# Englander model 17-vl stove installation and review



## ky stove (Oct 5, 2013)

This is a review of the Englander model 17-vl wood stove and the adventure of installation and use. Before I get started, I want to give a big thank you to Hearth.com and its users for the help they provided with their own discussions and assessments.
My location is central Kentucky. Not as cold as other places, but winter is winter, just not as long.

I completed work on a 240 sq foot addition, deciding that there would be no central heat or air, other than what may flow through the entranceway. Not really worried about cooling down the room as the addition is on the northeast side of the house. Heating was my only concern and so I started my research on the internet. I read a lot, and the photos of other installations were immensely helpful. Many of the simple statements like “wouldn’t want anyone to trip and fall onto it” truly are helpful when making a decision as to how and where. I found that making a “decision” based solely on safety was the best decision. Everything else aside, it is in fact a roaring fire inside your home! And, you are most likely going to have to make sure your homeowners insurance is ok with all this. Wouldn’t want to find out after………….

I like the look of a hearth. Lots of ideas and designs come to mind. However, the only real guide I had to go with was the one size fits all nfpa211. The information is good and fairly direct.
The guide says:  12.5.1.3 Residential-type solid fuel-burning appliances shall be permitted to be placed without floor protection in any of the following manners: (1) on concrete bases adequately supported on compacted soil, crushed rock, or gravel.
This is exactly what I have already, so I guess I can stop right there.  Keep it simple for both me and the insurance company. I added a small stove board, but this is mainly for ember protection.

The nfpa guide suggests a clearance reduction system that has examples of minimum distances. However it also says you can use the manufacture data for minimum distances. I decided to go for a combination of the two just for safeties sake. Not as much as the guide says but more than the manufacture says. I used hardiebacker board and the same ceramic/porcelain tiles as the floor. The boards are positioned off the wall with open top, bottom, and sides as suggested by the guide.

I decided on DVL double wall pipe for even more safety. Nice stuff to work with. Good instructions once you familiarize yourself with all the material. Through the ceiling and roof according to the instructions and there you have it. I did hire a professional to make sure the roof wasn’t going to leak. Best of all the insurance company was happy with my thorough explanation of all the steps I took and my reasons for them. Now that everything is setup and ready to go, it was time for a test run.

I remember reading about the burn in period where there may be some stink and some burn off as the stove is heated for the first time. This is true (at least for this stove). I think someone here suggested doing this outside. A good suggestion! Or just keep the windows and doors open. Only seems to happen once.

The first few fires were a learning curve. After filling the room with smoke a couple of times I started to get the hang of it. Creating a draw is something you eventually learn how to do. I have tested a variety of different woods that I can get my hands on locally and for the most part they are pretty close to burning about the same. But every now and then I would burn something that seemed to really burn well and last longer than usual. I can definitely recommend NOT using anything kiln dried. The stuff from the big box store is a waste of money. It will burn, and in a pinch it will do, but you are not going to get the heat you are expecting to get. It doesn’t last as long either. You are better served to go to a tree cutting service. They may cost a little more but you will appreciate it. I use my stove to help heat the house. I use it as an appliance and it does its job best when burning wood worth burning. And this stove really does a good job! I bought this stove because it was the smallest one I could find. Other people have this stove and I like what I read so I got it. It is an easy to work with size, and my use of the double wall pipe allowed me to move it out of harm’s way. Even with its close proximity the walls stay perfectly cool. Though it is small, it will drive you out of the room if you let it. I can actually heat 3 rooms comfortably. Control of how hot or long lasting the burn is was something I had to get the hang of, but once you get used to the way it wants to work it really is amazing. Using some well placed kindling, I have gotten to the point where I can get the stove from cold to 400 degrees in about 45 minutes. The ability to finely tune the draft is really nice. Not something I expected. I used to just leave the air control either opened or closed, but have learned how to work with the unit to get a fire quickly roaring and then keep it going for a long time. It has been mentioned here before, I believe, that this heat is “different.” There is something about the heat that is generated by a wood stove that just seems to warm you up better than anything else. (except for a good bourbon) Plus this heat seems to penetrate the surroundings. The room is still warm in the morning even after a cold night. I did not expect to be able to save on gas bills, but I actually did last year during a colder than usual winter. Closing off the rest of the house and turning the gas heat way down is doable. You want to hang out near the stove anyway. It’s very social.

The stove came with a blower which is good to have, but noisy. I want to upgrade to a quieter one if I ever get around to it and there is something available.

I have used this stove for a few seasons now, and am very satisfied with how everything came out. The stove does exactly what I had hoped, and then some!


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## begreen (Oct 5, 2013)

Thanks for the review. That's a nice setting for the stove. I'm glad to hear that it is working well for you. We at hearth.com have a soft spot for the 17VL as we watched it being born right here!


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## CenterTree (Oct 6, 2013)

Nice set up!


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## Sprinter (Oct 7, 2013)

begreen said:


> We at hearth.com have a soft spot for the 17VL as we watched it being born right here!


How was that, bg?  

That stove seems like a great solution for a small space.


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## ky stove (Oct 7, 2013)

begreen said:


> Thanks for the review. That's a nice setting for the stove. I'm glad to hear that it is working well for you. We at hearth.com have a soft spot for the 17VL as we watched it being born right here!


 
begreen. Glad to offer my "two cents". Hopefully someone will be able to glean some information or ideas from my post that will help them in their own decision making.

Do you specificaly know of other blowers that were tested with this stove?


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## Jags (Oct 7, 2013)

Sprinter said:


> How was that, bg?


The young lad that designed that stove was a member here before he was hired on at Englander.  He was a fiddly type person that had made his own stove or two and Englander picked him up and off he went designing the little 17.  Craig and several other hearth members ended up sending (or at least assisting in..) getting him out to a stove show that forged the bond between Englander and the young lad.

We watched it unfold before our eyes.


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## Woody Stover (Oct 7, 2013)

Nice install, and it sounds like you took the time to do it right. It's a bit chilly here in the "shallow south" this AM; I imagine you've got the home fires burning as I type this.


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## Luigi (Oct 30, 2013)

What size is that black hearth board the stove is sitting on? Also where did you get that board?


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## ky stove (Nov 15, 2013)

Luigi, sorry for taking so long to get back. The board is 28 x 32 from lowes. It is a simple dimpled sheet metal over a piece of micore. It is fairly strong and sturdy, however it will dent. And if you decide to get one, you will want to open the package to make sure it is not already dented from shipping. I had to go to 3 different stores to find one in good shape.


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## Luigi (Nov 15, 2013)

ky stove said:


> Luigi, sorry for taking so long to get back. The board is 28 x 32 from lowes. It is a simple dimpled sheet metal over a piece of micore. It is fairly strong and sturdy, however it will dent. And if you decide to get one, you will want to open the package to make sure it is not already dented from shipping. I had to go to 3 different stores to find one in good shape.



No sweat. I actually did wind up buying a 36x36 version online on amazon and it was surprisingly packed very well with no dents. Your setup looks great. I unfortunately will have to go through the wall instead of going straight up like you did.


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## Camp 3 (Dec 10, 2014)

I'm considering the 17-VL and just read your post.  Thanks for the information.  Looks like a nice stove and I've read mainly good things about it.    I do have a question about chimney height.   15' is recommended for proper operation.    I am hoping I can go shorter and am wondering what your chimney height is.    Any information would be appreciated.    Wondering if I can make this stove work with a 10 - 12' chimney and heat a small log cabin with around 216 sq ft.   Any thoughts?.


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## Jags (Dec 10, 2014)

Camp 3 said:


> Wondering if I can make this stove work with a 10 - 12' chimney and heat a small log cabin with around 216 sq ft. Any thoughts?.



Size wise it sounds about right.  The downside of a short chimney would be the lack of proper draft.  You could always give it a try with a plan B backup.  That being adding a couple of feet if needed.


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## saskwoodburner (Dec 10, 2014)

Camp 3 said:


> I'm considering the 17-VL and just read your post.  Thanks for the information.  Looks like a nice stove and I've read mainly good things about it.    I do have a question about chimney height.   15' is recommended for proper operation.    I am hoping I can go shorter and am wondering what your chimney height is.    Any information would be appreciated.    Wondering if I can make this stove work with a 10 - 12' chimney and heat a small log cabin with around 216 sq ft.   Any thoughts?.



I'm a new wood burner, I have the Englander 17 with a short chimney (9 1/2? feet) from top of stove to top of class A. I would describe it as perhaps fussy, or that you need to babysit it while getting it up to temperature, if the draft is to blame. Once it's warmed up though, you're off to the races. I'm not sure the temps you guys have over there in Michigan, but below 20 F and I have less problems.


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## Camp 3 (Dec 10, 2014)

Thanks for the input.  Nothing wrong with a little "fussy" once in a while if 9 1/2' is working for you.   I'll proceed with my plans that include the 17 and a 10' chimney.


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## saskwoodburner (Dec 11, 2014)

Another member mentioned a "jury rig" temporary set up with some tin pipe to see if my draft improves, but I might just wait until spring. I've learned the way of the epa stove. Today (*again freakishly warm for Saskatchewan) with 40 F weather, I made the kindling fire, then threw on 4 small splits, got er throttled, and got it way too hot in here. this stove doesn't need a crazy draft to keep us warm.


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## ky stove (Dec 11, 2014)

Camp 3 said:


> I'm considering the 17-VL and just read your post.  Thanks for the information.  Looks like a nice stove and I've read mainly good things about it.    I do have a question about chimney height.   15' is recommended for proper operation.    I am hoping I can go shorter and am wondering what your chimney height is.    Any information would be appreciated.    Wondering if I can make this stove work with a 10 - 12' chimney and heat a small log cabin with around 216 sq ft.   Any thoughts?.



Nice choice for a cabin. Mine heats a 240 sq ft room really well, and then some. You can get away with a short chimney. Mine is under 10 feet. But as others here have said it is going to depend on the outside temp. I will have to "work" the draft sometimes, and really windy days can be difficult. It works best around freezing or below. 

I could suggest you place your stove near a source of outside air if possible. It can help.
Just in case things need to be taller, you can get 4 ft pieces that easily stack. A simple
turn and you are ready to go. Plan ahead. But of course, then you will need to tie it
all down, which is one of the benefits of a short chimney.

Out in the woods with lots of dry leaves would make me want to be sure and get a cap with a good screen that can be sure and catch anything trying to get out. Always worried about this with a short pipe. 
Think safety first.


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## Camp 3 (Dec 12, 2014)

Roger that regarding the cap & screen.  Thanks for the input.   Any thoughts on a preferred chimney manufacturer?   DuraVent, Metalbest, Supervent?   Anything I should consider staying away from?


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## blades (Dec 12, 2014)

ya stay away from screen - find as cap that still protects but no screen dang things always load up due to condensing.  fixed the last one with a load of bird shot from a 20 gauge. no way to get up to it.  a better and permanent fix will done as soon as it is accessible again.


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## stoveguy2esw (Dec 12, 2014)

Very Nice! love the look of the stove in that setting, shooting the thread around the office for the gang to look at.


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## ky stove (Dec 12, 2014)

Camp 3 said:


> Roger that regarding the cap & screen.  Thanks for the input.   Any thoughts on a preferred chimney manufacturer?   DuraVent, Metalbest, Supervent?   Anything I should consider staying away from?



I used Duravent. 

Spent more on the hardware then the stove.
The telescoping pipe was perfect for getting the fit correct from the stove to the ceiling.
Take your time and re-read everything that comes with your hardware. 

Any more questions just let me know...........


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## Sprinter (Dec 12, 2014)

blades said:


> ya stay away from screen - find as cap that still protects but no screen dang things always load up due to condensing.  fixed the last one with a load of bird shot from a 20 gauge. no way to get up to it.  a better and permanent fix will done as soon as it is accessible again.


I can only relate from my own experience, but I have no problem with my screen mesh clogging up in 2-1/2 years.  I did have that happen the first month of burning but that was with wood over 25% moisture and turning the air down a bit too soon (learning curve).   Since then, nothing at all, and my draft is very marginal with a 12-1/2' flue.  I suppose there are some local situations that may cause problems, but the screens are not unimportant and I wouldn't suggest removing them except as a last resort.  I look at my screens frequently just to see if there's something I'm doing wrong.


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## ky stove (Dec 13, 2014)

stoveguy2esw said:


> Very Nice! love the look of the stove in that setting, shooting the thread around the office for the gang to look at.



Taking into consideration the space you have to work with and cost, it's right there.

Good support too. Thanks.


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## Newbie Burner (Dec 14, 2014)

I just finished installing my new englander 17vl.  It looks nice but on my second break in burn (30 min 450F) the stove started to smoke badly.  I thought the paint will peal off.  Fire alarm went off 3 times with all windows open. I am afread to start it again. 

Help Please.


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## Woody Stover (Dec 14, 2014)

Newbie Burner said:


> I just finished installing my new englander 17vl.  It looks nice but on my second break in burn (30 min 450F) the stove started to smoke badly.  I thought the paint will peal off.  Fire alarm went off 3 times with all windows open. I am afread to start it again.


Nah, the paint's just curing, not gonna peel. 450 is hot enough to get some serious paint smoke. That burn probably got most of it, but you'll get a little more each time your stove hits a new high temp. I put a box fan in a nearby window, then open another window across the room, to evacuate the smoke as quickly as possible.


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## begreen (Dec 14, 2014)

Open the window and take the stove up to 550-600F for a couple fires. Each time it will get better.


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## ky stove (Dec 14, 2014)

Newbie Burner said:


> I just finished installing my new englander 17vl.  It looks nice but on my second break in burn (30 min 450F) the stove started to smoke badly.  I thought the paint will peal off.  Fire alarm went off 3 times with all windows open. I am afread to start it again.
> 
> Help Please.



Like woody stover said this is normal "baking" . 
Nothing to worry about, it will go away after a couple of burns.

I try to run steady at 450F, (12 oclock on my gauge)
But have hit 550+ before for short periods with no problems.


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## Newbie Burner (Dec 14, 2014)

Woody Stover said:


> Nah, the paint's just curing, not gonna peel. 450 is hot enough to get some serious paint smoke. That burn probably got most of it, but you'll get a little more each time your stove hits a new high temp. I put a box fan in a nearby window, then open another window across the room, to evacuate the smoke as quickly as possible.



Thanks ! I tried it again, got it to about 500 and it seem the amount of smoke subsided. Surprisingly there is nothing about it in the manual . 

Also the glass is getting darker and darker with slight orange color. Is there anything I can do to clean it.


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## draughtdude (Jan 13, 2015)

Ky Stove, I was looking at your photos as I'm planning an Englander 17 install, you did a nice job!  I couldn't help but notice your little Tivoli Radio One, and if I am correct it's the special edition with the gloss surface?  I have one too lol.  Any troubles with the tuner?


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## ky stove (Jan 14, 2015)

Good eyes!
Picks up more stations than anything I have ever heard, or knew were available.

I use that tuner cleaner stuff you can get at radio shack to clean the on/off button and tuner controls.
Seems to do the trick. It's easy to take apart. The tuner is sooo sensitive.

Good luck with your stove install. Keep us posted!


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## draughtdude (Jan 17, 2015)

I ran into an issue with the tuner where it wouldn't hold a station and it was very difficult to tune one in, Tivoli said to turn the tuner dial quickly from one end to the other over and over again for a few minutes to "redistribute the grease and clean the contacts".  I didn't think it would work but it's like new again, and the knob turns much more easily now.  But I find I have to do it every few months, maybe I'll try your method next!


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