# Forum Home Renovation Heating & Cooling  Can Anyone Identify my wood heater

## Sorceror

It is an old wood heater. My wife and i purchased and just moved into our 1950 house. And i am unable to find a make or model or any identifying information on our wood heater.  
It is of an enclosed type. in the top vents there are heatsink like grills on the top of the firebox. I can work out for the most part the controls.. 
the pull knob on the left opens and closes the flue. the knop on the right side adjust the angle of the vents. and the knob on the door opens the door (DOH!).  
THe large circular device on the bottom of the door adjusts airflow into the firebox ( i assume to control the burn rate/heat output) 
Is this heater meant to have a fan to push air around the outside of the firbox and out through the vents?? if so i am unable to locate the fan switch or any power for such a fan if one exists.  
Any assistance in Identifying this heater appreciated.

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## rod1949

Its called a Chuckout.  Chuckout it out and replace it with something more efficient and less poluting like a reverse cycle air conditioner.

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## Moondog55

Looks like an early "Wonderheat" or something similar. 
First thing is check the sealing rope around the door, most early sealed heaters used asbestos rope.
Second thing I would do is check for rust and corrosion.
Pull on the side is definitely for a chimney/flue damper.
Passive circulation so no fan that I am aware of. 
I like these old heaters but they are not as efficient as a modern one and they work best if never allowed to go out or cool down too much, there are a couple of things that can be done to improve efficiency but they required a good bit of work especially if the chimney is exterior

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## GraemeCook

Good Morning Sorcerer. 
Warmray and Rayburn were also popular in the 1950's and all were similar. 
They had an efficiency rating around 30-40%, compared to 50% for a modern equivalent.  To operate efficiently it is essential that the firebox is airtight except for the air that you allow in controlled measure through that screw vent.   Check that the door is not buckled, that the latch secures it firmly and that the sealing cord still has some resiliance.   You can buy replacement cord at any heating supply store (eg BBQs Galore) and just stick it in with PVA flue.  For other parts, and possible identification clues, have a look at: www.ironfoundry.com.au/cat/stove.pdf 
If you intend using it as a primary heat source then it would be worth replacing it with a more efficient modern one.   If you want to keep the classic stove, it might be possible to update the firebox with a modern one.  Modern fireboxes have a baffle in the top the significantly increases efficiency, but from the photos your firebox and grate placement might make that difficult. 
Your classic stove looks great, and a modern efficient slow combustion stove, properly adjusted is less polluting than a coal fired power station. 
Cheers 
Graeme

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## Sorceror

Thanks for those replies and tips for improving efficiency. 
I intend on replacing it soon anyway with a gas powered clasic fireplace from Genesis Fires. Gas Fireplaces, Natural Gas Fireplace, Heaters Genesis Fires 
We just want this one to last out until we can afford to replace it. 
I just figured that buying and burning wood would be less costly and warmer than relying on the old small R/C aircon that barely heats the room. once the wood fireplace has heated the room then we could use the Aircon to push the heat around the house.  
ultimately we will be getting a Ducted Inverter R/C air con but that is more expensive again.

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## China

Looks very similar to a "Convair"  we had when I was a kid

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## Andy T

It is an early model convair. Later models has a stainless steel rectangular door, but the internals are much the same. Convairs were popular as they took 9 inch wood and generally fitted inside existing fireplaces. For its age it looks in good nick. The inside of the fire box should be lined in fire bricks. These burn out in time. The grate also burn out over the years. With these there is a sealed register at the height of the top of the surround. This should be solid. The usual way to install this was to fit a steel plate into the chimney and put 100mm of concrete on top of it by pushing it up the hole for the flu and spreading it out. Messy. Take the front cover plate off and check this for rust, etc. These need a fan to draw air in from outside or underneath and force the air through the front louvres. Have a look outside or underneath the house. You should be able to locate the entrance hole for the fan to draw air in.They also need regular maintenance. Open the bottom ash door and with a large bottle brush, stick it up the two small holes either end of the ash pan and clean out any soot. These were actually good heaters for their time. I grew up with these and actually chucked one out last year that I had removed from my fathers house, despite advertising it for free I couldn't give it away. 
Open the damper fully for the first 10 minutes after lighting it and before opening the door. Later model ones had an interlock that opened the damper as the door was opened. :Smilie:

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## Sorceror

Thanks Andy T. The inside does indeed have the walls of the firebox lined with what looks like a ceramic firebrick. Still is in good nick as well as the grate. 
I will need to replace the rope around the door as well as the glass windo as it is letting out smoke etc when itis first lit. 
I will look for that air intake. Do not really want to go ripping up the carpet though.  
How does one remove the fascia? it looks like it is held in place by 4 pins on the chrome fascia. do this pull out ot screw out. ?

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## leeton

It's an Apple...I can see the logo on the side of pic 3... :Biggrin:

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## Andy T

I would be a bit worried if smoke leaks from the seal even if it needs replacing. This would indicate it is not drawing properly - check the chimney. On these older heaters the flu only extends about a foot above the heater and then into the chimney. If there is an air intake it may be under the house (under the back of the hearth)

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## Sorceror

LOL  Apple are getting into everything  :Yikes2:  
Ok got some fibreglass rope from BBQ Galore, and replaced the door seals. i use 1 piece to go around the door with the join at the bottom of the door. and a single piece partway up the door. seperating firebox from ash tray. 
also got fiberglass seals on the glass although i think i will need to also use some rope as it is not sealing  :Cry:  
As for fan  Nope no fan anywhere but i doo feel a draught coming out the top vent. 
I am thinking this uses convection rather than fan forced. there is about a 3 inch cavity to each side and at the back of the firbox. so i think it draws in cool air heats it and through the natural rising of the heat creates air pressure to force it out the top vent.  
Damn the fiberglass gasket cement is messy  :Cry: .

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## Sorceror

> I would be a bit worried if smoke leaks from the seal even if it needs replacing. This would indicate it is not drawing properly - check the chimney. On these older heaters the flu only extends about a foot above the heater and then into the chimney. If there is an air intake it may be under the house (under the back of the hearth)

  Once the fire is going it does not let smoke in . the heat draws smoke up the chimney,  Just getting the fire started can be a smoky affair .. especially them down drafts make life rather annoying when lighting it.. once it is going it burns well.

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## Bloss

Convair is what it looks like to me. Warmbrite and Rayburn were two others from the olden days.

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## Andy T

Sorceror - glad you are making progress. Given the vents at the bottom you are probably right in that it uses convection. The front panel should come off. On later models 4 screws are fitted. If they dont have heads you could try carefully with pliers by seeing if they turn and giving them a pull at the same time. If you get the panel off you should be also able to ensure that the damper mechanism works OK.  
Bloss - I recall the wambrite as well. there was also a Warmray produced around the same time. They both looked similar. Yellow enameled surface with a door at the front and side. these were freestanding and you could remove the top and cook on them as we did when I was a lad.

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## GraemeCook

> LOL  Apple are getting into everything  
> Ok got some fibreglass rope from BBQ Galore, and replaced the door seals.  
> Damn the fiberglass gasket cement is messy .

  Sorry, Sorcerer, but I did advise you to use PVA glue! 
Nice to see you making progress.  If you have not used a wood stove before, there is a definite learning curve. 
Re backdraft on lighting stove, there are a number of possible causes: 
*  Fuel wood is not dry (ie green) 
*  Starting paper, kindling, wood is stacked too tight in firebox - there must be airflow space. 
*  Vents, including chimney baffle are not fully open.   When stove is fully alight and well warmed up - say 10 minutes - you close chimney baffle.   Fifteen minutes later you adjust air inlet vent to moderate burning rate. 
*  Chimney/stove flue is partially blocked - needs cleaning (Check with torch and dentists mirror). 
If the flue does only extend a foot or so up the chimney then it is well worth putting in a new flue that is 100-200+mm longer than the chimney.   This will make the fire draw much better, and a flue is much easier to clean than a chimney. 
Nothing like a wood fire, even when its in a box! 
Cheers 
Graeme

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## trying

Hi I have a similar heater, but with an electric fan, called Mackay super convair from 1960, but no instructions.
We are trying to use it, but it seems the damper wire is not doing anything, attached to rear side of heater, but not the flue.
Would love some info if anyone is able to help.
Thank you.

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## Bloss

> Hi I have a similar heater, but with an electric fan, called Mackay super convair from 1960, but no instructions.
> We are trying to use it, but it seems the damper wire is not doing anything, attached to rear side of heater, but not the flue.
> Would love some info if anyone is able to help.
> Thank you.

  I think I have a super convair manual somewhere - not sure what model. I'll have look and scan if I find it.

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## Sorceror

Well i think i have identified the heater. 
I had a ton of Redgum delivered and the guy had a look at the heater and said it looks like an old Metters Combustion Heater.  
a few days later the glass covering the flue damper fell of and to my surprise there was a logo and some letters. the logo looks like 3 triangles wit a flame like symbol above the inverted center triangle.
  _
/\\//\ 
with the letters M C H 
So i am wondering if the MCH means Metters Combustion Heater. 
Hopefully this week we will be getting a new Eureka Opal Heater installed. Was going to go nectar but the fireplace cavity is too small . Realy wanted a LOPI but again cavity too small and LOPI are realy expensive. 
Also looked at an Ultimate heater but was warned away from them. Something about the company repeatedly going into receivership.

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## madcat1984

did you have a handle that came with the heater and are you still using it?. it is definitely a super convair c.1960 (we have one and it works wonderfully for us). our handle is broken and we are desperately looking for a replacement. let us know

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## 100percent

Hi i have a handle for this heater and if you want i can post it on ebay 
you can have it for $15.00 including postage.
just let me know.
cheers 
rod

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