Dauntless Vermont Castings Issue

[Dan M W]

I purchased a Dauntless about 3 weeks ago. Having issues with maintaining any temperature above 350 degrees. When starting the fire, I need to crack open the ash pan door to get a rise in temperature up to 600. After closing the ash pan door, within 10 minutes, the fire slows way down to a small flame, or just embers. After another 20 minutes the temperature has dropped to about 300 degrees. Every fire started, it always settles into 300 to 350 degrees. So to get strong heat, it’s a constant hourly cycle of opening the ash pan door to bring the heat up to 600 and then it settling down into 300/350 degrees within 30 minutes. If I try closing the damper, the cycle is worse. Using dry wood, air control is set to open. Has anyone had this issue? It’s as though the bi-metallic thermostat is not allowing a higher temperature. Or a problem with the air control system?

 

[begreen]

When starting the fire, I need to crack open the ash pan door to get a rise in temperature up to 600.

Don't do that unless you want to be dealing with an expensive repair in the future. That's a good way to crack a stove base.

 

[PatrickWR]

I purchased a Dauntless about 3 weeks ago. Having issues with maintaining any temperature above 350 degrees. When starting the fire, I need to crack open the ash pan door to get a rise in temperature up to 600. After closing the ash pan door, within 10 minutes, the fire slows way down to a small flame, or just embers. After another 20 minutes the temperature has dropped to about 300 degrees. Every fire started, it always settles into 300 to 350 degrees. So to get strong heat, it’s a constant hourly cycle of opening the ash pan door to bring the heat up to 600 and then it settling down into 300/350 degrees within 30 minutes. If I try closing the damper, the cycle is worse. Using dry wood, air control is set to open. Has anyone had this issue? It’s as though the bi-metallic thermostat is not allowing a higher temperature. Or a problem with the air control system?

Have you manually examined the air intake to make sure the control lever on the right side of the stove is opening and closing it properly? It's the cylindrical intake toward the bottom rear of the stove. You should be able to shine a light inside and see the flapper moving as you manipulate the control lever.

Also, where are you taking the temperature? The manual says to get a temp reading right in the middle of the griddle top. A reading of 350 on the griddle is OK, below optimal but still acceptable.

As @begreen said, definitely don't use it with the ash pan door open. If you need to introduce a little air into the system, it's much easier and safer to open the front glass door a crack (while you are there to closely monitor the stove).

 

[Diabel]

I purchased a Dauntless about 3 weeks ago. Having issues with maintaining any temperature above 350 degrees. When starting the fire, I need to crack open the ash pan door to get a rise in temperature up to 600. After closing the ash pan door, within 10 minutes, the fire slows way down to a small flame, or just embers. After another 20 minutes the temperature has dropped to about 300 degrees. Every fire started, it always settles into 300 to 350 degrees. So to get strong heat, it’s a constant hourly cycle of opening the ash pan door to bring the heat up to 600 and then it settling down into 300/350 degrees within 30 minutes. If I try closing the damper, the cycle is worse. Using dry wood, air control is set to open. Has anyone had this issue? It’s as though the bi-metallic thermostat is not allowing a higher temperature. Or a problem with the air control system?

It sounds like a classic unseasoned firewood to me. Lots of threads here about property seasoned wood. Spring is around the corner for you…

 

[Dan M W]

Have you manually examined the air intake to make sure the control lever on the right side of the stove is opening and closing it properly? It's the cylindrical intake toward the bottom rear of the stove. You should be able to shine a light inside and see the flapper moving as you manipulate the control lever.

Also, where are you taking the temperature? The manual says to get a temp reading right in the middle of the griddle top. A reading of 350 on the griddle is OK, below optimal but still acceptable.

As @begreen said, definitely don't use it with the ash pan door open. If you need to introduce a little air into the system, it's much easier and safer to open the front glass door a crack (while you are there to closely monitor the stove).

Okay, thanks for the input, I checked inside the air intake at the bottom rear and when moving the air control lever, there is no movement of flaps inside. Actually the air intake lever doesn't feel like it’s attached to anything, although it makes a soft ratcheting sound when adjusting. If its disconnected, how would I access in order to re-attach?

 

[PatrickWR]

Okay, thanks for the input, I checked inside the air intake at the bottom rear and when moving the air control lever, there is no movement of flaps inside. Actually the air intake lever doesn't feel like it’s attached to anything, although it makes a soft ratcheting sound when adjusting. If its disconnected, how would I access in order to re-attach?

I'm afraid I don't know how to troubleshoot beyond this point. I would recommend contacting Vermont Castings and explaining what you've arrived at (air control lever seems disconnected from the flapper) and see what they say. It might be something you can reattach yourself with a little work.

 

[Rickenbw]

I purchased a Dauntless about 3 weeks ago. Having issues with maintaining any temperature above 350 degrees. When starting the fire, I need to crack open the ash pan door to get a rise in temperature up to 600. After closing the ash pan door, within 10 minutes, the fire slows way down to a small flame, or just embers. After another 20 minutes the temperature has dropped to about 300 degrees. Every fire started, it always settles into 300 to 350 degrees. So to get strong heat, it’s a constant hourly cycle of opening the ash pan door to bring the heat up to 600 and then it settling down into 300/350 degrees within 30 minutes. If I try closing the damper, the cycle is worse. Using dry wood, air control is set to open. Has anyone had this issue? It’s as though the bi-metallic thermostat is not allowing a higher temperature. Or a problem with the air control system?

I purchased a Dauntless about 3 weeks ago. Having issues with maintaining any temperature above 350 degrees. When starting the fire, I need to crack open the ash pan door to get a rise in temperature up to 600. After closing the ash pan door, within 10 minutes, the fire slows way down to a small flame, or just embers. After another 20 minutes the temperature has dropped to about 300 degrees. Every fire started, it always settles into 300 to 350 degrees. So to get strong heat, it’s a constant hourly cycle of opening the ash pan door to bring the heat up to 600 and then it settling down into 300/350 degrees within 30 minutes. If I try closing the damper, the cycle is worse. Using dry wood, air control is set to open. Has anyone had this issue? It’s as though the bi-metallic thermostat is not allowing a higher temperature. Or a problem with the air control system?

 

[Rickenbw]

Thank you Dan! I was starting to think that I was going crazy! I just recently purchased the same stove and have the identical problem! I have been burning with an Aspen Vermont Casting for the last 22 years with great success and find this problem with a brand-new stove very frustrating! I also looked into the air-intake to see if the cable was working and found that the actual damper is a small rectangle piece up inside the round port and I can see it operating properly. I actually had the company that I bought the stove from come out and look at the problem today and start a fire to see what the problem might be and after watching exactly what you described' he looked at me and said this is normal! We think that you'er firewood is not seasoned enough he said, the same firewood that I have been burning this whole season in my Aspen with no issues at all. Well after he opened the doors to the stove and the lid with the bypass damper closed and filled my house full of smoke, I had to open wall my windows & doors in my house to get the smoke out. Low & behold the fire started working, because of all the fresh air???? Does anybody know if they make an outdoor air in-take kit that would hook up to the back of this stove? Opening up the windows & doors in January in Ohio is just not an option! Thanks again Dan for your post!!

Bill

 

[EatenByLimestone]

How much moisture does the firewood read? An older stove often is more tolerant of higher moisture than the new ones.

 

[Woodlifer]

Thank you Dan! I was starting to think that I was going crazy! I just recently purchased the same stove and have the identical problem! I have been burning with an Aspen Vermont Casting for the last 22 years with great success and find this problem with a brand-new stove very frustrating! I also looked into the air-intake to see if the cable was working and found that the actual damper is a small rectangle piece up inside the round port and I can see it operating properly. I actually had the company that I bought the stove from come out and look at the problem today and start a fire to see what the problem might be and after watching exactly what you described' he looked at me and said this is normal! We think that you'er firewood is not seasoned enough he said, the same firewood that I have been burning this whole season in my Aspen with no issues at all. Well after he opened the doors to the stove and the lid with the bypass damper closed and filled my house full of smoke, I had to open wall my windows & doors in my house to get the smoke out. Low & behold the fire started working, because of all the fresh air???? Does anybody know if they make an outdoor air in-take kit that would hook up to the back of this stove? Opening up the windows & doors in January in Ohio is just not an option! Thanks again Dan for your post!!

Bill

We, too, had a VC Aspen for quite a few years with no problems and just bought the dauntless in Dec, installed it in February. Our air intake is working but we are having problems controlling the stove. Not comfortable putting much wood in it at a time.. We put in an outdoor air intake pipe when we installed our Aspen so our Dauntless' intake in the back is right by it. When we shut our damper whether the air intake is set high or as low as it will go, sometimes (most times) the stove sucks so much air it sounds like a blow torch, and runs really hot, burning through wood really quickly. I talked the dealer multiple times. Tells me it's normal. If it is , I wish we hadn't bought it!! This morning I took a piece of tin and covered the opening in back where air sucks in, leaving small space for some air. It seemed to have helped slow our burn time. Thinking about a damper in flue pipe but was told it would void warranty, as if that's worth something