Englander 30 Install

[04HemiRam2500]

Everyone on here so been very helpful with my first wood stove purchase that I wanted to post my install. This might take me a while between everything else I am doing, but I will post when possible. First off, I love this stove!! The look and most importantly the size. I can not wait to heat my house with wood for the first time. I am curious to see how much wood will use. I hope no more than 4 cords.

Anyhow, the only issue I see so far is the blower noise. What is happening with mine is that the sheet metal plate is vibrating off of the rear heat shield. Does anyone else have this issue and how do you fix it?

 

[pen]

How much wood you go through will depend on a lot of variables. But, I run a 30 north of you on the Pa, NY border.

My first year heating with the 30 I went though (if I remember right) about 4.5 cord. That was great compared to the 5.5 to 6 cord with the fisher.

Since then, my wood has become better seasoned and in learning the stove, I have less days of wasting fuel by overloading and overheating the house. That said I'm using about 3.5 to 4 cord now for an average winter.

Without more info, then I'd say 4 cord is a good number to have on hand for the first year. Hope you are getting next year's around now too! The 30 is a GREAT stove, if the fuel is dry enough it's cake to operate, long clean burns, great heat, etc. It's a miserable @#$% if the wood isn't dry enough though (as are all modern EPA stoves)

pen

 

[BrotherBart]

Haven't had the vibration issue with my 30 or seen anybody mention it here on the Forum. Give the ESW tech line a call and see if they have any ideas. Good folks to work with.

 

[04HemiRam2500]

I am wondering if maybe I need to redo my screws that I installed for the blower? I emailed MIke on this forum about it I will see what he says. Thanks. I can honestly say I can not wait for it to get cold now!!

 

[BurnIt13]

I am curious to see how much wood will use. I hope no more than 4 cords.

Like it is said above, it depends on about 50+ variables. My house is about 1500 square feet, 115 years old, and had zero insulation in the walls. My first year I went through 3.5 cords and I went through about 3 last year.

If it is an average winter, I plan to go through about 2.5 cord this year. I've refined my burning technique and my wood is better seasoned. I've also insulated my walls and done some air sealing, so I have the problem of having too much stove for my home.

If the winter ends up being warm I could use as little as 2 cords, colder than usual I will burn closer to 3.

 

[Kaptain]

You'll love this stove, it's a high quality piece. This will be my 2nd year burning with mine. I used about 5 cords last year with this being the heat source 99% of the time.

Couple tips.. you will likely end up removing the ash plug in the bottom - this can be removed and replaced with a firebrick. I gave it a honest chance - half a burning season but it's just easier to scoop the ashes out in the end.

The ceramic baffle boards leave a small gap (roughly 1/2 inch) that allow the gases to escape, instead of being forced to the front where it has a chance to burn. You can use 3/16 or 1/4 steel stock inside a piece of stove gasket to fill this void. I put mine on one of the sides, rather than the middle, as it seems to sit in the gap more effectively.

 

[04HemiRam2500]

Hey guys I wanted to ask if anyone uses a flue damper for the Englander 30. I thought that this might help me control the fire better no? Also are there any advantages disadvantages for using a flue damper.

 

[Highbeam]

The ceramic baffle boards leave a small gap (roughly 1/2 inch) that allow the gases to escape, instead of being forced to the front where it has a chance to burn. You can use 3/16 or 1/4 steel stock inside a piece of stove gasket to fill this void. I put mine on one of the sides, rather than the middle, as it seems to sit in the gap more effectively.

My new NC30 has tight fitting baffles. Perhaps this has been fixed?

Couple tips.. you will likely end up removing the ash plug in the bottom - this can be removed and replaced with a firebrick. I gave it a honest chance - half a burning season but it's just easier to scoop the ashes out in the end.

So what did you do? Two full sized bricks on the bottom down the middle? Did you cement it down to plug the hole really well. Another probelm with that plug is that the little loop sticks up into the firebox so you wack it with the shovel.

 

[BrotherBart]

My new NC30 has tight fitting baffles. Perhaps this has been fixed?

So they fill the entire space above the tubes from side to side? Just because they aren't loose doesn't mean they fill the space. High temp silicone is applied to the back of them to keep them from banging around in shipping. It burns off once you start burning in the stove.

 

[Highbeam]

I'll check again but from below, I saw no gaps at the sides when the center gap was closed. Yes, black silicone in the back.

 

[Kaptain]

My new NC30 has tight fitting baffles. Perhaps this has been fixed?

It's possible they revised the baffles but I don't know for sure.

So what did you do? Two full sized bricks on the bottom down the middle? Did you cement it down to plug the hole really well. Another probelm with that plug is that the little loop sticks up into the firebox so you wack it with the shovel.

Without looking I believe I simply took out the plug and the half brick infront of behind it and replaced it with a full length firebrick. No, cement isn't necessary to seal it, it 'seals' up on its own with ash anyway.

 

[04HemiRam2500]

In addition to the flue damper I am considering. I also wanted to know about the ceramic board on top of the burn tubes. How often do I need to replace how to keep them from getting damaged and what if you hit them with the wood you put in. I have heard do not put wood higher than the firebricks anything else?

I wanted to ask because this seems to be the only bad thing about the stove from what I have heard. However, how long should the two boards last?

 

[BobUrban]

I pulled my plug and cut a brick to fit. Common mod but not necessary if you like the ash box - seems most do not. If you do this be sure the stove is cold and clean the area under the bricks well. This way you will not have an air gap coming from the ash box hole. After a burn or two and you get all the gaps in the bricks filled with ash you are good to go. Like most EPA stoves - or closed solid fuel wood burners in general - this will perform at its best with a bed of ash.

I do not have or have need for a pipe damper with my set up but my straight up 16' of chimney seems to love the stove and I have never had anything like a control issue. If I am not mistaken this is nearly the exact set up Englander uses to test fire their stoves. If you have a LOT more chimney or extreme conditions you may need some damper help but I would test drive it using the primary air control before adding any other damper. There are others here that have done some air in-flow mods with magnets partially covering inlets. Again, test it as is - mod as necessary.

I also did the rope n rod trick to fill the gap.

Regarding the fire boards up top - they are fragile but if you are careful they should last. Just don't poke it with tools or splits you will be fine for years.

My fan that came with the stove is the old model(I believe) and not the rectangular model that seems to be coming with the new stove?? Either way - it is a little loud but I never use it. I just have a small 15" box fan sitting on the hearth behind the stove on low that keeps air moving. Stove fan is available if I ever need it but have not found it necessary to date. Do a little search here for moving warm air with fans and you will find a ton of practical, real life information users have done. Most of which seems counter productive or back $#*words from your first thoughts but it works. Blow fans towards the stove. Move light air with heavy.

 

[pen]

If you have a LOT more chimney or extreme conditions you may need some damper help

Very true. My chimney is quite average so that didn't qualify me for needing a damper. Mrs. Pen however does fit the category of "extreme conditions"....... the damper gets used a couple times a winter when an "oops" occurs and things get a little too hot a lot too quickly.

pen

 

[Young_Buck]

Very true. My chimney is quite average so that didn't qualify me for needing a damper. Mrs. Pen however does fit the category of "extreme conditions"....... the damper gets used a couple times a winter when an "oops" occurs and things get a little too hot a lot too quickly.

Hi All,

I just purchased a 30-NC this week too! I was also wondering about this same thing. In my old setup I used a pipe damper to help control the burn of my old smoke dragon. I was wondering if I need a pipe damper for the 30? I know it says that one is not required. My setup is a ~20 ft masonry chimney and I seem to have a strong/ample draft. Should I bother with a damper, or just try it with the primary air control first?

Excited to get it fired up for the first time!

Thanks,
YB

 

[04HemiRam2500]

I also wanted to ask I believe I did on another thread but I wanted to double check about my hearth pad. I am going to put 4 pieces of durock cement board on my plywood floor cause have not got carpeting yet. Then I am going to put ceramic tile on top of it. My question is do I need to glue or screw the cement boards together and to the floor board. Also do I need to glue the snap in ceramic tile or will grout be fine. Let me know if there is anything wrong with this setup. I am looking at an r value of 4*0.39 for the durock and 0.020 for the ceramic tile which gives me 1.58 and I only need 1.5 so I should be good.

 

[Highbeam]

My fan that came with the stove is the old model(I believe) and not the rectangular model that seems to be coming with the new stove?? Either way - it is a little loud but I never use it.

New stoves still come with that really small hair dryer looking thing that blows into the 2" hole on the back of the stove. The larger blower uses the same amount of electrcic power but would appear to blow much more air. It is optional and expensive and blows through the entire rear rectangle opening.

Sorry to say, the new stoves still have the miscut baffle boards. They are too small and leave gaps on the sides. I'll have to look into this rod-n-rope mod.

 

[Kaptain]

Hi All,

I just purchased a 30-NC this week too! I was also wondering about this same thing. In my old setup I used a pipe damper to help control the burn of my old smoke dragon. I was wondering if I need a pipe damper for the 30? I know it says that one is not required. My setup is a ~20 ft masonry chimney and I seem to have a strong/ample draft. Should I bother with a damper, or just try it with the primary air control first?

Excited to get it fired up for the first time!

Thanks,
YB

If you don't have the pipe hooked up to the new stove yet then it would be a good time to add a damper. You won't 'need' it but it's good to have if you want to shut down the draft or to tweak it a bit.

Otherwise you can just leave it wide open (as I do 99% of the time). I keep it fully closed in the off season - seems to help prevent backdrafts and the smoke\creosote smell in the basement on windy days.

Either way you'll be fine.. compared to your old stove these things are extremely 'air tight' and shutting off the air 100% will just about put the fire out.

 

[begreen]

Basement installs can be dealing with negative or near negative pressure or the stove can be competing for air with other appliances and exhaust fans in the house. That will make it seem like the air control is shutting the stove completely off, but it is not.

These stoves are not air-tight. They are air controlled, but they have an unrestricted boost and secondary air supply. If you have very strong draft, restricting the boost supply can help.

 

[BCC_Burner]

I am planning on doing the threaded rod and rope gasket mod over the weekend to try to improve my burns that little bit more. How long a piece do you need?

 

[Young_Buck]

I am planning on doing the threaded rod and rope gasket mod over the weekend to try to improve my burns that little bit more. How long a piece do you need?

This is the first that I have heard of this mod. Would something like this void the warranty? Seems like a lot of people are doing this.

Thanks.

 

[BobUrban]

New I am planning on doing the threaded rod and rope gasket mod over the weekend to try to improve my burns that little bit more. How long a piece do you need?

Long enough to fill the gap front to back - or as long as the fire boards "roughly" I had some of the door gasket laying around and put it over welding rod because I had/have access to that as well but any steel rod that fits inside the rope will work

 

[Seasoned Oak]

The ceramic baffle boards leave a small gap (roughly 1/2 inch) that allow the gases to escape, instead of being forced to the front where it has a chance to burn. You can use 3/16 or 1/4 steel stock inside a piece of stove gasket to fill this void. I put mine on one of the sides, rather than the middle, as it seems to sit in the gap more effectively.

Gee all this time i thought there was a reason that board had a quarter to a half inch gap on each side. You mean to say the stove burns better or more efficient if that gap is closed off?

 

[blades]

A little more efficient, There have been some that have doubled the thickness of the insulation boards off setting to close any gaps from the first. besides closing the gaps this would also restrict the draft a bit depending on the thickness of the added insulation boards.

I need to pull my OAK system apart , and clean out cobwebs which I am sure exist in areas I haven't touched over the last few years.

 

[Seasoned Oak]

A little more efficient, There have been some that have doubled the thickness of the insulation boards off setting to close any gaps from the first. besides closing the gaps this would also restrict the draft a bit depending on the thickness of the added insulation boards.

I need to pull my OAK system apart , and clean out cobwebs which I am sure exist in areas I haven't touched over the last few years.

Come to think of it my other tube stove has a Ref. board that is very tight against the sides and it does draw secondaries better now that im thinking of it.