Vermont Castings Encore Reloading

[Diabel]

In bypass mode, if you fully close the primary air, what happens? So flames go completely out?

 

[RandyBoBandy]

On reloads are you opening your primary air back up all the way?

 

[RandyBoBandy]

And is that single wall pipe coming out of the back of the stove before it goes through the surround?

 

[Jimmy C]

And you get 16% on a freshly split wood in a room temperature, correct.

So, your griddle temp is at 500, you close the bypass, leave the primary air fully open. What happens next? Any visible change in the flame?

No, not if my griddle temp is 500. Usually when I reload temp is not much less than 400 and I leave the damper open for half an hour or so until the temp is back to 500. Then if I leave the primary air all the way open it will still be roaring. So I back it down about a quarter or so at a time. But since the wood is half insinerated from leaving the bypass open, that my burn times are low. Like 6 hours most. If I close the bypass right after reloading and leave the primary air open it will usually come back up in about an hour maybe a little more. Problem is it will drop all the way down to 250ish during that time. However if I do this I will usually have coals in 8 hours, able to reload on.

Most of the wood is around 16% freshly split. Some is 18% and there are some pieces I’m finding up to 24% . But I’m also find some as low as 10% so I figured an average of 16%.

 

[Jimmy C]

And is that single wall pipe coming out of the back of the stove before it goes through the surround?

No it’s just this piece that’s attached to the stove. That is directly attached to a T which is attached to a liner going up the chimney.

 

[Jimmy C]

On reloads are you opening your primary air back up all the way?

Yea always. If I shut the damper right after reloading I will keep air open until it reaches 500ish. Usually this takes an hour to 90 mins and like I said during the time in between it will drop very low. When I leave for work in the morning I leave air open and my wife comes down like 90 minuets later. It’s usually pretty hot by then and she will shut the air down. Ideally she backs it down slowly but on days she has to work I’m sure she’s usually just shutting it down all at once.

 

[Diabel]

Usually this takes an hour to 90 mins

I am not liking this part. Are you sure your fire wood supply is up to sniff?

 

[Diabel]

Are you on 6” chimney or 8”?
also, how long is your chimney?

 

[Jimmy C]

Are you on 6” chimney or 8”?
also, how long is your chimney?

Liner is 6”. Chimney is 28’ I believe.

 

[Jimmy C]

I am not liking this part. Are you sure your fire wood supply is up to sniff?

Some of the larger oak pieces can be up to 24% in the center but most is under 16%. Even if I fill with all smaller splits I have the same problem when closing the bypass right after reloading.

 

[Diabel]

Ok. Both sound good.
When you clean the chimney, do you vacuum the (how to describe it) the sides of the refractory box sides? When the bypass door is open, on the left and right sides of the door down behind it are the outflows of the secondary combustion air , they will plug up with soot at one point.

Maybe someone can explain better.

 

[RandyBoBandy]

Some of the larger oak pieces can be up to 24% in the center but most is under 16%. Even if I fill with all smaller splits I have the same problem when closing the bypass right after reloading.

I know it probably seems like we are beating a dead horse here but are you checking on a freshly splitter face on a piece that has been at room temp for 24 hours? Also try putting the prongs inline with the grain. I’m with diabel. Something seems off with your times. Are you sure your cat is not plugged? Is the liner insulated? And I switched to a 6” chimney from 8” and I can tell you it preferred the 8”.

 

[Jimmy C]

I know it probably seems like we are beating a dead horse here but are you checking on a freshly splitter face on a piece that has been at room temp for 24 hours? Also try putting the prongs inline with the grain. I’m with diabel. Something seems off with your times. Are you sure your cat is not plugged? Is the liner insulated? And I switched to a 6” chimney from 8” and I can tell you it preferred the 8”.

No liner not insulated. Unfortunately 8 is not an option so I’m hoping to make it work with 6. I have not checked a piece left inside for 24 hours. I will do so for tomorrow and get back to you.

 

[Jimmy C]

Ok. Both sound good.
When you clean the chimney, do you vacuum the (how to describe it) the sides of the refractory box sides? When the bypass door is open, on the left and right sides of the door down behind it are the outflows of the secondary combustion air , they will plug up with soot at one point.

Maybe someone can explain better.

Yea I know exactly what your taking about. I just recently pulled stove and cleaned out the liner. Cat had some ash underneath but nothing crazy. The CAT itself was not plugged. I used a small hose duck taped to my shopvac to reach into those sides at the bottom of the refractory. Nothing should be plugged at this point.

 

[Diabel]

Yea I know exactly what your taking about. I just recently pulled stove and cleaned out the liner. Cat had some ash underneath but nothing crazy. The CAT itself was not plugged. I used a small hose duck taped to my shopvac to reach into those sides at the bottom of the refractory. Nothing should be plugged at this point.

Good. That can effect the temp for sure. But you cleaned it, then to the next items.

 

[Diabel]

After 6hrs of burning what is the stovetop temp ?
250?

 

[Jimmy C]

After 6hrs of burning what is the stovetop temp ?
250?

No not that low. 350 - 400. That’s usually when I find is the best time to reload. If it gets to 300 I won’t be able to fill completely without getting a lot of smoke and not much fire. I try not to open the ash pan much but sometimes will for a minute or less in these situations. Would you recommend raking the ash to help air flow? Or is it best not to rake up the coals

 

[Diabel]

Opening the ash pan is not too good of an idea. It speaks of wet wood.

 

[RandyBoBandy]

Yeah don’t open ash pan door to assist a fire. If you need to crack the door open just long enough to get some flame. But diabel is right this is usually associated with less than ideal wood or poor draft. Also get yourself an IR gun. Im wondering if your stovetop thermo is junk. There should be no reason to run your loads for 30, 60 and definitely not 90 minutes with full primary air.

 

[Jimmy C]

In bypass mode, if you fully close the primary air, what happens? So flames go completely out?

It’s not something I do often. If i let the stove get down to 250 and throw a bunch of wood over the little coals it has, I have opened the ash pan for under a minute to get flames. Luckily I haven’t made that mistake this season. How about raking the ash before reload? Do you have a take on this?

 

[Jimmy C]

Yeah don’t open ash pan door to assist a fire. If you need to crack the door open just long enough to get some flame. But diabel is right this is usually associated with less than ideal wood or poor draft. Also get yourself an IR gun. Im wondering if your stovetop thermo is junk. There should be no reason to run your loads for 30, 60 and definitely not 90 minutes with full primary air.

I split 4 pieces yesterday then brought them inside. This. morning they are still under 20%

 

[Jimmy C]

I recently got another stove top thermometer from a friend and they are usually not in sync. One will sometimes be lower and the other higher, then other times the opposite. I was going to buy another but I figured I would get the probe instead. The IR gun is a good idea. Are the 20$ ones worth it? I see 20$ or 60$ or even 120$ ones.

 

[RandyBoBandy]

I split 4 pieces yesterday then brought them inside. This. morning they are still under 20%

Bring them in for 24 hours before you split them.

 

[RandyBoBandy]

I recently got another stove top thermometer from a friend and they are usually not in sync. One will sometimes be lower and the other higher, then other times the opposite. I was going to buy another but I figured I would get the probe instead. The IR gun is a good idea. Are the 20$ ones worth it? I see 20$ or 60$ or even 120$ ones.

The $20 one will be fine.

 

[Diabel]

what is your idea of a full load? How many and how large are your splits? What type of wood?