New fireplace xtordinair hybrid-fyre

[JJay56]

Installed a few months ago. They say the glass should stay clean but it always gets covered in soot. I have been using some store bought bundles as my oak will not be seasoned till after March. Im getting better but it always seems to take 30 min or so before the blower kicks in. I noticed the putty they used at the pipe joint was starting to flake as well. The company who installed it also chipped my brick removing the old insert. Overall I love the new look though.

 

[Dmitry]

Have the same stove. Glass will stay clean with dry wood and air not being closed too soon. I would buy biobricks instead of store wood.
30 min is normal time to blower to kick in from cold start. If you have lot of ash it might get even longer. I ended up disconnecting probe and bypassing it. Now I can put blower at any time.
P.S.: My oak 2 years old and it's not really dry . Takes long time for oak to dry.

 

[JJay56]

Hi Dmitry. Thanks for the info. How did you go about bypassing the probe? What bio bricks do you suggest? At what point do you close the damper and choke off the air?

 

[Dmitry]

I think all biobricks are about the same . Whatever your local supplier got in stock .
Fan switch located behind right blower.
I disconnected it and connected wires directly.
There is no universal instruction for choking the air. Depends on wood . You can close air early with dry wood, once cat is in operating mode . I never close it completely.

 

[JJay56]

I think all biobricks are about the same . Whatever your local supplier got in stock .
Fan switch located behind right blower.
I disconnected it and connected wires directly.
There is no universal instruction for choking the air. Depends on wood . You can close air early with dry wood, once cat is in operating mode . I never close it completely.

I never close it completely either but just wondering if you wait for a certain temp or what yourself.

 

[begreen]

I think all biobricks are about the same . Whatever your local supplier got in stock .

Actually, they're not. They differ in the sawdust, hardwood or softwood and they differ in compression used to form the bricks. Poorer quality bricks use much lower compression. The best are more densely packed for more btus and a slower longer burn. Same for compressed sawdust logs.

 

[Dmitry]

I never close it completely either but just wondering if you wait for a certain temp or what yourself.

I don't have a cat probe, so i start to close it while top temp goes over 500f. This is my DYI probe.

 

[clydesdale]

I have the same insert as well. You're install came out great. Much better than the "before" pics. Nice job. The insert takes a little getting used to. My only issue with it is that it can be a little rough on catalysts. Either that or I am. I wish there was something that blocks the flame from touching the cat. There is a thread on this page where Dmitry shows a pic of a shield that he came up with the limit the flame contact with the cat. I am considering this as well. Given the opportunity, I would still buy the same insert.

 

[JJay56]

Clydesdale thats for the input I put a lot of work into remodeling this room recently. You cant tell but I did not have drywall on the ceiling in the before picture either or the spot lights. My baseball coach from years ago custom made the built ins and we just installed them last Saturday.