Quadrafire 5100i Insert Review: Install and Burn

Wow, that is cool looking. Mine does get the secondaries burning sometimes, but never like that. I am starting to think that my wood is probably a big factor is the lackluster performance. The wood that I am burning now is supposed to be seasoned, but I took a moisture reading on it and it was 15% on the outside and nearly 30% on a freshly split face. I don't hear or see any moisture burning off of the wood, but I guess it is there. I guess it is time to find another source of wood for this year. Next year I should be able to start burning my own seasoned wood.

Interesting Thread. I have installed 3 5100i's (one was ACC). I currently burn a 4100i that maintains 450-500 on front just above door. I get good 2ndary burns using 1 year old wood and 6months old ash. As far as 5100 is concerned I have noted problems with a lack of combustion air, And have created my own outside air kit using 3inch drier vent and sheet metal. Quadrafire now sells one however for around 150.00 (not worth it). Good luck and remember: "Nothing burns like a Quad"

JR

JR, thanks for reminding me about this thread. I picked up a load of seasoned wood from my father and have been mixing it in with the wet stuff I got ripped off with. The insert now maintains 400+ temps at the same place, on the front just above the door. I also ended up piecing my own OAK kit together out of a 4" dryer vent, a length of hard pipe and a length of metal flex for less than $20. Quadra fire is crazy to charge what they do for their kit.

So overall, dry wood and the OAK has helped TREMENDOUSLY with my 5100! Thanks for all you people's help and guidance. This is a great place!

Wow...I"m back after almost a year and wanted to provide some reports on me burning. I am still having a lot of success with my Quad and burning lots of wood this winter to keep very toasty. This past year I did a lot of air sealing in the home and I noticed I'm getting a tremendous draft from teh basement...that's where the air is being drawn from. So my next update after this year's burn season will be to install and OAK on this guy.

With the air sealing of the house and blowing in 21 inches of insulation on both attic banks, I'm able to maintain a temperature in the house about 76 degrees (with it being about 15 outside) on one half of the house and the heat never kicking on. ON the other side of the hosue I maintain 73 degrees, but the heat does occasionally kick on. I need to figure out a way to get my heat into that part.

I have not experienced any issues with the unit so far....i'm also starting to burn it hotter...normally I keep the face of the unit above the window about 400-450....now I'm cranking it up around 500-550 and even up to 600. Not an issue to get it there.

My burns...for me, the way I burn is this...during the day, I keep adding a few splits every two hours and it builds up a nice coal bed. My last load before bed goes in around 10-11pm. I place it on a deep bed of coals and pack it in nice and tight. I put the damper on low and that's that for the night. I wake up the next morning with a nice bed of coals still in there and still have a unit that's 300 degrees on the face. It is at this point I actually push the button all the way in so the back inlets are fully open. I rake the coals level and let it burn this way for about 30 min while I attend to other things. By that time they are crazy hot again and I toss on a large split or two and leave it that way...damper closed, but the button all the way in....this is how I burn down the coal bed. Over the course of the day I try to burn down the coal bed, but around 5pm I start building it up again for the overnight.

Mind you I work from home most days, so it is easy for me to do this.

I am having a lot of success burning maple, oak, and some locust this year. I got a great deal on 3 cords of "uglies" so that's what lead me to do what I'm doing...a couple of pieces every few hours burning on medium all day. I get lots of secondary burn when I fully load the unit, but not as much with a less packed firebox.

The blower is on all the time...not automatic set...I have it set to manual, on , high whenever it is burning wood.

Not much more to say about it other than I love it. I'm going to be installing another stove in my other fireplace in another part of the house for next winter...I don't need another large insert...thinking of just a small free standing stove to pop in the huge fireplace as i only will need it to knock the chill out of that side....build a fire around 5pm in there and load it for overnight...maintain it during the day with a long slow low burn...that's the plan anyway.

Glad you came back and gave an update, this insert was on the list of ones I was looking at. Mainly because I like the fact that it does stick out onto the hearth quite a bit and offers a nice view of the fire from all angles. How clean do those side glass pieces stay? Probably not as long as the main viewing glass, but I'm curious if they're somewhat clean or just black panes after a few burns.

How is the blower noise when running full tilt? What's the longest you've left it sitting and come back to a decent amount of coals? Sorry for the 100 questions, but you're the perfect candidate to have their brain picked.

The sides are pretty dirty and get dirty quickly. I just don't clean em anymore. I'd rather have the windows replaced with plates. 10 hrs is the longest I can go with a fully packed stove and still have decent coals later. The blower noise is less than my house fans...but it is subjective. I find it ok...others may think its loud. Think medium size microwave.