Ash Pans

With my TLC, I have about .5" on either side to experiment with flashing deflectors attached to the ash pan. The SF has the very narrow ash door that has about 2" clearance on either side once inside the box, short of welding some angle iron on the inside of the unit, I'm not sure what I can do.

The TLC has a high flat lip hanging over the box just under the grate, so if you bump the pan against the unit when removing it causes the ash to spill. The SF has such a deep firebox, that even with an ash shovel and long gloves, the upper part of my forearm is exposed to the occasional ember drip when digging around in the ash box

Playing around with flashing and/or welding angle iron makes me wonder if I'll disrupt the design of the air flow from the dampers to the grate. So, a possible problem there. And, as always, any mods to the box will void the manufacturers warranty; so there's problems with that.

The only other thing I could think of is if there is a high temperature flexible material that will retain its shape when attached to the ashbox, but is still able to fold around the edges of the ash box door when inserted and removed.

If I were on Harman's marketing team, I'd be getting fired right now for harassing the President relentlessly about redesigning these problems; as if they were rectified, a manageable ashbox would be an unbelievable feature that could set a Harman apart from just about any other unit on the market today, and might even lower their liability insurance costs from a standpoint of manufacturing a unit with a higher level of end-user safety.

If I were on the marketing team of one of Harman's competitors, I may be getting fired or promoted right now for relentlessly harassing the President right now on the same issue, with the ultimate objective of stealing market-share from Harman.

Yep number one complaint if not only so far with the Harman Mark III. Don't the manufactuers of this brand use it and see the issue? Oh well small price to pay for nice coal heat. Little squirt bottle of water I must say helps with fly ash too

anthony7812 wrote:Yep number one complaint if not only so far with the Harman Mark III. Don't the manufactuers of this brand use it and see the issue? Oh well small price to pay for nice coal heat. Little squirt bottle of water I must say helps with fly ash too

Yep, I agree, affordable heat is a good thing.

Do you have any rust problems using the squirt-bottle?

I guess I am lucky. The ash pan in my Glenwood is made to the original size. I have virtually no problem with ashes falling out side of the ash pan. The only time I have ever had an issue with it is when I was lazy and allowed the ash pan to fill up to overflowing. The ash pit area in the No 6 is some what larger than the round grate opening over head. I have more of an issue with it with The smaller Glenwood, because it has a home made ash pan which is a little too small. Even so it still not much of problem, but; I have gotten used to how easy it is to remove ashes from the big Glenwood.

My cookstove has an ashpan that is actually fit right to the size of the ashpit and has tapered sides. It fits perfectly and there no where for the ash to go but into the pan. By years end there's obviously a little fly ash I vac out, but very tight fit . The Herald, I made my own with a spot welder and bender. It's nice and deep but I could have made it a hair wider and longer too. (like just fits in the ash door). Maybe next one I'll get it right, but I didn't want to block the ashpit check vents in the back and wanted a handle on the front. That cut a bit of length off. Next one I'll just notch or make a poker hole to grab it with and skip the front handle.

Coalfire wrote:In regards to your question on DS they have the same problem, not sure how bad I clean mine about once every month. Most goes in but there is some that doesn't. I want all the ash to go in the pan.

Eric

I've got the same problem with my DS as well. I usually clean the bottom of the stove out once a month of all the ash that missed the pan.

Funny, I never thought of it as an annoyance........until I read this thread. Always just thought it was part of the deal.
I have the same problem on my Olix air-flo. When we moved into our house in the winter of 1981 I found a kids metal snow shovel in the basement.
Little did I know at the time I would get years of use from it, cleaning out the excess ash left behind by the ash pan in my wood/coal stove. It does a great job.

Kevin

Kielanders wrote:With my TLC, I have about .5" on either side to experiment with flashing deflectors attached to the ash pan. The SF has the very narrow ash door that has about 2" clearance on either side once inside the box, short of welding some angle iron on the inside of the unit, I'm not sure what I can do.

The TLC has a high flat lip hanging over the box just under the grate, so if you bump the pan against the unit when removing it causes the ash to spill. The SF has such a deep firebox, that even with an ash shovel and long gloves, the upper part of my forearm is exposed to the occasional ember drip when digging around in the ash box

Playing around with flashing and/or welding angle iron makes me wonder if I'll disrupt the design of the air flow from the dampers to the grate. So, a possible problem there. And, as always, any mods to the box will void the manufacturers warranty; so there's problems with that.

The only other thing I could think of is if there is a high temperature flexible material that will retain its shape when attached to the ashbox, but is still able to fold around the edges of the ash box door when inserted and removed.

If I were on Harman's marketing team, I'd be getting fired right now for harassing the President relentlessly about redesigning these problems; as if they were rectified, a manageable ashbox would be an unbelievable feature that could set a Harman apart from just about any other unit on the market today, and might even lower their liability insurance costs from a standpoint of manufacturing a unit with a higher level of end-user safety.

If I were on the marketing team of one of Harman's competitors, I may be getting fired or promoted right now for relentlessly harassing the President right now on the same issue, with the ultimate objective of stealing market-share from Harman.

If I ever get into the stove making business, my goal will be to put Harman out of business. Or at the very least offer some serious alternatives to the public.

My ash pan is galvanized. I know that galvanized is considered a big no-no for the flue pipes, but is it considered OK and safe to use for the ash pan?

Mine Is galvanized as well, as was the one in my #116. It was cheeper than black cold rolled steel I have not heared of any problems using galvanized as an ash pan. In facted the galvanizing almost seemed to flake off in my #116 after the first year.

Yeah every oil burner in New England during the 20th century was installed with galvy pipe. My boiler has it too.

As for the ash pan, I always wanted to get a long hinge & mount pieces of sheet metal to both sides of the ash pan. Shake, then fold them in & remove the pan. I'm not that ambitious though. Making a few swipes with the coal shovel along the sides & back has become routine for me, & just another part of the process.

SMITTY wrote:Yeah every oil burner in New England during the 20th century was installed with galvy pipe. My boiler has it too.

As for the ash pan, I always wanted to get a long hinge & mount pieces of sheet metal to both sides of the ash pan. Shake, then fold them in & remove the pan. I'm not that ambitious though. Making a few swipes with the coal shovel along the sides & back has become routine for me, & just another part of the process.

I really like that idea!

It would allow me to make flashing flanges large enough to cover the dead area around my SF 250 ash pan, yet allow me to fold them into the tray to allow removal of the pan through the ash door.

Thanks!

I agree, a few swipes with the shovel is okay if there is no other option. But if making stoves were my business, I'd of been on it a long time ago out of pride in my product and respect for my customers.

That being said, excess ash around the box may be less of a problem with anthracite burners. However, I only have access to Sub-Bit. To get the heat we need, I burn 100/150 lbs a day. Three days of burning, and this morning I'd over 1.5 gallons of ash that needed to be shoveled out from around the SF 250 ash pan - just to allow the pan to go back into the box. I never let the ash pan overflow, and I'm careful to keep it centered at all times in the ash box.