Manual for 90's Country Flame Wood Stove?

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777funk

Member
Sep 12, 2014
126
MO
I just picked up a nice used Country Flame with a shield and blower. It's got the wheat etched glass (maybe they all do but maybe that'd help with the era). The owner told me it was a Cat stove and that it was very efficient. He also said that the stove was able to be installed very close to the wall because of the sheild. He had double wall stove pipe with it (included) and I'm guessing that's why since the flue vent is about 5" from the back of the stove (exits the top).

Anyways, before I go installing I want to make sure I know the requirements. Is it possible to find this (or a manual) for an older stove like this? I'd say it's early 90's.

It's pretty rusty and needs new glass. I should be able to tackle that without problems. Excited to have my first stove. Got it at a bargain of a price too. And I mean a bargain! Not much to look at but will be nice when I'm done. It's got a nice roomy fire box. I'm sure it'll cook!
 

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I have an older Country Flame also, model R-6. These stoves rock! Even when the temperature is -20 outside I can keep my living & dining room 80 degrees with the rest of the upstairs (1700 sq ft) over 70 degrees. When I first started using the stove I was doing everything wrong from not running the stove hot enough, not cleaning it properly, not ensuring the catalytic combustor is working properly (normally caused by running too cool). Because I burn mostly pine here in CO, because it is free, I have to clean out my stove pipe about every week or two when I use the stove 24x7. You know when it is time as smoke will puff back in due to too much back pressure.

About every five years I need to buy a new catalyst combustor. Several places to get them, but you can buy directly from the manufacturer Applied Ceramics at www.appliedceramics.com. They make all sorts of combustors from small stoves to very large industrial combustors. If you have the round 6" (actually 5-7/8" x 2") combustor like I do it is probably model ACI-2C.

When cleaning the stove I always just blow out the combustor with compressed air and for those holes that are still plugged I use a small allen wrench to carefully push out any debris. The combustor is made of ceramic so you need to be careful. If you break any of the ceramic replace it! You also know when you need a new combustor if after you have everything well cleaned (stove, pipes, combustor) and smoke puffs back in your house when you have the catalytic bypass closed and the stove is at the proper operating temperature.

Since you are installing this for the 1st time you want to make sure you have the right pipe size. If it is too small or if you have too many elbows you can also create to much back pressure causing the catalyst combustor to plug up resulting in smoke puffing back in the house. Another tip of an issue with the combustor is if you have to leave the combustor bypass slightly open to prevent smoke blowback.

Most of the Country Flames have a small hole in the front by the top about an 1/8th inch in diameter. When I first started using my stove it had a rubber plug in the hole. This hole is for a flu gas thermometer. The one I prefer that is the correct length for my stove is http://woodheatstoves.com/flue-gas-thermometer-p-1663.html?cPath=71_72_190. My stove works best with a flu gas temperature between 800-900. Flu gas temperature is not the same as stove pipe temperature. Most people don't understand the differences between flu gas, stove box, and stove pipe temperatures and end up running their stoves too cool. If your flu gas temperature is optimal all the other temperatures will be perfect if everything is installed correctly.
 
Wow! Cats are expensive. Looks like my grid of 8x12 or so would be around $400! Yikes!

If I have to pay that every 6 years (and I'm sure my 1991 cat is due), I may have to quit the Cat stove club and buy something different.
 
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Wow! Cats are expensive. Looks like my grid of 8x12 or so would be around $400! Yikes!

If I have to pay that every 6 years (and I'm sure my 1991 cat is due), I may have to quit the Cat stove club and buy something different.

Did you ever find the Manual for your Country Flame?? I have a Country Flame E1-6 and need a manual. It's probably a 90's era stove. It's not burning well and probably needs a new Catalytic Combustor.

Maybe you can answer this question. I can't get the flame guard off. It has four bolts (they're more like studs; they don't have heads). Each stud has two nuts (one above the guard and one below). Are they reverse threaded?? Or is the whole stud itself meant to be removed??

Thanks for any help.