Do you think this would work on my woodstove? (updated 2-1-09!!!!!!!)

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Jfk4th

Jfk4th

Minister of Fire
Hearth Supporter
Feb 8, 2007
683
NY
I am not very happy with my rheostat on my Avalon Olympic, it turns on at around 550-600F, way too late

Do you think this would work instead, just hooking up the wires to this from the blower?

(broken link removed)

or this?

(broken link removed)

Or do you guys think this would make the blower come on too soon?
 
You have to see how your existing one is set. The Magic heat ones seems like a high temp. The temps right where the blower is can be quite low.
Another little trick is to paint your existing snap disk black - it will soak up heat a little faster. I assume you have a blower in the ped - under the stove.

If the existing one is located on the rear of stove, you might find another spot on the rear that get's hotter quicker......
 
The cozy heat seems to be a lot lower temp than the Magic heat rheostat, do you think that would work any better

If I sprayed the rheostat, my old one with some flat black stove paint high temp would that work or does it have to be "regular" paint?
 
My furnace has a snap disc on it. I bought an adjustable one found here:
(broken link removed to http://cgi.ebay.com/WHITE-RODGERS-3F05-3-ADJUSTABLE-SNAP-DISC-FAN-LIMIT_W0QQitemZ110227511099QQcmdZViewItemQQptZBI_Automation_Components)
it works well and you can change the cut in/out ranges on it easily.
 
Webmaster said:
You have to see how your existing one is set. The Magic heat ones seems like a high temp. The temps right where the blower is can be quite low.
Another little trick is to paint your existing snap disk black - it will soak up heat a little faster. I assume you have a blower in the ped - under the stove.

If the existing one is located on the rear of stove, you might find another spot on the rear that get's hotter quicker......
Click to expand...

Blower is behind stove, back of pedestal area, rheostat is put close to where the main air adjustment is (right hand opening below glass if that helps)...
 
JFK, go online to
http://www.grainger.com/Grainger/wwg/productIndex.shtml?from=Search&newSrch=yes&operator=keywordSearch&search_type=keyword&action=Go!&QueryString=snap+disk+.

You can buy an adjustable set point. That way you can set what works for you. I hope this helps Fespo
 
But don't tell them you want a rheostat. That is the thing that controls the fan speed. You are looking for a snap disk.
 
Before replacing anything, check to see if the snap disk is on a flexible bracket. If it can be moved slightly closer to the heat by bending the bracket, then it may perform much better.
 
These 2 are the same product:

(broken link removed)
Sells for $9.75

(broken link removed to http://www.northlineexpress.com/itemdesc.asp?ic=5TH-TR-THERMO)
Sells for $25.00
As you can see, Northline Express seems to like ripping people off.
 
The switch has two side legs on the bracket. Try bending them slightly to increase the angle and put the switch in tight contact with the stove body.

If that fails, check with the dealer first. The part may not be too expensive from the dealer and should have the correct heat range for the stove. If you go for one from Grainger or other supplier, it would be good to check to see the temp range to determine if it is higher or the same as the one's mentioned. You don't want the fan coming on too early and cooling down the firebox before it has heated up. Also, if you do get a replacement, be sure the snap switch selected "closes on rise".
 

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Well the snap disc in my opinion is not at the correct heat range. I do not like the fact that it comes on around 550-600F, way too late. I have tried bending the legs and no difference when it turns on. I am just going to get a different one but I'll try calling my local Avalon dealer, I am sure it will be a lot more than most as this place charges whatever it wants. For now I am just going to run a wire touching both. My Quad turns on at about 400F and so did my Summit, that is perfect in my book.
Thanks for the replies

This is a frustrated JFK! :shut:
 
I noticed on my Kennebec that the disk seems to take quite a while to "snap" on - not so much a matter of stove top temp as it is stove floor temp. Mine is set (according to the manual) against the cold side of an air channel under the fire box, and my guess is that stove manufacturers do this on purpose, so that the stove, and therefore the flue, are well warmed before the blower starts to strip heat off the stove.

I found that I need to clean any ashes away from the area the snap is in to speed up fan start up, but that in the end, it doesn't make much difference.
 
JFK said:
Well the snap disc in my opinion is not at the correct heat range. I do not like the fact that it comes on around 550-600F, way too late. I have tried bending the legs and no difference when it turns on. I am just going to get a different one but I'll try calling my local Avalon dealer, I am sure it will be a lot more than most as this place charges whatever it wants. For now I am just going to run a wire touching both. My Quad turns on at about 400F and so did my Summit, that is perfect in my book.
Thanks for the replies

This is a frustrated JFK! :shut:
Click to expand...

Have you popped out the snap disk and bracket and noted the temp and range for that switch? Sometimes it's on the top of the switch and sometimes it's part of the part number on the edge of the switch.

Once you have this info, you can select a snap switch with a lower range.
 
I found that with my Olympic, placement of the snap disk is critical. It really needs to be placed up against the bottom of the stove and out of the path of airflow for sure. I run mine 24/7 and just the other morning was the first time in a month or two that the snap disk actually made the blower kick off. I'd keep on looking for a better spot to place it up tight against the stove.

You have a rear blower? Mine is front so the snap disk is inside to the left and over to the side wall. It is snug up against the bottom of the stove. It took a bit to get it just the right position - multiple long tools to jockey it in there. I noticed you are saying 550-600 that it comes on - is that stove top temp? Because that is not necessarily indicative of what is going on where it is placed.
 
Yep that's the stovetop temp, mine is a freestanding, blower in back. I have painted it black going to try it today. It has always been in the recommended spot,, away from the where the air enters. I have also bent it so it is a tight fit. Hopefully painting it helps
Thanks guys
 
I don't know if the paint will do it. Sounds like it is busted or has unacceptable set points.

Mine used to come on and off more when I kept more ash in the stove too. Makes sense i guess.
 
Well the paint didn't make any difference sadly. Right now I am just going to run a wire and either have it on or off. Sometime soon I will buy another one, it looks like the snap disc says 130F, so I guess I'll look for one that comes on at lower temp.
 
This is the adjustable one I am thinking of purchasing...it closes on the rise. I can turn it on from 90-130F, looks like my old one is 130F so this should be OK

(broken link removed)

What do you guys think?
 
JFK said:
This is the adjustable one I am thinking of purchasing...it closes on the rise. I can turn it on from 90-130F, looks like my old one is 130F so this should be OK

(broken link removed)

What do you guys think?
Click to expand...

Looks good. I would start with the lowest setting, and adjust it upwards as needed.
 
Did you try the old one on something hot to see if it was indeed kicking on at the right temp or not?
 
Just wanted to update everyone on getting a new adjustable snap disc from Grainger. I tinkered with different temps for about three days and now I have finally found the correct setting that will make my stove blower kick on at 4o0F stovetop, exactly what I wanted. It is great when things work out just the way you want :) :)

Thanks to all for helping me out...... another case solved by the Hearth.com guys :lol:
 
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