Fireplace Xtrordinair - firebox air intake system

[Wayne Chaudiere]

Hi All, I have not been able to find any documentation on how the Fireplace Xtrordinair - firebox air intake system functions and where the air is pulled from. It is not even discussed in the Travis Industries installation manual. My Fireplace Xtrordinair is about 20 years old. I would like to inspect the firebox intake. There is no duct piping to the outside of the house. I suspect that air may be pulled from the space between the inside and outside chimney pipe space. The firebox is not burning well. It may be caused by clogged catalitic converter but I have the bypass open. I am considering removing the catalitic converter since I prefer to burn with the chimney wide open and full air intake . Thank you in advance for any insights or advance you may be able to provide.

 

[clancey]

maybe a good picture would help for the wood burners to help solve your problem..old clancey

 

[webby3650]

Do you have an Elite model FPX?
There’s not really any likelihood of the primary being clogged. Check the cap, make sure it’s not
Clogged. Considering you prefer to run it with the bypass open and high all the time I assume you don’t have well seasoned wood. If you did the stove be over firing very badly.

 

[Wayne Chaudiere]

Hi All, I have not been able to find any documentation on how the Fireplace Xtrordinair - firebox air intake system functions and where the air is pulled from. It is not even discussed in the Travis Industries installation manual. My Fireplace Xtrordinair is about 20 years old. I would like to inspect the firebox intake. There is no duct piping to the outside of the house. I suspect that air may be pulled from the space between the inside and outside chimney pipe space. The firebox is not burning well. It may be caused by clogged catalitic converter but I have the bypass open. I am considering removing the catalitic converter since I prefer to burn with the chimney wide open and full air intake . Thank you in advance for any insights or advance you may be able to provide.

Solution Found: The firebox air intake on this Fireplace Xtrordinair, circa 2000, is just above the doors and hidden behind the front trim plat. There is an adjustable plate on the intake with two bolts. I see on later versions there now is an easily adjustable air intake sliding knob. Travis industries owner manuals and installation manuals do not mention this air intake or any possible maintenance. On mine the fiber glass gaskit on the adjustable air intake plate had come loose and was obstructing/clogging the opening. I loosened the plate and removed the gaskit. It now works great with no obstruction to the fireplace air intake. No sure if all state-of-the-art wood burning fireplaces draw their firebox air from inside the house but I think an exterior firebox air intake would be superior.

 

[Jotel me this]

Solution Found: The firebox air intake on this Fireplace Xtrordinair, circa 2000, is just above the doors and hidden behind the front trim plat. There is an adjustable plate on the intake with two bolts. I see on later versions there now is an easily adjustable air intake sliding knob. Travis industries owner manuals and installation manuals do not mention this air intake or any possible maintenance. On mine the fiber glass gaskit on the adjustable air intake plate had come loose and was obstructing/clogging the opening. I loosened the plate and removed the gaskit. It now works great with no obstruction to the fireplace air intake. No sure if all state-of-the-art wood burning fireplaces draw their firebox air from inside the house but I think an exterior firebox air intake would be superior.

Instructions state that if you live in an area of the country that falls below a certain temperature, the air intake has to be located inside the house.