PE air question

[hemlock]

Hello,
On a PE stove (Super 27), when the air is turned all the way down to the lowest setting, how much "closed" is it (ie 25% from fully closed)? Can you rune the stove fully dampered down, so long as the fire is burning nice, hot and clean? Thanks.

 

[summit]

It's more than 1/4 shut, as it soes from @ 2.5" round to a slit about 1/4" or so open when you shut her down. The linkage on the control also shuts back some 2ndry air, too... Yes, its okay to damp her down, just remember to run her open a couple times a day for @ 20 minutes or so to clear it all out again.

 

[John_M]

hemlock, I cannot tell you the actual percentage of "closed" or "open" the air control is when "fully closed". However, because your Super 27 is EPA II approved, the air supply must remain partially open to allow enough combustion air for the stove to burn clean enough to meet those EPA standards. The degree of "openness" is pre-set at the factory.

You can run your Super 27 fully dampened down and not create excessive creosote and/or pollution as long as these two rules are followed: 1) The wood must be fully seasoned. Just "kinda' dry" is not seasoned enough; 2) Get a good fire going with the damper fully open. After a few minutes, when all the wood shows signs of full surface charring, reduce the air control to about 1/2 open for another ten to fifteen minutes. Then close the damper all the way. The stove should now show a good flame with a "lazy" looking secondary burn. If the flame shuts down too much (an estimate on your part) open the air just a teensy bit until you are happy with the flame. Let the fire burn at this setting for a while - then shut it all the way down again.

You might have to go through this trial and error process a couple of times before achieving perfection. ;-P John_M

Edit: Summit was posting while I was typing.

 

[oldspark]

It's more than 1/4 shut, as it soes from @ 2.5" round to a slit about 1/4" or so open when you shut her down. The linkage on the control also shuts back some 2ndry air, too... Yes, its okay to damp her down, just remember to run her open a couple times a day for @ 20 minutes or so to clear it all out again.

How does it do that as it looks like the inlet for the secondary air is a square hole in the back under the ash pan with no control what so ever.

 

[hemlock]

Thanks fellas. I've had this stove for 4 years now, and I'm still "tinkering" with different methods to get the most out of it.
(P.S. - It is a great stove)