I think I've been making fires wrong my entire life...

[Hjhunt]

I am completely new to energy efficient stoves. My entire life (I'm not all that old at 32), I've been using old wood stoves that weren't these new fancy ones. And now I'm questioning everything I've ever learned.

We recently got a new vermont castings dauntless. I'm a Vermont native, so I'm partial. My grandmother had a propane VC in her kitchen when I was little.

Anyway, I'm having a hard time with the technology. It doesn't seem like this is all that uncommon, especially with VCs.

I start fire per normal. Get it roaring, close the damper, then reduce air control gradually. I was worried today that maybe we aren't running it as hot as we should, but if we did, we'd be cooked out of our home. We have a 1800sqft home, and maybe 330 of that is a back room that we don't heat (keep the door closed) with the stove. Another 120+ is another bedroom that also has the door closed.

Anyway- I turn it down enough so that there is a slow moving flame. Doing so- the stove top therm reads between the "300-600 good burn" range. However, I can't really get the air completely turned down to prevent it from getting 100 degrees in the house.

Additionally, a stocked dauntless for "overnight burn" is lasting about 4 hours. The wood is seasoned 2 years, heavy, dry juniper/pinon mix, stored in our dry carport (we live in NM where oak and other really great hardwoods aren't really available for less than $600-$700 a cord).

So I can't turn it further down without losing the flame, and yet I'm going out to let the dog out at 130am and our 9pm stocking is basically to coals. Stove top temp just at about 300. During the day with us putting in a big piece of wood or two, we get a couple hours and stove top maintains 450 or so.

What am I doing wrong and has anyone found any good videos on YouTube or the like on how to get this stove working properly (for dummies).

Thank you!

 

[BillBurns]

Im of no help with newer stoves. Maybe its just me, but it seems like a lot of mental work and guessing to get all the settings right. I have a USSC log model. Just a basic stove, not one thig is fancy about it. I load wood, light it up, then enjoy the heat. Simple.

 

[Todd]

You came to the right place. There are some good threads here in the Vermont Castings section on how to run these down draft stoves. From what I can tell they are very finicky and require a proper setup and draft. They don’t seem to like to run low and slow, I think they’re at their best burning hot. Maybe you can go with small hot fires once or twice per day til colder weather then try loading her up for longer burns.

 

[Hjhunt]

You came to the right place. There are some good threads here in the Vermont Castings section on how to run these down draft stoves. From what I can tell they are very finicky and require a proper setup and draft. They don’t seem to like to run low and slow, I think they’re at their best burning hot. Maybe you can go with small hot fires once or twice per day til colder weather then try loading her up for longer burns.

The man that installed it is extremely knowledgeable in stoves and really loves the science of the stoves. I have no doubts that it was setup and installed correctly. He did recommend the cat but we didn't go with it immediately due to lead time.

We bought this house last year and it had an old fisher stove. It was enormous and when used, the house was at least 95 degrees. I called to have the stove serviced and the chimney swept and he couldn't touch it. It broke so many fire codes (no air gap behind brick, too close to the wall, stove opening was 8" and then adapter was used to 6" pipe, pipe on roof wasn't 3ft, etc) so we just broke down and got a new, smaller stove).

We love this stove and efficiency so much more already because we burn so much less wood and it's just beautiful. We get amazing output and have to add wood so much less.

He did warn us that it definitely requires learning and once we get it right, we will be even happier.

 

[peakbagger]

Unlike old Pre EPA stoves, new EPA stove rarely turn down well. They have a far narrower operating range. Its made more difficult is most people size their stoves to have enough output to heat the home on the coldest day. They inevitably are learning their new stove in the worst conditions which is in the fall where the output needed is lower. The usual fix is burn smaller loads and feed it more often.

 

[gthomas785]

It's ok to turn it down all the way. The flames will go out. As long as you got the catalyst heated up enough it will keep slow cooking and give you a nice steady heat output. You should have little to no smoke if this is done right.

 

[Eman85]

It's ok to turn it down all the way. The flames will go out. As long as you got the catalyst heated up enough it will keep slow cooking and give you a nice steady heat output. You should have little to no smoke if this is done right.

He doesn't have the catalyst.

I have an old VC catalyst stove so I really can't tell you how to run your stove as it has different technology then what mine has.

 

[gthomas785]

You should really try to get the catalyst. It's what makes the stove run the way it should.

 

[Hjhunt]

It's ok to turn it down all the way. The flames will go out. As long as you got the catalyst heated up enough it will keep slow cooking and give you a nice steady heat output. You should have little to no smoke if this is done right.

We do not have catalyst in ours.

 

[gthomas785]

We do not have catalyst in ours.

I understand that but VC dauntless is a catalytic stove and needs the catalyst to operate correctly at low output.

 

[Eman85]

I've reread your post and the VC info about your stove. Your box is a little bit smaller than my stove's box. I would think you could turn it down low enough with very low flames to get a longer burn. I can run my stove without using the catalyst and turn it down to just a glow where the flames are like ghost flames on top of the glow. I can load 1/2 box and go to bed and wake up to a warm stove and a small pile of coals that I can toss some kindling on and restart. Mine does not have a non cat secondary burn like yours so I would think you could turn it way down.

 

[a59cheffy]

I am completely new to energy efficient stoves. My entire life (I'm not all that old at 32), I've been using old wood stoves that weren't these new fancy ones. And now I'm questioning everything I've ever learned.

We recently got a new vermont castings dauntless. I'm a Vermont native, so I'm partial. My grandmother had a propane VC in her kitchen when I was little.

Anyway, I'm having a hard time with the technology. It doesn't seem like this is all that uncommon, especially with VCs.

I feel you man! I too bought the Dauntless VC because a few of my relatives in NH had VC's in their log cabins. Been out west since '81....

The Dauntless was the perfect size and aesthetic my wife and I wanted.

I really had a hard time figuring out this stove in the beginning. It's my first wood burning stove. Luckily for me I found this forum and was given really good and sound advice!

Couple things I have learned about my setup and the Dauntless:

These stoves need lot's of air. For whatever reason, design or firebox size, they don't like the air turned back.

When burning without the combustor, bypass open. I don't fill the firebox more than half way. 2-3 splits. Keep temp STT around 450-550. Air control full unless it starts to creep above 600. Then close no less than a third. I never let the flames go out. This doesn't lend well to overnight burns. Have come close a few times. Been burning wood relative to your supply, doug fir, cedar and larch. The upside is I don't have to worry about chimney buildup of creosote.

I now have a catalytic combustor installed and an Auber AT100 with a 6" K type probe. Thanks to these fine folks on this forum! I can now turn the air control down, get longer burn times and still keep stove temp around 400. And have peace of mind knowing I am not coating my chimney with creosote!

I just installed it a few days ago and am learning the ins and outs. Have not done and overnighter yet.

 

[NewGuy132]

If you are still worried about the lead time on a CAT order one from Condar. I bought one from them a couple weeks ago and had it in hand in a couple days. I’d also recommend a Auber temp probe.

 

[glensimpson]

I understand that but VC dauntless is a catalytic stove and needs the catalyst to operate correctly at low output.

that is not how it is sold from dealers nor documented in their literature.

 

[gthomas785]

that is not how it is sold from dealers nor documented in their literature.

In past decades VC has sold stoves with both a non-cat secondary reburn system and a catalytic one. For the Flexburn they basically just smashed both designs together so you can theoretically burn it with or without the catalyst. However, as anyone who has used one of the old VC non-cats will know, you need to keep the stove hot enough to sustain the secondary combustion. You cannot simply turn it down like you can with the catalyst. The marketing of Flexburn is wishful at best, and in most cases downright misleading.

If there were truly no difference between running it with the cat and without, nobody would ever use a cat. But there are very clear and proven benefits to using the catalyst, the most notable of which is the ability to achieve a smokeless burn on the minimum air setting.

 

[glensimpson]

In past decades VC has sold stoves with both a non-cat secondary reburn system and a catalytic one. For the Flexburn they basically just smashed both designs together so you can theoretically burn it with or without the catalyst. However, as anyone who has used one of the old VC non-cats will know, you need to keep the stove hot enough to sustain the secondary combustion. You cannot simply turn it down like you can with the catalyst. The marketing of Flexburn is wishful at best, and in most cases downright misleading.

If there were truly no difference between running it with the cat and without, nobody would ever use a cat. But there are very clear and proven benefits to using the catalyst, the most notable of which is the ability to achieve a smokeless burn on the minimum air setting.

the sales guy literally spent 15 seconds on the catalyst technology, leading me to believe it was not necessary. I would have never bought something that needs an expensive add on that you might not be able to get someday in the future. I needed this information laid out to me straight forward. I hadn't heard the word FLEXburn until I read the manual after purchase. ANother night of poor heat from the new flexburn.

 

[glensimpson]

Unlike old Pre EPA stoves, new EPA stove rarely turn down well. They have a far narrower operating range. Its made more difficult is most people size their stoves to have enough output to heat the home on the coldest day. They inevitably are learning their new stove in the worst conditions which is in the fall where the output needed is lower. The usual fix is burn smaller loads and feed it more often.

My New EPA approved yotel downstairs running with the same pipe sizes and flu runs great compared to my vc, and has a much greater range of heat choice. I put the vc in downdraft, it goes out. I turn the yotel down and it kindles more slowly. In the fall when output need is lower, the dauntless hardly works and is terribly frustrating. Nobody should have to manage their wood stove every 10 minutes, mindjacking their days and evenings.

 

[gthomas785]

I'm sorry you had a chitty sales guy. But don't listen to peakbagger, they DO operate and turn down very well when used correctly. I have the Encore flexburn with catalyst and I load it twice a day, the whole process takes maybe 20 mins and I'm doing other stuff at the same time. It's not a hassle at all. I spend more time doing dishes every day than tending the stove. You do need DRY wood and a catalyst. and as I said before, you can run without the catalyst, just don't try to turn it all the way down in that case.