2025/26 VC performance discussion thread

[skb31]

My stove was running a little sluggish this past Saturday so after running it non stop for close to a week I let it cool all the way down from yesterday morning into today so I could do the first maintenance in about a month.

I cleaned out most of the ashes from in the stove (left the ash pan full) and pulled the cat chamber apart to clean stuff. Vacuumed out the cat chamber a bit, vacuumed the secondary air inlets, blew some air through the cat, checked the damper tension, and doors. Chimney cap and flue pipe look good.

I’m not exactly sure what the issue was but I moved the remaining wood I’d been burning out and moved to a new stack. Built up a nice base of coals over a couple hours and as we speak I’m cruising at 1207 cat temp and 425 STT. I’ll try sweet talking my stove a bit more if that’s what it takes.

 

[Turbo89]

My stove was running a little sluggish this past Saturday so after running it non stop for close to a week I let it cool all the way down from yesterday morning into today so I could do the first maintenance in about a month.

I cleaned out most of the ashes from in the stove (left the ash pan full) and pulled the cat chamber apart to clean stuff. Vacuumed out the cat chamber a bit, vacuumed the secondary air inlets, blew some air through the cat, checked the damper tension, and doors. Chimney cap and flue pipe look good.

I’m not exactly sure what the issue was but I moved the remaining wood I’d been burning out and moved to a new stack. Built up a nice base of coals over a couple hours and as we speak I’m cruising at 1207 cat temp and 425 STT. I’ll try sweet talking my stove a bit more if that’s what it takes.

My stove is a slug (encore) with a full ash tray and firebox. Once the secondary inlet holes are blocked with ash, it’s hard to get the CAT above 900. I’ve fallen in the trend of emptying the ash pan, then raking the firebox ash back and forth till it falls through the cracks.

I burn a lot of ash in the encore, and never have an issue with CAT temp (even some 6-8 month seasoned stuff). The only runaway CAT temp I have had is with 22% moisture oak, when i had a door gasket leak. May be worth looking for air leaks if you have runaway CAT temps?

 

[skb31]

I was having lower refractory temps than normal. Needed to keep the air open 25 to 50% for a significant portion of the time on Saturday. I’ll bring in a couple pieces from that stack to warm up so I can split it and test the moisture content. The wood I brought in on Sunday has been good today.

When I was experiencing some high temps in the first season it was definitely some air leaks. The griddle gasket was wonky as were the doors so I replaced both of those.

 

[JohnDaileyNH]

I haven't been in to my office since Dec 16. Stove has run 24x7 since then. Every 5 or 6 days in the morning I move the coals to the side and scoop out the ash. Then rake em back and continue. Going back Tuesday and she'll get a well deserved afternoon off. I'll clean it all out then and give the cat a look but haven't had issues. Standard when I'm home is half load the box, air at 50% and let it go. Cat sits between 1000 and about 1300. I've seen it hit 1500 during these few weeks maybe twice. I just leave it be and let it do its thing

 

[dmccoole]

The stove loves the cold! It's been single digits in the mornings this past week. 10hr burn last night on all red oak. This morning the Cat 411, stt 375. Opened it up for 5 minutes to get the coals fully going, added a few splits and already back above 800 and climbing. I try to burn more of the ash during the day and keep the oak for the overnights. Seems to be working well.

 

[JohnDaileyNH]

The stove loves the cold! It's been single digits in the mornings this past week. 10hr burn last night on all red oak. This morning the Cat 411, stt 375. Opened it up for 5 minutes to get the coals fully going, added a few splits and already back above 800 and climbing. I try to burn more of the ash during the day and keep the oak for the overnights. Seems to be working well.

Oh yeah it drafts so well in the cold

 

[Smokey Da Bears]

Went into the city yesterday for work so I let the stove go out for cleaning today. But Weather here near Cape Cod MA - high of 51 today, high of 47 tomorrow. But low of 19 overnight. Shoulder season still going in January! I'm debating not even lighting the stove today. Looks like cold settles back in later in the week. Go Patriots, that's all.