What If the Set Screw for Checking the Draft Is Seized

ad356 · Post by **ad356** » Sun. Sep. 20, 2015 9:34 pm

i tried to remove the set screw in the ash pan door and its seized solid. where else can I check for draft? I ran the stove for an hour hooked up to the chimney in the house, I just want to test fire it. everything went well, stove really heats. I still think I need to check the draft, I assume we do that to make sure we are not over-firing the stove? my home is an old two story house and the chimney is really quite tall so im guessing that means a good draft. we did clean the chimney. I had the stove pipe thermometer from my wood stove in the garage on my stove pipe. the temp reading was somewhere around 170-180. is that about normal? I still want to get the manometer but I don't know where I am going to hook it up as that set screw is no use.

Post by **Lightning** » Sun. Sep. 20, 2015 9:43 pm

Most of us just probe the stove pipe.

Doby · Post by **Doby** » Mon. Sep. 21, 2015 10:12 pm

Manometer Install

Read about it there should explain alot

freetown fred · Post by **freetown fred** » Tue. Sep. 22, 2015 7:56 am

Welllll, what did you come up with solution wise?

WNYRob · Post by **WNYRob** » Fri. Sep. 25, 2015 8:31 am

Similar to my koker, Keystoker's draft measurement for optimal performance with its stoves is done at the ash door. While measuring the draft in the flue will ensure you have a draft, you will need to somehow get the set screw out or drill another hole in the ash door to get a reading based on their specifications. I don't know how much different the draft reading would be from the stove pipe vs the ash door. I have never seen any sort of conversion equation to compare the two, but there is probably a good reason why they want the measurement from the fire box so you should probably stick with their recommendation.

I have a permanently installed manometer tied into the ash pan opening. It isn't screwed in, it just fits snugly and I have hi- temp silicone sealing it into the hole. So if you do have to drill a new hole, you really don't need to worry about threading it.

RFK · Post by **RFK** » Wed. Oct. 07, 2015 10:48 am

My Harman's set screw was froze tight too. I just drilled it out, but the steel was so hard that I could not re-tap it for the 3/8" socket head screw. It just ate the teeth off the tap, so I just plugged the hole with a 5/16" bolt nut and washer when not in use. If it ever gets tight again I'll just twist the nut off and replace everything with a new set-up.
Rick

Sunny Boy · Post by **Sunny Boy** » Wed. Oct. 07, 2015 1:39 pm

Bostic brand "Neverseez" is one of the best anti-seize compounds for use in high heat situations. It's the only one I've found that holds up to stove temps to keep fasteners from seizing. In 30 years use it always works for keeping engine exhaust system and stove fasteners freed up.

http://bostik-us.com/resource-center/download-cen ... -compounds

Their regular grade is good up to 1800F and their nickel nuclear grade is rated up to 2400 F.

Paul

Post by **StokerDon** » Wed. Oct. 07, 2015 7:09 pm

I am having a difficult time figuring out exactly what this "setscrew" you guys are talking about is supposed to set?

If it's the bolt you remove to insert a draft probe, then you could do as WNY said and just drill a new hole and avoid the whole drilling the bolt out mess.

Be sure that when you replace the bolt you use a cheap picnic table bolt, grade 5 or less if you an find it. They are easy to drill out if you have to do this again. And coat it with Hi Temp anti seize so you won't have to do it again.

-Don

Post by **franco b** » Thu. Oct. 08, 2015 10:20 am

The reason for reading draft at the ash door is because of having a combustion blower which under some circumstances of weak draft could cause positive pressure within the stove or boiler. Because the burner is not sealed from the ash area it is similar to an over fire reading. In any heating appliance with forced air the over fire reading is the one that counts.