VC Encore vs FPX Medium Flush

[longislandcamper]

About 3-4 years ago we had a FPX Medium Flush Wood installed at our old house. I could easily go for days without needing a lighter to get it going again. I could load up at night before bed and in the morning toss a small piece of pine fire starter in theee with some normal logs and within a minute or two I’d have a roaring fire again.

We just moved two months ago and had a VC Encore installed. It really does a great job keeping the house warm but it just doesn’t seem to last anywhere near as long as the insert. I can load at night and in the morning I never have glowing embers. I have to use a pine fire starter and lit it up since it won’t catch on its own. With that said, it does still take a lot less time to get back to a roaring fire then if I was completely starting a new fire.

I also can’t help but notice the flames still dance a lot quicker on the Encore then they did with the insert even with the air turned down low.

Is this to be expected?

 

[John Lehet]

There are a few stove brands well known to do overnight burns well, like Woodstock and Blaze King, a few others I guess. The firebox in that VC isn’t as big as some others. I guess it has a thermostat to control combustion?

One guideline when you want a longer burn is to engage the cat and turn down the air as soon as possible after loading the stove instead of doing that after the fire is really raging. Still, a 2.x cubic foot firebox is not going to last as long as a 3.x or 4.x cubic foot firebox.

There are a lot of trade offs in stove design, big differences in how to get it right. I haven’t used a VC stove for 25 years, but my bias is that VC makes the prettiest stoves but maybe not the best engineering in other respects.

 

[VRB Farm]

recommending a moderator move this to the Vermont Casting forum.
https://www.hearth.com/talk/forums/vermont-castings.88/

LI Camper - I run this stove, it is a finicky stove that takes a few years to learn to how to get long burns out of it, but it can be done. Downdraft are a different animal in how they run. If a moderator doesn't move this thread I would repost in the Vermont Casting Forum link above, there is more knowledge on this stove in that group. Woodsplitter is the guru over there , many threads on this stove.

John is correct there is a secondary air control for the Catalyst burn area which also feeds into the main burn box, a few of these holes can be plugged which increases burn time.

Even with a brand new stove being installed, dollar bill or smoke check all your gaskets you will be amazed as how many leak from the factory. Ash pans are notoriously installed poorly (not level or poor gasket seal)- so most of us do not empty the ash pan, this also helps the stove insulate the box, which will leave you will the embers you are looking for.

 

[begreen]

Moved to the VC forum where there are posts detailing the burn cycle.

@longislandcamper can you describe the details of operation including loading size, air control settings, bypass engagement point, wood species, etc..

 

[longislandcamper]

Moved to the VC forum where there are posts detailing the burn cycle.

@longislandcamper can you describe the details of operation including loading size, air control settings, bypass engagement point, wood species, etc..

Let’s say I had a fire going all day and around 9:30pm I’ll load up as much as i can, close the bypass and lower the air. My logs are a decent size since my insert was bigger. (I moved all my split wood over when i moved). Definitely need to split into smaller pieces for this stove.

Wake up about 6:30 and it’s pretty much out. You can still feel some slight warmth but nothing glowing. A small lit fire starter and some new logs and we are back in business and the fire rages quicker then from a fresh start.

Wood is probably oak.