Draft Control on Loading Door

Hi all - my Viking Jr. has a sliding draft control on the loading door. I always keep it closed. What is it used for and when should I be using it? I'm burning bit coal.

i'm not familiar with your stove, but on my Hitzer the air vent on the loading door is an air wash to help keep the glass clean. I find that I don't really need to use it at all.

Rick

I'm no expert, but I do burn bit coal. Opening the overfire air should help you burn off volatiles after loading without letting them accumulate and touch off causing a puffback. I'm looking at a DSM Newstyle Champion specifically because it has overfire air inlets. I think it will work better with bit and also with wood in the spring/fall.

Here is pic of the front of my boiler. You can see the sliding draft control I'm referring to in the center of the pic. Sliding it to the right allows air to pass over the fire. I've been opening it up for 5 minutes or so after loading up and it seems to help with puff backs. Is this what it is designed for?

I'd say yes, and it also could be used to provide air to a wood fire, a wood fire really doesn't care where the air comes from. It sounds like you are using the vent correctly for buring Bit coal.. 5-10 minutes open after a fresh load of coal is added to a hot fire, should provide the added air needed to ignite the volitiles burning off the fresh coal.

Greg L.

I have a Hitzer 503 insert. I use the draft at the door as mentioned to help burn off the hydrocarbons , keep the glass somewhat clean.
the most important reason is, I have a insert- no Baro. damper. I leave the slide open just a little. on windy days I open it a little more.
What I think it's doing is when the wind pulls for draft it'll come from the vent not through the bed of coal. More even burn.

LsFarm wrote:I'd say yes, and it also could be used to provide air to a wood fire, a wood fire really doesn't care where the air comes from. It sounds like you are using the vent correctly for buring Bit coal.. 5-10 minutes open after a fresh load of coal is added to a hot fire, should provide the added air needed to ignite the volitiles burning off the fresh coal.

Greg L.

Hi Greg, with anthracite burning, do you think that if the over the fire air port is left open longer or all the time it could brings some problems like cooling the fire?
Thanks

I don't think it would cool the fire, but it would steal draft from the fire, even if only a little. Sort of like a baro damper stuck slightly open,,

Greg L