Is my stove running right?

[AlanS]

Hello all...first time here, but long time user of wood to heat my space.
I have an 8 year old Vermont Casting Encore unit... been happy thus far, but last year it required that I replace some gaskets and the catalytic converter. Here are the questions: I find that the gaskets don't offer the seal I had when the unit was new...I used the 'factory recommended stuff'. I am assuming that is why my temps run on the high side. Any suggestions about this? What glue/ adhesive do you all use?
I also hear of people who 'put in one log, and it burns for hours'...not me! Never. In the course of 4 hours I can use 10 splits of oak/ maple. Any ideas?
And...
I did not replace (when I did the cat), the refractory assembly (that's the housing for the cat- $250), and the 'secondary probe' (It sticks into the back of the stove...I haven't a clue as to what it does). Anyone know if this will be an issue?
And finally- anyone find a use for wood ash?

 

[jtb51b]

I don't know about anything to do with the stove, but.. My grandma knows exactly what plants in the garden like the ashes.. For me, hopefully its all of them because come spring I'll be tilling in a WHOLE bunch of little ash piles down there.. Come to think of it, apparently green beans like ashes because I always have a bumper crop.. Early spring I'll let you know how potatoes fair...

Jason

 

[bokehman]

What glue/ adhesive do you all use?

Not sure what gaskets you mean, but when my rope seals around the door and ash pan door came loose I used ultra high temperature silicone sealer.

I also hear of people who 'put in one log, and it burns for hours'

More like smoulders.

In the course of 4 hours I can use 10 splits of oak/ maple. Any ideas?

Have you tried closing the primary? ;-)

 

[elmoleaf]

You shouldn't need to replace the refractory assembly or secondary probe on an 8 year old stove. Unless either is physically damaged, you should be fine with leaving those alone. FYI the secondary probe is connected to a bimetallic coil thermostat that controls an air flap for secondary combustion air.
10 splits in 4 hours sounds like a lot, unless they're very small splits.

 

[Jerry_NJ]

AlanS,

Well 10 splits, that sounds like a lot. What size are your splits?

I'd say even with small splits, under 18" long and perhaps no more than 2 or 3 pounds, I don't burn more than 3 and hour, and that's with the Insert perking along at 500+ degrees with the fan running. Sounds like you may have a leak, or as noted you're not closing the primary, or the damper doesn't close all the way. Is the fire running away? My splits are putting out lots of flame, and still no where near 10 per hour.

 

[EatenByLimestone]

Are you engaging the cat?

By the amount of splits you are going through it sounds almost like you have the stove running full out in non cat mode.

Matt

 

[Todd]

Does this stove have the mortar seams? Could have a leak there? Put a bright light inside the stove, turn off the room lights and and take a look for light in all the seams.

 

[Backwoods Savage]

I don't know about anything to do with the stove, but.. My grandma knows exactly what plants in the garden like the ashes.. For me, hopefully its all of them because come spring I'll be tilling in a WHOLE bunch of little ash piles down there.. Come to think of it, apparently green beans like ashes because I always have a bumper crop.. Early spring I'll let you know how potatoes fair...

Jason

Those ashes will do you even much better if you store them and wait until spring to put them on the garden. We put them on just before tilling, that way, nothing leaches out before hand. In our sand, everything, including water, goes though it like a funnel.

We wait 3 or 4 days minimum with our ashes outdoors before then putting them into plastic barrels. Then come spring, I load the barrels onto the trailer to take to the garden. But don't put the ashes into anything plastic until they've had plenty of time to cool or you might be very surprised when the bottom of that barrel suddenly is gone!