Hitzer 983 Fire Too Hot.

This is my 4th year burning a Hitzer 983 insert, and I am having some issues with the fire burning too hot.
Depending on the outside temp I would typically keep the ash vents open from 1/8 to ½ inch. The over fire vents are completely closed, and typical burn setting for the MPD is about ¼ open.

This year, I am having trouble keeping the fire at a low level and regardless of how much I close the ash door vents, the fire continues to burn, slowly getting hotter.

Last night I closed the ash door vents completely and typically I would expect this to extinguish the fire over a 12 hour timeframe. However this morning, the fire had blue flames everywhere and in my case this is typical of having the grates set at about the ½ inch open position.

Things I have removed from the possible list of issues are:
• My opinion is the gasket on the vent door is sealed. I have tested the seal by inserting a strip of newspaper along the gasket every inch or so with top part of the strip hanging out of the door. I then pull on the paper too see if it will freely pull from between the door vent and the stove. The paper is secure and in place all along the top and bottom of the door.

• The holes for the free standing configuration are not closed with any hardware, but the stove is tight up against the bottom of the original fireplace floor, (as well as full of spillover ash). Again it is my opinion this is not a source of fresh air.

• The vent slide center bolt is tight as I actually put a wrench on the nut and made sure it was not loose. Based on this, the ash vent plate is also tight and not able to adjust by hand.

Any suggestions would be very appreciated. Although the wife and kids like the inside 75-80 degrees, it’s a bit too warm for me.

So this is an Insert.

You didn't say if your coal supply source has stayed the same...this would be a big variable, and change the 4 year track record. And if the source has changed...you may be just now experiencing the necessity of a baro. that you had been skating by without.
Just a possibility

You seem to have covered all the bases. I would still suspect the sliding vent. Open the door and shine a flashlight on the inside of the slides and see if you can see any light from the outside looking obliquely at the vent slots.

Thanks for the reply,
The coal I have used for the last 4 years is Blaskchak, purchased from the same supplier.
I may be asking a silly question, but I'll ask anyway.
I understand the benefits of a baro, but on the insert, I don't think this is an option?

However, based on your recommendation I'll close down the MPD further and see if this helps.

Thanks again.

I'll give the flashlight trick a try.

Don't take the baro. comments too harshly, I understand that sometimes baros. are not physically possible. Just was trying to get you to think how you might remedy your situation in whatever means feasible.

From everything you reported, it seems that after 4 years you are now experiencing greater draft. So, here's another possible thought: How have you been cleaning the accumulated flyash from the area upward from the insert outlet inside the fireplace/chimney and smoke shelf?
Reason I ask is because, accumulations always have an effect compared to before when there was none...usually it is a detriment to performance as in loss of draft, but it isn't impossible, for in your arrangement, to improve it for sometime and eventually, if let go unchecked, then it will go the other way and additional accumulations would become a detriment. Just a thought...you might be just in-between right now.

char197398 wrote:The holes for the free standing configuration are not closed with any hardware, but the stove is tight up against the bottom of the original fireplace floor, (as well as full of spillover ash). Again it is my opinion this is not a source of fresh air.

The vent slide center bolt is tight as I actually put a wrench on the nut and made sure it was not loose. Based on this, the ash vent plate is also tight and not able to adjust by hand.

The nut might not be loose, but the screw on the back side of the ashpan door may not be tight. Open ash pan door and use a large screwdriver to tighten it--to the point that the slider is difficult (but not impossible, with force) to operate.

Is the sliding plate flat? Didn't get bent for any reason.

Sacrifice one or two of those rubberized refrig magnets, by cutting and placing over leg cutout holes at inside bottom of stove--assuming you can lay them in place with long tongs or similar tool. If they're the culprit, even closing of the two sets at the front of the stove (which you should be able to get to easily) should produce noticeable improvement.

Close MPD completely after new coal catches to minimize airflow thru the stove.

I, too, am on my fourth year of burning Blaschak in the 983 (in Chester Co, PA too!), and detect no differences this year in stove/coal behavior.

Thanks for all of the suggestions.
Here is what I found.

Although the slider door is tight, there is some visible light when I shine a flashlight at a small angle towards the bottom row of vent holes, not much, but it is visible.
Holding a zippo lighter next to each vent, the flame will pull through two of the vent holes that had visible light through them.
I am going to order another vent slide and replace it this weekend.

Taking the other suggestion of controlling the draft, I shut the MPD all the way to the safety stop.
This did help, but still did not provide the results I was hoping for.

Lastly I am going to plug the stand alone leg holes this weekend as well. Since I am going to let the fire die, I might as well take these out of the equation.

Again thanks for all of your suggestions and help.

You can probably fit that door tighter. Take the slide off and with a Sharpie pen mark the sliding surfaces . Put back on and move a half inch or so. Take off and file areas where pen marking has scraped off. Repeat until all marks are scraped off.

char197398 wrote: Although the slider door is tight, there is some visible light when I shine a flashlight at a small angle towards the bottom row of vent holes, not much, but it is visible.
Holding a zippo lighter next to each vent, the flame will pull through two of the vent holes that had visible light through them.
I am going to order another vent slide and replace it this weekend.

Taking the other suggestion of controlling the draft, I shut the MPD all the way to the safety stop.
This did help, but still did not provide the results I was hoping for.

Lastly I am going to plug the stand alone leg holes this weekend as well. Since I am going to let the fire die, I might as well take these out of the equation.

If you haven't shut down yet, you could clarify the effect of those two vent holes thru which air is flowing by covering each with a magnet, as above, and closing off all other ashpan vent holes with the slider, as usual. This might save you the trouble of closing off the leg mount holes, if the stove becomes controllable when those two vent holes are closed off. BTW, how are you planning to get to, and close, the leg mount holes?

The fire is not yet out, and I can definitely get her up and going again.
I might give the magnet a shot tonight. If that works I might try file trick as recommended.
As for the leg mount holes, I was thinking of a 3/8” allen head set screw with some extreme heat sealant calk on the threads.

char197398 wrote: As for the leg mount holes, I was thinking of a 3/8” allen head set screw with some extreme heat sealant calk on the threads.

Sounds good. Thanks.

If those two ashpan vent holes are the source of your problem, you might be surprised how well the magnets work.

Char197398,how are you making out with the stove I like Ashcats idea using refer mags to block the leg holes just to see what works and then do the set screw thing ,don't do the same thing I did with mine Hitzer 983 Owners,I Have Two Questions. I had to remove the 4 front screws with the stove running trying not to overfire the stove .Barry

All,
So I've replaced the vent door, and after a day of testing the stove operates the way she used to for the last 4 years.
I never would have thought that the little bit of air getting by those vent holes would change the dynamic of the stove operation that much.

Once I was back to my original stove behavior, I experimented with the magnets as suggested on the leg holes and WOW, what a difference!
I covered all 8 holes was able bring the fire intensity and temperature way down in just a few hours after shutting it down all the way.
Now my low level fire position is with the vents open about ½”. I will definitely have more control of the fire and will start finding my “new” sweet spots this week with the vent’s and MPD.
I still plan to use the 3/8” set screws as a permanent solution, but will wait to let the fire die until after Christmas.

Thanks Again to all!

One last question which should probably be In a new thread.
Has anybody had to replace the fan motors yet?
My second one just died (the left 2 years ago and now the right).
2 motors in 4 years…This seems like a high failure rate to me, but thought I would ask.

Poor quality fans in a hostile environment...equals early failure.

Read up on here about PSC motors...now if only the mfg'r would only put them in to start with...oh, that's right, they cost a little more and don't fail as often.

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