# Supreme Volcano plus insert



## Paul-e-wog (Nov 3, 2008)

Hi
A new memeber here, and looking into getting a fireplace insert.  I searched the forum and couldn't find any reference to a fireplace insert made by a Canadian manufacturer, Supreme.  They have been around since 1982.   I am looking at the model Volcano-plus.  It looks like a decent insert, has a fairly high efficiency (78%).  The combustion chamber is made of stainless steel, which I know may be a little unusual, but they wouldn't be using it if there was a problem with stainless.  And chimney pipe is stainless.  They stand behind the product.   They do offer a pretty decent limited lifetime warranty.  I was hoping to see a couple of reviews or some info, but I can't find any information other than the company's own website, which is not very comprehensive.  But I like the looks of the insert and the fact that it heats up quick.  Here is the url:

http://www.supremem.com/prod_volcanoPLUSEN.html

Anybody have any experience with Supreme inserts?  Any advice? 
Any advice or comments would be appreciatted.  Thanks !


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## Jags (Nov 3, 2008)

I don't know anything about it, but it sure looks pretty.  I know that is one big azz door.  Actually this was just a cheap way of bumping your post up for others to view.


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## Jimbob (Nov 4, 2008)

I noticed thay have a good selection of liners, too.

http://www.supremem.com/prod_Liners.html


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## begreen (Nov 4, 2008)

Never seen one, but I like the name.


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## firefighterjake (Nov 4, 2008)

BeGreen said:
			
		

> Never seen one, but I like the name.



I'm happy to see I'm not the only one that liked the name. I can see the advertising now . . . "Stay warm this winter . . . put a volcano in your living room."  

On the serious side . . . looks sharp.


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## Paul-e-wog (Nov 5, 2008)

Thanks for the positive support on purchasing a Volcano Plus.  At least it looks good !  

I have the dealer coming out today to take a look at my fireplace.  I'm feeling pretty positive about this insert, despite the lack of information on the web.  It's only November 5, and I am already so sick of being cold in my 59 degree house !   The installer has me down for installation in 3 weeks.  

I have 2 acres of solid black locust, many dead, so I guess I have my work cut out for me over the next 3 weeks !

Thanks

-looking forward to being up in smoke in MA. !   ;-)


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## Volcano (Nov 11, 2008)

Dear Firestarter,
I am very interested in your experience with the Volcano Plus.
Having recently (Aug '08) had the same model installed in my home
I have quite a lot of questions and my own experiences to ask/share.
It's been a helluva journey, and the jury's still out on it. Right now I have a like/hate
relationship with the Volcano.
Would like to discuss with you, if you feel so inclined.
Thanks.


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## Paul-e-wog (Nov 11, 2008)

Hey Volcano
I'd love to hear more about your Volcano Plus.  I put a deposit on it already, so I'd love to hear the love/hate.  I guess especailly the hate right now !  

The dealer told me one of the downsides is that the stainless pings as it heats and cools.  Have you heard that?  And is it loud or tolerable?  I didn't think that would matter to me too much, but if it's really obnoxious...

He tells me it heats up fast which is a good thing, but doesn't hold the heat when the fire is low or out.

I'd appreciate hearing your experiences.

Thanks very much


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## Volcano (Nov 12, 2008)

Well, where to start? I don't notice much in the way of pings when it's heating up. If there are any, I imagine they aren't loud, or at least are so normal sounding that I don't notice.
My saga with this stove is long and troubled. After a few months of dealing with a horrible, unprofessional dealer/installer, and many phone calls to the manufacturer in Canada, I think I have this thing working as well as it could. I am unimpressed with it's heat output, and it does indeed have a relatively short burn time (update that to finding these compressed-wood logs which seem to burn longer).
What I have learned, which hopefully won't be problems you have to experience:
1) The flue MUST be sealed completely around the chimney liner. What I have learned, the hard way, is that most inserts are a box within a box, and the space between them is where the heat is contained and then sent out via vents and fans. The Volcano, for some reason, is just the one steel box, so the fireplace itself then becomes the heat chamber, therefore must be sealed COMPLETELY so the heat does not escape anywhere but back into your room. That said, I am still very unhappy with the amount of heat that moves into the room vs. how much is being generated by the stove. With the fire burning vigorously, and the fans on high, the heat output right in front of the stove is quite disappointing. The installers did a horrible job of sealing the flue, never put in the SUPPLIED thick steel sealing plate, and even when they came back, did a crap job using flimsy aluminum flashing and left substantial gaps still. I took it all apart and did a better job, though the stove still disappoints.
2) Every connection in piping coming out of the top of the stove must be COMPLETELY sealed. The guys that installed mine left huge gaps in all the bends and elbows. This, the manufacturer told me, was why the draw was awful. I sealed these gaps myself, and the draw improved.
3) For some reason the manufacturer urges that firestarter sticks are used to start the fire, and no kindling, etc....I have followed this every time so far, but I may experiment. In my house, at least, the fire frequently is a groan to start. 
4) The stove itself is fairly well built, but after taking it apart the times I had to, I found that the screws holding the face on are crap (and a groan to re-align properly), the fan knob is a piece of crap (no big deal though, but I'm sure I'll be living without the know soon enough, and the adjustable legs could be sturdier.
5) When the fan is not on, or simply not on maximum, the amount of heat that this thing puts out into the room, and I'm just talking a couple of feet in front, is lame. I will never be able to even heat the area just around it in the event of a blackout (somewhat frequent in the winter aorund my parts), let alone just wanting it to add some gentle heat without having to listen to the rather loud, while rather wimpy fans.
6) Am I sounding pissed yet?
7) I'm not an idiot. I am pretty handy myself. I don't think my expectations are too high, which is what the irresponsible jerk who owns the stove store I bought it from said to me.
8) My house is about 1500 sq/ft and the stove is rated for 2000, I think. BULL!
Okay, this is quite a rant, but I've been so upset about this whole ordeal, I would hate to see someone else have the same problems I've been having.
9) On the positive side: you may have a reputatable, honest dealer/ installer (I did not) who knows the specific requirements for this particular stove. Alos, you may have a better set-up in your home as far as some of the dynamics/ physics, etc....that could be contributors to my particular problem ( though I have good insulation, an open plan, etc...)
10) I have been placing door-jam fans throughout the house to move the warmed air around. I also luckily already had a ceiling fan just over and in front of the fireplace. I must have it on at medium speed, with it turning so the air move upward, not downward.
11) I will also put a new thermostat in which has a fan timer on it so I can use my forced-air furnace system's "fan only" to move the air around, and not have to run the furnace itself.
12) Okay, I'm pooped. I'm pissed. I'm learning to live with this thing.
13) I will stop bending your ear now. As you can see, I've been through the ringer. In the end, you may have a far better experience than I did. Who knows...maybe I do expect too much from this. BUT, I was told this would heat my downstairs just fine,
and that, when running at full-bore, I would need to open windows. I don't think so.
I hope this helps some. Jeez, that was quite a rant.


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## Jags (Nov 12, 2008)

But beyond all that.....is it a good stove? :lol: 

Sounds like you have answered many questions on an unknown stove.  I feel for ya, and thank you for sharing your experience.


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## Paul-e-wog (Nov 12, 2008)

Wow...that sucks.  Sorry it's been such a bad experience.  But thank you for sharing it.  I will definitely be looking deeper at this thing now.  I believe the installer is good.  I asked him to show me the flue plate and he showed me how they cap the flue.  I asked if it would help if I lined my fireplace (the brick), with aluminum or something to help reflect heat back out.  He said that I could but that it was probably not necessary as the unit does come with a reflective heat shield which mounts above the box.  He also told me the installers will place a cap at the top of the chimney too.  But I need heat!  So I'm going to talk to him some more. 

So do you know that you have a tight seal in the fireplace now?  

What is this automatic regulator which controls combustion doing for you?  I was reading how you basically set it after you use it the first few times and get a feel for how the fire starts and then burns.  Did they talk to you about that possibly being the problem?  I guess I'm wondering if the thing is staying wide open, then that might account for the heat loss going up the flue and the fast burn time, as it would be getting too much draft.  I don't know though, I'm new at this, and don't even have anything to burn in yet.

You said the installer was no good, but what about your contact with the manufacturer, Supreme?  Were they helpful at all, or did they blow you off too?

Thanks for your input…it helps.


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## Volcano (Nov 12, 2008)

I seem to be getting a pretty good draw now. I'm sure I'll have to periodically re-seal the gaps in the pipe sections (Just above the stove- no huge deal), because the stove cement tends to crumble over time.
I have been playing with the auto draft control. it seems ot workpretty well. Though I set it pretty low last night before bed (midnight) and woke at 6:30 to nothing but a few barely glowing embers. Unless conditions are perfect, do not expect a long burn time on a load of wood. So far, I've just gotten maybe 3-4 hours of decent heat from a big load on medium draft setting.
I am gonna buy some of these compressed wood logs. My one experience the other night seemed preety good, and they were still going a little the next morning.
And, yes the installer/retailer was a thief, but the people at Supreme were pretty good. They knnow thier product and seemed genuinely concerned that i was happy. they said, if it came to it, that they would not aloow me to have to "live with" the stove. I guess they meant they would credit me or something, if the dealer wouldn't. I still may need to do that, because it isn't even winter yet.
Bottom line- I shelled-out nearly $5K for this, and it wasn't just meant to seal up the fireplace. I was told it would supply good, generous heat.


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## Paul-e-wog (Nov 13, 2008)

Well I contacted the manufacturer with my concerns (your problems) and they guaranteed me that with proper installation, the unit will do what is expected. This is part of what she tells me.

First and foremost, we supply a fixing plate that NEEDS to be installed correctly. If this fixing plate is not installed correctly, the heat generated from the fireplace will escape to the chimney. 
Also, the liner must be well connected to the flue of the fireplace. The flue connector is designed to fit the SUPREME liner. If another manufacturer’s liner is used it could result in a loose connection. If it is not well connected the customer will have a hard time establishing and maintaining a fire. In order to avoid this problem, we recommend that the customer seal the liner and flue with stove cement. This will assure a tight connection.  

Sounds a lot like the problem you describe.  I feel bad for you knowing the installer screwed you.  Although you're not real happy with the heat output yet, it's possible that the installer is to blame and maybe not the stove?  Time will tell.  I am going to go ahead with my installation after I have a good talk with the installer, assuming Supreme knows of his work and that he is qualified.  They will let me know.

She told me that basically no stove will provide all your heat given that we live in northern states or Canada.  But she has one and says "the heat output is phenomenal"  

I'll keep you updated as things progress.  Likewise, update us with your experience as it progresses.  I hope you get it working to your satisfaction.  

Thanks again for sharing your experience.  It has helped me and maybe being posted on a public forum, it will maybe make the manufacturers and the installers be a little more accountable.  Nobody wants their products to get trashed publicly!

Good luck


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## snowtime (Nov 13, 2008)

I know nothing about this insert but I take exception to the statement by the manufactured.  "She told me that basically no stove will provide all your heat given that we live in northern states or Canada".  Well thats untrue and many of us northerners heat solely with wood. Maybe you should think about this more. If this is just a supplemental heat source then its not critical but if you want to heat your whole home then perhaps you had better rethink and research more options. Its easy to fall in love with something that looks good and seams to be what you need but in this case I think you should look farther. 

 The real question that should be answered is what do you expect from this heater. My other thought is we all see benefits from heaters that hold the heat for a while. Whether its a soapstone, cast, or steel stove they all hold the heat better than this thing. Also if your chimney is on an outside wall then expect to loose lots of heat compared to an inside chimney as this thing seems to be designed to heat the existing chimney. Best of luck.


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## Volcano (Nov 13, 2008)

Well, certainly a wood stove insert that claims to be appropriate for a 2000 sq.ft. home, should be capable of doing a decent job of providing good heat in a 1500 sq.ft home, regardless of the fact that I am in the Northeast. I should think I live in the exact area for optimal expectations of such a stove. Outside chimney, or not. 
And, yes, perhaps I should have researched better, and also demanded that someone who actually knows what they are doing come and look at this entire installation. Too little communication between the manufacturers, distributors and retailer/installers. Apparently, this thing is not working as well as it should, from everything I've heard from the voices I trust (the manufacturers seem honest). I guess that proper installation will make a difference. I need to pursue this further myself.
Supreme seems not to be the problem. 
In the end, however, I probably should have installed a free-standing stove.


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## Paul-e-wog (Nov 13, 2008)

I agree with you about heating entirely with wood. A good friend of mine had a wood furnace which provided all the heat and hot water for his 200+ year old uninsulated home in northern VT.  We are purely looking for supplemental heat.  
Our chimney is located right in the middle of our home, so no outside walls.  We need quick heat for just a few hours of the day so that we aren't turning the furnace up when we get home and back down at bedtime.  I think the quick heat from stainless is actually the better choice for what we are looking for.   There are a few other reasons that I don't need to get into here, but given those reasons, this unit does suit our needs quite well, which is why we will probably stick with it.  We narrowed it down between a nice Morso insert and this one, but with $1000 difference in price, the decison was easy.  
Thanks for your input.  I'll post how its going when we get the thing up and running, probably end of November / early December.


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## Volcano (Nov 13, 2008)

With a good installer, and the info you have, this should be a successful stove for you and the needs you have.
Good luck.
ps- I'm really liking these Envi-blocks, in case you ever run out of wood.


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## backpack09 (Nov 13, 2008)

Volc,
Did you have a liner installed in your chimney? or is the flue pipe extending only a few feet up your chimney?


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## Volcano (Nov 13, 2008)

I had a SS flex liner installed the full length.


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## webbie (Nov 13, 2008)

Some comments.....

We have had discussions here before about the relative lack of efficiency of fireplace inserts compared to freestanding stoves. This is due to a number of factors, most importantly the heat transfer. If the masonry fireplace is completely inside the house and all sides exposed to rooms - then a certain amount of heat would be reclaimed. But, if the fireplace is exterior, then a lot of the radiant heat may end up in the great outdoors.

Assuming this is a single wall unit....then the importance of a super-tight block off plate cannot be overstated. Without it most of the heat - plus room air from the house, will end up escaping up the chimney. 

Any efficiencies given are usually in tests which do not consider all these factors. Many inserts are tested inside a lab - no exterior walls - and efficiency is often calculated rather than measured. 

It would seem as the key here is to properly install the unit and keep in mind the losses by having a unit way back in the fireplace- especially with an exterior masonry structure.


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## jkahn (Nov 15, 2008)

I am surprised with the trouble you are having with your Volcano.
I bought one 1 month ago,it took about 3 hours to install with a 25 ft. stainless flue liner and was burning that evening.
I had a small problem with the door not latching,Supreme had a tech on the phone and I was able to fix it in 5 min.
It's installed in a huge double sided stone fireplace with only glass doors sealing off the back side.
My living room is about 1,000 ft/2 and I have never had to turn the fan up past 1/2.
I don't light it with a firestarter,because I'm too cheap, just a little kindling and 3 pieces on newspaper and it's off for the night.
I have found it burns less wood (seasond oak) than my Jotul in the back room.
I expect when it gets down to 0" I may have to seal up behind the unit but now it gets my living room up to 84 on a medium burn with a good bit of heat spilling into the rest of the house.
I have not tried to bank the coals overnight but there are always hot embers in the morning. It does leave quite a bit of charcoal unburned but that seems to be a small price to pay for the even heat this unit puts out.
When I bought it I wasn't expecting it to be as good as it is,I just wanted to replace the open burning fireplace. The large glass door was the selling feature for me, it's just like sitting in front of an open fire,except your back doesn't get cold.
Good luck with yours I hope you can resolve the problems and enjoy it as much as I have.


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## Volcano (Nov 15, 2008)

Well, I am happy for you. That story makes me feel like there is hope for my Volcano.
As it stands, however, my unit is performing far worse than your seems to be.
Full load, full flame, full on fan, supplemental fans all on= 72 degrees, at best, on my thermostat
located about 8 feet away. And, it ain't a faulty thermostat. 
I sure have no idea why your would work so much better than mine.
I'm no engineer, or wood stove installer.....just a sucker, I guess.


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## jkahn (Nov 15, 2008)

I wish I lived closer,I'd come and take a look.
I suppose you have called Supreme. They seemed to be very helpful to me.
It is colder where you come from, we haven't reached below 30 yet, maybe in the dead of winter I'll feel like you.
Good luck


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## Volcano (Nov 15, 2008)

okay, one more comment.
The people at Supreme in Montreal are responsive and care about their product.
There's only so much they have been able to do for me.
The installers, I believe, are the main problem.
Ultimately, I may need Supreme to step up and do the right thing, whatever that turns out to be.
They explicitley told me, "We will not make you live with the stove if you don't like it".
It's not winter yet, so time will tell.


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## jkahn (Nov 15, 2008)

I was just out getting parts for another wood stove I'm installing and I was thinking why yours was not putting out more heat.
The only thing I could think of was that there is a 6" round clean out plug in the top back of the firebox.
If your installer took that out ,which I almost did it would let the flue gasses go straight up the pipe instead of circulating in the stove body. I'm sorry if this is something you have already checked,but if it's gone it could solve your problem.


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## Volcano (Nov 15, 2008)

Yes, the plug is in place at the top of the stove.
Supreme also told me to check that as it seems a likely cause.
Thanks for trying to help.


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## Volcano (Dec 1, 2008)

okay, and update on my Volcano Plus for anyone who cares to hear it.
Last week, I removed the stove and returned it to the thieves who sold it to me.
After removing the stove, and seeing the crap installation (2 cut-off pieces of liner
shabbily connected to make one "continuous" piece, gaps in all the connections between the
collar at the top of the stove and the eventual flex liner, hardly any insulation from top to bottom),
I am left feeling that the stove was just fine, and the problems are all the fault of a very, very
lame, albeit very expensive, installation.
The retailer and installer of the stove, Northeatern Chimney in Selkirk, NY, finally gave me most of the cost for the stove back, but only that, and that was after some frequent calling and complaining and all that. I am still out a huge chunk of money for a completely inadequate installation, which I believe 
was the sole cause of the poor performance of the stove.
So, Supreme stove are probably just fine. Installed poorly, however, they will suffer, and so am I.
I got RIPPED-OFF!!
I am going to restore my fireplace to it's original state, which will take some substantial masonry work, as the
installer did a hack-job to make room for the liner.
If this all sounds bitter, what can I say, I am bitter.
the moral is: be very careful where you buy a stove, and more importantly, who and how it's installed. It can make all the difference.


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## Old Hoss (Dec 30, 2008)

I also have the Volcano Supreme and although they claim it heats up to 2000 square feet, I'm lucky if it heats 500 square feet. I've bought seasoned wood and the flue seems to be clogging after 10 or 12 fires. I cleaned it out on Sunday and it took me over an hour on Monday to get a good fire going with fire starters. 

I have been in touch with the manufacturer in Montreal and one of the distributors in Vermont has been down to look at the unit. They told me what I already knew; the flue was plugged. I spent three grand on this thing and if I had it to do over, I'd certainly choose something else. The original installers in Derry, NH have gone out of business so I have no recourse with them.


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## Volcano (Dec 30, 2008)

I feel your pain re the Volcano insert.
The whole experience was a disaster for me.
My SS liner had a huge amount of creosote in it when I removed the whole installation.
The unit was very difficult and time-consuming to get a good, smokeless fire going.
The unit heated less then 500 square feet.
I think one of the design flaws in the uit its the single box aspect. Most other inserts are a box within a box, and it's in that space where the most heat is captured. The fans then take that very contained heat and blow it into your room. The Volcano, on the other hand, requires that the origiinal firfeplace firebox becomes this outer "chamber" (which is why my installation stunk), and the fans then have a much larger area to pull from with many more physical factors acting on the generated heat, making it more difficult for the fans to do much of anything.
In the end- not a great stove, especially if not installed EXACTLY as recommended.
Sorry you're having a bad time.


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## jadm (Dec 30, 2008)

Volcano - I hope  you don't give up on wood burning because of your experience.  I know my first install was botched and I didn't know it until I had someone come out to do some work on my insert.  I ended up getting a new insert and had my sweeps do the install correctly - or as correctly as I now know from reading here for awhile.  I am delighted with my new insert and glad I went with a name brand that has been around for 100 years...It makes a difference.

Sorry about all of your hassles.  I know what a grind that is and how awful it leaves you feeling. Not all dealers are rip offs.  My first were.  My second ones are a lot more responsive and have been in business a lot longer plus I knew more by the time I found them.   All part of the learning curve.  Phew.....


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## Volcano (Dec 30, 2008)

Being optimistic, I guess one could chalk-up experiences like this to gaining wisdom.
Unfortunately, in my case, it comes with a dear price (I lost over $2500 to Northeastern Chimney for the lame installation!)
Yes, I will go to a different retailer with much more experience and a better reputation.
Next time, however, I will be installing a free-standing wood stove.


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## jadm (Dec 30, 2008)

Glad to hear you aren't giving up on wood.  

Yes, some of our toughest lessons cost us dearly.  We laugh a lot about that around here.  Puts perspective on what is important at the time.  Daughter just had her purse stolen.  SHe was mightily upset.  My sister and I looked at each other (Her daughter was with my daughter at the time...) and our response was thank-God they weren't mugged.  It is just money - things that can be replaced.  No big deal in the large scope of things.  My sister knows about that as her daughter is fighting a loosing battle with an incurable disease that is wiping out everything that family has including her daughter.


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## slgaletzki (Jan 5, 2009)

We had our Volcano Supreme fireplace insert installed in September and loved it until 2 weeks ago. Just in time for the holidays. Nothing like a black fireplace to dampen the ambiance. I put out lots of candles, but its not the same........... we have been unable to maintain a good fire and now the fire dies and it fills with smoke as soon as I close the door. I found the postings on this website and learned a lot. After a bit of detective work and a call to Supreme, it may be creosote in the chimney, but I am waiting for the installer to come and check it. I would think creosote build up is a function of the wood we are burning and not so much the stove? we had to scramble for wood and everyone was sold out. I got 3 different deliveries from 3 different sources and the they all said their wood was the best.... Does any one know a reputable wood supplier in the western CT area? Also a reputable chimney sweep if needed?

I Also learned the Supreme will send out a 3 panel liner to put against the bricks in the fireplace to help contain the heat so it will flow into the room and not out the bricks.

Someone mentioned "compressed logs" for overnight burns. We have not been able to go more then 3 hours. I am interested in trying them. Who sells them and what are they called?


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## Old Hoss (Jan 7, 2009)

One other thing regarding the Volcano Supreme......the blower on the left hand side blows out cool air and the blower on the right hand side blows out only warm air. That said, the only part of the whole unit that gives off good heat is the door itself. Luckily, it's a big door. Looks like I'll be calling the lovely Antoinette in Montreal again. Thankfully, they have an 800 number.

And for *CT Woodstove*, if you're talking about Thermalogs, the website is thermawood.com. I tried a sample bag and found that they're not all that great and quite expensive. I use one piece every once in awhile to help get a fire going. They smolder more than anything else and don't last near as long as the company claims. I took their survey and told them how disappointed with the product I was. Then I received an email from Conor Cooper, the General Manager of Outdoor World of New England (Hooksett, NH) and he gave me two bags free as he said the bag I bought may have come from a "bad batch". Maybe so, but the two bags I picked up were no better than the original bag that I bought. My advice......don't waste your time with this stuff.


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## slgaletzki (Jan 7, 2009)

Thank you for the reply on your experience with the compressed logs.  I will not bother with them.

Our blowers are both blowing inward.  I just checked them by placing paper near them and the paper got sucked to the grill on both sides.  

The sreen on our cap was packed completely with "stage 3 "creosote after only 3 months of buring.......  It looked like black crystals.  They cleaned the liner while they were here.  I was told the way to prevent this is to keep buring the sytem  very hot.  We were turning down the air intake to 12 oclock position (half way) to slow down the fires at night.  Maybe this was the cause?  I have been told by the cimney guys that our wood looks good and we should not have this problem after 3 months.  Any thoughts on this?


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## Old Hoss (Jan 8, 2009)

CT Woodstove said:
			
		

> Thank you for the reply on your experience with the compressed logs.  I will not bother with them.
> 
> Our blowers are both blowing inward.  I just checked them by placing paper near them and the paper got sucked to the grill on both sides.
> 
> The sreen on our cap was packed completely with "stage 3 "creosote after only 3 months of buring.......  It looked like black crystals.  They cleaned the liner while they were here.  I was told the way to prevent this is to keep buring the sytem  very hot.  We were turning down the air intake to 12 oclock position (half way) to slow down the fires at night.  Maybe this was the cause?  I have been told by the cimney guys that our wood looks good and we should not have this problem after 3 months.  Any thoughts on this?



Blowing inward? Could it be possible that the fans are wired wrong? They should definitely be blowing out. They're thermostatically controlled....how long does it take your blowers to kick on?

November of 2007 was my first time using the Volcano Supreme. The first cord of wood I burned, everything was fine. It was about halfway through the second cord where the problems started. I had the liner cleaned out in the Spring and this past October everything seemed to be fine. Then the creosote buildup started again. Rather than call the chimney sweep, I bought the 6" brush and extensions and I cleaned it out myself. Once again, everything was fine for about 12 fires. As of today, it's a little tough starting but once I get it going, it burns pretty strong with the air control lever set at 12 o'clock. If I set the air control at 3 o'clock, I get a hotter fire but it burns out pretty quickly. 

I would give them a call up in Montreal and tell them about those blowers first thing. I have to say, they do attempt to be as helpful as possible. The number (in case you don't have it) is *1-877-593-4722*. Good luck and let me know how they respond.


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## slgaletzki (Jan 8, 2009)

My side blowers blow the air into the fireplace cavity and then the air flows out the top above the fire box.  I'm sorry to hear about the creosote problem.  I guess I am not the only one.  I spoke to Suppreme on Monday to ask questions.  They sent me an email that they were sending one of their technicians here next week and they would come with the installer.  I must say I was surprised to hear they would send someone,  I feel like I should put out the red carpet for their arival.  I will let you know what happens and what I learn from their visit.


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## slgaletzki (Jan 14, 2009)

Update.  Supreme Technician came to my home.  They are a company that truly cares about their customers.  

They did some extensive work and it paid off.  

Replaced combustion air control
Replaced front air tube for secondary air supply
Installed the Supreme steel fixing plate and support bars.  Sealed air tight with epoxy.
Removed bricks blocking the airflow of the side fans.

The fire performance is mush better.  They replaced the combustion air control and the front secondary air tube. Prior to the modifications, I could only maintain a fire with the combustion air control turned to 3 o’clock – fully opened.  If I tired to lower it for a slower burn, the fire would burn out.   Now I am able to maintain a beautiful hot fire with the combustion air control set at 12 o’clock and I have not had to touch it.  

The heat output is phenomenal!!.  They installed the side and rear support bars and the factory steel fixing plate.  They lowered the overall ceiling in the fireplace so the steal fixing plate lined up with the top of the louvers.  This keeps the heat closer to the firebox and shoots the heat back into the room.  They also removed a few bricks on either side that were blocking the air flow from the side fans.  Prior to the modifications our living room, where the wood stove is, would only get up to 71 degrees and the upstairs of my house was below 58.  Now it is 78 in the living room and 67 upstairs.  It can heat 2,000 square feet!.   They decided not to install the back panels because it would have resulted in a tight airspace around the firebox and restricted the air movement. 

I am so happy with my insert now that it is installed propperly and a few repairs.


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## Paul-e-wog (Nov 18, 2009)

Update:  Last year, I reinstalled my supreme volcano myself after the disastrous job the installers did.  I knew how it needed to be done and knew as they were installing that they were doing it wrong, but they insisted they were doing it fine.  They weren’t.  Let me say these installers did not work for or were connected to the manufacturer.  Supreme really stood behind their product.  They sent down what pieces I needed to reinstall and offered to have one of their installers stay on the phone with me while I did the work.  I didn’t think I needed that.  But the installation went well and made a huge difference in the heat output.  The company sent a technician and a sales rep down from Canada and Vermont to check out 2 or 3 installations here in New England.  They stopped by and checked out my installation and did a couple of adjustments.  I burned every evening last year and it made a nice difference in the oil bill.  So far this year, we have not had the heat come on in our 3500 sq ft home in Massachusetts.  We haven’t had terribly cold weather yet but it has been cold at night, down in the 20’s.  When we have a good fire going, the house will be up close to 70 all over and 80 in the room.  We do have a central chimney in the house which helps.  I had the chimney cleaned this fall after burning all last winter, and it was very clean.  I burn a hot fire which helps.  I find it hard not to burn a hot fire.  I've been very happy with the insert and impressed with the way it heats our home.  I doubt it will keep up in the dead of winter, but we have been toasty warm in the entire house.  It's 28 outside now and it's 73 in here!  NICE!
Anyway, I wanted to update to be sure that I let you all know that I am quite happy with the stove/insert, the heat output and the way that Supreme stands behind their product is excellent.  Thanks to Anastasia at Supreme for all her correspondence, help and patience.


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