VC 2190 thermostat (air control) replacement help

[ralphtherolfer]

Hi,
new to the forum, and novice at wood stove repair....have a VC 2190 for over 20 years, still air tight and works well, till a couple of days ago. My air control thermostat doesn't seem to work now and probably needs replacing....Is this a difficult job, could someone offer some details on how to do it ?
I'm fairly handy, have some construction background etc.
Thanks,
Ralph

 

[homebrewz]

Are you referring to the primary or secondary air intake? The primary one is operated by a lever on the side of the stove, and the secondary one is operated automatically by a bi-metal spring.

 

[ralphtherolfer]

I'm not sure, because I don't have the stove apart yet...the lever on the side works normally, but no air seems to get to the fire, so I've been having to crack open the ash pan door (a very tiny space) and prop it just to keep the fire going.....so I guess maybe one or both could be part of the problem.
Thanks

 

[homebrewz]

Sounds like you need to diagnose the problem a little more. The lever on the side should open and close the primary air intake shutter which is at the back lower center of the stove. Stick your hand back there and see if it swings freely, and then see if the lever still controls it. There is a steel cable which runs inside the stove from the lever to the air shutter. If it's not working properly, the cable may have broken.

 

[ralphtherolfer]

Thanks....I think that may be it, I can see the shutter but the stove is hot (since its in the 20's out tonight) and the heat shield on it blocks my direct access. I can see it though with a flashlight, and in the morning I'll get at in more depth and probably take off the inner side wall to see if the cable is on the lever....fingers crossed it's a simple fix !!
Great help much appreciated.

 

[homebrewz]

The shutter should swing freely if you push it in from the back with your finger. From what you're describing, I think the cable is either broken, or another possibility is that the small spring behind the lever has become unwound. There should be a bit of tension on it.

Also, you really shouldn't feed air to the firebox by opening the ash pan. You're creating blast furnace conditions and it's a bad habit to get into. It will also warp the grate after a while. It's best to get this fixed as soon as you can.

 

[ralphtherolfer]

It was the cable had come loose, the cable tie had worn through.....once I got the wall out and could see it, it was fairly easy to fix, just twisted it around the cable a couple of times, and it seems to be working well.
Thanks for your input on it, really a big help!
Ralph