2015/2016 VC Owners thread

[Excavator]

The AT100 seams to respond instantly to the air control and made big improvement in my stove performance. My condar was too slow in responding and next thing I was running too hot in cat mode. Now it performs much more like I think it was suppose too

 

[Reckless]

I don't run my stove 24/7. So when I start with a a cold stove I often try and keep the GT temps from hitting 700 while I am also trying to produce some good coals before I close the damper. However your question got me thinking. I was was starting fires by getting some kindling burning then adding a couple larger pieces then adding a couple larger pieces and so on. Last night I did the burn down method (large pieces on bottom kindling on top) and great success. Was running in cat mode in less than an hour. I also got rid of the Condar and hooked up the AT100. What a world of difference. Condar is robbing people.

I start with news paper and kindling and larger kindling on top, once that is going I put smaller pieces and larger pieces on top. Once my stove pipe hits 500ish I close the bypass and let her rip. If it stalls before 800 I reopen the bypass and let the flames build and repeat. I can usually have the cat engaged and active in 30-45min from cold (sounds like you got that with your new method). Also GT shouldn't be that high I think max you want is 5-600. Do you have a pipe thermometer? I think most of us are using a griddle & stove top therm plus probe.

 

[RandyBoBandy]

I start with news paper and kindling and larger kindling on top, once that is going I put smaller pieces and larger pieces on top. Once my stove pipe hits 500ish I close the bypass and let her rip. If it stalls before 800 I reopen the bypass and let the flames build and repeat. I can usually have the cat engaged and active in 30-45min from cold (sounds like you got that with your new method). Also GT shouldn't be that high I think max you want is 5-600. Do you have a pipe thermometer? I think most of us are using a griddle & stove top therm plus probe.

What I am learning is the stove is much easier to control when there is an actual load of wood in it. I have the AT100 probe, a GT thermo (condar that reads about 20* hotter than actual temps), pipe thermo just above oval to round collar, and an IR thermo. Currently running at 1141 cat temp, 250 stove pipe, and 500-550 GT temps. I have a short stack so not sure if this is the result of lower pipe temps or not

 

[Reckless]

What I am learning is the stove is much easier to control when there is an actual load of wood in it. I have the AT100 probe, a GT thermo (condar that reads about 20* hotter than actual temps), pipe thermo just above oval to round collar, and an IR thermo. Currently running at 1141 cat temp, 250 stove pipe, and 500-550 GT temps. I have a short stack so not sure if this is the result of lower pipe temps or not

250 stove pipe with cat engaged is correct. I 've seen mine anywhere from 250-450 depending on multiple factors. Sounds like you are on the right track [emoji106]

 

[Charles1981]

So I know lots of people have broken their refractory cover (the shell). My wife just obliterated ours poking it non-nonchalantly with the fire pokey thing.

Made it 3 years....

Is this piece covered under warranty at all? gonna take it in to the shop shop tomorrow.....This really sucks because now the house is cold and we have to turn on the electric baseboard..NOOOOOOOOOOOoooooo.

 

[Reckless]

So I know lots of people have broken their refractory cover (the shell). My wife just obliterated ours poking it non-nonchalantly with the fire pokey thing.

Made it 3 years....

Is this piece covered under warranty at all? gonna take it in to the shop shop tomorrow.....This really sucks because now the house is cold and we have to turn on the electric baseboard..NOOOOOOOOOOOoooooo.

Is yours not protected by the lower fire back? Considering you're asking about warranty must be the newer style Encore?

 

[jharkin]

Ok, you guys have my attention with the AT100..... if its that great Im ready to dump my Condar... What do I need?

Is this the correct listing for the meter?
http://www.auberins.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=17&products_id=279

What probe do I use? Can I just hook up my existing Condar probe or do I need a new one?

 

[Excavator]

That's the one I bought and used my condor probe. There are instructions there how to hook up probe to at100. I am very impressed with this thing

 

[Reckless]

That's the one I bought and used my condor probe. There are instructions there how to hook up probe to at100. I am very impressed with this thing

I had to change my probe type setting and set the alarms.... Done.

 

[Excavator]

The AT100 seams to respond instantly to the air control and made big improvement in my stove performance. My condar was too slow in responding and next thing I was running too hot in cat mode. Now it performs much more like I think mit was suppose too

Ok, you guys have my attention with the AT100..... if its that great Im ready to dump my Condar... What do I need?

Is this the correct listing for the meter?
http://www.auberins.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=17&products_id=279

What probe do I use? Can I just hook up my existing Condar probe or do I need a new one?

Here is the PDF on installing probe to AT100
http://auberins.com/images/Manual/AT100CON.pdf

 

[jharkin]

Excellent... sounds like a slam dunk guys - ordered.

I have the same problem, will by trying get the stove nice and hot on a good load of really dry wood and what happens is it hits 1600 and keeps climbing then I'm fighting to get it under control.

 

[Charles1981]

The refractory cover is still under warranty 3 years later. Yay.

But maybe 7-14 days before the part comes in. Dangit.

And yes this is a newer 2n1 burner. Its been a very great stove for 3 years. We still had the shell refractory cover which seems to be the first iteration. They have since come out with 2 newer part models to replace the original shell design because I think the cracking cover has been very common problem. But it is very nice as you can slip it out and check the cat without unscrewing anything and it only takes about 15 seconds to look and replace or clean out.

 

[grobinson2]

Good evening Guys, Do any of you have any info on any new VC models/designs coming out? Thanks again, Glenn

 

[Excavator]

Excellent... sounds like a slam dunk guys - ordered.

I have the same problem, will by trying get the stove nice and hot on a good load of really dry wood and what happens is it hits 1600 and keeps climbing then I'm fighting to get it under control.

Well I am so impressed with the AT100.
jharkin, you will get to like this thing. I have played with it for a week and very impressed. I learned that I have to engage cat at 350 - 400. I have learned that once cat is engaged to watch it hit 900 - 1100 and turn down air supply right around that point and complete control is there.If I let iot go to 1200 + then it will be harder to keep control of temps but big factor here is the AT100 seams spot on when I turn air supply down at 1100. Also the temp is always shown even below 300. Stove works like it should. My condar was not working right for few years now and I believe temps were not correct and I was always burning TOOOOO HOT

 

[RandyBoBandy]

Excellent... sounds like a slam dunk guys - ordered.

I have the same problem, will by trying get the stove nice and hot on a good load of really dry wood and what happens is it hits 1600 and keeps climbing then I'm fighting to get it under control.

I was having the same problem. Then the condar was showing numbers that weren't even close to being right. Since I installed the AT100 the highest temp I've seen is 1550. Plus it's nice not to have to get out of the lazy boy to go push a button everytime I want to check temps out.

 

[Reckless]

The refractory cover is still under warranty 3 years later. Yay.

But maybe 7-14 days before the part comes in. Dangit.

And yes this is a newer 2n1 burner. Its been a very great stove for 3 years. We still had the shell refractory cover which seems to be the first iteration. They have since come out with 2 newer part models to replace the original shell design because I think the cracking cover has been very common problem. But it is very nice as you can slip it out and check the cat without unscrewing anything and it only takes about 15 seconds to look and replace or clean out.

Similar to our older models, just pull the throat hood and the cat is visible.

 

[jharkin]

Well I am so impressed with the AT100.
jharkin, you will get to like this thing. I have played with it for a week and very impressed. I learned that I have to engage cat at 350 - 400. I have learned that once cat is engaged to watch it hit 900 - 1100 and turn down air supply right around that point and complete control is there.If I let iot go to 1200 + then it will be harder to keep control of temps but big factor here is the AT100 seams spot on when I turn air supply down at 1100. Also the temp is always shown even below 300. Stove works like it should. My condar was not working right for few years now and I believe temps were not correct and I was always burning TOOOOO HOT

I was having the same problem. Then the condar was showing numbers that weren't even close to being right. Since I installed the AT100 the highest temp I've seen is 1550. Plus it's nice not to have to get out of the lazy boy to go push a button everytime I want to check temps out.

Great feedback guys.... With the Condar its not unusual at all for me to see temps run 1500-1700 during the early stages of the burn and If I'm not watching it like a hawk 1700+ plus runaways happen occasionally Once I lost track of it and came back to find it begged at 2000 and the hood glowing dark red. But I managed to back it down and somehow didn't warp anything.

It would be ironic to find out that all this time Ive actually been running a lot cooler than I thought and not flirting with overfire on a daily basis. It will also be nice to actually have a guide to engagement - up till now I just guess when to shut it based on stack temp, but that doesn't always work first time.

 

[Excavator]

Again I found out that I have to engage cat much sooner with griddle at 350 and then turn down air around 900 - 1000 and much more control

 

[Dobish]

So we have been running this stove for about 2 weeks now, and it has done an awesome job of keeping our basement warm! I start it cold most days, since there really is no reason to keep it going during the day for the dog... it seems to heat up pretty quick, but the cat thermometer that came with the stove doesn't have actual temperature ranges. it just has "OPERATE CATALYST" Range. I looked at some of the pictures of the other VC thermometers, and can sort of guess what range it is at. I haven't picked up a griddle or stove pipe thermometer yet, but will at some point.

It seems to be running around 500º or so, and it will heat up the room from 58º to 65º in about an hour, and then get up to around 72º. I am still running a 15' chimney, but it seems to be drafting well, burning pretty consistently and I operate the cat when it gets up to temp. We have been burning mostly box-elder and a bit of other misc stuff that was in the wood pile, and I have found that I can't turn down the air damper too much more than 1/2 way. I am guessing it is a combination of wood (slightly green, smaller pieces). Some of the stuff we have been burning was Boxelder cut in April, and wasn't split right away, but seems to burn pretty clean when it is hotter No smoke out of the chimney but fire in the stove is perfect right?

 

[Reckless]

I would never call burning wet wood "perfect". Wet wood will do major damage to your cat and can cause it to fail prematurely (not to mention creosote build up causing chimney fires) . Where are you getting your 500 reading from?

 

[Dobish]

I would never call burning wet wood "perfect". Wet wood will do major damage to your cat and can cause it to fail prematurely (not to mention creosote build up causing chimney fires) . Where are you getting your 500 reading from?

I am comparing it to a condor cat thermometer that has operating zone and temperatures


I am actually running this in Non-Cat Mode (i removed the cat), and am staying away from the wet wood as much as I can. I am going to grab the mulitmeter and see what I am getting for moisture content when i get home. .

 

[Charles1981]

The catalyst is covered under warranty 100% for at least 2 it 3 years. I would burn with the catalyst...

Other issues. You may not be able to close down the stove due to wet wood.... But also possibly because of poor draft....and each can compound the other. Still recommend getting that extra 3 feet up there.

 

[Dobish]

The catalyst is covered under warranty 100% for at least 2 it 3 years. I would burn with the catalyst...

Other issues. You may not be able to close down the stove due to wet wood.... But also possibly because of poor draft....and each can compound the other. Still recommend getting that extra 3 feet up there.

will be getting another 3 to 4' up there, but had to wait a little bit since we had some other things come up.

 

[jharkin]

Only being able to turn the air control down to half is a sign your wood is quite wet, for sure. If I left my stove at half open it would go into nuclear meltdown.

Try to mix in dry if you can (pallet scraps etc) and then you just gotta do what you gotta do. If keeping the air wide open is keeping the temps up and the stack clean thats better than choking it down and letting it smoke.

 

[MWelch2583]

OK stupid ? I'm sure but I've searched all over the place and can't find anything. Just noticed on my resolute acclaim that there is a small push/pull type lever with a loop on the end of it next to the primary air control lever. It moves about 1-2" front to back. Can anyone tell me what this and what it's for. Thanks.