New Quadrafire 7100 Problems

[Fran]

We are truly frustrated with the 7100 and are new to any kind of wood stove operation so we are on a steep learning curve already. I am surprised about the amount of soot developing on the windows glass. I am cleaning it rather regularly so that I can enjoy seeing the fire. Another observation is about the blower. We are not noticing much difference if we have the blower running at the highest speed or the lowest speed. Could there be something wrong or is supposed to feel like radiant heat rather than moving air? I am thinking that there is something wrong with the installation and that the fan is blowing air somewhere, but not into our great room. The reviews I have been reading indicate that it burns efficiently and very hot, but I can honestly say that has not been true with us. Any help would be appreciated.

 

[pen]

Sorry to hear of the problems. The first year is always the hardest.

How long has your wood been cut, split, and stacked? What species are you burning?

How tall is your chimney? What is it's construction and dimensions?

How are you operating the stove's air control? Are you burning 24/7 or just a fire here and there?

With more info, you have the best shot at the best advice.

Good luck and stay safe!

pen

 

[weatherguy]

First place to start is your wood, these stoves need good dry wood to burn properly. What species of wood, when was it split?

 

[Charlene Kravec]

Fran, with our new 7100 (approx. 6 weeks) we have both radiant heat coming from the box and hot moving air coming from the top. There are many variables to getting a good fire: dry wood (less than 20% moisture), we use anywhere from 5-8 pieces that are 18"-20" long, dry kindling (twigs, pine cones, or small split branches) under the wood, and twisted double sheets of newspaper underneath the kindling, if you are starting cold. We tend not to use fireplace matches but favor a propane torch, just our preference. It gets things going quicker. As others have said once you start it, keep the doors overlapping one another for additional air. We use right over left. We close the doors tight once a burn has begun. Be patient because it can take a few minutes (approx. 10 give or take) to get going. We also tend to let the blower come on by itself, but if the room is chilly we will flip the blower switch on once the fire is active and the box is heating up nicely.
With respect to dark soot accumulation we see some in the corners, once in a while. Sometimes a really slow start-up or the cool-down will produce dark soot. To a certain extent it is unavoidable. It's a question of degree. A good hot fire will burn off a great deal of the dark soot,. I believe the blower will also assist in the "washing" of the glass. We do get a lighter light tan-colored soot on the glass but it doesn't interfere with seeing the fire. That just goes with the territory and is normal. This glass is very easy to clean. I use vinegar sprayed on a paper towel for the light soot and dip the wet paper towel in the powdery ash to scrub the darker soot.
I hope this has helped you. We are fairly new to wood burning. This is our third year.

 

[Bigg_Redd]

If I were a betting man I would bet that your wood is not dry. Go get a box of Bio Bricks or some other manufactured wood and start completely over. If your problems don't improve dramatically you can start looking at things like improper installation/chimney/draft/etc.

 

[humpin iron]

Fran, that first kiss did not make you the great lover you are today. Give it a little time, 7100 is a great stove. I also would look at the wood your burning.

 

[Fran]

Charlene, I wish it were just a little dark soot, but it is so caked on that I cannot see the fire. I have had to use oven cleaner a couple times a week and a scraper to get the junk off the glass. I think we have had too many slow burns and that has contributed to the problem. Our workers stoke the stove with wood before they leave at the end of the day and then don't get back to it until they arrive for work the next morning. We are not living in the house yet as it is still under construction. I also think our wood is not the best. I hope that once we are actually living in the home, we can "clear up" some of the problems.

Fran, with our new 7100 (approx. 6 weeks) we have both radiant heat coming from the box and hot moving air coming from the top. There are many variables to getting a good fire: dry wood (less than 20% moisture), we use anywhere from 5-8 pieces that are 18"-20" long, dry kindling (twigs, pine cones, or small split branches) under the wood, and twisted double sheets of newspaper underneath the kindling, if you are starting cold. We tend not to use fireplace matches but favor a propane torch, just our preference. It gets things going quicker. As others have said once you start it, keep the doors overlapping one another for additional air. We use right over left. We close the doors tight once a burn has begun. Be patient because it can take a few minutes (approx. 10 give or take) to get going. We also tend to let the blower come on by itself, but if the room is chilly we will flip the blower switch on once the fire is active and the box is heating up nicely.
With respect to dark soot accumulation we see some in the corners, once in a while. Sometimes a really slow start-up or the cool-down will produce dark soot. To a certain extent it is unavoidable. It's a question of degree. A good hot fire will burn off a great deal of the dark soot,. I believe the blower will also assist in the "washing" of the glass. We do get a lighter light tan-colored soot on the glass but it doesn't interfere with seeing the fire. That just goes with the territory and is normal. This glass is very easy to clean. I use vinegar sprayed on a paper towel for the light soot and dip the wet paper towel in the powdery ash to scrub the darker soot.
I hope this has helped you. We are fairly new to wood burning. This is our third year.

 

[Fran]

Thanks for all the encouragement. I will try all of your suggestions regarding leaving the door cracked open during the cold start up. We have 2 wood stoves. One is a Millenium 4300 that works so well and efficiently, and the other is the 7100. The Millenium just seems so much easier to use. Since we are still in the process of building the home, and have not yet connected the regular furnace, we are relying on the heat from the wood stoves to supply the warmth for the workers. I hope that as time goes by we can figure all of this out. I think part of the problem is that we have to rely on our wood being delivered this year and are not very savvy when it comes to knowing what wood works best. We are getting a triaxle of good wood delivered that we will split ourselves so we will be sure to split it and dry it to our specifications for the coming years. I guess this is just another if you want it done right, do it yourself moments.

 

[velvetfoot]

it is so caked on that I cannot see the fire.

That sounds like wood. But, you should be able feel the fan draft, as well as the different speeds. An insert is different than a standalone stove, and you really need the fan to be working.

 

[Charlene Kravec]

Fran, I understand that others are running the stove and you can't control what they do.
I do believe that wood moisture is to blame as someone else has guessed. If wood is wet it will burn slow because the energy is being used to dry the logs. Less heat = creosote or dark soot. Once you get into the house try getting the bio bricks because it is a good way to test as Bigg Redd suggested. Use newspaper crumpled up or dry kindling to get it going. The fat wood sticks that are included will help start it but don't work well alone to get the bricks to light.
Let us know how you make out.

 

[dafattkidd]

Hey Fran, you have two excellent units. I'm sure once you get used to burning and living in the house you will be very happy with these units. Get next year's wood split and stacked ASAP. This will help you tremendously. Ideally, hardwoods should season for a minimum of two summers. I'm basically positive the wood you are currently burning is not under 20% moisture content, and therefore the root of your issues.

Also worth mentioning: I assume the 7100 performs a lot like an insert. You would probably benefit from allowing it to heat up before engaging the fan on high. Running the fan on high will at times put out the flames and cool the firebox. I have found the best way to get heat from my inserts has been to allow a fire to establish itself good and hot, fully close down the air intake (usually in 2 or 3 stages), then engage the fan on low. This will generally put out more heat over the duration of the burn rather than running the fan on high the whole time. I do, however, occasionally run the fan on high for short bursts of time to bring house temps up quickly when needed.

 

[daryl]

You said you can not see a big difference in air speed. Check the wiring diagram and make sure it is correct. I see this a lot in new construction. This unit is a little intimidating at first it has a lot of ways you can set the controls. Read and understand your owners manual. Call your dealer ask questions, have them come out and run a test fire? By the way running those fans during new construction will void the warranty on them. I have pulled massive amounts of drywall, sawdust, paint overspray and everything else that gets pulled in. It well wreck a blower fast and you have two of them in there.

 

[Fran]

You said you can not see a big difference in air speed. Check the wiring diagram and make sure it is correct. I see this a lot in new construction. This unit is a little intimidating at first it has a lot of ways you can set the controls. Read and understand your owners manual. Call your dealer ask questions, have them come out and run a test fire? By the way running those fans during new construction will void the warranty on them. I have pulled massive amounts of drywall, sawdust, paint overspray and everything else that gets pulled in. It well wreck a blower fast and you have two of them in there.

Wow! Do we have a lot to learn. I hope that once we are actually living there full time most of these issues can be overcome. I never knew so much was involved. I don't think I will use the fan much after the warning about dust, daryl. Thanks for your help. I am guessing it is the wood as well. We are sadly at the mercy of our supplier this year. :-(

 

[Charlene Kravec]

Yes. There is a lot to learn, but the people on this forum are great and willing to help.

 

[Fran]

So glad I found this forum. You are making my adjustment to country living a little easier.....one log and at time!