I bet this has been asked before, but I didn't find an answer. I have a Defiant Encore 0028, from back around 1990. I got it used. I have an Auber AT100, and I always kept an eye on it, but didnt have much cause for concern. This year I decided to replace the catalytic, using a Condar after-market, and the change is dramatic. When I took out the old one it was badly cracked and the frame was warped.
Now I find it goes up to 1300 or so quite easily, and I have to spend more time watching and controlling it. I vaguely remember reading on various forums that 800 - 1200 is a good range, and if it goes up to say, 1400, you better open the damper plate and cool it down.
But on one forum, not this one, I saw someone saying oh don't worry, they can go up to 1700.
And I don't know if the concern would be for the catalytic element or the refractory unit.
Is there a consensus opinion on this? If you have a suggested temp, can you tell me where you got it from? VC doesn't offer a place on the website for questions, they only refer you to dealers. I called a dealer and he said gosh, never really thought of that.
The problem now is that if I build a fire any bigger than about 1/3 the volume of the firebox, I can't control it. Unfortunately [unfortunately??] my wood is extremely dry. I put it in the cellar the year before, so I have 2 years worth down there right now. By the time I get to burning it, it's really really dry. And also unfortunately, most of it is not big chunks. On average I can get my hands around a piece, finger tips and thumb tips can touch. The smaller the wood the faster and hotter it burns, of course. I try to save the big pieces for overnight. And I cant put enough in to go overnight without overheating it. So I rely on getting up in the middle of the night to go pee [old man] and reload then. Still, it often goes almost out.
Thoughts?
Now I find it goes up to 1300 or so quite easily, and I have to spend more time watching and controlling it. I vaguely remember reading on various forums that 800 - 1200 is a good range, and if it goes up to say, 1400, you better open the damper plate and cool it down.
But on one forum, not this one, I saw someone saying oh don't worry, they can go up to 1700.
And I don't know if the concern would be for the catalytic element or the refractory unit.
Is there a consensus opinion on this? If you have a suggested temp, can you tell me where you got it from? VC doesn't offer a place on the website for questions, they only refer you to dealers. I called a dealer and he said gosh, never really thought of that.
The problem now is that if I build a fire any bigger than about 1/3 the volume of the firebox, I can't control it. Unfortunately [unfortunately??] my wood is extremely dry. I put it in the cellar the year before, so I have 2 years worth down there right now. By the time I get to burning it, it's really really dry. And also unfortunately, most of it is not big chunks. On average I can get my hands around a piece, finger tips and thumb tips can touch. The smaller the wood the faster and hotter it burns, of course. I try to save the big pieces for overnight. And I cant put enough in to go overnight without overheating it. So I rely on getting up in the middle of the night to go pee [old man] and reload then. Still, it often goes almost out.
Thoughts?
