new dutchwest 2478...help!

[seatown]

hi all, new to site and first post. Just had a dutchwest 2478 installed for us, it's our sole heat source. Used to heat with wood exclusively in the past, so figured no big deal. Now after the install and a few burns I can't get it up to temp, there's creosote forming at the top of the chimney, it's burning smoky and I can't get a hot fire going. The wood I'm using is all seasoned oak, madrone, and maple. So I figure it's just me getting used to the stove and figuring it out when today it starts puking out a stream of creosote from a screw in my stovepipe and dripping onto the top of my stove. Obviously an install error, but I'm wondering if this alone could be causing some of it's performance issues. I took a pretty hands off approach during the install and really put my faith in the company, he had a rookie on the crew and was a bit distracted so I'm wondering what other things could potentially be going on do to either improper install, product defect, or some part of the breaking process that I'm missing. Of course with the creosote leaking out of the pipe and onto the top of the stove it will probably be back to a space heater until that is resolved. Should I be worried? thanks

 

[sullystull]

Are you engaging the everburn too early/at all? What temps are you running--on your stack and stove top? What is your chimney set up like--masonry, internal/external, etc? I would like to hear a little bit more about how you are actually running your stove.

 

[trailblaze]

true... we need a better picture of what you got there...

what temps are you closing the damper at?

 

[mikeathens]

First, get us more info, as already asked. Another thing: these puppies seem to be very sensitive to the setup, unlike most other stoves. When I had one, it would work as I expected occasionally, but most of the time, there was either thick smoke pouring out the chimney or the thing went into meltdown mode. You might have issues with the seup (we might be able to help when we get info), or you might have a perfectly fine chimney configuration, and it's your stove that thinks it sucks...

 

[seatown]

It's set up with double wall stove pipe straight for about 2 feet then it takes a 30 degree turn up to the ceiling, then straight through the attic and out the peak of the roof. 8 foot ceiling and about 4 or 5 feet of attic space. The stove pipe never gets very hot, the top of stove won't get a small pot of water boiling even when I've got a good fire going inside. Hot to touch only. I'm closing the damper as soon as I get a good fire engaged and keeping the air intake open to keep the fire going. With the damper open it tends to smoke out the neighbors. I don't fully understand the everburn system, do I need to get the fire going up to a certain temp with the damper open before I close it in order for the system to work as designed? thanks for the replies so far.

 

[mikeathens]

Since I gave up on mine (hence, the soapstone stove now taking its place), I'll refrain from giving advice, since I sorta forgot how many ways I tried to operate this thing. But, I would suggest getting a magnetic thermometer for your side door outside (or wherever this thing has cast iron with no firebrick to get in the way), and a probe thermometer to put through your double wall chimney. That way, you can monitor what's happening. I think I remember something about getting that side door up to at least 500 F, and having a good couple inches of coals in there all the time. OK, I'm done.

 

[ICY99]

Watching the videos in this thread might help you:

https://www.hearth.com/econtent/index.php/forums/viewthread/14536/

 

[trailblaze]

yeah, tradergordo is a knowledgeable man

well i'm guess you have 8 feet of chimney inside and it should be 3-5 feet off your roof....sooo at 13 feet you might be on the short side...i'll let others chime in on that one..

but as for how to get these stoves going....

if you start out with a firestarter and some small dry splits (2-3 inch) and newspaper, you should be able to start the process, once mine takes off on full air/ damper open, i add some larger (2) splits (4-6 inches) and let it go watching the air and turning it back as needed...

i let it go for atleast 1.5 hours at 500-550 degree stove top temps- stove pipe temps around 400-450....until a nice bed of ash is left, i then load it up (strategically) and let it go with the air 75% or more open till i char the wood and get it burning ever so slightly...

i then close the damper and back the air off to just about closed... i watch it for a few mins and either leave it or close the air all way...

we got the same stove... so if you do this... and it still smokes and dies out.... it's your chimney, or wood!

 

[Todd]

It sure sounds like you have wet wood, especially if you have a stream of creosote dripping out one of your pipe screws.

 

[seatown]

thanks all, I'm really glad I found this site, searching the archives has answered a lot of questions and eased my anxiety a bit. Wood: mostly seasoned but some of it standing dead recently split, so some moisture for sure, I'll have to separate it out of my ready to burn pile. My problem has been not getting that initial fire hot enough, I was closing the damper as soon as it seemed to get going and cooling the fire way down, causing a smoky fire. The creosote was caused by the wetter wood low temp fire condensing on the top of my chimney and dripping down the outer wall of my pipe and out a screwhole, at least that's what my installer told me.Today we cranked it up to a hotter fire and that cleared up the emissions problem: no visible smoke, so I imagine the everburn must have been partially working, but I'm beginning to see this is no ordinary stove and is high maintenance to get it started properly. I'm also realizing that perhaps I purchased the wrong stove for my 700 sq foot house in the pacific northwest where the cold temps rarely get below 40, as the feedback I've read so far indicates that once it gets goin it's really goin. That's ok, It will be nice to get a bunch of fresh air in the house and stil be warm, cause I reckon I'll need need to open up some windows and doors if this thing kicks in like they say it will. I'll post an update once I figure this thing out. tradergordo has posted some great info to the site for sure, thanks!

 

[Diabel]

This forum is great indeed! Check your chimney before you start everburning....afterburning ;-) read "afterburn" posts.

 

[trailblaze]

haha.. afterburning sucks...

 

[Deerchasellc]

Certainly some are having a little trouble with the Dutchwest 2478 medium. I'm shopping for a new stove - can anyone recommend a competing brand that is similar to the 2478? Thanks.

 

[Highbeam]

A medium sized non-cat stove. Cast iron important to you? There are tons and tons of similar stoves that are generally trouble free.

If you like the non-cat cast irons then I would look at Jotul and Morso and be sure that the stove you choose uses gaskets between the castings.
If you just like the look of cast iron and don't want to mess with rebuilding a cast iron stove then the Pacifici Energy Alderlea series in excellent.

In fact, I recommend you look at those right now. They are similar to the dutchwest in looks but very easy to operate with hardly any complaints ever.

 

[Deerchasellc]

Thanks for your input Highbeam. The Alderlea looks good though shipping to the east coast is a little steep. How do you like your hearthstone heritage? It is a little more pricey but maybe it gives better performance. I am open to options but do want to stay away from catalytic stoves.

 

[Highbeam]

I really really like the heritage. If it is the right size for your home then I feel it is a great stove. We were watching it burn hot and fast last night making major heat (we have a burn ban so I am burning in stealth) and my wife and I find it to be a very attractive stove with a very nice view of the fire. The side door is an essential part of this success as is the soapstone. The window stays clean and the heat is very smooth. It can take 21" logs which is good for a 2.3 CF stove, I cut the last 9 cords at 18". There are many heritage burners on this site and the only common reason to upgrade has been for a longer burn time. No that the burntime is low on the heritage, I find it quite good at overnight burns, but the desire is for 12 hours or more which is only really attainable with a cat stove.

Maybe you have a PE dealer close by. You don't need to ship it from the factory. My hearthstone was puchased locally and was made in VT.

 

[Deerchasellc]

thanks for all of the information. I'll look into the Hearthstone though I can see it costs quite a bit more. Down the road you forget about the price but you are always aware of the quality. Many thanks.