Old Arrow wood stove

I have an old Arrow wood stove . The door either has to be all the way shut or all the way open it flops down and there is no window. I'm renting a mobile home and it came with it.  The only way I see air getting in is through the holes in the bottom of the box. But Ash soon covers those holes and I'm just left with smoke. There is a lever on the bottom to open and close the airflow through those holes.The chimney was cleaned and there's nothing stuck on the top.  Also there is no way to open the Ashbox and clean it out. It is bolted shut. It looks like it was built that way. I got an owners manual online. the model on the back of the stove is  The same but the pictures and instructions are different.

Howdy Janet. Could you post a couple more pictures? Maybe one of the back, one with the door open, a close up of the bolts on the ash tray and the air inlet damper.  Thanks!

Miles Flansburg wrote:Howdy Janet. Could you post a couple more pictures? Maybe one of the back, one with the door open, a close up of the bolts on the ash tray and the air inlet damper.  Thanks!

I couldn't really get a picture of the back. It is just one sheet of metal with a lip soldered on.

Interesting : So how does the ash get down into the ash drawer? Is there an opening there somewhere? I am wondering if the bolts keep the drawer sealed when firing and to MT the drawer you have to remove the bolts?

Does it look like air enters the top of the door and drops down along the door, or across the fire for more draft?

Miles Flansburg wrote:Interesting : So how does the ash get down into the ash drawer? Is there an opening there somewhere? I am wondering if the bolts keep the drawer sealed when firing and to MT the drawer you have to remove the bolts?

Does it look like air enters the top of the door and drops down along the door, or across the fire for more draft?

There are holes in the bottom of the box where the ash drops in but get covered up. Possibly the bolts could be removed to clean out the ash. I don't see how air can enter the door when it is closed.

Miles Flansburg wrote:

Does it look like air enters the top of the door and drops down along the door, or across the fire for more draft?

It looks like air goes into the door from all sides even the bottom. But when it's closed all of those holes are on the outside of the stove. It looks like Like a closed system on the outside of the box.

There are so many things odd with this fire I just dont understand how it is supposed to work  I wonder if it has been "repaired " already or something taken out .

David

David Livingston wrote:There are so many things odd with this fire I just dont understand how it is supposed to work  I wonder if it has been "repaired " already or something taken out .

David

That's a good answer. I will try to investigate it. I emailed one store and they were no help. I'll try to visit a local store and see if they know anything.

I see that on the back panel it mentions a fan.  I wonder if it's working and where it is?

We had a wood stove that had very small air flow holes in the side of the fire box and they would plug up with ash...every time we started a fire we dug out the ash with a tool so that it would draw well.  The ash pan never really worked all that well so we just scooped the extra ashes out from the door as needed into a bucket.....our door was hinged on the side though not a drop down one like yours and it had a much larger fire box.

Maybe, though, it's all to do with the fan in the end.  That may be the stove's secret to a good draw...

"I'm renting a mobile home and it came with it. "

For liability reasons, speak to your landlord before trying to figure it out on your own. I'm sure he/she will be glad you asked and glad to instruct. Good luck.

Karen Donnachaidh wrote:"I'm renting a mobile home and it came with it. "

For liability reasons, speak to your landlord before trying to figure it out on your own. I'm sure he/she will be glad you asked and glad to instruct. Good luck.

I have but in the meantime he's been in a bad car accident.  He cleaned everything really well and put new parts on the top.  Also he lives six hours away.

I read a bit in the (hopefully) attached pdf. No, the picture of the stove didn't look identical to yours, but I believe much of the information still applies since the model numbers match.

Please read as much as you can to be well informed. And, try again to at least talk on the phone with your landlord (armed with your knowledge) before proceeding.

A few bits from the manual:

Under OUTSIDE COMBUSTION AIR INSTALLATION: (page 5)
It will be necessary to cut a hole in the floor under the stove to allow the use of outside combustion air. The pedestal serves as a duct to direct the air up the air intake port on the bottom of the stove body.

Under LATCH ADJUSTMENT: (page 13)
The door has been factory adjusted for a proper fit. However, if the  door handle has been rotated it may need readjusting.... The door should fit tightly against the stove face.

It also tells you about the fan (blower) on page 13. Control knob on lower right of the base. Turn it to off. Making sure the electrical cord doesn't touch any hot surfaces, plug it in. Turn the blower on. Then turn the knob clockwise to go from high to low. (It starts on high speed.) You may operate the stove with or without the blow on.

It also tells a lot about the proper wood to use and how to build the fire. Does your landlord provide the wood?

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From the forums at Hearth.com:

webbie 

Seasoned Moderator

Not in bad shape at all. It's EPA or at least close to it.....
"Arrow was started in Tualatin, Oregon in the late 1970's by Joe Chamberlain, an entrepreneur, as part of a general sheet metal fabrication business. Arrow was the first steel wood stove designed with a pedestal instead of legs, and also pioneered the use of a gold finish on the stove door. Chamberlain sold the Arrow business to Heatilator/HON INDUSTRIES in 1985 just as state and national air quality regulations were starting to impact the industry. As a result of these regulations, the Arrow business declined and Heatilator closed the Tualatin factory and moved manufacturing to Mt. Pleasant, Iowa in 1989. Several attempts to regain its once strong market position by selling through the Heatilator fireplace sales force and customer base were unsuccessful. In 1993 the company hired Mike Derosier, an experienced stove industry sales and marketing executive, to direct the Arrow stove business. In the fall of 1993 Arrow launched an innovative direct vent gas stove which started a new industry trend and helped revive Arrow sales and market share."

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The plate on yours has a 3-1-80 date. I assume that is when it was made. Therefore, it was before Arrow was sold to Heatilator.

I don't know your location. Therefore, I don't know how cold it has gotten there. I certainly hope this is cleared up for you soon. Is this your only heat source?

Thanks for your help.

Yes,  this is the manual I have and have read. The landlord installed the stove according to the instructions. The door fits snugly onto the box. I use the fan and it doesn't affect the fire.  I've talked to Heatilator and they suggested talking to a local supplier. No one sells theses stoves anymore. I'm planning on going into a store anyway just to talk. I have a propane heater also. I'm just trying to save the cost of propane. Thanks again for all your work.

Well I hope someone sees this. I used the stove last year with the door open. Now I want to try again but can't remember which way to move the lever on the bottom that supposedly lets air in. Has anyone found any more information on this? I must have seen a drawing somewhere that showed open and closed but I can't find one.

So I'm back again this year with the same stove. It isn't getting any air without propping it open, and then I get smoke in the house. Landlord cleaned pipe, replaced parts on roof, and says it is well underneath of the mobile home. I'm thinking it's not well under the mobile home. Any suggestions for the landlord?

I know the answer. I own this same wood stove. The lever on the bottom is left to open right to close. It unscrews. there are two bolts/screws on top and the plate behind it comes off. then the slider on the draft lifts off. Use a butter knife to break up the congestion in the draft. Don't just clean out the holes the draft has a chamber that runs between them as well...clean that out too. when you clean out your box lift the cast iron grates out of the floor and clean under them then put them back. they aren't perfect but try to remember how they came out. In mine one sits on the other a little. Then clean the draft... then clean out your box again. I use a Bellows to blow the draft clean too when its not too bad. but my wife and i went threw this our first winter in a new house with no furnace. I am sure this will help. Plus. We Prop ours open to get fires started and it works good. no smoke in the house. I will show some pictures of how to do this. Your gonna need a little block of wood. 1x2. & A pot of water on the stove goes a long way to keeping the house humidified.

Wow! Amazing that you have one too, and know how to do this. I'm not feeling well right now and have actually stopped using the stove because of the smoke.

EDITING NOW: Since this is a rental and the owner does most of the handyman work, I'm going to let him clean it out someday. I already gave away all my wood and have been using a propane forced air heater in this mobile home. I had noticed the bolts on top but don't have tools and thought it should be working without taking it apart. I guess that's why they changed up the model and made it easier to open.

I'm so glad you responded to this and solved my mystery. I might have the guy whom I gave the wood to give it a go, but he is a little slow.

Thanks so much.