help w/ my old Kodiak -- what are these parts for?

[wiringlunatic]

Hi I hope I don't sound too stupid here, but I could use some advice from you experts out there. I have been planning on converting to wood/coal for a while now, but we were dragging our feet due to permit costs, etc. Well, God decided that today was the day that I needed to install this stove because I received a call from my kids that the smoke detector was going off and they smelled fumes. Sure enough, the heat exchanger on my forced air oil burner had ruptured. Thus began a frantic race against time and cold to get the stove pisked up and installed before we froze. I picked it up, disassembling it to be able to move it, brought it home and reassembled it, replacing firebricks as needed. So far, so good. However, there were two pieces laying on the shaker grates when I started to disassemble it that I can't figure out where they go. They are about 12-16" long and roughly a "T" in cross section about 4" in either direction. One of the ends of the cross of the "T" is curved. For the life of me I can't figure out where these things go. I finally lit it and have been watching it like a hawk and it seems to be working, but I still worry that I may need those parts. If anyone out there can help me, please tell me where these things go. Thank you in advance for any help you can give me and God Bless.

 

[Gamalot]

I don't know your stove but if you could show pics of the parts I might be able to help you figure out where they need to be.

Preferably, someone with the same stove might come along and know the answers.

From your description they could be the shaker grate handle or something to do with the ash pan but it is hard to tell not knowing your stove.

Gary

 

[wiringlunatic]

I know they aren't the shaker grate handle and I doubt that they are part of the ash pan. The ash pan is tin and these are 1/4" plate steel. They also have marks like they have been subjectedd to some serious heat in the past. I'm going to try to attach some pics I took of these pieces from different angles. Thank you and God Bless.

 

[wiringlunatic]

Here is a pic of the stove if that helps.

 

[Gamalot]

I am not an expert by any standard so this is a shot in the dark.

I know some stoves that are designed to be combination wood or coal burners use plates similar to what you have to line the fire box for burning coal. I can't see the inside design of your stove or the shaker grate it has but these pieces might be used to funnel the coal over the grate and to form a little deeper box for the coal that tends to burn much better in a deeper and more confined bed. They would be removed if burning wood.

I am not sure this is what they are but it is my best guess without looking the stove over in person. I think if you fliped them over they might fit on either side against the fire bricks and take away the flat corners where coal won't burn and ashes will build up.

Gary

 

[kd460]

Just a shot in the dark, but, are they something like part number 43 on page 51 of this manual?:

http://www.envirofire.biz/images/manuals-brochures/owners-manuals/C-11501 Instruction Woodstoves 1200 & 1700 Owner's Manual.pdf

OK that above link no worky, so click here then click on the pdf link for the 1700 manual:

http://www.envirofire.biz/fireplace-products/wood/fireplace-insert.html

If needed, I can tell you it's location which just above the door of the stove. Some type of a deflector. If worse comes to worse, send those pics to the manufacturer. KD

 

[wiringlunatic]

Wow, you guys answer questions while I sleep. It is made af about the same steel as the deflector plate in the back, however I have no idea how you'd hang it as there are only 2 tabs on the sides of the stove that I'm not using. The shaker grates on this stove go all the way to the firebricks, but the plates have markings on the bottom that look like they were sitting on the grates. The hooked end would hold firebricks, I just wasn't sure why. It wouldn't make the firebox any deeper, only smaller, but maybe that is the point. This is a large stove, probably 36" wide and 24" deep. Would that be too much area to have burning with coal? Sorry if these are dumb questions, but I'm new to this thing. This is the first time a house I've lived in has been heated with anything other than oil or (worse yet) natural gas. A customer who was moving gave me 6-8 tons of coal free, I just had to haul it. Many trips with the 1/2 ton Chevy work van later, I had a full coal cellar. I have several cords of firewood that I got for free as well, from friends cutting a tree down and cutting up windfalls at someone else's house. Thank you and keep enlightening me if anyone else out there knows more about this stove. God Bless.

 

[wiringlunatic]

Hey I was looking at them again and I think I may see what they are for. The firebox has bricks standing on end (9") on the back and sides, and laying on their sides (4 1/2") across the front under the door. Could these be racks for holding firebricks vertically across the front to make the coal bed deeper? The marks on the bottom seem to indicate that they were used on either side running front to back, but there is no guarantee that the previous owner used it right. It would cover the front shaker, but I just remembered that the front shaker is only locked to the rest by a cotter pin. Thus it could be disconnected when the plates and additional firebricks are used. Does this sound right to you guys? (or gals, don't want to offend the women out there who know far more than I do at this point) I had it burning quite hot last night and couldn't seem to rein it in. I realized this morning that whoever changed the door gasket put the wrong size on and it isn't sealing. I really needed more work -- but oh well, it is cheap heat and far less dangerous than my forced air oil burner with the blown heat exchanger. When I had it really hot it kept setting off the smoke detector, I guess it was burning the dirt off of it from sitting for years. Has anyone else had one of these? If so, did we get the right guess for the use of these plates? Thank you and God Bless.

 

[wiringlunatic]

Gamalot said:
I know some stoves that are designed to be combination wood or coal burners use plates similar to what you have to line the fire box for burning coal. I can’t see the inside design of your stove or the shaker grate it has but these pieces might be used to funnel the coal over the grate and to form a little deeper box for the coal that tends to burn much better in a deeper and more confined bed. They would be removed if burning wood.

Ding ding we have a winner in the name that plate contest. They do not go across the front like I thought -- about an inch to wide. I spoke to the son of the former operator who told me that they do indeed go on the sides with firebricks standing up in them. They make the coal bed a bit narrower and tapered presumably to limit ash buildup like you said. I got this figured out a week or so ago, nut I've been dealing with other difficulties and never got to finish this thread to thank you and in case someone else has the same question and searches this site for the answer.

Thanks for the help and God Bless.

 

[Gamalot]

Glad you got it figured out. Your stove looked like a very hard one to use with coal unless they did something like I envisioned and turn the box into a V shape cradle.

Gary