2022/23 VC Owner thread

[NewGuy132]

For what its worth, definitely worth the digital. At the advise of many here I went with the Auber AT100. After a little programming it works great. Below are the two item #'s I bought directly from Auber Instruments website:
Digital Thermometer - Item# AT100
K type high temperature thermocouple Probe Length Option: 6 (150 mm) Connector Option: spade connect
Item#: WRNK-191

First time closing the damper on the new stove yesterday, cat thermometer held steady around 1000-1200 degrees I actually have a nice video clip of the re-burn in action attached

I just ordered these item numbers so I can hopefully get better burns out of my stove this year. I think that my CAT stalls fairly often and that is causing issues. Also this will help the wife as she just gets the STT up to around 500 and closes the damper and walks away. Multiple times, just yesterday I'd come in the room and she would be sitting there with a black firebox and be like "Oh I added some wood and let it get going then closed the damper". We already have the bimetal one that comes with the CAT, but she cant be bothered to look behind the stove and check it a few minutes after she closes the damper.

 

[Woodsplitter67]

Maybe I can drill and tap the heat shield?

Id be super leary of drilling a cast stove.. drill the heat shield and secure to that.. i believe my bracket is attached to the heat shield.. not the stove..

 

[t0asty]

I’m using my Auber AT100 for the first time and getting weird results. It stayed at ambient temp while the stove heated up and once I closed the damper it started going down. Went down to somewhere around -200F and then showed EEEE. I think it hit a minimum because once I reopened the damper it came back up and now reads -4F. Pretty sure I have it configured correctly. I have the K type thermocouple (WRNK-191) and I changed the input sensor parameter to K-type (looks like a backwards y). It was reading ambient temp ok but sometimes off by 5-10 degrees.

Has anyone else experienced this? I feel like I either got a faulty unit or I have it configured wrong somehow.

you have the connections backwards. It will take the initial temperature and any change will +/- on the instrument, if you flip the red and the yellow wire (blue tip) places in the AT100 it should work

 

[t0asty]

@Woodsplitter67 glad to see/hear my fellow NJ Encore's stove is doing well. I've been burning mine a lot lately, and even having success with overnight burns. I have had the CAT get up to 1460 once before I dialed it back. So far so good!

 

[JohnDaileyNH]

you have the connections backwards. It will take the initial temperature and any change will +/- on the instrument, if you flip the red and the yellow wire (blue tip) places in the AT100 it should work

I am also having some odd issues. The probe was reading ambient temp until I lit the stove. Then dropped to 45 degrees and if I open the doors drops even more. Stove temp reads 400 at the griddle but thermometer on the probe reads 46 degrees.

 

[GrumpyDad]

I am also having some odd issues. The probe was reading ambient temp until I lit the stove. Then dropped to 45 degrees and if I open the doors drops even more. Stove temp reads 400 at the griddle but thermometer on the probe reads 46 degrees.

Do you have a fresh air intake installed and is it about 45 degrees outside?

 

[JohnDaileyNH]

Do you have a fresh air intake installed and is it about 45 degrees outside?

It's about 55. Probably too warm to burn but wanted to test this out before tonight when I need to use the stove. I switched the wires and now it is reading correctly I think. Temp spikes when I open the doors and levels off when I close. Have griddle temp now at 400 and CAT at 205. Guess I'll just keep an eye on it and make sure it gets up to temp

 

[GrumpyDad]

It's about 55. Probably too warm to burn but wanted to test this out before tonight when I need to use the stove. I switched the wires and now it is reading correctly I think. Temp spikes when I open the doors and levels off when I close. Have griddle temp now at 400 and CAT at 205. Guess I'll just keep an eye on it and make sure it gets up to temp

well I got my stove right before fall and was itching to test it out. When I did it was about 70 outside at night. Then more fall like weather moved in and 55 is great to burn I think. That's when I have been until recently when nighttime temps are in the 30s now. Kinda has me worried that when it gets really cold Im going to have to run this thing really hot to do much of anything.

How did you attach your probe to your stove?

 

[JohnDaileyNH]

well I got my stove right before fall and was itching to test it out. When I did it was about 70 outside at night. Then more fall like weather moved in and 55 is great to burn I think. That's when I have been until recently when nighttime temps are in the 30s now. Kinda has me worried that when it gets really cold Im going to have to run this thing really hot to do much of anything.

How did you attach your probe to your stove?

I've been running it and it gets hot in the house. Like 80+ in my living room with the stove. 75 in the mudroom on the other side of the house. This is what made me to thr CAT probe so I can run it just hot enough to keep the CAT engaged.

I have the blower attachment on the back so I just used a cable tie and attached it right to the power cord of the blower. It just happened to be right in the center.

 

[GrumpyDad]

I've been running it and it gets hot in the house. Like 80+ in my living room with the stove. 75 in the mudroom on the other side of the house. This is what made me to thr CAT probe so I can run it just hot enough to keep the CAT engaged.

I have the blower attachment on the back so I just used a cable tie and attached it right to the power cord of the blower. It just happened to be right in the center.

View attachment 300980

I love it when a plan comes together.

 

[JohnDaileyNH]

I love it when a plan comes together.

Yeah once back there I was able to get a good look and was pretty simple. The hardest part of this all was configuring the AT100 with the probe

 

[Woodsplitter67]

I am also having some odd issues. The probe was reading ambient temp until I lit the stove. Then dropped to 45 degrees and if I open the doors drops even more. Stove temp reads 400 at the griddle but thermometer on the probe reads 46 degrees.

Is the probe reading correctly when you close the bypass/damper

 

[Woodsplitter67]

I've been running it and it gets hot in the house. Like 80+ in my living room with the stove. 75 in the mudroom on the other side of the house. This is what made me to thr CAT probe so I can run it just hot enough to keep the CAT engaged.

I have the blower attachment on the back so I just used a cable tie and attached it right to the power cord of the blower. It just happened to be right in the center.

View attachment 300980

looks like your probe should be set farther in

 

[Woodsplitter67]

@Woodsplitter67 glad to see/hear my fellow NJ Encore's stove is doing well. I've been burning mine a lot lately, and even having success with overnight burns. I have had the CAT get up to 1460 once before I dialed it back. So far so good!

What part of NJ are u in.. Iv had a bunch of small.fires here and there.. love this stove.. once one learns on how to operate it, its a pleasure to have. My family and I really enjoy sitting/standing by it.. first place my daughter goes in the morning.. We will be getting ready for wood processing in the next 30/40 days or so..

which encore do you have.. 2040

You split your own, do you purchase log length and process yourself..

 

[JohnDaileyNH]

Is the probe reading correctly when you close the bypass/damper

Damper closed and the probe is up to 850 and slowly climbing. Griddle top at 650. Seem right?

I can push the probe in a little further

 

[JimmyMA]

It's about 55. Probably too warm to burn but wanted to test this out before tonight when I need to use the stove. I switched the wires and now it is reading correctly I think. Temp spikes when I open the doors and levels off when I close. Have griddle temp now at 400 and CAT at 205. Guess I'll just keep an eye on it and make sure it gets up to temp

Interesting. I wonder if they recently manufactured a batch of probes with the wires switched. Mine is definitely backwards from what the instructions diagram shows but is working correctly now.

 

[t0asty]

What part of NJ are u in.. Iv had a bunch of small.fires here and there.. love this stove.. once one learns on how to operate it, its a pleasure to have. My family and I really enjoy sitting/standing by it.. first place my daughter goes in the morning.. We will be getting ready for wood processing in the next 30/40 days or so..

which encore do you have.. 2040

You split your own, do you purchase log length and process yourself..

I am in Morris County, I am not on here often but you helped me with CAT probe questions a few months ago. I have the 2040, coming from an old VC Defiant 1975 (solid cast iron doors).

I split my own, have 2yr old seasoned red oak, ash, some maple, and a little bit of poplar mixed in but not much--mostly well seasoned hard woods. I do it my self, consider it sweat equity to chop/split wood to provide heat

 

[t0asty]

Interesting. I wonder if they recently manufactured a batch of probes with the wires switched. Mine is definitely backwards from what the instructions diagram shows but is working correctly now.

Good to hear, first time I did it wires were switched as I thought I followed the diagram correctly. You may be right on that, luckily it is a quick easy fix. Glad its working.

 

[t0asty]

Damper closed and the probe is up to 850 and slowly climbing. Griddle top at 650. Seem right?

I can push the probe in a little further

I think that seems good, I am trying to follow back on this thread is this a new VC Encore? You'll know if the CAT lights off when it starts getting up into the 1000-1200 range. FYI mine had an alarm on the AT100 that I had to change, I think I reset it to 1500 degrees.

 

[Woodsplitter67]

Damper closed and the probe is up to 850 and slowly climbing. Griddle top at 650. Seem right?

I can push the probe in a little further

mynprobe will read in the 60s or lower when not in use, my stove will also be 500 degrees and the probe reading 80 degrees.. the reason being that no hot air is passing through.. depending on where your fire is in the box.. you may have cold air being drawn in as there are EPA fresh air holes in the area.. as long as when your closing the bypass and the probe is reading in the range it should .. you should be ok

 

[Woodsplitter67]

I am in Morris County, I am not on here often but you helped me with CAT probe questions a few months ago. I have the 2040, coming from an old VC Defiant 1975 (solid cast iron doors).

I split my own, have 2yr old seasoned red oak, ash, some maple, and a little bit of poplar mixed in but not much--mostly well seasoned hard woods. I do it my self, consider it sweat equity to chop/split wood to provide heat

cool.. glad I could help.. you should hang around more and share some of your experience with others.. show us a fire or 4....

 

[JohnDaileyNH]

Interesting. I wonder if they recently manufactured a batch of probes with the wires switched. Mine is definitely backwards from what the instructions diagram shows but is working correctly now.

Could be cause I had it the way their instructions specified with the negative first or what I thought was negative. Switched around it seems to be working

I think that seems good, I am trying to follow back on this thread is this a new VC Encore? You'll know if the CAT lights off when it starts getting up into the 1000-1200 range. FYI mine had an alarm on the AT100 that I had to change, I think I reset it to 1500 degrees.

I set the alarm at 1500. I have it settled now at 1040. Just going to keep it going now that's it lit and load her up before bed. Really appreciate the help from everyone. Big time noob and learning a little bit every time I light this thing.

 

[Eman85]

Maybe I can drill and tap the heat shield?

If you find a nut that fits the fitting and your probe is long enough you can drill the heat shield and mount the fitting. Then slide the probe through the nut and ferrule and set it to the depth you want and tighten the nut.

 

[JohnDaileyNH]

If you find a nut that fits the fitting and your probe is long enough you can drill the heat shield and mount the fitting. Then slide the probe through the nut and ferrule and set it to the depth you want and tighten the nut.

I ended up using a cord tie and tying it to the blower power cord. Just happened to be right in the center next to the hole for the CAT thermometer. But the heat shield has a pre drilled hole. Getting the nut to fit the connector would probably be the proper way of doing it. For now this should work

 

[t0asty]

cool.. glad I could help.. you should hang around more and share some of your experience with others.. show us a fire or 4....

I posted a nice video a few weeks ago earlier in the thread here: https://www.hearth.com/talk/threads/2022-23-vc-owner-thread.193685/post-2608952