Advice / Review need: Regency CI2600 fireplace insert risky & costly?

[dondero14]

Hey everyone. How has the integrity of everyone's stove been holding up. I seem to be have some slight crumbling on my cat and have noticed that the big bolted in plate inside the stove underneath the bypass seems to be disformed a bit. Also was wondering how much wood everyone has burned through so far this season. I've been through about 3 1/4 cords so far. Haven't gotten the reducer plate yet cause I'm still waiting for the claim. Pretty unsure about this thing seeing as it's getting damaged a bit even though the air is choked down as much as it goes.

 

[marty22877]

I'll check out the condition of everything today but i have noticed the bricks starting to crack. And i'm at about 3 cords right now.

 

[Wolves1]

Don't about the condition will have to check it out, but I would have to wait for fire to burn out to check bypass. I used 3 1/2 cords, I was to excited in the begging and was running to hot to see what the stove can do to a point I killed my christmas tree.

 

[Trader]

Has anyone had issues with the air control? Mine does nothing at all to change the burn, never has. For me there is only a one speed fire, which is a very low burn - which is nice once it's established. But to increase or adjust the burn rate, I generally have to crack the door open. I might be able open the bypass some to increase the fire but that "bypasses" the idea of this thing. Generally I have to crack the door to increse the fire any. Which is what I have to do to establish the fire for the first 40-50 min and when I reload. Any thoughts?

 

[begreen]

This sounds like poorly seasoned wood or poor draft. What species wood is being burned and how long ago was the wood split? How tall is the chimney/

 

[Wolves1]

Has anyone had issues with the air control? Mine does nothing at all to change the burn, never has. For me there is only a one speed fire, which is a very low burn - which is nice once it's established. But to increase or adjust the burn rate, I generally have to crack the door open. I might be able open the bypass some to increase the fire but that "bypasses" the idea of this thing. Generally I have to crack the door to increse the fire any. Which is what I have to do to establish the fire for the first 40-50 min and when I reload. Any thoughts?

You may have ash built up in front of the hole were air comes in. Take the poker the curved end and poke some of the ash out.

 

[Trader]

This sounds like poorly seasoned wood or poor draft. What species wood is being burned and how long ago was the wood split? How tall is the chimney/

Ive had assortment of wood, none of which seems to make any difference as far as the air control or burn any different. Generally Ive been burning cherry split 18 mo ago, moisture read 9-10% A fresh split shows 14%. Its the best I have right now. Chimney approx 18-22 feet in center of house

 

[Trader]

You may have ash built up in front of the hole were air comes in. Take the poker the curved end and poke some of the ash out.

I did think of this but Im not finding any blockage from ash. And it does have air coming in, on a good fire it will drill a pinky sized hole through a E/W log. Its just that adjusting the air has no impact on the fire.

 

[JSeery]

Yes

Wolves, so you are blocking the knockout plates that you already removed? What are you blocking them with? I was just about to take mine out, but maybe I shouldn't?

Thanks for all the help. I've been struggling with this stove all winter and really appreciate everyone's input on this forum (though I never posted until now).

 

[Wolves1]

Wolves, so you are blocking the knockout plates that you already removed? What are you blocking them with? I was just about to take mine out, but maybe I shouldn't?

Thanks for all the help. I've been struggling with this stove all winter and really appreciate everyone's input on this forum (though I never posted until now).

I have aluminum tape for the stove and I blocked it with that. I just feel it burns with a slower flame that way. Pick my brain with anything I would love for everybody to have the same burn as I'm getting. What kind of burn times are you getting.

 

[Wolves1]

I did think of this but Im not finding any blockage from ash. And it does have air coming in, on a good fire it will drill a pinky sized hole through a E/W log. Its just that adjusting the air has no impact on the fire.

Maybe the control is broken. Take a mirror and look at the hole and see if anything is in there.

 

[Wolves1]

Hey everyone. How has the integrity of everyone's stove been holding up. I seem to be have some slight crumbling on my cat and have noticed that the big bolted in plate inside the stove underneath the bypass seems to be disformed a bit. Also was wondering how much wood everyone has burned through so far this season. I've been through about 3 1/4 cords so far. Haven't gotten the reducer plate yet cause I'm still waiting for the claim. Pretty unsure about this thing seeing as it's getting damaged a bit even though the air is choked down as much as it goes.

I looked today everything seems okay.

 

[begreen]

Ive had assortment of wood, none of which seems to make any difference as far as the air control or burn any different. Generally Ive been burning cherry split 18 mo ago, moisture read 9-10% A fresh split shows 14%. Its the best I have right now. Chimney approx 18-22 feet in center of house

That doesn't sound like a bad combination. Have you contacted your Regency dealer about getting the reduction plate?

 

[Wolves1]

Kind of curious with temps in the low 20s or colder were do you set the air for over night burns?

 

[marty22877]

everything looks good on my end too, i pulled out another set of washers tonight, so i'm down to 1 set. it will be interesting to see what i get tonight, it's supposed to get super cold here over the weekend.

and wolves1 i'm thinking about a quarter open, what about you?

 

[Wolves1]

Same, I want to see how the stove burns with the fan low just curious people have said it will burn hotter let's see. Also with the gasket around the door if you take a brush and brush the gasket will fluff it up and get the ash off.

 

[marty22877]

Gotcha ill try low too

 

[KC_Michael]

How have your burn times been and heat output?

I've taken out the andirons and pack it to the glass (wood is at 15% moisture/<20% fresh split). Draft is good (probably too good) and the fire is raging pretty quickly with cat jumping up to around 1300-1400F. There's only a bed of coals 7-8 hours later but fan is off (auto setting) and cat thermometer reads COOL. Two sets of washers removed from strike plate (door is really hard to close without handle). Insert does not have the restrictor plate. That's my next step. I'll let you know how it goes.

 

[Trader]

That doesn't sound like a bad combination. Have you contacted your Regency dealer about getting the reduction plate?

I'm in the beginning stages of working with them on my issues. This is new to them too. Have not discussed the reduction plate. Maybe I'm missing something, but unlike most who seem to have too much air and are incinerating wood, therefore need it to reduce the air, I need more air with the ability to reduce it to where it runs now, very low. As of now, I cannot put enough air (even on an established fire) to create a large burning fire. I can't even create a fire as large as many of the pics posted on here of peoples smaller burns. Pretty much only by cracking the door slightly and holding shut with a stick, can I create a large flaming fire (which is how I establish a good burn - then start shutting it down) but once the door shuts, air control does nothing for the fire, established or not. . If I shut the door too soon, fire may not even take. If I added a reducer plate wouldn't that decrease my max air into the unit??

 

[Wolves1]

I'm in the beginning stages of working with them on my issues. This is new to them too. Have not discussed the reduction plate. Maybe I'm missing something, but unlike most who seem to have too much air and are incinerating wood, therefore need it to reduce the air, I need more air with the ability to reduce it to where it runs now, very low. As of now, I cannot put enough air (even on an established fire) to create a large burning fire. I can't even create a fire as large as many of the pics posted on here of peoples smaller burns. Pretty much only by cracking the door slightly and holding shut with a stick, can I create a large flaming fire (which is how I establish a good burn - then start shutting it down) but once the door shuts, air control does nothing for the fire, established or not. . If I shut the door too soon, fire may not even take. If I added a reducer plate wouldn't that decrease my max air into the unit??

Does the bypass open?

 

[Wolves1]

This morning stove fan on low house temps dropped at the same rate as the fan when on high with outside temp at 9 this morning. After 9 hours stove temp was 550.

That's what it looked like with air 1/4 open.

 

[JSeery]

I have aluminum tape for the stove and I blocked it with that. I just feel it burns with a slower flame that way. Pick my brain with anything I would love for everybody to have the same burn as I'm getting. What kind of burn times are you getting.

Thanks again. I'll talk that over with my dealer before I knock them out. Maybe it's just better leave them as is.

I've been getting burns with good heat in the 6-7 hour range. Trying to get up to the 10 hour mark. I have poor insulation and high ceilings/open floor plan in my house, so also trying to maximize my heat output during the burn. I ripped through all my best wood early in the winter as I didn't know about the dollar bill test, and was leaking air like crazy. (I'm a wood stove novice.) Once I started taking out washers I saw a big improvement. Interestingly, the new manual shows that they've reworked the washers so that they are easier to remove, and recommends that you do so. I don't think the old manual even mentioned them.

I've also ordered the reducer plate so will see how that works out once it gets in. Hopefully I'm on the right track here.

 

[JSeery]

Is everyone using a catalytic probe? Does it actually help that much? My dealer quoted me one at $158 including tax (Digital Catalytic Monitor, Part # 106-957). That seems reasonable, but I'm hesitant to spend even more money on this stove. I understand that monitoring the cat can really help with stove operation, but I think I have a pretty good sense of when to engage the cat anyway. Also I'm not sure how that would look aesthetically. After all, the look of this stove is one of its main selling points. If I wanted an ugly, better heater, I would (maybe should) have gone with the I3100.

Anyway, does anyone have any other probes they like for this stove? I saw someone (maybe edge of the woods) recommended just a regular Condar probe (not digital). Has anyone had any success with those?

 

[Wolves1]

Thanks again. I'll talk that over with my dealer before I knock them out. Maybe it's just better leave them as is.

I've been getting burns with good heat in the 6-7 hour range. Trying to get up to the 10 hour mark. I have poor insulation and high ceilings/open floor plan in my house, so also trying to maximize my heat output during the burn. I ripped through all my best wood early in the winter as I didn't know about the dollar bill test, and was leaking air like crazy. (I'm a wood stove novice.) Once I started taking out washers I saw a big improvement. Interestingly, the new manual shows that they've reworked the washers so that they are easier to remove, and recommends that you do so. I don't think the old manual even mentioned them.

I've also ordered the reducer plate so will see how that works out once it gets in. Hopefully I'm on the right track here.

I would wait before you knock out the plates to you get the reduction plate I think your going to like the way it will burn. Also keep doing the dollar test focus on the bottom and fluff the gasket up and use a brush to get the ash off.

 

[Wolves1]

Is everyone using a catalytic probe? Does it actually help that much? My dealer quoted me one at $158 including tax (Digital Catalytic Monitor, Part # 106-957). That seems reasonable, but I'm hesitant to spend even more money on this stove. I understand that monitoring the cat can really help with stove operation, but I think I have a pretty good sense of when to engage the cat anyway. Also I'm not sure how that would look aesthetically. After all, the look of this stove is one of its main selling points. If I wanted an ugly, better heater, I would (maybe should) have gone with the I3100.

Anyway, does anyone have any other probes they like for this stove? I saw someone (maybe edge of the woods) recommended just a regular Condar probe (not digital). Has anyone had any success with those?

The cat probe helps a lot the digital one has a wire that allows for the probe to be placed in the spot regency set up for it, I'm not sure if the non digital one has the wire usually the probe is attached to the gauge and you won't be able to see it. It is very important to have one with this stove because you need to know when the stove temp reaches over 500 to close the bypass and if the temp goes to high when you close the bypass your going to have to strong of a draft and will burn the wood to quick.