How Does The Thermostatic Air Control Work in my VC Encore 2n1?

[Charles1981]

I have found a few threads in here regarding TAC, mostly BK stoves. It seems different models of VC have or used to have TAC. I know VC claims the TAC is "exclusive" because it works in the 2n1 in non-cat mode....

But honestly I have no idea how this works or where it is located and since finding this site I am trying to understand my stove as much as possible (VC 2040).

By the name of the structure and what I have read it appears to be a coil device somehow connected to my air control valve. I'm not sure how it automatically works though. I turn my stove down after reloading in 1/4 to 1/3 increments usually with the goal of closing the air control knob almost all the way or all the way to get a long slow burn. I can see the the little 2x3 square inch opening in the back of the stove on the underside where the pully assembly opens and closes at least the air intake there.

The stove tends to do long slow burns well and often has no problem going from ~600F to ~450F after closing the air control down over 30-60minutes. Then at 3/4 closed or all the way closed the stove very easily cruises at 450-400 for 4-6 hours...until large chunks of coals are left then it slowly cruises from 400-300-200 over the next 2-3 hours. I would say I am getting great heat output for 4-6 hours and good-decent heat output for another 2-3 and have no problems saying my burn time can be around 7-9 hours (There hasn't been a fire i can't restart with even measly little embers left behind and building it up with very small splits or kindling).

My question is what IS going on with the TAC during this entire process...especially if I have the stove air intake half open or closed all the way? Are there other air intakes that that TAC is automatically working upon? If the temperature of the stove heats up to much does it automatically close down the Primary Air Control I see underneath?

I'm just curious about how this device works as I really don't understand and can't find (maybe i am not searching appropriately) for the information.

Thanks!

Charles

 

[webby3650]

It's supposed to. But if it did it right, you would be getting much longer burn times! I have been getting 20+ hrs with my BK with soft wood.

 

[jharkin]

Every Vermont castings stove made since the 1970s has thermostatic control. Its the same mechanism as BK, but the BK version seems to work better.

The primary air lever is connected to a bimettalic coil, wish in turn is connected to the air door. once you set it, the coil will open and close the air in response to temp change to maintain a set stove temp. If the fire heats up, the coil closes the air slightly to slow it down, and vice versa.

 

[Charles1981]

If i have the air control closed completely is there any effectiveness to the TAC, or is it controlling other aspects of air intake other than the mechanism on the bottom rear of the stove?

Thanks for the input!

 

[HotCoals]

If i have the air control closed completely is there any effectiveness to the TAC, or is it controlling other aspects of air intake other than the mechanism on the bottom rear of the stove?

Thanks for the input!

I doubt it.
I know for a fact if the BK is turned all the way down the t-stat will not open the flap when the stove cools.
You should get longer burns though,at least I would think so.
maybe you're waiting to long to shut the air down for a long cat burn cruise.
If my stove is warm and I have decent coals I can have it in cat burn and cruising along well in a 1/2 hour after reload usually.
Do you get good secondary's from the tubes in the first few hours or how long usually?

EDIT: How many pounds of wood can you put in it?

 

[jharkin]

With the control fully closed, the air door is completely closed even on a cold stove. So on a low burn you only have the minimum air coming from the extra holes in the ashpan.

When you open the primary control, on a cold stove the air door will be completely open before you get to halfway on the lever, as the stove heats up the action of the thermostat will close it down so that you half to open the lever all the way to get the air door fully open.

Remember there is also a secondary thermostat regulating the separate air supply to the cat even when the primary is fully closed.


An encore will never burn the 20-40 hours of a BK. Its only a 2.3cf stove and by design they just don't burn as low as BK. I've been able to go just over 12 hours with coals to relight on mine, but that's a stretch. 10 hours is more typical in cold weather and you get serious heat for 6-8.

 

[Calentarse]

I have found a few threads in here regarding TAC, mostly BK stoves. It seems different models of VC have or used to have TAC. I know VC claims the TAC is "exclusive" because it works in the 2n1 in non-cat mode....

But honestly I have no idea how this works or where it is located and since finding this site I am trying to understand my stove as much as possible (VC 2040).

By the name of the structure and what I have read it appears to be a coil device somehow connected to my air control valve. I'm not sure how it automatically works though. I turn my stove down after reloading in 1/4 to 1/3 increments usually with the goal of closing the air control knob almost all the way or all the way to get a long slow burn. I can see the the little 2x3 square inch opening in the back of the stove on the underside where the pully assembly opens and closes at least the air intake there.

The stove tends to do long slow burns well and often has no problem going from ~600F to ~450F after closing the air control down over 30-60minutes. Then at 3/4 closed or all the way closed the stove very easily cruises at 450-400 for 4-6 hours...until large chunks of coals are left then it slowly cruises from 400-300-200 over the next 2-3 hours. I would say I am getting great heat output for 4-6 hours and good-decent heat output for another 2-3 and have no problems saying my burn time can be around 7-9 hours (There hasn't been a fire i can't restart with even measly little embers left behind and building it up with very small splits or kindling).

My question is what IS going on with the TAC during this entire process...especially if I have the stove air intake half open or closed all the way? Are there other air intakes that that TAC is automatically working upon? If the temperature of the stove heats up to much does it automatically close down the Primary Air Control I see underneath?

I'm just curious about how this device works as I really don't understand and can't find (maybe i am not searching appropriately) for the information.

Thanks!

Charles

Wow, that's really nice. With mine, after I char my oak/maple crap hardwood and get a nice coal bed, I might ease one last piece in on top and go ahead and shut her down for the evening. If I shut my draft, the little door in the back will almost completely close (a negligible crack left open) and my stove might drop to 500 for a half hour or so, but in 2 hours, it will come up and SHE WILL BE ABLAZE. The griddle will be pushing 700 degrees and my pipe will be around 550 or 600 about a foot above the stove. So annoying. If mine operated as you state, cruizing at 450-400 for hours on end, I'd be one happy man with this stove (provided the cooler temperatures meant I wouldn't have to replace access covers to the back fire brick and didn't blow through a combustor in 2 years).

 

[Charles1981]

Yea, something isn't right with your stove I fear...hopefully you will figure that out soon with the replacement.

 

[Diabel]

Yes, I have often wondered how many pounds of wood does the 2.3cf encore take. We hear that BKK takes 50lbs and it burns for a month
All I can fit in mine is three/four splits and maybe two small fillers and I get similar results as above mentioned.

 

[Charles1981]

I am still overall happy with my stove it heats my house well especially considering the harsh winter last year.

Just wish I had gotten a defiant or after reading these forums a NC30 or something with a firebox >3.0cuft.

I still feel lucky I only have to reload my Encore only every 8-10 hours...but sure wish I could reliably only stuff it 2x a day or better yet 1x a day like some wood-stock and BK owners.

I mean I approximate about 500-600 a year to heat with wood ( I go through about 3.5-4.5 cord a year). We only have electric baseboard and never have to turn it on.

Baseboard heating was costing ~300-350 a month to keep the house at like 64-65. Wood heat is costing about 75$ in wood a month. (I get log length delivered and c/s/s it all, final bill is like ~30-35$ a facecord).

After 1 more winter it will have completely paid for itself and be saving me money.

 

[Calentarse]

I am still overall happy with my stove it heats my house well especially considering the harsh winter last year.

Just wish I had gotten a defiant or after reading these forums a NC30 or something with a firebox >3.0cuft.

I still feel lucky I only have to reload my Encore only every 8-10 hours...but sure wish I could reliably only stuff it 2x a day or better yet 1x a day like some wood-stock and BK owners.

I mean I approximate about 500-600 a year to heat with wood ( I go through about 3.5-4.5 cord a year). We only have electric baseboard and never have to turn it on.

Baseboard heating was costing ~300-350 a month to keep the house at like 64-65. Wood heat is costing about 75$ in wood a month. (I get log length delivered and c/s/s it all, final bill is like ~30-35$ a facecord).

After 1 more winter it will have completely paid for itself and be saving me money.

That's awesome. It's nice the stove works for you. Have you tried letting the ash build up in the pan or plug secondary air inlets to get longer burns? I never did and I guess with all my stove falling apart that's apparent.