New Lopi Declaration Owner

maukiman · Nov 27, 2007

I have had my Lopi Declaration for about a month now during which I have used it quite a bit.

After each burn, the door glass is covered with blackness. Does this mean I am not burning it hot enough? Any way to avoid this from happening?

Also, the little ledge just inside the doors fills up with ashes, and coals. Is there anyway to prevent this - it falls onto the floor when I open the doors.

Thanks

maukiman · Nov 27, 2007

Also, where can i mount a thermometer on this since it is a flush insert?

ERPARKER · Nov 27, 2007

Hi Maukiman,

I own a Declaration as well (and love it). I too got a lot of creosote on my glass when I first started using it, but hardly get any now. I blamed it on 1) using wood that was still too wet and 2) not being aggressive enough in getting the stove up to temperature. When I first started using the stove it could take me an hour and a half from "cold" to the blower turning on. During that time, it would smoke a lot and coat the windows in creosote. I can now go from "cold" to having the blowers turn on in 30 minutes or less, with just a little smoke at the beginning. Experiment with leaving the doors open a crack (anywhere from an inch to just unlatched) when you're getting the fire going. This feeds the fire with a lot of oxygen and lets it burn rather than smolder. I'll have the fire going very strongly before I finally close the doors. I then wait a few more minutes before closing the bypass. I run it with the damper wide open (pushed in all the way) unless the room is getting too hot or I need an extended burn (overnight or leaving the house for a few hours).

Note that I do not leave the room if I don't have the doors latched.

ERPARKER · Nov 27, 2007

I put a magnetic thermometer over the blower output grates. I never see the 450 or 500 degree measurements that other folks here report, but it's good as a relative measure. It goes from around 175 degrees (fire getting low) to about 300 degrees (fire going strong and the blower hasn't turned on yet). As soon as the blower cuts in, the temperature drops from 300 to 225 or so. Again, it's just a relative measure. There doesn't seem to be a really good place on this stove for an accurate measurement. I haven't overfired mine and it seems like it would be difficult to do.

tbl01 · Nov 27, 2007

I am a fairly new owner of the same stove, diffrent faceplate( FIrePlace Xtordanair XP 33 Elite). On my third week, and have learned quite a bit about the stove.
Basically exactly what ERPARKER stated in his post. ERPARKER my fan usually kicks in under 200degrees. some where between 150-200.

I intially had the same type of problems. I wasn't seeing temps over 300-350 ( without blower). I was doing a few things wrong. First I was using wood that was not completely dry. Secondly I was damping the stove down to quickly , not letting it get up to temp. Typical Newbie.

There is a learning curve with wood stoves. Just like everything elses. I'm still learning. I'm working on getting a real good overnite burn.

I tested the theory of wet wood, by fireing the stove up with dry cedar decking(demo deck) I use for kindling, and some known dry pieces of firewood. Had the stove up in the 550-600f range.

Typically now I see temps with half-way decent firewood in the range of 425-550( no blower). damp it down and it stays consistently in that range for quite some time. Then its just maintian that temp. I try to keep the stove temp up above 350f. With blower on I usally lose 100F in temp.

One thing I also noticed was the palcement of stove thermometer on this stove can vary greatly. I orginally had it on the face above the doors, and my readings were close to 100f lower then if I put it up where the air exits the top. Also Noticed and increase in temp if I put it directly on the stove behind the face plate. Strange( using a Rutland Stove Thermometer)

Dry wood truly makes all the difference.

We are really enjoying the stove, and the warmth the house now has with the stove running 24/7. My house is older and drafty, but I can maintain a nice 72 degree temp downstairs, and 68-70 upstairs thoughout most of the day with ease.

Waiting for some real cold weather to see how the stove really works. Looks like its going to start this weekend here in NY.

budman · Nov 27, 2007

tbl01 said:
I am a fairly new owner of the same stove, diffrent faceplate( FIrePlace Xtordanair XP 33 Elite). On my third week, and have learned quite a bit about the stove.
Basically exactly what ERPARKER stated in his post. ERPARKER my fan usually kicks in under 200degrees. some where between 150-200.

I intially had the same type of problems. I wasn't seeing temps over 300-350 ( without blower). I was doing a few things wrong. First I was using wood that was not completely dry. Secondly I was damping the stove down to quickly , not letting it get up to temp. Typical Newbie.

There is a learning curve with wood stoves. Just like everything elses. I'm still learning. I'm working on getting a real good overnite burn.

I tested the theory of wet wood, by fireing the stove up with dry cedar decking(demo deck) I use for kindling, and some known dry pieces of firewood. Had the stove up in the 550-600f range.

Typically now I see temps with half-way decent firewood in the range of 425-550( no blower). damp it down and it stays consistently in that range for quite some time. Then its just maintian that temp. I try to keep the stove temp up above 350f. With blower on I usally lose 100F in temp.

One thing I also noticed was the palcement of stove thermometer on this stove can vary greatly. I orginally had it on the face above the doors, and my readings were close to 100f lower then if I put it up where the air exits the top. Also Noticed and increase in temp if I put it directly on the stove behind the face plate. Strange( using a Rutland Stove Thermometer)Greg that is because it is at the top of the stove box where the
heat exits the stove.This is the best spot for this insert.
Dry wood truly makes all the difference.

We are really enjoying the stove, and the warmth the house now has with the stove running 24/7. My house is older and drafty, but I can maintain a nice 72 degree temp downstairs, and 68-70 upstairs thoughout most of the day with ease.

Waiting for some real cold weather to see how the stove really works. Looks like its going to start this weekend here in NY.

budman · Nov 27, 2007

Looks like the declaration might over power the PE summit. :coolgrin:

maukiman · Nov 27, 2007

ERPARKER, TBL01, and BUDMAN - thanks for the replies.

Initially, my wood may have been a little damp from recent rains, but it is seasoned, and I have since moved a small amount into my garage to dry off before I burn it. But it sounds like I am still in that beginner phase. To me it seems pretty random when the blower kicks in but usually 30 to 90 minutes. And I have been closing the by-pass soon as the fire was strong enough to keep going on its own (with the damper wide opened). And I have been cracking the doors to get the fire roaring - but it sounds like my big crime is closing off the bypass too soon - and possibly not waiting for the fire to get hot enough (in regards to the damper).

As far as the thermometer and temperatures go - I am in the blind without even having one. I will get a magnetic one and position it as you two have - so at least I can compare numbers. Is there a free standing thermometer that could be set behind the faceplate and there peered at thru the vent holes using a flashlight (similar as to what TBL01 mentioned)?

Also, during one recent fire the secondary combustion tubes started glowing !!!

! I take it this is too hot? It was not intentional - the damper was closed all the way!

As far as heating goes. I have a single story rambler 1400 sq ft built in '66 with an exterior fireplace. Over the past weekend the temps dropped just below freezing to 28 F. The fireplace end of the house was 74 F and the bedroom end was 66 F (There is a vaulted ceiling that separates the 2 sides of the house.) I am very happy with the insert - as last year there was a 8 day power outage and after throwing log after log into the opened fireplace we could only get 55 F in the one room - the rest of the house was 40 F.

maukiman · Nov 27, 2007

Also what do you think about this idea to add moisture back to the room:

Put two small steel cookie sheets on either side of the bypass rod (behind the faceplate). Keep it filled using a water bottle with the drinking tube thru the faceplate vents.

1. This is the same as placing a kettle on top of a protruding insert - but there could be an issue with moisture causing rust just above the water.
2. I assume it would be plenty hot as it is directly on the firebox and there is hot air coming out from there.
3. The cookie sheets should be able to handle the heat.

The humidity level is 30 and the wife is complaining.

maukiman · Nov 27, 2007

Here is a quick video of my stove. There is no raised hearth protruding from the wall - that is why I went with this flush insert. Also I will get a strip of metal to cover the white bricks under the stove.

ERPARKER · Nov 28, 2007

maukiman said:
Also what do you think about this idea to add moisture back to the room:

Put two small steel cookie sheets on either side of the bypass rod (behind the faceplate). Keep it filled using a water bottle with the drinking tube thru the faceplate vents.

1. This is the same as placing a kettle on top of a protruding insert - but there could be an issue with moisture causing rust just above the water.
2. I assume it would be plenty hot as it is directly on the firebox and there is hot air coming out from there.
3. The cookie sheets should be able to handle the heat.

The humidity level is 30 and the wife is complaining.

The winters here are fairly dry so we already had a humidifier in the bedroom before we ever got the wood stove. We moved it downstairs when we got the stove but for this year, we're going to have two. If I had a hearth stove, with some sort of surface, I'd use a tea kettle. I never even considered rigging up something to the flush insert.

maukiman · Dec 1, 2007

So I placed 2 small baking sheets (9"X13") on each side of the bypass damper. Keeps the room from becoming bone dry (30% RH). I typically see 45-50% with a room temp of 70 F. Outdoor temps are 35-40 with 80+ (if that means anything to anyone).

The only adverse effects so far are:

1. Mineral buildup from evaporated water.
2. Noise from sheets flexing when water is gone.
3. When starting out cold - the water starts evaporating before the fan is able to turn on - so there is some moisture build up.
4. Still unsure of long term effects with rust from moisture - this is probably most significant because of #3.

Refilling must be done thru the vent holes - I have a 1.5 L water bottle with a metal tube that I use. Each pan can hold about a L of water.

In regards to #4 - does anyone know how to get the fans to turn on quicker? Where is the thermostat located? Is there any way to disable it, cuz the control does have an off position!? Until then I will just not add water until the fan is able to start.

Thanks

budman · Dec 1, 2007

maukiman said:
So I placed 2 small baking sheets (9"X13") on each side of the bypass damper. Keeps the room from becoming bone dry (30% RH). I typically see 45-50% with a room temp of 70 F. Outdoor temps are 35-40 with 80+ (if that means anything to anyone).

The only adverse effects so far are:

1. Mineral buildup from evaporated water.
2. Noise from sheets flexing when water is gone.
3. When starting out cold - the water starts evaporating before the fan is able to turn on - so there is some moisture build up.
4. Still unsure of long term effects with rust from moisture - this is probably most significant because of #3.

Refilling must be done thru the vent holes - I have a 1.5 L water bottle with a metal tube that I use. Each pan can hold about a L of water.

In regards to #4 - does anyone know how to get the fans to turn on quicker? Where is the thermostat located? Is there any way to disable it, cuz the control does have an off position!? Until then I will just not add water until the fan is able to start.

Thanks

Maukiman the switch is part of the knob on your surround.I have a spare in my hand
right now and it looks like you could solder a jumper wire on the curictboard to by pass the snap switch.

tbl01 · Dec 1, 2007

maukiman said:
Here is a quick video of my stove. There is no raised hearth protruding from the wall - that is why I went with this flush insert. Also I will get a strip of metal to cover the white bricks under the stove.

Thats a screaming fire you have there.

how old is the little one. I have a 11 month and a 34 month. Both girls.

Im not sure aboout the fan, but do you note temp stove blower comes on??Just curious. Im actually hooking up the blower to a timer today . I want to vary how long the blower is on.

I currrently trying to extend my overnite burn temps.

budman · Dec 1, 2007

tbl01 said:
maukiman said:

Here is a quick video of my stove. There is no raised hearth protruding from the wall - that is why I went with this flush insert. Also I will get a strip of metal to cover the white bricks under the stove.

Click to expand...

Thats a screaming fire you have there. how old is the little one. I have a 11 month and a 34 month. Both girls.

Im not sure aboout the fan, but do you note temp stove blower comes on??Just curious. Im actually hooking up the blower to a timer today . I want to vary how long the blower is on.

I currrently trying to extend my overnite burn temps.

Greg let us know how the timer thing
works out for you.I can see that it might work out good for the warmer wheather but when the
real cold hits your going to want that blower on all the time.

budman · Dec 1, 2007

maukiman said:
So I placed 2 small baking sheets (9"X13") on each side of the bypass damper. Keeps the room from becoming bone dry (30% RH). I typically see 45-50% with a room temp of 70 F. Outdoor temps are 35-40 with 80+ (if that means anything to anyone).

The only adverse effects so far are:

1. Mineral buildup from evaporated water.
2. Noise from sheets flexing when water is gone.
3. When starting out cold - the water starts evaporating before the fan is able to turn on - so there is some moisture build up.
4. Still unsure of long term effects with rust from moisture - this is probably most significant because of #3.

Refilling must be done thru the vent holes - I have a 1.5 L water bottle with a metal tube that I use. Each pan can hold about a L of water.

In regards to #4 - does anyone know how to get the fans to turn on quicker? Where is the thermostat located? Is there any way to disable it, cuz the control does have an off position!? Until then I will just not add water until the fan is able to start.

Thanks

I would hate see 3,500 worth of stove rust away.I'll stick with my portable unit.

Gooserider · Dec 3, 2007

maukiman said:
ERPARKER, TBL01, and BUDMAN - thanks for the replies.

Initially, my wood may have been a little damp from recent rains, but it is seasoned, and I have since moved a small amount into my garage to dry off before I burn it. But it sounds like I am still in that beginner phase. To me it seems pretty random when the blower kicks in but usually 30 to 90 minutes. And I have been closing the by-pass soon as the fire was strong enough to keep going on its own (with the damper wide opened). And I have been cracking the doors to get the fire roaring - but it sounds like my big crime is closing off the bypass too soon - and possibly not waiting for the fire to get hot enough (in regards to the damper).

As far as the thermometer and temperatures go - I am in the blind without even having one. I will get a magnetic one and position it as you two have - so at least I can compare numbers. Is there a free standing thermometer that could be set behind the faceplate and there peered at thru the vent holes using a flashlight (similar as to what TBL01 mentioned)?

Also, during one recent fire the secondary combustion tubes started glowing! I take it this is too hot? It was not intentional - the damper was closed all the way!

As far as heating goes. I have a single story rambler 1400 sq ft built in '66 with an exterior fireplace. Over the past weekend the temps dropped just below freezing to 28 F. The fireplace end of the house was 74 F and the bedroom end was 66 F (There is a vaulted ceiling that separates the 2 sides of the house.) I am very happy with the insert - as last year there was a 8 day power outage and after throwing log after log into the opened fireplace we could only get 55 F in the one room - the rest of the house was 40 F.

I have a cat stove, so I don't get the secondary fireworks, but have seen several owners of other stoves say that it isn't unusual or a cause for panic to have the secondary tubes glowing a little red... Other parts shouldn't be glowing, and I don't think they are talking about a real bright "cherry" glow, however those tubes are up in the hottest part of the firebox which needs to be in the 1100*F range in order to get secondary combustion going... Those tubes are normally made out of stainless or other high temp alloys so they should be able to handle it pretty well for the most part. (Though on some stoves they may need to be replaced at about the same frequency (and at about the same cost) as a typical cat stove will need a cat replacement - you can't win either way)

Gooserider

maukiman · Dec 5, 2007

Thanks for the post Gooserider. the glowing tubes had me in a fit the first two times. But since everyone is saying it is common - I will take a chill pill. Thanks again...

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