Quad with acc new user question

  • Active since 1995, Hearth.com is THE place on the internet for free information and advice about wood stoves, pellet stoves and other energy saving equipment.

    We strive to provide opinions, articles, discussions and history related to Hearth Products and in a more general sense, energy issues.

    We promote the EFFICIENT, RESPONSIBLE, CLEAN and SAFE use of all fuels, whether renewable or fossil.
Status
Not open for further replies.
M

mini

New Member
Jan 4, 2010
5
Pa
First off let me say hello and thanks for a great site. I'm a new member today but have lingered for a long time learning as much as possible. This is a great palce. I know everyone likes details so here goes. I just installed a quad 5700 in a semi finished basement about 900 sq ft witha wide open floor plan. I plan on heating that area and the upstairs (1050 sq ft) with the stove. The flue is an insualtaed class A 8 inche flue that needed replaced so it was relined and insulated witha 6 inch rigided liner. Total height is about 17 feet. I did a small break in fire earlier and have been getting ready to start another one then let her rip.

My question is when the acc is on (timer started) and you pull the lever that should override the timer forward (this should close off the extra air) should you still hear the timer ticking. I ask becuase if I set the acc and try to turn it off by pulling this lever I can still here the timer ticking. Is this normal or should that stop ticking. I can't tell where the air is supposed to come from so I don't know if it is working porperly or not (shuting down the extra air when that lever is pulled). Being new to this I want to make sure I have a good handle on the stove befire I really let her get hot. Thank in advance for the help

I gues also anyone using this stove Where did you put the stove top thermometer and what temps does it seem to settle at. thaknks guys.

Eric
 
Yes, when you pull the lever towards you from the back position, this engages the timer. To override the timer there is a lever that needs pulled in the rear, directly behind the side lever. That being said, I tend to use my top control for more immediate changes in the stove temp. Before I ordered the 5700, I thought the timer would be something I wouldn't use or it would inhibit "on the fly" changes, but after a few months and a cord or so of wood, I tend to pull it forward after 20 or minutes and leave it there. I do re-open it to burn down coals or re-kindle a fresh load of wood in the am.

My thermometer cruises at 500-550, with a half loaded stove. I put my magnetic thermo on the center of the step-up portion of the stove. It fits perfectly, won't slide down and is easy to read.

You may need more than just 1 burn-in. I had paint smells for 3-4 burn-ins, before letting it rip.

Good Luck!
 
Thank you

I understand how it works, but how do you know if it is actually working? I can still hear the timer ticking. I though maybe it should stop the timer when you pull the lever in the back corner of the stove.
 
I assumed that it is working based upon hearing the same "ticking" sound that you are hearing. After 20 or so minutes (i've never timed it!) the ticking subsides, at which point your vent is closed down, or so says the manufacturer? On a side note I have not tried over-riding the timer as the need has never occurred. Opening it up from a closed position definitely increases the flow immediately. I bet someone with a lot more experience will chime in shortly. I am currently burning hardwood that has been seasoning for 4 years and haven't had the need to over-ride the timer. Perhaps some greener wood would necessitate the need?

When I ordered the 5700, I had asked if I could get it w/o the acc option. I figured less moving parts the better and felt comfortable making my own adjustments. There however wasn't any old stock (pre-ACC) models left. At any rate, I am fine with the acc. When I am out of town, I feel better having ACC when my wife is loading the stove. Less worries of an over-fire.
 
Its a wind up timer, it will still tick after you pull it forward, while it unwinds itself. The start-up air comes in the doghouse on the bottom in the front. The rear air comes in the holes in the back, the primary (burn rate) air comes in the air wash just above the door opening.
 
Is it supposed to regulate the air as much as the manual control? I have a Heat n Glow Northstar with the ACC and even with it engaged if I damper all the way down - it dampers down. I thought the idea was for it to keep the air open for a while then slowly move to your manual setting. I can hear the timer ticking, and I can see it engage, but it seems like it doesn't have complete control. I apologize if the two ACC systems are not the same as the OP, I don't want to confuse anyone.
 
The northstar has a similar system. If you open the startup air and then close down the primary air you should still get a pretty active fire. You still have a small amount of control with the primary air, but not much. The startup air on the northstar also comes in the doghouse in the lower front, check to make sure it is clear. If the fire is going down with the start up air open, either its not functioning correctly, or thew wood is not the best quality.
 
Let me get this straight; the ACC utilizes a different source of air to the firebox? If that is the case then mine is working. I have control of the damper even when the acc is engaged, which would make sense.
 
The startup air opens a flapper door in the front center just below the doghouse. This is ONLY for the startup air and closes by itself with the timer. The primary air (burn rate), is a plate that slides over a pie shaped hole just to the right of the startup air flapper. This air goes into the air wash above the glass. So yes you may have some control of the fire even when the startup air is engaged, but not nearly as much as when it closes. If you can have the startup air open, and closing the primary air kills the fire, I would suspect bad wood, bad draft, or the startup air is not getting into the firebox.
 
It appears that it is working, I was initially under the assumption that I had no control over the damper when the ACC was engaged.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.

Similar threads

jmstovall
New Quadrafire II Owner w Some Questions
Replies
1
Views
925
QuadraFire
begreen
begreen
D
Stove for a new construction cabin - advice please?
Replies
29
Views
3K
The Hearth Room - Wood Stoves and Fireplaces
begreen
begreen
H
Newbie here: Help choosing a new wood stove
Replies
5
Views
2K
The Hearth Room - Wood Stoves and Fireplaces
begreen
begreen
J
Xtrordinair 44 Elite experience
Replies
0
Views
2K
Travis Industries: Lopi, Avalon, FPX
jnewman67
J
bert670
Dauntless Review
Replies
10
Views
5K
The Hearth Room - Wood Stoves and Fireplaces
bert670
bert670
Top Bottom
Back