How does stove air travel?

[WellSeasoned]

I know the air comes in via the 3"duct at the rear bottom of my castine, from the outside air kit (oak). How does it travel through the stove? My air lever is located at the front center of the stove under the front door. Right inside the door there is a box like piece bolted down with 2 small holes in it. Is this where the air enters? The wood does get eaten away by air, thats obvious. Can the area that the air travels through the stove get clogged with ash or bits of coal at all? It seems like I have been having burning issues, but am using the same seasoned wood the past day our 2. Does using a vacuum advisable, so long as the stove is cold with no embers/hot coals present? Other than cleaning just the chimney, I have done nothing else anywhere..... Thx

 

[Mastoo]

I'd like to credit this picture with the source, but I've forgotten it.

 

[Treacherous]

Looks like picture is seen here using a Google image search.

http://woodheat.org/how-epa-certified-stoves-work.html

 

[eyefish2]

I remember reading a post from a month or two back about a jotul stove where the air supply passage on the front of the stove did get blocked with coals or ash. The member who posted stated they took the "doghouse" apart and cleaned it out. Not sure exactly what the doghouse is but I believe it is the small air passage that you refer to with the two bolts. I see no issue using a vacuum here provided the stove is completely cool (no hot ashes or coals). Others would recommend this since hot coals and high air flows with the vacuum would be a fire hazard.

If the castine is a "tube" stove like the oslo (not cat), I think the air that is supplied through the back of the stove is split. Some of it goes to the air control area below the front door. The other portion goes to the tubes. The draft on the stove overall controls how much air goes to the tubes where as the operator controls how much air is supplied to the lower front door area.

 

[Wood Duck]

I recently found the doghouse on my stove and of course it was blocked (because I hadn't realized it is there so hadn't moved the ash away from it). I cleaned it by pushing the ash aside with my finger and it makes a pretty big difference in the burn. I don't know how yours is constructed but mine (on my Lopi) is solid steel tubing and certainly could be vacuumed to clean it.