VC Encore 2040 - how to burn?
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Don't forget those magnet thermos are not super acurate. Thermo gun is a great and cheap investment (and fun)! I point it at my dogs all the time......
Squisher
Minister of Fire
i was burning the other night, had things sitting at 72º in the stove room, which was nice and comfortable. With dry wood and mostly loaded stove, I was able to get a good 7 hour burn, with coals still hot enough to relight.
I did notice that with the cat engaged, and the airflow open to full, I was getting a lot of smoke coming out of the chimney. I turned the air down to 1/2 way, and it disappeared. I also noticed that when I stuffed the stove full of elm bark, it made a lot of smoke....
I was able to keep the cat temp around 1000, and the griddle temp at 500 quite nicely!
I did notice that with the cat engaged, and the airflow open to full, I was getting a lot of smoke coming out of the chimney. I turned the air down to 1/2 way, and it disappeared. I also noticed that when I stuffed the stove full of elm bark, it made a lot of smoke....
I was able to keep the cat temp around 1000, and the griddle temp at 500 quite nicely!
It is interesting that VC decided to go with a cat for 2040 1/2 the size as all the previous cat stoves made by VC (encores, defiants, winterwarms).
So, cat 1/2 size, yet the stove produces very similar results as my 2550 and my retired 0028
So, cat 1/2 size, yet the stove produces very similar results as my 2550 and my retired 0028
Been burning a bit more now. Some observations: I seem to be getting my cat in the 600-800 range most often (comparing it to the thermometer posted on the first page) and the highest I've had it is to about 1000. Also, I have seen it fire off behind the plate, you can see the red glow. Seems very dependent on the type of wood I burn as to how the catalyst works.
A couple of questions regarding burning it overnight. Is it best to let the bypass damper open and just lower the damper on the right all the way. Or, is it better to let the bypass close once the catalyst is up to temp and then lower the damper on the right for overnight? Should I be concerned with the temps being too low and causing cresote with my overnight burns? Am I correct in assuming that if I do let the bypass damper closed and lower the damper on the right that the catalyst temp will go below optimum?
A couple of questions regarding burning it overnight. Is it best to let the bypass damper open and just lower the damper on the right all the way. Or, is it better to let the bypass close once the catalyst is up to temp and then lower the damper on the right for overnight? Should I be concerned with the temps being too low and causing cresote with my overnight burns? Am I correct in assuming that if I do let the bypass damper closed and lower the damper on the right that the catalyst temp will go below optimum?
you will get a much longer burn time with the catalyst engaged, and it will be much more efficient as well. Once the stove is up to temp, and the cat is engaged, lower the air control (right lever) so you get no back-puffing and a little bit of a flame. Backpuffing is when the fire goes out, then looks like an explosion in the firebox.
As the temps drop, the catalyst will just stop engaging, but you may still be burning. you will get some creosote buildup, but you would get the same if you had the bypass open and the fire goes out. quality of wood makes a difference, and as you get to burning drier pieces that are a little bit larger, you will get longer overnight burns.
Right now I am almost 2 years ahead on wood, and I have found that i am starting to leave my splits a bit bigger than when I first was cutting them. Last winter I really wanted to dry them out faster, so i made the splits smaller and that helps dry them, but they also burn a bit faster and don't coal up as nicely.
I did a cold start last night at 6:30pm, and warmed things up to around 73 in the stove room. I reloaded at midnight, engaged the cat, put the air on low, and when i got up and to the stove around 8am, there was still a good bed of coals. The cat temp was below 500, griddle temp was around 300, and flue temps were around 220. it was still 70º in my house. I reloaded, let it catch, engaged the cat, and 5 minutes later it was at 1100º. I turned down the air 1/2 way, then after another few minutes turned it down to almost nothing. Cat temp was staying around 900-1000, and there were just little wisps of smoke.... I probably could have left it for another 2 hours or so before I actually had to reload, but I wanted the house to be warm.... it is after all our first measurable snow of the year today (supposedly.... i still haven't seen a flake).
A bit off topic: I got two thermometers now; one is a Rutland and the other I got @ Wal-Mart and it is a Imperial. Is there a trick to getting them to work? I find that the pointer is never in the correct starting position and so I never really know if they are working properly. I know that everyone says they are inaccurate, but I would like to use them as a rough guide.
Revisiting this thread.
Year two: same problems, unfortunately. I am not achieving more than 600-700 temps on catalyst after a long burn. I believe the probe thermometer may be bad or incorrectly calibrated. I have had bad luck with the stove top type thermometers losing their calibration, also. Anyone have experience with the probe thermometer and re-calibrating it? I notice that at the start of a burn it does not appear to be at the starting mark (there is a small line that does not line up with the red dial).
I am tempted to try without the catalyst for now. Could someone explain how this would differ from the procedure I am using now? Do I still use the damper, etc?
Year two: same problems, unfortunately. I am not achieving more than 600-700 temps on catalyst after a long burn. I believe the probe thermometer may be bad or incorrectly calibrated. I have had bad luck with the stove top type thermometers losing their calibration, also. Anyone have experience with the probe thermometer and re-calibrating it? I notice that at the start of a burn it does not appear to be at the starting mark (there is a small line that does not line up with the red dial).
I am tempted to try without the catalyst for now. Could someone explain how this would differ from the procedure I am using now? Do I still use the damper, etc?
you would still use the damper, you would just physically remove the catalyst. STove pipe and griddle temps should be the same.
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