VC Thermostat no good?

[sademenace]

Hello all - I am a new wood stove owner having purchased a house with an old Resolute in working condition. I have been burning successfully for the past couple of months however it has not been without difficulty. The thermostat lever controlling the air intake valve shutter does not seem to be working. When starting a fire, I try to open it and it does not stay open even while cold, it just flaps shut. If I tinker with it for a while I can get it to catch in an open position but then it is either stuck there for the duration or it closes on its own because of vibrations in the house. The other night it was so frustrating I was tempted to prop it open with something and control it manually.

Is there something I can adjust to gain control of this lever back? Does it need replacing? If so, what parts?

Any help is much appreciated.

Thanks!

Derek

 

[Defiant]

A pic of the control would be very helpful....

 

[Fsappo]

I think a spring is between the control and the stove to give it the tension it needs to stay open. bad spring maybe? the lever is just threaded into the cast if I recall. Bad threads? Maybe not screwed in enough to compress the spring?

 

[sademenace]

Ok, I will take the cover off over the weekend and look closer and post pics if I am still not clear (which is likely). Thanks!

 

[sademenace]

Hi Again,

Alright, I took off the cover, unfortunately the screw holding the cover on broke leaving behind part of the threaded screw. Any tips for getting this out? Any problem with operating the stove without the cover on (it is hidden and not at risk of being touched by little ones).

It appears to me that the handle of the thermostat is supposed to be screwed into a threaded hole, it is very lose and in fact came right out in my hand, I think the is the porblem with why it the flap doesn't stay open. How is this reinserted? It seems that there is no way to screw it in unless I bend it back straight but then I run the risk of breaking it?

Thanks again!

 

[Fsappo]

If I recall, those threads in the cast would get worn. There was something called a Helacoil kit. Im really going back here. You drilled the hole, put this thing in and it gave you a new thread? Or maybe that was to repair a hole going thru the front of a stove where rod slid back and forth. Those things thread in so they should thread out. it looks loose from the photo. Can you manage to thread it in a few turns and see if it tightens up? You may have to bend the handle a little if I recall.

 

[sademenace]

Ok, so sounds like the best bet on the thermostat lever is to bend it fairly straight, thread it in, and bend it back to the current shape? Sounds right?

As for the broken screw, is there a way to take this panel off? It is very tight quarters, not sure how I will get back there. I might stop at the hardware store and pick up a left handed drill bit and see if I can't get that to work.

Thanks

 

[Fsappo]

That broken screw may need to end up with a tap and die. But it sounds like you have the right ideas. It's all nuts, bolts and common sense with those old cast iron stoves. I'll tell you from experience, work space is worth everything it takes to get it. You will swear much less and do a better job if you disconnect that stove, pull it out from the wall, set up some lights and take your time.

 

[sademenace]

Unless it is a problem with operation, I might just continue to operate the stove with the cover off until I am finished using it for the season. I would certainly hate to make things worse and be without it going forward.

As for the thermostat handle, that I have to fix as the stove is not operating properly with it loose.

 

[Fsappo]

I don't know of a problem with the cover being off. Doesn't it kind of just hang in place if you slide it over the rod? better than nothing.

 

[sademenace]

Just to bring this full circle. After some closer inspection I noted that the back side of both the thermostat lever and the screw that holds the cover on are accessible from within the firebox. I simply drilled out the screw, put in a new one, and put nuts on both the thermostat and the screw. Seems to have taken care of the problem.

Thanks for the help!

 

[Defiant]

I love a happy ending