Vermont Castings 2550 Operations Questions

[Eddie24361]

Hey All,

I finally got my rear wall protection installed and got to light my new Vermont Castings 2550. I have a couple of questions now that I can finally play with it. Some basic info. Encore 2550 cat, 3 ft DVL rise to 90 elbow and 1 ft horizontal DVL into 16 ft of 8 inch oval dura-liner. Mix of Oak, Walnut, and Hickory @ about 21 percent moisture.

1. How long should the flame keep burning when the air supply is turned all the way down after the cat is engaged?

2. What are some acceptable stove top temperatures with the air supply turned all the way down? During the first couple of hours after the cat is engaged my magnetic stick-on says about 800 degrees on the silver lid. It may be off because my infrared thermometer shows about 500 right behind the silver lid and in the 480's in front of it. For some reason I get a real low (300's) reading on the infrared when I use it on the shiny silver lid. The sides are about 350 and the rear heat shield is about 170.

I really don't think the stove is running too hot, but the magnetic thermometer makes me nervous. My 12X13X8 ft living room is a comfortable 84 and the adjacent rooms are mid 70's. Is there any adjustment to the air shutter to make the stove burn cooler?

I'll post a picture after I get a little clean up done.

Thanks

 

[begreen]

It does sound like the surface thermometer may be reading off. IR thermometers don't read shiny surfaces well. You might try placing a flat, black piece of metal on the lid and take a reading off of that. If your stove top is cruising at 500, it sounds just about right.

 

[Valhalla]

Ed,

As BeGreen says, 500 F is a real nice cruising temp on the griddle. Place your thermometer(s) where they give you
instantaneous information. I like to have them at just a quick glance away.

Enjoy your stove!

 

[Eddie24361]

I do think my stovetop thermometer was off. I bought a new one today at tractor supply and have attached pictures to show the difference in them. Today might have been the first time my cat really lit off.

Do I have to fill up the stove all the way up for an overnight burn. This is what I did tonight

7:00 filled stove all the way to top (about 8 or 9 splits). Had a nice bed of coals in bottom of stove to start with. Cat disengaged, primary air all the way open. Rutland thermometer read about 300.

7:30 Rutland thermometer read 450, engaged cat, closed primary air all the way.

7:30 - 9:30 watched fire burn slowly, temp remained in 450 range, room temp about 85.

9:30 fire picked up somewhat, began to hear air rapidly rushing up stove pipe. Thought chimney fire but stove has only been on 2 days so didn't see how that much creosote could be build up. Went outside and no smoke or flames were coming out top of chimney. Fire was gently burning on logs in stove. Didn't panic!

9:30 -10:00 stove temp rose to 600 degrees on Rutland, was about same with infrared. Room temp was 98. Opened window

10:00 fire died down, air rushing noise stopped. Nice bed of wood and coals left. Closed window.

10:25 Rutland reads 500, room temp 95.

I hope I haven't hurt anything. It was all pretty cool except the 95 degree room temp.

How can I get an overnight burn without getting the house 95 degrees?

 

[begreen]

Another high standard for Vogelzang. NOT!

You haven't hurt anything but might have melted some candles tonight. That room was hot! I'd be in my skivvies.

 

[oldAGE]

I hope I haven't hurt anything. It was all pretty cool except the 95 degree room temp.

How can I get an overnight burn without getting the house 95 degrees?

First off, nice post. I like your 1/2 hour increment and information.
Secondly, do watch the temps. I have been running my VC 2550 since 2000 and last year had an overfire condition that altered the way it behaves. I have had to "relearn" how my stove responds. Now, with a full load, with the CAT engaged and air almost fully closed to fully closed, it will run from 500 - 625. I used to be able to completely douse the fire with my air control (still gotta find that leak).

I too have two thermometers AND an IR because I am one of those kinds of guys. I know they are tried and true but those little expanding metal coils just don't seem to be the best method due to eventual wear and tear. You will probably learn how your stove behaves and it will become a reflex for you and the temp will be a guide rather than an absolute... "Yeah, it seems hot enough and enough coals to engage the CAT and damp down..." and you will be doing this in your sleep.

The only way for an overnight burn and to not douse the fire is to do exactly as you stated -- load it up, let it engage, close the damper and close down the air and let it go. You seem to have it down pretty good. Keep it under 750 and be VERY gentle with the ceramic CAT enclosure when cleaning. It's very fragile.

Finally -- if it's 95 in your house, first, you should be running around naked... secondly, and why do you have a fire going????? I use my stove to heat my house, not cook my house. I believe the 2550 was rated for homes up to 1900 sq. ft. How big is the space you are heating?

AGE

 

[Valhalla]

Ed,

I would pitch the black thermometer! Get another brand as a cross check and a spare. Just verify it before you use it.

Wow, it is mighty warm in VA!

 

[Eddie24361]

thanks AGE,

Before your overburn, could you go without flame for the whole burn with low temps (like 350-400)? I just made a post about what happens during a burn. Should the air inlet in the back of the stove shut completely when the air adjustment is all the way closed? I checked mine an it almost closes, but you can pull on it (gently) and it will close all the way. Could this be out of adjustment?

How big is the space you are heating?

I got 900 ft downstairs in an old square farmhouse, also 450 ft on 2nd floor (have option of using old hole in floor from when house was pre-electric but will have to cut ceiling) Really good insulation for this area. I only used 250 gal of oil most winters. My ceiling fans are not circulating heat as well as I might have hoped. The night it was 99 in the living room, it was only 72 in the room farthest from the stoves and with the upstairs steps. I am thinking about adding a through wall fan and closing a door to make air circulate through all 4 rooms, blowing cold air into the room with the stove. How much is 200 CFM? I know its a room change about every
8 minutes but is that enough.

I believe the 2550 was rated for homes up to 1900 sq. ft

I figured the stove was rated from about 10K to 45K Btu which was 1/2 to 2 Kerosene heaters. I'm not sure this stove has ever been less that 1 kerosene heater, and I alway keep the air turned all the way down except when building a fire or adding wood.

 

[oldAGE]

Ed -

I was able to control my stove to the Nth degree before my overfire. Burning is more of an art than a science and I had both the art and science down cold. This VC CAT adds a bit more science to the whole procedure in my book. I would try to keep the stove at about 425 for an overnight and was able to fill the firebox around 10 pm and would have viable coals at around 6:30 in the morning.... throw in some kindling and some smaller splits, open her up and away she would go. This was accomplished in cold weather with a good coal bed, the damper on (CAT engaged) and the primary air set at less than 25% opened. During the day, I could keep it rock solid at 525 - 550 at 33% primary air (1/3 opened). Either way, the stove would have a little rumble to it, a very low to no flame and just a nice glow in the box.

On Saturday, I had a good coal bed and put in four or five splits of oak. I got her up to around 550 and backed off to nearly fully closed and engaged the CAT. My flames are slow but longer now and she backed down to a little over 500 and then rose up towards 600+. I closed the primary air completely and she sat at 600 and fell back to about 550 and then to about 525. That's about as cool as I can keep her with good seasoned oak. On Sunday, it was slightly different. Same start up but with air about 1/8 opened I kept her rock solid at 550. At all closed, I was getting a bit of back puffing.

So, here is my take. The primary air will behave differently on a cold and warm stove. That is my observation. When I push the primary air from all opened to closed, I can here the solid "tink" of the primary air control closing in its housing. I have a hair of play... as I pull on the handle a couple of millimeters I get nothing... and then a bit more and I can see it begin to open a hair. I have very good control. Use the knob on the "flap" to adjust the cable by very very small increments. Don't try to adjust it on the handle or the inside of the stove.

As for moving air around the house... yeah, you gotta use fans. Don't think convection is going to be your friend without assistance. My stove is in a partially above grade lower level and that room will be pushing 82 while the furthest corner of the upper level will be 68 - 70 -- and that is with a forced air furnace fan running at a low speed. For what it's worth, I keep my hot tub at 102. Your room was only 3 degrees cooler....

AGE