QuadraFire Voyager Grand Questions

[fire_me_up]

So I've had my Quadrafire installed for just over a month now. Took a while to figure out how to light it without smoking the room but some questions for you gurus:

1) The Quadrafire makes popping / popcorn like sounds when it heats up and cools down. If it heats up quickly (with 2-3 pieces of wood) then it is quite rapid, like once per second; if slowly it's more like once per 5-10 seconds. Once it hits a normal temperature it stops. This is after ~15mins with a new load. Is this typical? Seems a bit odd to me.

2) I didn't get the outside in air installed per recommendation because the installer didn't think it's needed. However, I find the air control doesn't do much. When the flames die down I have to open the door. Is outside-in needed in this case?

3) Besides first starting a fire I don't really get what the knob control at the bottom does. It seems to maximize air flow in for starting a fire, but after that do you need to use it? Would it help with (2)?

4) There's a fan control at the bottom. It seems to work well, but I can't turn it off. In manual mode can only turn it down. Lowest setting isn't off(?). In auto mode similar behavior. Is something funky here?

Thanks!

 

[jetsam]

I don't know your stove, but I'll take a crack at the general stuff.

1) Normal for any steel stove. The steel creaks and pings and pops as it warms up and cools down. You'll probably come to like it.

2) Your need to open the door is probably because you haven't figured out the stove's air controls yet; unlikely to be related to not having an OAK, unless you have an ultra-tight house or live in a deep valley or something. For most people, outside air is just about increased efficiency (you're not drawing warm house air in for combustion and sending it up the flue).

 

[Jags]

As jetsam said - the pings and pops are normal for a stove during heat up or cool down. Your stove has two air controls. In the upper right hand side of the front is the “air control” or primary air control as it is commonly called. The bottom right of the stove is the acc (automatic combustion control). This will often be referred to as “start up” air. The acc is to only by used during startups. The acc is also automatic, meaning it has a timer associated with it. Once you push the acc control knob in - the timer starts and will close the control for you after about 15 minutes. From there your only controls are fuel load and the primary air control lever.

If you have not done so, I HIGHLY recommend reviewing the owners manual. It does a good job of explaining the system along with some startup procedures.
http://downloads.hearthnhome.com/installmanuals/VOYAGEUR_GRAND_WOOD_INSERT_OWNERS_7075_208.PDF

 

[fire_me_up]

As jetsam said - the pings and pops are normal for a stove during heat up or cool down. Your stove has two air controls. In the upper right hand side of the front is the “air control” or primary air control as it is commonly called. The bottom right of the stove is the acc (automatic combustion control). This will often be referred to as “start up” air. The acc is to only by used during startups. The acc is also automatic, meaning it has a timer associated with it. Once you push the acc control knob in - the timer starts and will close the control for you after about 15 minutes. From there your only controls are fuel load and the primary air control lever.

If you have not done so, I HIGHLY recommend reviewing the owners manual. It does a good job of explaining the system along with some startup procedures.
http://downloads.hearthnhome.com/installmanuals/VOYAGEUR_GRAND_WOOD_INSERT_OWNERS_7075_208.PDF

Thanks this helps quite a bit. I actually have read the manual a few times but it doesn't do a great job describing the acc (or maybe it's just me and the acc operation is complicated ). It seems the startup air is enabled when you push the acc knob in and then you have to pull it out. It's unclear to me what happens if you just push it in, or push it in and pull it out part way - does it have some other operation? The manual described some side function and that's when I became a bit confused.

Also, after the fire is going I find the air control system (top right) doesn't seem to do much. If I have it on low vs. having it on high the fire burns nearly the same. Perhaps a little hotter when it's on high, but not visibly so. Only way to really get the fire to burn hotter is to crack the door open a bit.

Lastly, with the the motorized fan at the bottom it shows if you turn it fully clockwise it should be off. In manual mode the fan doesn't turn off on my unit. Just to the lowest level. According to the manual this should turn it off. Quite odd.

 

[Jags]

When you push in the acc lever is is like winding a timer for the damper it controls. It is mechanical and is supposed to be about a 15 minute operation. I think much of what you are experiencing is what we call the “learning curve”. Altering the primary air settings will often not result in an immediate change to the fire. Things like draft, fuel load, current temp all play a part in how the stove is running at a given time. Also remember that the secondary burn tubes are unregulated (meaning you don’t have any control over them). If you have a full fuel load with a rockin’ stove and good draft, you will still have quite a bit of air coming from the tubes (by design). I have no idea about the fan settings. You may want to consult your stove shop on that one.

Try this...
From cold stove - Crank up a full fuel load with the acc pushed in then pulled back out, primary air full open. After 15 minutes you should have a box getting full of flames (if you don’t we may need a conversation about the fuel you are using). At this point the acc should be closed (remember, automatic). An insert is more difficult to measure temps so I am just going to suggest time here, you may need to play with this...but about 20 minutes into the burn, assuming you have a firebox full of flame, close the primary air to about 5-10% open (mostly closed). If this does not maintain a hot firebox (remember, it doesn’t always need to be flame fest) I suspect you may have a fuel quality issue.

Basically what I am saying is that after the 15 minutes with the acc open (then closed) if the stove doesn’t maintain a good fire there is something wrong. Could be draft, most likely poor fuel. Unless you have a very well insulated home that is really air tight the outside air kit probably will not fix this.

These Quads with the acc feature really should have no need to crack a door to keep a fire going on startup or for that matter, any time during the burn.

Oh - and I will suggest a little homework. Search these forums for Tunnel of Love and Supercedars.

 

[Markie123]

Having one install Wednesday . What is your opinion on the unit. Good investment/ operate well/ wish i brought a different unit .
Thanks mark

 

[Jags]

I think you will find it a reliable unit that throws quite a bit of heat if used with the fan (typical of inserts). I am not aware of any “weakness” in the unit.

 

[Markie123]

Thanks for sharing!

 

[Buck 24]

Hey guys new to the forum. Just purchased and had installed the voyager grand unit in October 2018. Took a little bit of getting used to as far as air control and such but I now notice (having come from a wood burning fireplace) how important the quality and MC of the wood being burnt truly is. I thought I had draft problems and air control confusion at the start but most of my issues ended up being due to the wood itself.
It doesn’t seem that anyone has touched on the fan control issue you talked about and you’ve probably solved it by now but Incase you haven’t, the fan speed dial goes from high to low in a clockwise direction. “Off” is actually before the highest setting if you go all the way counter clockwise it will click and be off.

With the fan off you should find that your stove actually gets hotter (as the fan tends to cool the unit down). The hotter burn will give you a better cleaner burn and possibly correct some of the door cracking needs.

Hope any of this helped!