vermont casting montpelier

[Stateguy]

Can anyone tell me if having cracks in the baffle (sits above air tubes) will effect the performance of the stove(mostly not getting hot enough)
How far foward should the baffle be past the airtube

 

[Fod01]

Can anyone tell me if having cracks in the baffle (sits above air tubes) will effect the performance of the stove(mostly not getting hot enough)
How far foward should the baffle be past the airtube

Hi - the baffle should be as far back as it will go.

My baffle split in half last season, but it split through on a diagonal top to bottom ( like this / ) so the pieces overlap. I do not see any change in performance. If I actually had pieces missing, I would be more concerned.

To diagnose the stove not getting hot, we would need to know more about your installation (chimney have a liner?, how tall is it, how long has your wood been cut/ split/ stacked etc).

Off the bat I'm going to guess that your wood may not be the best. Wood needs to be under 20% measured on the split side of a freshly split piece. New stove owners (like I was) buy a couple cords of 'seasoned firewood' to use that first season.. Its usually not the best. Buy for next year.

Also, you may be turning down the air a bit too early. That whole load should be ablaze before you move it. I usually go directly to center after 15, 20 mins depending on how its burning. If you're seeing dark wood in there, its not ready! Check for some air starting to come out of those burn tubes.

Mild temps will give a slow draft.

Others will chime in once you give some more info.

Welcome to the forum!
Gabe

 

[Stateguy]

Hi - the baffle should be as far back as it will go.

My baffle split in half last season, but it split through on a diagonal top to bottom ( like this / ) so the pieces overlap. I do not see any change in performance. If I actually had pieces missing, I would be more concerned.

To diagnose the stove not getting hot, we would need to know more about your installation (chimney have a liner?, how tall is it, how long has your wood been cut/ split/ stacked etc).

Off the bat I'm going to guess that your wood may not be the best. Wood needs to be under 20% measured on the split side of a freshly split piece. New stove owners (like I was) buy a couple cords of 'seasoned firewood' to use that first season.. Its usually not the best. Buy for next year.

Also, you may be turning down the air a bit too early. That whole load should be ablaze before you move it. I usually go directly to center after 15, 20 mins depending on how its burning. If you're seeing dark wood in there, its not ready! Check for some air starting to come out of those burn tubes.

Mild temps will give a slow draft.

Others will chime in once you give some more info.

Welcome to the forum!
Gabe

 

[Stateguy]

If I put the baffle back al the way I can see the flu opening(if that the right item) slighty. Would say the chimmeny is 15-20 tall. The wood is 9-12 months old. The thermometer located on the door only gets to 300-325the most

 

[Fod01]

Depending on type of wood, 9 -12 might not be good enough. You really need to check moisture content. For example, often said on this site 'Red Oak needs at least 2 years'.

How does your glass look? Clear with some grey ash(good), or does it look like it has molasses all over it(bad)?
How about the firebrick? Should look like new (white) after a hot burn.

Please tell me how you are adjusting the air. Full open (left) until the fire is blazing, then 1/2 way for 10 min, and then 3/4 right for 10 min, full right after that. Just a general guideline of how I do it. It will vary by how well the load is burning.

You didn't mention if you have a liner in your chimney. Is it lined, or the original masonry?

Gabe

 

[Stateguy]

Gabe thanhs for writing back you seem the only one answering my post. I live in Suffolk county how about you. I leave the air fully opened until the fire gets going real good. Turn it down after that to about 3/4to1/2 way closed so the wood don't burn to fast. At night 3/4 closed mabe more the glass does get black. the brick I think it stays white. The wood I use is oak but can't reel what type of oak

 

[KaptJaq]

A lot of your answers point to less than optimal wood or poor draft. Do you have a moisture meter? Can you re-split a piece and see how wet it is?

You can pick up a moisture meter at Lowes, Harbor Freight, or Home Depot. They run from $15 & up.

I have the same insert, internal masonry chimney, 6" SS un-insulated liner, 15' from stove collar to top, located in NW Suffolk. It is currently burning with no problems. Once my stove is hot I shut the primary air all the way, glass stays clear, brick stay white. I am burning 1 yr maple & 2 year oak.

The baffle has to be solid enough to guide the smoke from the back of the stove, over the secondary burn tubes, and out the opening at the top front of the stove to the flue. If there is a gap anywhere in the baffle or it is not all the way back in its track a lot of heat & un-burnt fuel (smoke) will escape directly up the flue.

Do you get secondary burns? Smoke coming out from the top of the flue? How big of an area are you trying to heat? Is your chimney internal or external? Block-off plate? Insulated liner? Do you have a screen at the top of you liner? Is it clogged?

Lots of question, answers will help us help you...

KaptJaq

 

[Stateguy]

A lot of your answers point to less than optimal wood or poor draft. Do you have a moisture meter? Can you re-split a piece and see how wet it is?

You can pick up a moisture meter at Lowes, Harbor Freight, or Home Depot. They run from $15 & up.

I have the same insert, internal masonry chimney, 6" SS un-insulated liner, 15' from stove collar to top, located in NW Suffolk. It is currently burning with no problems. Once my stove is hot I shut the primary air all the way, glass stays clear, brick stay white. I am burning 1 yr maple & 2 year oak.

The baffle has to be solid enough to guide the smoke from the back of the stove, over the secondary burn tubes, and out the opening at the top front of the stove to the flue. If there is a gap anywhere in the baffle or it is not all the way back in its track a lot of heat & un-burnt fuel (smoke) will escape directly up the flue.

Do you get secondary burns? Smoke coming out from the top of the flue? How big of an area are you trying to heat? Is your chimney internal or external? Block-off plate? Insulated liner? Do you have a screen at the top of you liner? Is it clogged?

Lots of question, answers will help us help you...

KaptJaq

 

[Stateguy]

Gabe, I do have a moisture mmeter and I will split the wood. My chimney is outside. I also have a 6" ss liner I think it's uninsulated I would say it's about the same length as yours give it take a couple of feet. If I shut the the flu allthe way the glass turns black(do you know why is it the wood or could it be the liner).i am not sure if smoke is coming out of top of the flue(is the flue inside the stove covered bt the baffle). I am heating about 1200sq ft the chimney external(outside is what your asking) I don't know what a block off plate is. Don't think it's a insulated liner and the screen is fine( on chimney cap). What size wood are you cutting and where your stove is located can you stand in the same room the stove is in once it going real well(I know it depends on size of room) but mine is maybe 3 degrees warmer were the stove is located then the bottom floor of the house. I live in setauket thanks tom

 

[etiger2007]

Gabe, I do have a moisture mmeter and I will split the wood. My chimney is outside. I also have a 6" ss liner I think it's uninsulated I would say it's about the same length as yours give it take a couple of feet. If I shut the the flu allthe way the glass turns black(do you know why is it the wood or could it be the liner).i am not sure if smoke is coming out of top of the flue(is the flue inside the stove covered bt the baffle). I am heating about 1200sq ft the chimney external(outside is what your asking) I don't know what a block off plate is. Don't think it's a insulated liner and the screen is fine( on chimney cap). What size wood are you cutting and where your stove is located can you stand in the same room the stove is in once it going real well(I know it depends on size of room) but mine is maybe 3 degrees warmer were the stove is located then the bottom floor of the house. I live in setauket thanks tom

Look at the top of your chimney and see if smoke is coming out, you should only see heat waves and no smoke if you secondary burn is operating properly, also you are shutting down the primary air not the flu. Black glass to me when you shut the air down is due to unseasoned wood. Also when the room is dark look around your door gasket to make sure you have a good seal, you do not want to see the light of the flame anywhere around the seal of the door.

 

[Fod01]

Hey Tom
I'm in Medford. I have a cape cod with an external, uninsulated chimney.
At 9:30p, its currently about 25° outside, the top of the door on my stove is about 340°. The couch 11ft away is 80°, the hall way 73, and the rest of the first floor is mid 60's plus. Just for comparison. During the week when there is work/school we dont burn full time. The oil heat will come on twice for half an hour... 6am, and 2pm.

I've been burning mixed hardwoods all day. The heat hasn't come on since I've been feeding the stove every few hours. The wood is short: about 8-9" long, by 3 or 4" wide/ high... blocks of wood. Moisture content is 18%.

The block-off plate if you have one, is in the top of the fireplace where the liner exits. Its supposed to stop warm room air from going up the chimney. I do not have one. I have a 'soft' block-off plate, meaning that I packed the opening with rockwool.

As etiger said above, go outside and have a look and see how you are burning. Ideally there should be only heat coming out once a new load is burning well.

BTW - is this a new set up? Professionally installed?
When you move the air all the way to the right, what does your fire look like? Is it still bright with alot of wisps of flame, or does it get dark, and appear sluggish?

Gabe

 

[jatoxico]

When you move the air all the way to the right, what does your fire look like? Is it still bright with alot of wisps of flame, or does it get dark, and appear sluggish?

Gabe

Bingo, need to give enough air to keep the fire bright not yellow and sooty.

 

[Fod01]

Hey Tom
Go here and scroll down to the video
https://www.hearth.com/talk/threads/vermont-castings-merrimack.51941/page-12

Its a VC Merrimack, the Montpelier's younger, bigger brother. Pretty good video of what a burn should look like.
Gabe

 

[Fod01]

Can anyone tell me if having cracks in the baffle (sits above air tubes) will effect the performance of the stove(mostly not getting hot enough)
How far foward should the baffle be past the airtube

Tom - just struck me... cracks in the baffle... this is not a new set up? Can you give some background? I had asked previously.
If the stove is brand new, a crack in the baffle might we worth a trip to the shop you purchased from.

You've got 3 threads going on this stove at once. Over all, the responses are pointing at sub-par wood, but members may give more complete answers if the issue is concentrated to just 1 thread.

my 2 cents.

 

[KaptJaq]

Stateguy has a cracked baffle, wood that is less than one year seasoned, and a thermometer that is hitting 325 on the door. We do not know much about his install or what he is trying to heat.

He should probably get a replacement baffle and repair any other problems with the stove and/or the installation. Then get some well seasoned wood (supermarket bundles?) and try burning the stove according to the instructions in the owners manual. In my experience, 325 on the door frame is pretty good for that insert, especially if some of the heat is being lost via a crack in the baffle. How much is he trying to heat? How well insulated, etc.

KaptJaq

 

[Stateguy]

No way is mine hitting 80 degrees even in the room were it is located I waoul say 75 the most
My wood i try abd keep it 16 to 18 in length. width 3 to 6 in
I dont think i have a block off plate i would have to remove the cast iron framing to check
I did go outside and really didnt see any smoke maybe a little
My set up is about 3yrs. and was professsionally installed.
I am trying to heat approx. 1300sq.2 story house. I know its not going to heat the whole house but the bottom floor were the stove is gets low 70s(the whole bottom floor is not even 70.)
Gabe when i do turn dowm the air sometimes it gets dark(1 peice of wood and coal ambers) and sometimes it gets alot of wisps burning(when the firebox is full.
My air tubes i only see tthe back one blowing flames the others nothing
Is that because of the crack baffle
Maybe i shuld cut the wood in smaller diameter so it drys better.
Thanks guys so much for responding

 

[jatoxico]

Be a big help if you posted some pics and start at the beginning. If your glass is getting black and your stove is cold thats one thing. If the layout of your house is causing all the heat to go up the stairs so the room your insert is in never gets that hot then there may be no problem. This happens to me when I can only burn in the evening the whole house gets 70. When I can burn 3 or more burn cycles in a row it's a different story.

Post pics of your baffle and install and any info of your layout. That would help everyone understand whats going on.

 

[Fod01]

Gabe when i do turn dowm the air sometimes it gets dark(1 peice of wood and coal ambers) and sometimes it gets alot of wisps burning(when the firebox is full.

1 piece of wood won't cut it. I always put at least 3.
Its going to be cold tonight... sorry for the crappy pic from my cell phone. This is my overnight load

 

[Fod01]

Really important point here... do you have your liner swept regularly? If you've been having issues for 3 years, chances are you've got a ton of build up in there. Not a good situation.

I'll sweep mine in a week or so to see how things look.

 

[Stateguy]

Fod01 yes I did swept the liner. last year was the fist year using it fully did not have season wood the first year.
thanks for the picture. the wood your using looks pretty beefy not skinny logs
how long wiil that last
thanks Tom

 

[Fod01]

Most of those are the 9" x 4" blocks I mentioned. Most are a bit too long for a north south load, so I try to fit them in however I can. The load winds up less densely packed than I would like, and the burn time is shorter. There wasn't much left of that load in the morning. Probably down to the coaling stage after only 2 1/2 hours or so.

 

[misalot]

New here so hello to all, I have owned and operated this insert for 3 years now and by no means am I an expert. The only thing I can state is the quality of wood is everything to my insert. I have had many failures do to poor wood, I have battled poor heat output and black glass and all I say is I changed wood supply and bam it will blow me out of the house. I burn a lot of Ash due to the easy access here in Michigan but I have burned Oak and Maple as well and if it is not seasoned it is a fight to get going and to put heat out. The unit I love in fact Consumers power sent me a letter wanting know what changes I made to my house hold to cut my energy consumption down. Thats a great thing