Vermont 2in1 backpuffing and running hot

[Kgraham]

I have a Vermont Castings Encore 2in1 that is five years old and likes to backpuff and also likes to run a bit hot 650-750. Damper gets closed between 400-450 and if air is left open it creeps up to 750 with no backpuffing. But after coals are established and damper is shut and fire is humming along, when I adjust the air, quite often the fire goes right to smoldering and 15 minutes later, backpuff. And often I'll leave air open and let stove get to 500/550 and adjust the air and same thing, fire dies down, 15 minutes later backpuff. Chimney is cleaned every year, stainless liner in a brick chimney in the house. Wood is 14 months old in my woodshed. Ash pan gasket replaced last year and griddle gasket and damper gasket replaced this fall. Anyone had a similar experience with this stove? Same results with cat in or out, maybe a touch hotter with cat out but not much.
When I got the stove I expected a bit of time to figure out its quirks and attributed things to operator error but as time goes on I'm wondering if it's something with the stove itself.

 

[Dobish]

how is your draft? every so often when it is windy and I have a lot of draft, I get more back-puffing. Other than that, I haven't really had this issue unless I kill the air too quickly. I have only had mine for a year though.

 

[Diabel]

I haven't really had this issue unless I kill the air too quickly.

Same here!

 

[Kgraham]

Same here!

And I assume you're cutting the air somewhere in the 450 (thermometer on griddle) neighborhood?

 

[Kgraham]

how is your draft? every so often when it is windy and I have a lot of draft, I get more back-puffing. Other than that, I haven't really had this issue unless I kill the air too quickly. I have only had mine for a year though.

I have noticed a bit more backpuffing when it's really windy but besides that the draw seems okay. Fires are easy to start, I even added an extension on the stove pipe thinking that might increase draft but u haven't noticed a difference.

 

[Dobish]

I have noticed a bit more backpuffing when it's really windy but besides that the draw seems okay. Fires are easy to start, I even added an extension on the stove pipe thinking that might increase draft but u haven't noticed a difference.

try cutting the air a little slower, let it regulate a little bit. I have found that depending on conditions, I cannot cut the air all the way, I need to leave it a teeny tiny bit open or I get a lot of back-puffing.

 

[webby3650]

Have you removed the refractory fireback and inspected the combustion box?

 

[Kgraham]

Have you removed the refractory fireback and inspected the combustion box?

I cleaned out under where the cat sits. There was some ash but not a lot. What else should I be looking for?

 

[davidmc]

Must be a VC thing. I purchased 2 new VC Dutchwest, a large and an xtra large. Both back puffed from day 1. I needed a larger stove so I got an xtra large and moved location of the stove with new chimney and had the same problem.
I sold the xtra large and purchased a Buck 91 and have not had the 1st back puff !! I am on my 7th year with the Buck and still going strong with the original catalyst. Love my Buck!


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[webby3650]

I cleaned out under where the cat sits. There was some ash but not a lot. What else should I be looking for?

I haven't torn a 2in1 down, since we stopped selling VC about the time it came out.
Like the others, I would assume that there is a combustion box that's behind the refractory cement panel. On the other models you had to remove the fireback to clean the fly ash in the combustion chamber.

 

[Kgraham]

Must be a VC thing. I purchased 2 new VC Dutchwest, a large and an xtra large. Both back puffed from day 1. I needed a larger stove so I got an xtra large and moved location of the stove with new chimney and had the same problem.
I sold the xtra large and purchased a Buck 91 and have not had the 1st back puff !! I am on my 7th year with the Buck and still going strong with the original catalyst. Love my Buck!


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

I've heard second hand from two folks that have VC encores that they're prone to backpuffing.

 

[Diabel]

I've heard second hand from two folks that have VC encores that they're prone to backpuffing.

Yes. It is due to the ingenious down draft design!

 

[branchburner]

On the other models you had to remove the fireback to clean the fly ash in the combustion chamber.

Likewise with the Harman downdrafts... cleaning while the CP is in place will help prevent ash buildup, bur I don't know of any way to tell how clogged it actually might be without removing and inspecting it. Five years is about the time where that might be required. Reducing the air with a clogged CP might kill the draft enough to result in poor secondary combustion?

 

[webby3650]

Likewise with the Harman downdrafts... cleaning while the CP is in place will help prevent ash buildup, bur I don't know of any way to tell how clogged it actually might be without removing and inspecting it. Five years is about the time where that might be required. Reducing the air with a clogged CP might kill the draft enough to result in poor secondary combustion?

I know backpuffing is much more likely if the combustion package is partially clogged.