Understanding Quadra-Fire Woodstove Air

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farmer_luke

New Member
Oct 7, 2022
51
Kansas
I recently bought a Quadra-Fire 4300 ACC woodstove and am wanting to make sure I understand how the air controls work.

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With the above picture, help me understand why the air tubes are open on the left end. I would think having small holes in the rear air tubes and bigger holes in the front ones would be rendered ineffective by the end being open. Wouldn't a lot of air come out the end of the rear tubes with small holes?

So am I right in assuming all fresh air enters at the rear of the stove though the circular hole then goes though a passageway along the right side (if standing in front facing the stove) where it can come through
1. Rear air
2. Startup air
3. Burn rate air
4. Secondary burn tubes?
 
LOL, I don't NEED a reply. Just found it interesting and thought I'd share the pics.
Sorry I didn't notice the thread earlier I just had the side panel off one a couple weeks ago to lubricate everything
 
Sorry I didn't notice the thread earlier I just had the side panel off one a couple weeks ago to lubricate everything
Hmm. Can you educate me about lubrication? I talked with the dealer I bought the stove from today but they're out of state so they aren't going to come look at it under warranty. When I set the ACC I can hear it clicking for a while but when the timer arm starts pushing on the sliding mechanism to close the startup air it stops clicking. If I push the startup air closed a little the timer starts clicking again but soon stops until I push some more.
 
Hmm. Can you educate me about lubrication? I talked with the dealer I bought the stove from today but they're out of state so they aren't going to come look at it under warranty. When I set the ACC I can hear it clicking for a while but when the timer arm starts pushing on the sliding mechanism to close the startup air it stops clicking. If I push the startup air closed a little the timer starts clicking again but soon stops until I push some more.
It won't push the startup air closed. The timer only closes one of the bottom flaps.

But you can lubricate everything with graphite powder or anti seize
 
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It won't push the startup air closed. The timer only closes one of the bottom flaps.

But you can lubricate everything with graphite powder or anti seize
Maybe I'm confused on terms. There are two flaps on the bottom. The rear one I'm calling rear air. The front one I called startup air or ACC. This front one is what should close with the timer. I'm not sure if I have graphite powder. I think I did at some point. I do have a dry silicone spray.
 
Maybe I'm confused on terms. There are two flaps on the bottom. The rear one I'm calling rear air. The front one I called startup air or ACC. This front one is what should close with the timer. I'm not sure if I have graphite powder. I think I did at some point. I do have a dry silicone spray.
One closes with the lever the other with the timer. I don't remember which is which at this point.

I just looked at the pics again and I am pretty sure your right
 
Silicone might work for the short term. Use graphite powder for longer-lasting lubrication.
 
Silicone might work for the short term. Use graphite powder for longer-lasting lubrication.
I found my silicone and graphite spray. I used the graphite everywhere things move or rub but it didn't help. My ACC still doesn't work right. I've noticed if I manually force the the ACC/startup air half-way or more closed then it will work and close the rest of the way at least some of the time. I've talked with the dealer I bought it from but they asked me to identify what part I think needs replaced. I'm assuming it's the timer assembly being too weak to force the flap closed but I don't know. Are the ACCs known to have problems? I've been burning the stove with the side cover off so I can see what's happening.
 
Hi Farmer Luke, I've been searching for
I recently bought a Quadra-Fire 4300 ACC woodstove and am wanting to make sure I understand how the air controls work.

View attachment 301284 View attachment 301285View attachment 301286View attachment 301287

With the above picture, help me understand why the air tubes are open on the left end. I would think having small holes in the rear air tubes and bigger holes in the front ones would be rendered ineffective by the end being open. Wouldn't a lot of air come out the end of the rear tubes with small holes?

So am I right in assuming all fresh air enters at the rear of the stove though the circular hole then goes though a passageway along the right side (if standing in front facing the stove) where it can come through
1. Rear air
2. Startup air
3. Burn rate air
4. Secondary burn tubes?
Hi Farmer Luke, I've been searching for some help to install a fresh air intake and see your pictures. I see the picture where you ask if this is the fresh air intake, I believe it is and where I plan on installing a pipe to the stove from an outside inlet. Have you installed a fresh air intake? or maybe your conditions don't require a special intake. I like the quadrafire stove, I have two, one (a millenial 2100) in the house and one in the garage a millenial 3100, the garage stove has no problems with smoke in windy conditions.
 
Hi Farmer Luke, I've been searching for

Hi Farmer Luke, I've been searching for some help to install a fresh air intake and see your pictures. I see the picture where you ask if this is the fresh air intake, I believe it is and where I plan on installing a pipe to the stove from an outside inlet. Have you installed a fresh air intake? or maybe your conditions don't require a special intake. I like the quadrafire stove, I have two, one (a millenial 2100) in the house and one in the garage a millenial 3100, the garage stove has no problems with smoke in windy conditions.
I haven't installed an outside air kit (OAK). I live in the country so there's no building or city codes I'm required to follow. I just read the following from woodheat.org which states it's a myth that you need a fresh air intake for a wood stove. I admit I'm not very educated on the subject. The Outdoor Air Myth Exposed

Are you saying your 2100 has a smoking/backdrafting problem in windy conditions but your 3100 in the garage doesn't?

I've come to the conclusion that the issue I'm experiencing with both of my stoves is due to the design of our house where we have many more windows on the North side of the house compared with the few windows on the South side. With a North wind our house gets pressurized from air leaking through the windows (and outlets my kids tell me) which increases the draft going up and out the stoves' pipes. The opposite happens with a South wind. Not much air leaks in and a lot gets sucked out on the North side creating negative pressure in the house causing air to be sucked down the stove pipes. I don't see a fresh air kit helping in my situation but I'm still open to learning more.