I’ll have my Auber and probe in this week. Taking on this task. How far in do I drill with the 6 inch probe you guys recommended. Do I just drill through the initial cast and stop drilling?
2018/19 VC Owners Thread
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I’ll have my Auber and probe in this week. Taking on this task. How far in do I drill with the 6 inch probe you guys recommended. Do I just drill through the initial cast and stop drilling?
CTwith3
Member
8 1/2 hours later the stove is down to 170 degrees with only a few coals remaining. House temperature is 74 degrees, 37 degrees outside with a wind chill of 29 degrees. Average temperature overnight was 39 degrees with a wind chill of 33 degrees.
I can use the drill bit by hand and make the hole? I don’t see how that is possible. I think I will need to pull up my vent at the flue collar and try to move the stove and drill at low speed. I’ll need to get a small level on it as well to get it just right so as to get a perfect hole and maintain the integrity of the stove’s ability to contain the heat.
Yes I did,. Now that the stove is down to 170 degrees I could get behind I’d better with my iPhone to take a picture. I see the hole in the rear shield right above where my blower is mounted
I can use the drill bit by hand and make the hole? I don’t see how that is possible. I think I will need to pull up my vent at the flue collar and try to move the stove and drill at low speed. I’ll need to get a small level on it as well to get it just right so as to get a perfect hole and maintain the integrity of the stove’s ability to contain the heat.
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What Dobish said. The whole process should not last more than 2min. If if does, you are doing something wrong. The cast iron (back of. The stove) is predrilled to accept the probe.
CTwith3
Member
Are you asking about an egg beater style hand drill or applying pressure with a bit by hand and spinning it?
Which thermometer and digital readout do you recommend?
Also, since it’s not too cold today, should I re-gasket my damper? How long does that take, and how do I manage to get in there and see what I’m doing?
Which thermometer and digital readout do you recommend?
Also, since it’s not too cold today, should I re-gasket my damper? How long does that take, and how do I manage to get in there and see what I’m doing?
drill bit in between your fingers. A little bit of pressure and a few spins and it will break through. The refractory material is super soft, it goes through like butter. Since the stove itself is predrilled, it is easy. just spin the drill a few times until you feel it break through.
Many of us use the Auber Instruments AT100 (https://www.auberins.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=17&products_id=279) with the 6", 4.0mm WRNK-191 probe (https://www.auberins.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&products_id=22).
This has adjustable alarms, and is able to be calibrated easily. You do have to rewire the connector to fit the unit, but this is very easy and it comes with all the pieces.
I have no idea what it takes to re-gasket the damper, that seems like it would be a lot more intensive than a one day project to me.
CTwith3
Member
either one. The spade is probably easier to remove the spade connector and attach to the little green connector that fits into the unit itself.
CTwith3
Member
I just pulled out the ash pan, pulled out the old gasket, wire brushed it clean, and cleaned it with rubbing alcohol. I was ready to replace the gasket with the one from the kit from VC, and then I noticed that while they are both the same size The one that was already on the ash pan does not compress as much or as easily as the one in the kit from VC.
RandyBoBandy
Minister of Fire
The cast will already have a hole. It is plugged with a silver push button probably.
RandyBoBandy
Minister of Fire
@frased. Once you get your thermo match the probe to an appropriate sizes drill bit and by hand drill a hole through the refractory box. It takes all of two seconds. Than push your probe in a couple inches and you are done with that. You may have to cut the other end off and wire on the provided plug that will connect your probe to the thermo. Instructions will be on Aubers website under the AT100 listing. Dobish just posted a picture of his probe in his stove so just peddle back a handful of posts and you will see it.
Thanks again Randy!
Just finished second break in fire tonight. Draft is good. Stove is good no leaks or any surprises at all. Was able control with air control so that’s good.
Just getting primed for this weekend.
Mich woodcutter
Member
I dont remember I believe 1910....
I have the Defiant Flexburn now
As long as I keep the pipe temp about 600 to 650 it heats pretty well but still not as strong as my older one.
Im running it without the cat
I have the Defiant Flexburn now
As long as I keep the pipe temp about 600 to 650 it heats pretty well but still not as strong as my older one.
Im running it without the cat
The EPA numbers say the 1910 cranks out 44.4K BTU/hr, the 1975, 34 K.
https://www.epa.gov/compliance/list-epa-certified-wood-stoves
Vermont Castings Defiant 1910 and 1945 0.80 10600-44400 Catalytic
Vermont Castings Dutchwest Small Convection Heater 2460 1.1 6600-27300 Catalytic
Vermont Castings Defiant 1975 1.1 11400-34000 Catalytic
Vermont Castings Defiant 1975-NC 2.3 11400-34000 Non-Catalytic
Mich woodcutter
Member
That is prob corrrect as it feels like a 25% reduction in output.
Unfortunately, vc sales literature rates it at 56000.
I made the mistake of not paying enough attention to Btus and thought it would be the same output.
I wouldn't recommend it for serious heating
Unfortunately, vc sales literature rates it at 56000.
I made the mistake of not paying enough attention to Btus and thought it would be the same output.
I wouldn't recommend it for serious heating
Of course it all depends on what your heat load is. This place is only 1000 sq.ft. but I need a 1500 sq.ft. stove to heat it since it's a bit leaky and has no wall insulation.
I can't vouch for the EPA numbers on other stoves but for the stoves I've run, the numbers seem about right.
CTwith3
Member
I replaced the ash pan gasket yesterday and adjusted the alignment on the doors which was a bit off. I’m letting my ash pan fill and will let the ash build 1-2” on top of the grate from now on. Last night I got a 9 1/2 hour burn, my longest burn ever. I let the stove run at 600 degrees for a long time and should have kept it at 500 which would have given me maybe another 30 minutes of burn time. I replaced the griddle gasket last month, and the door and glass gaskets last spring. I should think that with s little fine tuning of my technique using the sessoned wood stacked in my yard I should get around 10 hour burn times depending on the weather.
I placed my order with Auber yesterday and am expecting it to arrive on Saturday. Did I read right- 4mm drill bit to install the probe? I’d like to be prepared to get this done over the weekend- Homer’s is crazy on the weekend this time of year.
I placed my order with Auber yesterday and am expecting it to arrive on Saturday. Did I read right- 4mm drill bit to install the probe? I’d like to be prepared to get this done over the weekend- Homer’s is crazy on the weekend this time of year.
SculptureOfSound
Feeling the Heat
Anyone have any idea on how to reduce secondary air in a VC Montpelier. Per the parts diagram in the manual it Looks like it comes up through the side and into the tubes... wondering if the only way to slow it down would be to block the tubes themselves a bit. I've got some 321 stainless steel foil...might try reducing the inner diameter of the tube by sticking a bit of foil into them.
Hello folks, I'm a new member here and a potential VC Montpellier purchaser. We're going to be installing a wood insert into an existing inner double sided fireplace. The cottage is approximately 1200 sq. ft. I've seen conflicting info on the BTU's of this stove, from 40k to 58k. Can anyone confirm what the actual number is and how the stove operates in real life situations, meaning how big is your home/cottage?, and how warm does it get in the winter? We'll be using this as a primary source of heat in the winter when we're there and using base board heating when we're not.
Thanks
Thanks
How is the air-sealing and insulation in the cottage? Is it shielded from the wind by trees? Open floor plan where heat will move easily?
I've run four different stoves, and the output numbers from the EPA tests seem to correspond to what I found in real life. I can't say if they are accurate for all of the stoves on the list, though. They show a high-output number of 27600 BTU/hr, similar to what my weakest stove is (Dutchwest 2460.) It was doing a fair job heating our place with the optional blower on the stove, but it was a struggle in cold, windy conditions. This was with med-high to high output wood (Red Oak up to Black Locust.) We are heating a 1000 sq.ft. log cabin, rather leaky with no wall insulation, but the climate here is much milder than in Ontario. I'm just guessing at this point but my feeling is that you may need more output unless your cottage is pretty tight.
These output numbers won't tell you area heated, but I think they are probably useful for comparing different stoves.
https://www.epa.gov/compliance/list-epa-certified-wood-stoves
I've run four different stoves, and the output numbers from the EPA tests seem to correspond to what I found in real life. I can't say if they are accurate for all of the stoves on the list, though. They show a high-output number of 27600 BTU/hr, similar to what my weakest stove is (Dutchwest 2460.) It was doing a fair job heating our place with the optional blower on the stove, but it was a struggle in cold, windy conditions. This was with med-high to high output wood (Red Oak up to Black Locust.) We are heating a 1000 sq.ft. log cabin, rather leaky with no wall insulation, but the climate here is much milder than in Ontario. I'm just guessing at this point but my feeling is that you may need more output unless your cottage is pretty tight.
These output numbers won't tell you area heated, but I think they are probably useful for comparing different stoves.
https://www.epa.gov/compliance/list-epa-certified-wood-stoves
I’m doing this same task this week.
Can you tell me the temps I need to watch for my 2550 encore ?
Griddle temps - 500-600 ?
Pipe (condar flue double wall therm) ?
Auber probe Cat temps - ?
Griddle temps - 500-600
pipe inside -300 low end 550 high end
cat temps- will light off around 500º Max recommended is 1500º
Thanks for the reply,..
The cottage is a 4 season cottage, insulated walls and attic. The 3' crawl space at ground level is not insulated, but will be after this winter. The main heat sink is the inner masonry 2 sided fireplace that will be used for the stove insert. We're debating between the VC Montpellier and a Enviro Cabello 1700. The figures given for BTU's are drastically different but as a first time stove user, these numbers mean little to me. (VC Montpellier = 58000, Cabello 1700 = 74000). The Cabello is rated for a 3000 sq.ft. space, which could be overkill.
Edit,.. The property is wooded, so there should be wind blocks from all directions.
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