Drolet HT2000 vs Englander NC-30

[begreen]

True, you can get a stove hotter, and maybe overfire it or shorten its life. Most folks are not pushing the stove hard to make it work like a shop furnace. This NC30 is the first one reported with a burned out air deflector as a result. I don't run a stove that way, nor would I recommend it.

 

[Highbeam]

True, you can get a stove hotter, and maybe overfire it or shorten its life. Most folks are not pushing the stove hard to make it work like a shop furnace. This NC30 is the first one reported with a burned out air deflector as a result. I don't run a stove that way, nor would I recommend it.

What? I hold 700 as long as possible on the nc30 which is well within the design parameters. It's never been overfired or burnt out. The thin air deflector did melt and sag some which is not rare for this stove according to the manufacturer but this occurred during warm up and not at high temps.

 

[begreen]

Your mention of the deflector issue is the first we have had reported I think, but maybe I missed another one? Are you running the stove wide open air or did you seek a balance point where a bit more air provides the desired temperature goal?

 

[BrotherBart]

I know one 30-NC that didn't warp the airwash deflector at 1,000 degrees.

 

[begreen]

How long has that 30NC been in service now?

 

[Highbeam]

I know one 30-NC that didn't warp the airwash deflector at 1,000 degrees.

Exactly, it has nothing to do with stove temperature. The warpage was mostly repaired by a healthy twist with a wrench. Never moved since.

 

[Highbeam]

Your mention of the deflector issue is the first we have had reported I think, but maybe I missed another one? Are you running the stove wide open air or did you seek a balance point where a bit more air provides the desired temperature goal?

You seem to have a misconception about how I run my stove in my shop. Yes, I run it for maximum SAFE output. Safe for fire safety but also for stove longevity. I am not concerned with long burn times or low wood consumption.

The nc30 also has had other thin pieces of metal fail. Like the bottom deflector thing under the door. I've even seen pictures of the thicker flue gas deflector above the baffle melted off.

My nc30 is humming along at 700 right now. Running clean and hot. It's really been a pretty great stove.

I only have the throttle wide open during ignition and rather quickly drop the the throttle way down to maybe 50% until flue surface temps on my single wall hit 350. Then close the throttle farther to my known set point for cruising. The blower kicks on after awhile as stove temps approach 600. Temps keep rising to 700 and stay for a few hours.

I suppose that meets your idea of a balance point. If I want cooler stove temps I close the intake farther. If I want 750 I give it more air. This stove doesn't run away by getting hotter as you reduce the throttle.

 

[BrotherBart]

How long has that 30NC been in service now?

Winter of 2006.

 

[DrewMal]

Yes I need a stovetop therm and am looking for a new flue therm as the one I have doesn't move in small increments. It just has a red flag for the heat indicator and moves in large increments as it gets hotter... doesn't seem very reliable and when the flu cools down it doesn't show it. Any suggestions for an online place to grab some good therms would be appreciated!

I have been reading a lot of the stickied threads that have to do with draft control and overfiring and such but I might ask some clarification q's.

When I get my stovetop therm what is a good temp for running it hot when its really cold out and I want it to pump out the heat. I have seen some videos of a pellet stove that runs great between 550 and 700. Right now I don't have any idea of the stove top temp as I don't have a therm there yet but on a reload with air closed and good secondary burn I can hear the stove...

Also on the reload do I just open the air to reload then close it 3/4 or all the way after if I have a good secondary?

Just one more for now. If I put a fan on low to blow some of the hot air out of the room will it affect the stovetop temp much?

Thanks for all the help everyone! You guys are true enthusiasts! I am new to the EPA secondary burn stoves but I am not having much trouble just want to get all I can out of my stove.

 

[Highbeam]

Yes I need a stovetop therm and am looking for a new flue therm as the one I have doesn't move in small increments. It just has a red flag for the heat indicator and moves in large increments as it gets hotter... doesn't seem very reliable and when the flu cools down it doesn't show it. Any suggestions for an online place to grab some good therms would be appreciated!

I have been reading a lot of the stickied threads that have to do with draft control and overfiring and such but I might ask some clarification q's.

When I get my stovetop therm what is a good temp for running it hot when its really cold out and I want it to pump out the heat. I have seen some videos of a pellet stove that runs great between 550 and 700. Right now I don't have any idea of the stove top temp as I don't have a therm there yet but on a reload with air closed and good secondary burn I can hear the stove...

Also on the reload do I just open the air to reload then close it 3/4 or all the way after if I have a good secondary?

Just one more for now. If I put a fan on low to blow some of the hot air out of the room will it affect the stovetop temp much?

Thanks for all the help everyone! You guys are true enthusiasts! I am new to the EPA secondary burn stoves but I am not having much trouble just want to get all I can out of my stove.

I run my NC30 according to the manual, actually a little more conservatively than the manual allows, to get the most heat out of it for an insulated shop.

Get a stove top thermometer and a flue thermometer from condar directly. You can order from their website and these meters are good. Not scientific instrument good but dependable and of good quality. If you have double wall stove pipe then you must get a probe meter to measure flue temps, if single wall then a surface magnetic mount is your only option.

The manual of the NC30 says you are overfiring when parts of the stove body begin to glow but that seems way too high. Most other plate steel brands that give a temperature call out 800 degrees as the maximum stove top temperature. I aim to maintain 700 for maximum output with a little bit of known wiggle room before 800 and I've never seen any part of this stove glow.

You want to find the throttle setting that allows you to maintain the highest safe stove top temperature. The hotter the stove, the more output you get and it's not linear. A 350 degree stove puts out way less than half the heat as a 700 degree stove.

On reload I open the throttle 100%, open door, load stove, shut door, make sure that ignition has occurred, and then set throttle down to about 50% for until the firebox is well burning and then down to the setting that got me 700 before.

I am a fan of blowers (ha!). They don't affect stove top temperature much at all if you've got a good fire going. Fans directed at a surface mount gauge can lower the reading by directly cooling the bimettalic coil giving a false reading.

 

[BigFir]

What HB said is 100% my practice and experience with the 30. Bang on!

 

[DrewMal]

Thanks guys! I have a short video I uploaded to YT to share. I have 3-4 more but upload speed right now is atrocious so have to wait till another time.

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This is just me starting the fire top down. I have more to show how its burning as I close the door then the air but will upload when internet is working better.

Edit: This is with the damper and air open and the door cracked a bit.

Cheers

 

[DrewMal]

So have 2 pics here and 2 Q's. The fire q is did I out too much wood in. Is it too close to the secondary burn tubes or is that fine. 2nd q is does anyone know if that thermometer is a good brand. Also if it reading correctly (it is a probe therm on dbl wall pipe) then is that a good temp for my pipe. Pics were taken at the same time so fire is going great.

Thanks again for all the info and cheers to the cold -17 weather I'm in right now!

Edit: Tried to upload these pics from my phone but had to edit them as it put 2 of ea pic in here.

 

[DrewMal]

So I'm up at 2AM and decide to plug my car in (after I reloaded my stove). The fire is cooking and secondary burn is lively with air shut all the way. My stove pipe probe therm still reading around 380 or so degress F (still not sure if I trust it though). When I went outside I could see a little smoke coming out but then as it leaves the pipe it turns white in the cold air. Is this perfectly fine?

 

[begreen]

That does not look like too much wood.

So I'm up at 2AM and decide to plug my car in (after I reloaded my stove). The fire is cooking and secondary burn is lively with air shut all the way. My stove pipe probe therm still reading around 380 or so degress F (still not sure if I trust it though). When I went outside I could see a little smoke coming out but then as it leaves the pipe it turns white in the cold air. Is this perfectly fine?

That's water vapor, quite normal.