVP

 

[Tron]

Two weeks ago dealer went to pull insert and install "easier breathing" unit.

Yeah, that'll do it 😄

 

[Tron]

By most people you mean the wives lol

Never ignore the WAF (woman acceptance factor) of any appliance.

 

[xshmoox]

Never ignore the WAF (woman acceptance factor) of any appliance.

I tried my hardest to ignore and was so close to winning the battle and picking up a floor model sirocco 30 for about half of what I paid for the Ashford, but, I lost.

 

[xshmoox]

Obviously there are marginal chimney systems that can cause issues for cat activity. One family with AF25 has had smoke smell issues for two years. They posted their concern in social media. Dealer has no idea how to proceed. Everything was new, liner, cap, insert etc. System was swept twice in two years.

Two weeks ago dealer went to pull insert and install "easier breathing" unit.

BKVP

what they needed was a CO detector. Thing probably came apart when they pushed it back into place

 

[begreen]

Not a fan of adjustable elbows in stove connectors. The picture illustrates why.

 

[xshmoox]

So it finally cooled down enough to do a test burn and test the draft. It’s roughly 47 degrees out now. About 73 or so inside. Got stove up to temp with some small pieces and have a couple of punky ash pieces in there cat is engaged. Let it ride a while before taking this reading. Thermostat set to low sitting about 3 o’clock. Inside flue temp roughly 400 degrees when this reading was taken. Will take another when flue drops below 300 to see where we are. But so far it looks ok
Oh and fresh cat!

 

[xshmoox]

A few hours later when burn was winding down and flue was roughly 300 maybe a tad under, draft measurement was approximately the same. My test tip is barely at the inner lining since the hole is just big enough for the temp probe. going to drill the hole a tad bigger so I can get the longer tip in just to verify the next time we fire the stove unless I can find a smaller tube that’ll fit the hole I have

 

[xshmoox]

ok now as this burning season is sort of getting into gear here. I thought last year I may have been having an issue with the thermostat not reacting correctly but just brushed it off as using the stove for the first year. But the last few reloads I’ve done on the stove. Cat is still decently in the active zone. Obviously open bypass, turn thermostat to high and wait a few minutes. Stir the coals, reload, let load catch for a few minutes. Close bypass let it run a few minutes with cat activated on high. Mind you these are like half loads with dry what was almost punky wood. Now at those point the internal double wall thermometer is starting to creep past 600, stove top on top cast section is over 200 and cat thermometer is decently more in active range. Had throttled thermostat to medium didn’t really seem to change. Waited 2 minutes and throttled to 3 o’clock which seems to be my low point with my draft. Still no change in flame activity. Turn the thermostat knob all the way up towards noon. Nothing. Wasn’t until I turned knob fully back open and then back down to 3 it slammed shut. Now im wondering if the stat also isn’t opening up as it should really when I’m gone to maintain the correct level. I checked knob it seems tight on the rod. I took the pictures right after I got the thermostat to slam shut.

 

[BKVP]

ok now as this burning season is sort of getting into gear here. I thought last year I may have been having an issue with the thermostat not reacting correctly but just brushed it off as using the stove for the first year. But the last few reloads I’ve done on the stove. Cat is still decently in the active zone. Obviously open bypass, turn thermostat to high and wait a few minutes. Stir the coals, reload, let load catch for a few minutes. Close bypass let it run a few minutes with cat activated on high. Mind you these are like half loads with dry what was almost punky wood. Now at those point the internal double wall thermometer is starting to creep past 600, stove top on top cast section is over 200 and cat thermometer is decently more in active range. Had throttled thermostat to medium didn’t really seem to change. Waited 2 minutes and throttled to 3 o’clock which seems to be my low point with my draft. Still no change in flame activity. Turn the thermostat knob all the way up towards noon. Nothing. Wasn’t until I turned knob fully back open and then back down to 3 it slammed shut. Now im wondering if the stat also isn’t opening up as it should really when I’m gone to maintain the correct level. I checked knob it seems tight on the rod. I took the pictures right after I got the thermostat to slam shut.

The effective range in most installs is from 3 o'clock to 6 o'clock.

BKVP

 

[xshmoox]

The effective range in most installs is from 3 o'clock to 6 o'clock.

BKVP

Yes I understand that my question was more why wasn’t the thermostat closing down when I turned it to low when it seemed the stove was plenty hot enough for the thermostat to to turn down. It wasn’t until I turned in back all the way to 6 o’clock then down back to 3 then did it shut down then and not the first go around.

 

[BKVP]

Yes I understand that my question was more why wasn’t the thermostat closing down when I turned it to low when it seemed the stove was plenty hot enough for the thermostat to to turn down. It wasn’t until I turned in back all the way to 6 o’clock then down back to 3 then did it shut down then and not the first go around.

Let me know if that happens again. When you say shutdown, you are referencing the amount of flame in the firebox, not the actual cat temperature, correct? If you have it occur again, send a video or images to cneufeld@blazeking.com Then we can review them.

BKVP

 

[Highbeam]

Yes I understand that my question was more why wasn’t the thermostat closing down when I turned it to low when it seemed the stove was plenty hot enough for the thermostat to to turn down. It wasn’t until I turned in back all the way to 6 o’clock then down back to 3 then did it shut down then and not the first go around.

I have found the actual throttle blade system gets sticky. Especially when it is barely bouncing off of the fully closed position to give the fire a little more air. The spring tension is actually pretty weak for such a very small movement. The throttle blade is bolted to a shaft that just rides in two holes for support. There is friction there where a normal carburetor would have fancy bushings.

One of my regular maintenance chores is to remove the thermostat cover, clean and lube the friction points as well as the "seat" that the throttle blade lands on when it's closed. Be sure everything is moving very nicely since only a very small movement makes such a big difference. I use silicon lube that is supposed to fully evaporate. You don't want something oily since it might attract dirt and become an abrasive slurry.

While you're in there, lube the thermostat control rod's friction washer with something thicker like antiseize.