Install between two stone walls

[sandie]

A few questions Gizmos, your post was GREAT
Talking about the Thermostat control you said: YOU are in quotation marks

"You can run at the temps you want when you get this control where you want it. (make small adjustments) If the stove is 600 degrees and the gas pedal is just open a 1/4 inch, as the stove cools the thermostat coil contracts and raises the gas pedal allowing more air to flow in to keep consistent temps and burn. "
So you are saying that if I get to 600 and want to stay at 600 lessen the thermostat a little and see if it stays at 600 and if too high lower a little bit more til by lowering it the stove stays steady at the temp you want (600 in this case)?

"The trick part of it is to not allow slack in the gas pedal. If you want the pedal closed at 600 degrees just push it over just enough to close the pedal to the desired position (don’t go all the way). There is also a V notch in the bottom cast to allow some air in, even when the pedal appears to be closed when you are looking down at it from the top."

Not sure I understand, if I want it closed (slow burning) at 600 close it just to where there is no slack but toward the left closing it? OR are you saying close it but with no slack?

"After start up, run 3-4 smaller splits of wood damper open. On you second load, when you reach temps (around 500 plus) you can damper down. But always let the wood burn for 5-10 minutes before you turn the damper down. And don’t mess with the gas pedal. If you have it a the temp you want, don’t worry about it. The pedal has opened by its self as the stove cooled. Leave the damper open to allow the new wood to start burning, then turn the damper down. Your temps will rise back to where you like to be as the gas pedal slowly closes as the temps rise. When its been running for a couple days, there are so many coals I can just load and damper down right away. "

Again not sure what you are saying- Are you saying to get the stove going(start up) what temp are you saying it should get to about before I am reloading it for the second load? So when second load gets to 500 or so degrees put the damper down(air shut from going straight out damper to chimney). Given that at 500 it has burned 5-10 min so maybe then is 550 really, but do not mess with what you call the gas pedal and I call the Thermostat? So you say to leave the themostat alone once the stove is at 500 but when is it that you turn the thermostat down then? Now you say in paragraph above(confused me) then leave the damper open to allwo the new wood to start burning, isn't it burning when it is at 500 degrees? Then you say to turn the damper down.my damper is down or up no inbetween but the thermostat is adjustable so which are you talking about at that time? That is a really confusing paragraph to tell you the truth but I know there is a pearl in there but lost it.

"At night, before bed, get it going good, then load this puppy up, hard wood, rounds, and damper down. at 550- 600 gas pedal should be closed just past the cast iron (it’s still letting in a little bit of air through the V notch) and you will have good long burns. "

So get it going good with what? Kindling or what? then load with hardwood and rounds and damper down you say. So the damper is down and the the thermostat is "just past the cast iron? HUH? Do you mean again close the thermostat down to where the chain has not slack or push the lever all the way to the left????


The big question is this, How do you know where to put the Gas Pedal(thermostat) to maintain a temp? do you move it to the left til the chain is without slack or test by moving right and left etc., but that would be very time intensive so what I have been doing is get a fire going with kindling and a small split or two and get it to about 500 degrees, then as it is dying out at about 400 degrees load it up and let it go to 500 degrees again having opened up the damper and pushed the thermostat all the way to the right before opening the top door. Load it and then leave those controls as they are totally open for as long as it takes to get to about 450 or 500 degrees and then close damper and push the thermostat back to the left by on 1/4 and a lttle later back again 1/4 but if I am lowering the temp then go back to where it will give me about 450 or 500 or whatever I want consistently.
My question is what should a stove cruise at? How you do you know the "sweet spot" of the stove whatever that means. I am certainly not getting the usable heat out of this stove due to location of stove so once the guy gets out here and pulls the stove out from the stone walls and puts in the block off plate I will be a happy camper, not sure why it is taking so long. Firewool, Kaowool etc should be available locally right? He "ordered" it so not sure what that really means.

 

[gizmos]

Sandie,
I'll try an answer,

The gas pedal, look down at the pedal with a flash light. You will see that when the square metal flap is closed, even with the cast iron, that air is still flowing in through a V notch in the bottom piece of cast Iron. With this in mind, you can see how sensitive the pedal is. Make small adjustments. Some times you can hear the pedal swinging when the stove is really sucking air. But the learning point I was trying to explain, was there is no need to adjust the pedal all the time.

For example, stove is running at 450-500, that's where I like to run mine. The stove cools down too 300, and your going to load, don't open the gas pedal. You have it set where you want it. The stove has cooled and the coil has already opened the pedal for more air. Just open damper, and load stove. Wait until wood gets going, 5-10 minutes, and then damper down again. The gas pedal will slowly close as you get back to 450-500 degrees. The stove is designed to run with the damper down and the hot gases going through the secondary air chamber.

Slack, if you close the gas pedal and shove it all the way over, this will close the pedal tight, no air at all and kinda pushes the coil too far putting slack in the chain. This pedal is very sensitive, if there is some slack the stove will really cool before the pedal will start to open. Inspect it, you will see what I mean.

My stove can be at 450-500 with a fat bed of coals. When you add new wood to a new fire, meaning there are not that many coals, it is important to keep the damper open and allow the new wood to start burning. On a well established fire, good bed of coals, there is no need to wait, just load and go. I won't mess around with the gas pedal, I know that the stove will go to 500 and then slow down.

Where to set the pedal?
Just need to play with it. When your at 450-500 start turning the pedal down, small adjustments till you find the stove running at a temp you like.
If the damper is open, the gas pedal has no control.

 

[gizmos]

The insulation,
rock wool
search on here for rock wool.

 

[sandie]

Gizmos, this is GREAT, thanks, I totally understand you. I have been bringing the gas pedal to the far right everytime I open the damper so will not do that and I do understand why so thanks so much. One question, when starting a cold stove, do you open what you call the gas pedal totally? I have been doing that so you are saying once it is going well at 500 bring it back til it is at the temp I want and it stays there and that is it leave the gas pedal alone. At night going to bed, close it but not totally with the chain loose, still have the chain taut right? I am getting it I think.
So you like the stove to burn at about 400-450? Is that what people mean by cruising, " the stove likes to cruise at 400" that is what they are talking about or what is that? you like 450 because it keeps your room the temp you like but what does "cruising" mean?

 

[gizmos]

Yep, you got it.
On a cold stove I usually have to adjust the pedal for more air,usually.
On temps, that's up to you. She likes to run (cruising) in the 400 to 500 range. Which doesn't sound like much of a difference, but it is. At 550 it just blows us out of the room, too hot. But it sounds like your much colder where you live.
And yes, for long over night burns, run it and load it tight. Push down the gas pedal so it's just closed. 6-8 hours later u should still have some coals in the bottom for a easy restart in the morning.

These old Vermonts are great heaters, and you can get some clean burns out of them when things are running right.
Have fun!

After you run the stove for awhile, if you still have a question, you can send me a PM