My Summer project completed...Quadrafire Castile Insert in my stairwell

[Jonkman]

I like it! Curious if wrapping the box with insulation may have an effect on the sound of the unit. Looks like you have a lot of hard flat surfaces in the house. Good job.

I took your advice and put some sound deadening material on the inside of the metal surround. I think it made a noticeable difference, I think before I was getting a lot of kickback noise. I actually thought the exhaust fan wasn't working at first because I couldn't hear it in the room next door.

I also finished the OAK and everything is working great.

 

[Jonkman]

I like it! Curious if wrapping the box with insulation may have an effect on the sound of the unit. Looks like you have a lot of hard flat surfaces in the house. Good job.

I took your advice and put some sound deadening material on the inside of the metal surround. I think it made a noticeable difference, I think before I was getting a lot of kickback noise. I actually thought the exhaust fan wasn't working at first because I couldn't hear it in the room next door.

I also finished the OAK and everything is working great.

 

[Don2222]

I actually had run most of the PVC already a few weeks ago and it was 2"...but the final connection to the stove I haven't done yet and that was my weekend project. I guess I wish I would have run 3", but it's not as far as I thought so I hope I'm OK. It's more like 12ft total, not 20ft.

Most manufacturers recommend 3" diameter if going over 6' that is why all the 2" OAK kits are 6'
So check the flame with and without the OAK

 

[Don2222]

I actually had run most of the PVC already a few weeks ago and it was 2"...but the final connection to the stove I haven't done yet and that was my weekend project. I guess I wish I would have run 3", but it's not as far as I thought so I hope I'm OK. It's more like 12ft total, not 20ft.

Most manufacturers recommend 3" diameter if going over 6' that is why all the 2" OAK kits are 6'
So check the flame with and without the OAK

 

[Jonkman]

Most manufacturers recommend 3" diameter if going over 6' that is why all the 2" OAK kits are 6'
So check the flame with and without the OAK

I did notice the flame is a bit lazier, but I am also experimenting with different pellets right now so it's not a good test time frame. Probably next week when Im back on my regular pellets I will be able to see a difference. I was hoping I would be OK because it's a castile and I know that they draw in air from around the ash pan etc. as well. The OAK is really just a hole in the back of the ash pan area...if it was an air tight seal to the outside I could see why you would want larger over a certain length. Then again, I usually don't know what I'm talking about....and I really don't want to redo that stretch of pipe, but maybe I will.

 

[littlesol]

Very Nice! I hope that shelf that holds the back of the stove is sturdy. Thats a heavy cast iron beast. I have the same one.

 

[Jonkman]

Very Nice! I hope that shelf that holds the back of the stove is sturdy. Thats a heavy cast iron beast. I have the same one.

If you click on the photo, you can see more clearly that the shelf is extremely thick, I think four 3/4" boards glued together, then it has three 2 x 4s under it secured to a beam (under the drywall). Should be pretty sturdy. Also, I think 70% of the weight is actually on the wall and the hearth anyways...

How long have you had your insert? Happy with it so far?

 

[littlesol]

This is our 4th heating season. I love it so far. A little noisy but use to it. We sit very close to it in our living room. Im trying to find a way or a thermostat that will adjust the speeds of the fan as well as temperature to keep a more even heat without cycling on and off so much. Preferably with a WIFI enabled Tstat.

Make sure after you clean out firebox you seat the top "Baffle" ( the plate that covers the baffels inside) good or it will fall down while its operating. Yes, thats happened to me couple times.

 

[Jonkman]

This is our 4th heating season. I love it so far. A little noisy but use to it. We sit very close to it in our living room. Im trying to find a way or a thermostat that will adjust the speeds of the fan as well as temperature to keep a more even heat without cycling on and off so much. Preferably with a WIFI enabled Tstat.

Make sure after you clean out firebox you seat the top "Baffle" ( the plate that covers the baffels inside) good or it will fall down while its operating. Yes, thats happened to me couple times.

I love ours so far, getting used to the routine of cleaning, it's really not bad, especially with a ash vac. Ours is around the corner from the TV but we have to turn it up yet when it is on, but not to bad. I have ours on high all the time because I think I probably should have gone with a Mt. Vernon with more BTU since the castile can keep up (barely), but it basically has to run (almost) all the time. It take from 6am to 1pm to raise the house temp up from the overnight low setting, then it will be off for a few hours, then on and off a few more times until 11pm. And that's only when it's 25 outside...

As for the noise, I assume you just mean the blower fan right?

 

[littlesol]

yup

 

[Jonkman]

For your snoozing pleasure, I have created a YouTube video of our pellet insert setup...I didn't realize I talked so slow, and that I sound like my brother. Actually he sounds like me, since I'm older....but I digress.

For your safety please keep your hands and feet in the vehicle at all times.

(The stove is set to low for the video, hence barely any flame. I forgot I had it on low for the video, at the 6:36 mark I inserted a clip of it on the high setting)

 

[Fish On]

Looks great love the look of the our stoves. My flame is a little higher. No oak for me. This is start up. Flame is always below Six inches

 

[3650]

When I was using my Mt Vernon I just ran it all the time. Mostly on low. I didnt really use more pellets because when I ran off of a t stat it would burn alot more pellets trying to bring the house up to temp. I run my Cumberland (current stove) the same way. I've got it set to manual range 3 level 1 right now. Thats about as low as I can run and is a balmy 70* in here right now. Its like 48* outside though so not really cold yet.

 

[Jonkman]

Looks great love the look of the our stoves. My flame is a little higher. No oak for me. This is start up. Flame is always below Six inches

I forgot I had it on low for the video, at the 6:36 mark I inserted a clip of it on high.

Your setup looks nice!

 

[doghouse]

Where does / how does the convection fan draw its air from?

 

[Fish On]

I forgot I had it on low for the video, at the 6:36 mark I inserted a clip of it on high.

Your setup looks nice!

Thanks,

I also run my stove on med and just let it run. I have not noticed for seven years the difference in pellet consumption. And it burns better. Of course every stove and house is different. Replace auger once. And I only burn the best. Just less of a hassle for me.

Cheers!

 

[Jonkman]

Where does / how does the convection fan draw its air from?

The convection fan? That just draws from the room. There are a myriad of openings in the front and sides of the stove to draw in room air and pull it through the heat exchanger tubes and back into the room. The combustion fan draws the majority of the combustion air in through the Outside Air Kit I have installed. The OAK goes from the back of the insert through the basement and to the outside.

 

[doghouse]

The convection fan? That just draws from the room. There are a myriad of openings in the front and sides of the stove to draw in room air and pull it through the heat exchanger tubes and back into the room. The combustion fan draws the majority of the combustion air in through the Outside Air Kit I have installed. The OAK goes from the back of the insert through the basement and to the outside.

Is it open to the stairwell as well?

 

[Jonkman]

Is it open to the stairwell as well?

No, not since I put the metal surround on, it's pretty much sealed off.

 

[cornhole]

You did the OAK in pvc? Something tells me if you check the manual it specifically says not to use pvc for fresh air.

 

[Jonkman]

You did the OAK in pvc? Something tells me if you check the manual it specifically says not to use pvc for fresh air.

It's 2" flexible metal hose from inside the stove to outside the stove a few feet, then after that it is PVC to the outside wall. I am pretty sure they mean the hookup to the stove can't be PVC, which it is not...

 

[DMKNLD]

That is a shweet custom install Jonkman !

Kudos on the professional 'fit and finish' look, and the unique faux fireplace and rear access design features. Cheers, DK

 

[Jonkman]

That is a shweet custom install Jonkman !

Kudos on the professional 'fit and finish' look, and the unique faux fireplace and rear access design features. Cheers, DK

Thanks DK, I wasn't sure if it would work as planned...but it did surprisingly.