Lazy output from my VC Encore Non-cat

[Diabel]

So, I noticed in the past week that the performance out of this unit is not the same as it normally is. It is time for a good cleaning....I vacuum the back of the stove where the everburn sits (it s/b done at least twice per season burning 24/7). I decide at the same time to clean the chimney. All I got was a good size coffee mug of brown flaky stuff (22' stack). All good.
My wood is split & stacked for two yrs now & I have been taking wood from the same pile since Oct. After all is nice & clean I fire the stove & I am surprised.....it is still lazy! I bring it to temp. 500* both stovetop & stack I shut the bypass, I can hear the "rumble" but not as clearly as before (just faintly) no smoke from the chimney at all. After about 30 min. the temp. starts to drop on both thermometers.

This is my 5th season with this stove & I think it is time to take out the shoe & clean behind there :bug:

I was very reluctant to do this....up until now since I am afraid to see the condition of the refactory & that it will fall apart once the shoe is removed!

 

[rkymtnoffgrid]

If this is similar to the ductwest the shoe comes out really easy, simply remove the ash grate and carefully side the shoe out. You must be very careful with the thin gasket between the top of the shoe and the surrounding refractory, I tore mine up removing it, and put it back without one. Once the shoe is out be very carefull of the very fragile material behind there, it is as delicate as stryofoam (sp?). Its an easy task, heres a pict.

 

[Diabel]

Thanks for the pic! Did you find lots of ash behind/under the shoe? Was your stove running lazy as well?

 

[rkymtnoffgrid]

Well, my stove (med dutchwest) has always ran "lazy" with the bypass closed, I also thought it might be clogging behind the shoe, but everything was very clean and intact behind there. I don't know what my problem is, perhaps my extremely high elevation, perhaps I'm just inept at running the dog-gone thing. Anyways, I was scared to take it apart at first, but it really is easy, just go slow. As you remove the shoe, the gasket should come out with it, easy does it, dont pull it out fast like I did (I thought there would be some resistance...) with a vac, suck up as much as you can see and put it back together. I think you will know at once if it is your problem, mine was surprising clean. I got a mirror and put it up behind there to see what it looked like, you might do the same...here another pict

 

[Diabel]

Thanks a lot for the reply. I will report once I am done (this aft.)

 

[BrowningBAR]

With all the issues I have had with the Intrepid and all the posts I have seen with people having problems with VCs and DutchWest stoves along with maintaining the temps with the everburn it really makes me appreciate the old Vigilant.

Hopefully you get your Encore up and working like it was before quickly and easily.

 

[Diabel]

Thanks BBar,

I can still run it but something is not right. So far I believe I have been one of the lucky ones with this stove. I had problems at the beginning when I bought it but those were user generated issues. I am hoping that the refactory box is not the problem.....if so then I am in trouble. ($$$) :bug:

 

[BrowningBAR]

Thanks BBar,

I can still run it but something is not right. So far I believe I have been one of the lucky ones with this stove. I had problems at the beginning when I bought it but those were user generated issues. I am hoping that the refactory box is not the problem.....if so then I am in trouble. ($$$) :bug:

If it is anything like the catalytic assemble boxes (it looks like it) those things ARE expensive and seem to always be back-ordered.

 

[rkymtnoffgrid]

Yea, I was always told by my grandfather that there was no better wood burning stove than the VCs, and he burned everyday of his life, thats why when I bought my cabin, I went straight to VC for a stove...I wish I would have got something different now. In all fairness, I have really put my Dutchwest through abuse, but I didn't know it was abuse, I was just throwing a log in there and burning, if the thing got really hot then I was doing something right. But that is the thing, what my grandfather did with his stove, getting the thing red-hot, buring wood, coal, cowpatties, scrapwood, brush, etc was normal practice, now it's considered overfireing... I have 1890 victorian house with an old parlor stove which I rarely use, but my god, is that thing built!! Double and triple internal walls, you can burn coal, whatever.... not so anymore, the new VCs just cant take the heat.

 

[Diabel]

Yes, it looks almost identical to the cat box, except the entry is from the front bottom. Apparently, it runs around 500.00!

 

[BrowningBAR]

Yes, it looks almost identical to the cat box, except the entry is from the front bottom. Apparently, it runs around 500.00!

Ouch. Good god, if that's the case, just go out and buy an Englander. You can get the 13-NC for a few bucks more. I've seen some people catch the right deal and get a 13-NC for $450-$600.

Again, good luck and I hope this doesn't end with a $500 part needing to be replaced.

 

[Diabel]

Thanks, I will report later today!

 

[Diabel]

I am back in business

The cleaning was a piece of cake as I was told. There was a lot of ash behind/under the shoe, practically blocking the front air holes. I broke half of the gasket (but no problem to run without it..apparently). I fired the stove & she's running like before nice 600* stove top & no idea what the pipe temp is since my other thermo. is stuck at 500* (hot or cold)!

Time to get a good quality probe thermo!

Thanks for the replies.

 

[rkymtnoffgrid]

Excellent! Were breaking cold records all over the US today, glad your back up to temps!

 

[Diabel]

It is not too bad around here, it has been ok winter in terms temps. (only couple of cold snaps) but I truly hate the sound of the furnace running! The temp in the stove room is already 77*