What use is this ash plug and tray?

[PolrBear]

I may be missing something obvious, but I don't understand the purpose of the ash plug and tray on my Hampton H300 wood stove. The only way to access the ash plug is through the inside of the firebox, which means that it can only be accessed when the stove is pretty much cold (or with the poker or fire gloves I guess). What does this get me? Shoveling ashes is simpler and easier for me than sweeping them into that little hole and taking out the tray. I could understand if this were designed to be open while the stove is in use, but it seems that can't be the case since the ash tray isn't sealed around the edge and that would be one massive draw hole. Any clarity would be appreciated.

 

[Murray01]

The idea is to pull the hot coals off to the side then push the ashes into the hole. My Blaze King has the same setup that comes with a lid.

Once you have the ashes pushed into the ash pan you take the tray outside and dump the ashes into another fireproof container.

I doubt I’ll ever use mine.

 

[Dieselhead]

I find the one on my stove is more trouble than it’s worth.

 

[begreen]

I decided this years ago. We sometimes use our T6's ash pan as a bun warmer.

 

[EatenByLimestone]

My first 2 stoves had ash drawers of considerable size and they were useful. Last 2 stoves never had them used. Too small to be useful.

 

[Woody Stover]

The best ash dump I've seen (but I haven't seen many) was in the Buck 91. It had a hole about 3x5" and a hinged lid that I flipped open with a poker. After skimming the coals (which float on the ash) to the right with the side of a shovel, flip up the lid, which is on the left, and sweep the desired amount of ash into it.
Both of my stoves have grates in the bottom of the box, which is the easiest way to handle ash; Just swirl a poker through the ashes once every few days, and take the ash pan outside and dump it into a bucket once every couple or three weeks. 🤗

 

[Woody Stover]

I decided this years ago. We sometimes use our T6's ash pan as a bun warmer.

How cold can your buns really get, living in the temperate Coastal Northwest? 🌴🥥 😏

 

[EatenByLimestone]

The best ash dump I've seen (but I haven't seen many) was in the Buck 91. It had a hole about 3x5" and a hinged lid that I flipped open with a poker. After skimming the coals (which float on the ash) to the right with the side of a shovel, flip up the lid, which is on the left, and sweep the desired amount of ash into it.
Both of my stoves have grates in the bottom of the box, which is the easiest way to handle ash; Just swirl a poker through the ashes once every few days, and take the ash pan outside and dump it into a bucket once every couple or three weeks. 🤗

CDW Rocky Mountain, a late 80s cat stove that could be run with coal. The entire bottom was a shaker grate!

 

[John Lehet]

My Jotul 3 CB has a little ash pan that fills up on its own in a couple of days of serious burning. It’s a pain if the stove is hot, because if anything gets behind it, it’s hard to get the pan all the way back and close the ash pan door again. Have to reach in and scrape whatever is back there — I use my hands. If it gets filled to the top, it’s bound to get stuff behind it.

So I always empty it when the stove is cold. Luckily, or not, this stove is always cold in the morning. All in all I definitely like having the ash pan even with its quirks.

I’m definitely more than a little eager to get the new Progress Hybrid on the hearth. I ordered the spare hot-swappable ash pan.

 

[bigealta]

My jotul f400 ash pan with open grate above it works very well for me.
I use it about 2 times a week or so.
If it's over stuffed, i use my ash shove upside-down and pull the ash towards the front and drag it into the now emptied pan i've placed on the floor right under the ash pan housing.
With the flue still warm any flying ash gets drawn back into the stove.

 

[begreen]

After a couple of months of burning, I let the F400 ash pan fill up completely and just scooped out the ash. The stove ran a lot better then, more controllable and longer burns. This was with a new stove, but perhaps the ash pan door gasket wasn't sealing fully? Considering the design, it's seems prone to leakage.