2013 VC Burning Thread

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jharkin said:
At least I feel a little better that Im not alone. After the rebuild and new cat there is not much more that I can do with this thing, Im starting to resign to the fact its just how VCs work....

Interestingly I see reports of smoke at times during the cycle on the BK thread.

And they get the same black glass as we do... or rather worse.


Maybe its only Woodstock that knows the magic recipe to a clean catalytic burn?
Click to expand...
I'll let you know. I will have at least one BK and one Woodstock stove within the next two years.
 
jharkin said:
At least I feel a little better that Im not alone. After the rebuild and new cat there is not much more that I can do with this thing, Im starting to resign to the fact its just how VCs work....

Interestingly I see reports of smoke at times during the cycle on the BK thread.

And they get the same black glass as we do... or rather worse.


Maybe its only Woodstock that knows the magic recipe to a clean catalytic burn?
Click to expand...
"steam" is a daily occurrence for me with my stove, dissipates quickly enough. Only time I see heat waves is when the load is coal stage.
 
Reckless said:
Third does your vc1945 have an air wash system above the doors? If so you have to adjust it. Easiest way I found is to close both doors and reach through the top load and feel how they line up (No fire of course!!) I had the same problem until I lined the air wash up with the air channel above the doors. To adjust mine, they had to widen so I had to remove the screw closest to the door opening, give it a couple turns and screw it back into the door hole. Now no more black soot (for the most part ;) ) Keep warm!!
Click to expand...

Good evening Guys,
I cleaned out the stove this evening, closed off the secondary air by unhooking the bimetal coil and using a magnet to keep the little gate closed all the way. I made sure when the stove is cold and the primary air is all the way toward the back of the stove (in the closed position) that the primary air flapper is shut all the way. Next was to address the air wash, and I am having some issues there. So above the front doors there is of course a large slot where the primary air comes from. That is all I have as far as air wash. I can see on the Encore's that there is some kind of device mounted above the glass on each door but of course the Defiants do not have them. Am I missing something?

Thanks again,
Glenn
 
grobinson2 said:
Good evening Guys,
I cleaned out the stove this evening, closed off the secondary air by unhooking the bimetal coil and using a magnet to keep the little gate closed all the way. I made sure when the stove is cold and the primary air is all the way toward the back of the stove (in the closed position) that the primary air flapper is shut all the way. Next was to address the air wash, and I am having some issues there. So above the front doors there is of course a large slot where the primary air comes from. That is all I have as far as air wash. I can see on the Encore's that there is some kind of device mounted above the glass on each door but of course the Defiants do not have them. Am I missing something?

Thanks again,
Glenn
Click to expand...
Youre gonna have to wait for defiant or bbar to answer that. In the manual it shows an airwash manifold but nothing on the doors themselves. http://www.fergusonfireplace.com/1910.pdf
 
Thanks to this thread, I took on the job of rebuilding my 2550 encore. Based on the condition of the refractory assembly, it was time. What do you think!?
 

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jharkin said:
At least I feel a little better that Im not alone. After the rebuild and new cat there is not much more that I can do with this thing, Im starting to resign to the fact its just how VCs work....

Interestingly I see reports of smoke at times during the cycle on the BK thread.

And they get the same black glass as we do... or rather worse.

Maybe its only Woodstock that knows the magic recipe to a clean catalytic burn?
Click to expand...

More airwash = cleaner glass and shorter burn time.
 
Burner said:
Thanks to this thread, I took on the job of rebuilding my 2550 encore. Based on the condition of the refractory assembly, it was time. What do you think!?
Click to expand...
WOW I have a couple years left in mine by the looks of that XD
 
Burner said:
Thanks to this thread, I took on the job of rebuilding my 2550 encore. Based on the condition of the refractory assembly, it was time. What do you think!?
Click to expand...

It was time ;lol
 
here is what I removed
IMGP1540.JPG
 
Burner said:
Thanks to this thread, I took on the job of rebuilding my 2550 encore. Based on the condition of the refractory assembly, it was time. What do you think!?
Click to expand...

Wow, for how long were you burning in that stove?
 
Charles1981 said:
Wow, for how long were you burning in that stove?
Click to expand...

Just a little less than a year. When I bought it used, it was in ok shape but during the winter last year I had a Cat warp on me. That broke the right side. I put in some refractory cement and kaowool to close it up and was able to use it for a few months. After buying a new oslo a few weeks ago, I took it out of commission and started the rebuild. I didn't know it was as bad as it was until I took the rear burn plate off.
 
i guess my question is more along the lines of how old is the stove and how many years was it burned before you bought it?
 
Charles1981 said:
i guess my question is more along the lines of how old is the stove and how many years was it burned before you bought it?
Click to expand...

The stove was installed in 2004 and was used quite a bit. So that's about 8 years before I started using it. No parts were warped so I think they burned it responsibly.
 
Man that is disappointing. I guess i will find myself in this spot in 8 years as well? I wouldn't think there is a big difference in the refractory of a 2040 vs the 2550
 
I can't say as to the difference if any. But I can attest to the fact that the refractory material is not very durable.
 
Burner said:
I can't say as to the difference if any. But I can attest to the fact that the refractory material is not very durable.
Click to expand...

When you buy a brand new one it feels very stiff and solid... But then the first time it gets fired becomes very brittle.
 
I like how I'm subscribed to this thread, yet I never get alerts letting me know that new posts are available.
 
grobinson2 said:
Anyone available to chime in on my air wash system... Nudge, Nudge Browning. :)
Click to expand...
Which post is it?

Found it. give me a moment to read it.
 
grobinson2 said:
Good evening Guys,
I cleaned out the stove this evening, closed off the secondary air by unhooking the bimetal coil and using a magnet to keep the little gate closed all the way. I made sure when the stove is cold and the primary air is all the way toward the back of the stove (in the closed position) that the primary air flapper is shut all the way. Next was to address the air wash, and I am having some issues there. So above the front doors there is of course a large slot where the primary air comes from. That is all I have as far as air wash. I can see on the Encore's that there is some kind of device mounted above the glass on each door but of course the Defiants do not have them. Am I missing something?

Thanks again,
Glenn
Click to expand...
Nope, you are not missing anything. The Encore and Defiant are designed differently. There is nothing attached to the Defiant's glass.
 
grobinson2 said:
As a fellow Defiant burner do you have any issues with your glass coking up?
Click to expand...
If I burn hot, which it likes to do, the glass stays clean for a few days at a time but gets cloudy from fly ash. When I attempt, and fail, to burn at lower temps, I soot up the glass. But, my Defiant likes to temp climb, so the stove usually sits at 600-700 griddle temp. Gaskets are good, doors, griddle, and ash pan seal properly. The sob likes to climb. And smoke. And burn dirty.

I'm pulling the pipe tonight to see what type of build up I have. I expect several shovels of soot collecting at the base of the line/pipe.
 
On Friday I blocked off the EPA holes, and the back secondary air gate and I am getting some puff backs. I have WAY more control over the stove and it burns great in bipass mode at whatever temperature I desire but in CAT mode I did get some of the puff backs. Once I played with it through the day Saturday I was able to slow the puff backs if not eliminate them. I need to order a CAT probe so I can see what it is doing on the inside of the stove.

Thanks again,
Glenn
 
ermm, pretty sure your stove is not meant to run in bypass mode...only for fire starting and reloading...
 
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