Air (AUF) ducting questions - how, what, where?

[TimJ]

Again, thanks for the helpful replies.

I am looking forward to finishing this thing

[maple flats]

Blocking that front 6" is to minimize much of the air from just going around the wood and up around the fire.

[ACollette]

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I connected my squirrel cage blower directly to the back of the arch, similar to the way Raptor did. I did not build a airgate, instead I connected my fan to a rheostat and govern fan speed and CFM by electricity. I also ran my air under the grates, but also plumbed two square tubes from the blower up into the top of the firebox to create retrograde turbulence. This turbulence allows be to theoretically increase the ignition of unburned fuel gases instead of having a unidirectional air flow from the AUF through to the smokestack. I seem to get a clean burn and can achieve fantastic boiling rates. IMG_9431.jpg

[Sugarmaker]

The air on the top may help? Not sure. They might work better pointed at the center of your flame/ fire ball??? Also I would keep a eye on how your grates hold the fire (coals)? The gaps look a little wide. After boiling for several hours you may have a abundance of coals in the ash pit? Maybe I just dont have the scale / view right. Too hot down there could be a problem for your blower? May work fine? Let us know.
Good luck with your season.
Regards,
Chris

[ACollette]

Chris,

I've boiled on this arch for 2 seasons now. I empty the ash pit about every 8 hours of boiling. I use fire brick to help deflect airflow up through the grates. I do not have an issue with the ash being to close to the blower, the ash is so completely burned that its light and fluffy and the airflow keeps it well away from the blower. In my opinion, this set up is a dream. I actually have to throttle back my air with my rheostat so I am not loosing heat up my stack.

The SmokyLake pan is a piece of art. I couldn't be happier.

Aaron

[TimJ]

ACollette,

I went back and forth on this and settled on essentially the same thins you sent in a pic

I drilled holes in the firewall at the back, welded 4 bolts to the inside of the firewall and can mount the blower.

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Test fit. The final installation will have washers and lock washers

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[ACollette]

Super.

Just one question, what are you using to fill the gap between the flat plate and the 1/4" verticals?

[tbear]

Not sure about your blower so maybe should keep quiet but, nah! The blower that came with my corsair arch is bolted directly to the back of the fire box below the grate. My thought is that it doesn't over heat because of the constant air movement and its lower than the fire, heat moves up. There is no need for firebrick in that area as the brick protects your insulation from wood being loaded. I don't have ash or coals build up in that area, the ash box, as it gets blown up onto the ramp or out the stack. This year I'll be more proactive about cleaning the ash off the ramp as towards the end of last year it was raining ash. Hope this helps, Ted

[tbear]

My apologies, i was responding to the last post on the first page. Not sure how i missed an entire page but there it is. Ted

[TimJ]

Super.

Just one question, what are you using to fill the gap between the flat plate and the 1/4" verticals?

I am probably going to tack in some metal if I have any left over or use wool/insulation stuff.

If I go the metal route I will probably caulk the heck out of it with RTV