Encore with no coals, mostly ash!

[mumph32]

I'm a noob here at the site so I hope not to make too many lame comments.

We're running a Vermont Castings Encore, and have been for six years. Last year we had it tuned up extensively by a former VC employee. He put all new guts and gaskets in it, including a catalytic converter. It ran great all fall, winter and spring of last year.

Now it's burning at low temps, has trouble radiating good heat, and generates very few coals. In fact we mostly get ash at the end of a night. We NEVER have a nice bed of coals. The ash pan also has to be emptied infrequently. The ash on top of the ash pan is brownish, not the grey we're used to. I did try to clean up the stove in the early fall by vacuuming it out and such.

What the heck is going on with the stove? Is it the stove or possibly the wood? Did I screw it up when cleaning it? Can higher moisture content wood create this scenario? Thank god cold weather hasn't struck yet.

 

[SolarAndWood]

Welcome to the forum. My Encore did the same thing. I found that knocking it around with the poker good before you reload and burning the fire hot for at least a little while helps.

 

[r_d_gard]

I'm a noob here at the site so I hope not to make too many lame comments.

We're running a Vermont Castings Encore, and have been for six years. Last year we had it tuned up extensively by a former VC employee. He put all new guts and gaskets in it, including a catalytic converter. It ran great all fall, winter and spring of last year.

Now it's burning at low temps, has trouble radiating good heat, and generates very few coals. In fact we mostly get ash at the end of a night. We NEVER have a nice bed of coals. The ash pan also has to be emptied infrequently. The ash on top of the ash pan is brownish, not the grey we're used to. I did try to clean up the stove in the early fall by vacuuming it out and such.

What the heck is going on with the stove? Is it the stove or possibly the wood? Did I screw it up when cleaning it? Can higher moisture content wood create this scenario? Thank god cold weather hasn't struck yet.

Your machine sounds like mine. It is also burning at low temps with very dry wood. Similarly it was fully serviced after last winter. Any inside help or knowledge would be greatly appreciated.

Ray

 

[Diabel]

Is you cat working properly? Is there smoke coming out of the chimney with these low temps you mentioned? Btw define low temps?

 

[sandie]

Is the secondary filled with ash? NO coals I would think(I too am new) would mean a complete burn so no coals. NO high heat is another story and will like to hear what ideas people have. Mine has low heat with the wood I have which was said to be seasoned and another batch was kiln dried and I think neither was true. When I put in a piece of wood I know has been in my garage for 3 years in a small bundle of wood bought to make a campfire and did not make that campfire, that wood is dry and when put in the fire it burns like the devil and gets the other stuff to burn better but my best temp after an hour or more is 450. WOOD=DRY is important and there is little really dry wood available around here at least/

 

[mumph32]

Is the secondary filled with ash? NO coals I would think(I too am new) would mean a complete burn so no coals. NO high heat is another story and will like to hear what ideas people have. Mine has low heat with the wood I have which was said to be seasoned and another batch was kiln dried and I think neither was true. When I put in a piece of wood I know has been in my garage for 3 years in a small bundle of wood bought to make a campfire and did not make that campfire, that wood is dry and when put in the fire it burns like the devil and gets the other stuff to burn better but my best temp after an hour or more is 450. WOOD=DRY is important and there is little really dry wood available around here at least/

Thanks for your thoughts. When you refer to the secondary, what is that exactly? I continue to amaze myself with my ignorance!

Tonight I am going to run the stove with wood that I am certain is well seasoned and dry as a bone to determine if the problem lies with the wood rather than the stove. I should be so lucky.

 

[mumph32]

Is you cat working properly? Is there smoke coming out of the chimney with these low temps you mentioned? Btw define low temps?

I'm about to fire up the stove with well seasoned wood to check temps and the cat. The cat's a replacement and has only been run for a single season so there better not be issues with it.

Thanks!

 

[Diabel]

Is you cat working properly? Is there smoke coming out of the chimney with these low temps you mentioned? Btw define low temps?

I'm about to fire up the stove with well seasoned wood to check temps and the cat. The cat's a replacement and has only been run for a single season so there better not be issues with it.

Thanks!

It can be simply dirty due to poorly seasoned wood. You should inspect it before firing it up. My stove gets sluggish every year around Feb. I clean the secondaries & at the same time clean the pipe.

 

[sandie]

I have had some wood that has dirt on it and wonder how the dirt will make things worse, figure the dirt drops off into ash collection, no? YOU think it goes into secondary? I need a lesson on getting the back plate off my stove to clean out the secondary path out.

 

[Diabel]

It is a very fine ash that gets in there. You s/b able to run a thin vacuum hose through the open bypass. Be gentle so you do not damage the refactory. However, I am not sure if your resolute (1985) has refactory back there.

 

[sandie]

My stove is installed between two stone walls, each have only about 2" on either side SO I can not get a vacuum into the secondary hole unless you can figure something out. I did make a pole of sorts that is straight and has a 90 degree angle and a little piece of pipe that will fit in the hole to blow it out with compressor or my breath. I tried blowing in and dust comes out so think an air compressor at low compression might work to make sure it is clear, what do you think?

 

[r_d_gard]

Is you cat working properly? Is there smoke coming out of the chimney with these low temps you mentioned? Btw define low temps?

I believe that CAT is working properly, based on outside observation, thermometer is working correctly. Temps are struggling to reach 400° F (yet this temperature is contrdictary to the outside observations of no smoke).

Ideas

 

[Diabel]

It really sounds like fly ash has plugged some air passages (I'm no expert mind you). I would try to remove the cat carefully vacuum it & the refactory box put it back together & see what happens. You sure your wood is seasoned?