RSF Opel 2000 secondary air questions/story, kind off long

[Crocks]

I recently purchased this house 2600 Sq ft , 2x6 construction heavy insulation built in 1997. Before I moved in (during escrow ) I was already thinking on how I would go about removing the zero clearance insert and framing in a section for a free standing wood stove. (Coming from burning wood In a Fischer stove for 7yrs). After closing escrow, moving in and settling down, now in September . I finally took a look at the insert and found a rsf energy tag. Looked it up basically found out at the time, lt was one of the best insert fireplaces for heating a house of my size. So I was eager to load it up and give her a test run. So I did. After a burned my first load down to coals I reloaded the firebox, closed the air all the way . It did not seem to damper the flame much and about 2 hrs later there were hardly coals left. After the next month I resealed the doors and windows they are now airtight . Lit up another fire . Could hardly tell a difference in the damper effect on the wood.( Still a lot of lively flames with the draft control all the way closed). The stove put of decent heat but still seemed to burn the wood way too fast. After the next week or so I was going out to my outside air intake and blocking it off to damper my fire. This worked and doubled my burn time at minimal. After two weeks of doing this I got wore out on it.

After a thorough and I mean days of inspection I found that rsf installs a self tapping screw. in the intake housing that holds the damper plate from closing the bore off completely. Aha! Took it out and it would kill the flame out instantly . I didn't like this either . (Dirty glass low heat output , smoldering wood)

I ended up making an l shaped peice of metal .09 thick and replacing the screw with this. I now am getting a lot better control little flame decent burn times and very little soot in Windows. (A small amount of soot on left window only?) . I was getting long enough burn time to have a few coals left in the morning to relight a fire. But the heat output just didn't come close to my Fischer,. At this point I'm really debating pulling it out next summer and install the old smoke dragon.

So here I am now coming into next winter and still messing with this Opel 2. I recently resealed around the stove (had a gap around top of it and heat was escaping into my attic). It seems to heat better, holds decent burn time, has some coals in the morning but still not completely satisfied. I recently noticed that there is a secondary burn tube in the top of the fire box. Looking at it the holes in the tub were pointing toward the chimney. I though for sure this couldn't be right and no matter what I did I could not get the tube to light up like a burner. Anyone else ever see this tube put off flame? Is it not supposed light up for some reason?

So I thought myself that if it was pointing more into the actual fire box itself it would help push the smoke back into the hot bricks and hel ignite. I pulled the pin holding this air tube, rotated it at a 60 degree angle down into back of stove. I also removed the removed factory steel baffle from the stove and replaced it with 4 firebricks to help keep it hot and insulated where I'm blowing the secondary air into. I just tried it out and I'm seeing some crazy blue secondary swirling flames. Seemed to burn hot for the amount of wood I put into it. But it's not too cold here yet overnight lows 45. I'll put some bigger peices in now for a better test and update . Any one even still burning out if these stoves?

Sorry for the length.
Thanks for reading

 

[Crocks]

Update - the stove burns insanity hot. If you fill the fire box. The secondary air will sound like a torch when you first shut down the draft control. After about 30 mins all fire bricks start glowing red. With this modification I have to limit the amount of wood I put in . It will burn wood fast so I'm in the process of finding a way to limit the amount of secondary air. Still a work in progress

 

[jetsam]

It doesn't sound like that unit has a secondary air control.

It does list minimum output at 10k BTU, so it should be able to burn very low. There is some kind of problem there... I would blame your door gasket if shutting the air intake didn't kill the fire.

 

[Crocks]

It doesn't sound like that unit has a secondary air control.

It does list minimum output at 10k BTU, so it should be able to burn very low. There is some kind of problem there... I would blame your door gasket if shutting the air intake didn't kill the fire.

View attachment 233384

No the secondary air tube is wide open throttle. The primary air supply dampers as it should now that I removed the screw out od the air control body. Door gasket new last Feb. Window gaskets just replaced. No leaks at all

 

[bholler]

No the secondary air tube is wide open throttle. The primary air supply dampers as it should now that I removed the screw out od the air control body. Door gasket new last Feb. Window gaskets just replaced. No leaks at all

How tall is the chimney?

 

[Crocks]

12ft. Really good draft

 

[wooduser]

Looks like your stove is still being sold with technical information on it available on line.

(broken link removed to http://rsf-fireplaces.com/en/opel-2-catalytic-woodburning-fireplace#technical-specs)

 

[Crocks]

Now I'm drawn between rounding up a ceramic plate to line the fire box roof. Building 4 or 6 secondary air tubes with a control for the amount of air. Plumb it in to my existing secondary air inlet.

Or

Buying the Opel 2 catalytic combustor kit . Was quoted $430 . Although there is a month lead time

My question is, what one do you guys think would improve the heat output more?

Thanks in advance

 

[IowaRSFBurner]

I have an Opel 3 Catalytic unit and the heat output is great. I've been trying to upload a video of it burning with the air control completely closed down to no luck. It is very controllable and I have about a 25 foot stack with very good draft. I've looked at the operation of the pre-catalytic units and it looks like the opening to the chimney doesn't get bypassed at all. I would think that closing that off and directing the fire over the burn tubes and out an alternative path would result in better burn similar to the operation of the catalytic units. Might be worth the money to get more heat and longer burn times out of the fireplace. Maybe also reach out to RSF, they were very helpful when I was learning the little quirks of operating my unit. They might have some suggestions before you end up spending the money on the conversion kit.

 

[Crocks]

I have c

I have an Opel 3 Catalytic unit and the heat output is great. I've been trying to upload a video of it burning with the air control completely closed down to no luck. It is very controllable and I have about a 25 foot stack with very good draft. I've looked at the operation of the pre-catalytic units and it looks like the opening to the chimney doesn't get bypassed at all. I would think that closing that off and directing the fire over the burn tubes and out an alternative path would result in better burn similar to the operation of the catalytic units. Might be worth the money to get more heat and longer burn times out of the fireplace. Maybe also reach out to RSF, they were very helpful when I was learning the little quirks of operating my unit. They might have some suggestions before you end up spending the money on the conversion kit.

I have contacted rsf. Actually have received alot of advice but they will not honor any modifications made to the place. And actually void the warranty. although buying their catalytic kit does not

So questions still stands . Add secondary burn tubes and ceramic plate. Or , buy the catalytic kit. Wich one puts out more btus or bang for your buck ?

 

[Crocks]

Here's a quick video. I have been pretty happy with the fire brick and rotating the air pipe. Here's a small video. Sorry for the length and quality. It's all I could upload on the forum .

 

[Peterand]

Did you get any answers to your questions? I have been burning with an Opel 2000 since 1998. I live in the Canadian Arctic -40C outside right now!

The RSF are awesome Stoves, so I would assume yours is as well.

Sounds like something is not right with yours!


I did have a problem with my original purchase. RSF had to actually replace my 1st unit because the Metal behind the top of the door was actually bending with the heat of the Fire and sucking air in all along the top of the door. I could watch it grow to be nearly 1/2" wide. I noticed that my burn times went from 10 hours or so to 4 hours. The kids would be playing their Video Games on a TV near the Fireplace and would be "overheating" with Red faces.

RSF sent a different unit and I have been using it since around 2002??

I burned it without the Catalytic filter until about 7 years ago. It is a "way better" stove with the Converter. I would say about an extra 3 hours of burn time and probably an extra 25% heat. Totally worth the $400 or so for the Kit!


I have been having an issue in the last few weeks where the stove didn't seem to be opening up as well but have just figured out yesterday what is going on. The air intake was hooked to a vent coming from outside almost directly. The hose connecting it developed a hole near the top so it was sucking a lot of warm air from the house. I believe this has drastically affected the BiMetal draft on it so the spring is getting very warm and closing the Draft harder and harder........my burn time when it's -40C used to be around 12 hours or so burning Jack Pine, now it went 16-18 hours but so low that my chimney cap isn't even keeping the ice off it....it also isn't keeping the house warm enough.
Easy fix though as I just need to fix the vent pipe.

 

[Crocks]

Did you get any answers to your questions? I have been burning with an Opel 2000 since 1998. I live in the Canadian Arctic -40C outside right now!

The RSF are awesome Stoves, so I would assume yours is as well.

Sounds like something is not right with yours!


I did have a problem with my original purchase. RSF had to actually replace my 1st unit because the Metal behind the top of the door was actually bending with the heat of the Fire and sucking air in all along the top of the door. I could watch it grow to be nearly 1/2" wide. I noticed that my burn times went from 10 hours or so to 4 hours. The kids would be playing their Video Games on a TV near the Fireplace and would be "overheating" with Red faces.

RSF sent a different unit and I have been using it since around 2002??

I burned it without the Catalytic filter until about 7 years ago. It is a "way better" stove with the Converter. I would say about an extra 3 hours of burn time and probably an extra 25% heat. Totally worth the $400 or so for the Kit!


I have been having an issue in the last few weeks where the stove didn't seem to be opening up as well but have just figured out yesterday what is going on. The air intake was hooked to a vent coming from outside almost directly. The hose connecting it developed a hole near the top so it was sucking a lot of warm air from the house. I believe this has drastically affected the BiMetal draft on it so the spring is getting very warm and closing the Draft harder and harder........my burn time when it's -40C used to be around 12 hours or so burning Jack Pine, now it went 16-18 hours but so low that my chimney cap isn't even keeping the ice off it....it also isn't keeping the house warm enough.
Easy fix though as I just need to fix the vent pipe.

Thanks for the reply,
While the fire was hot I did not see the metal bowing at all. Stove seems very sealed. The only air entering the fire box is from the secondary air tube. It has been plenty cold latley and the Opel still struggles to heat house. I still reload every 4 hrs to keep heat output up. ( This is with it fully dampened) it will easily hold coals overnight though)

The catalytic converter seems like my only hope to increase heat output. Maybe I'm just to use to a free standing stove that had me cracking a window in my bedroom. I may take a shot at the catalytic converter if it really increased heat that much.

 

[Peterand]

How about the seal on the door? You did the try pull a strip of paper 3" wide or so through with the door closed? Took me a few tries to get the door sealed properly.

I am gonna order a new bimetallic draft control today as I just checked and it has hardly burned at all in the last 6 hours. Something has changed.....

 

[Peterand]

I am also gonna change the air tube arrangement into it....I'll post a diagram later in the day of how I am gonna do it.


I would buy another one of these in a Heartbeat. It's been a great stove! I have burned 5 or 6 Cords of wood a year in it for 20+years.....start burning in Sept right through till end of April.

 

[Peterand]

The CAT was interesting to install......the gasket they give me.....need to wrap it tightly approx 3 times and then tape/squeeze it with masking tape to hold it in place in order to slide it in. Otherwise itll fall out and smoke will escape around the edges.

 

[Crocks]

Thanks for chiming in Peter.
I got the stove really hot and checked with a 2" wide paper strip. Sure enough the top of the right hand door is not sealing. In a minute I will try to tighten up the ajdustment for the latch. You said you are going to change the air tube arrangement going in? When you install the catalytic converter, arnt you supposed to remove the secondary air tube ?

 

[Peterand]

I never removed the tube. The little air holes line right up with the filter. You have to remove the tube to get the whole Catalytic assembly in....but it goes back in....its only 1 bolt to get it out.

I called my Dealer yesterday to order the Draft Control ....they called RSF.....RSF says they don't believe it can't be bad that it must be my Wood. Been cutting my own and drying it the same for over 20 years. It is not the wood!
So I will take apart the control when the Weather turns warmer. $190 for a new one.

 

[Peterand]

I reread your reply. By air tube assembly I meant the fresh air ducts going to the side of the unit. I am also going to include a fresh air intake into the house on the same run of ducts.

 

[Crocks]

Hey Peter
I read over your replys a little closer. From my research, I have gathered that the manual draft control over rides the bi metallic control when you close the draft lever fully. Have you looked through the outside air supply line for any blockage? the inlet vent of my outside air kit, Wich has a screen on the inlet. Mine when I moved in was almsot completely blocked by hair and spder webs .

I adjusted my doors better and now I'm getting a very good seal. A more controlled burn aswell, but when I finally got the doors sealed my wood was mostly burnt. So the true test will be in an hour or so when I reload it. As far as heat output that will take another couple cold days to test

 

[Crocks]

Update! When the stove heats up, the face of it is bowing. To where the top of my doors don't seal. My gasket is in very good condition. What does rsf have to say? I wonder

 

[Peterand]

Well there you go. Mine had that problem in 2001. Not sure what changed but they replaced it NC. The new one has been been fine.

Did you say if you had a Catalytic Converter? That changes direction of the heat with that in place but I used it without for quite a few years.

 

[Crocks]

RSF doesn't transfer the warranty to new owners. So I switched up my seal and git it good and tight. I still only see about 2 hours of flame per load of wood. Maybe it's the wood I'm burning. Anybody ever burn madrone ?

 

[Peterand]

Never heard of it. Is it rolled up newspaper lol?

It should easily go 6-8 hours at least....

 

[Crocks]

Its supposed to be the some of the best wood you can burn.
Burns really hot and clean. Black oak is only slightly denser. Most people around here prefer madrone over anything.