# QUADRAFIRE 5700 metal problems???



## Hog Sniper (Aug 30, 2010)

New here to the forum, and have a quick question. I purchased a new Quadrafire 5700 about 3-4 years ago for the new house that we built. I love the stove and its saved me a bunch of money on my propane bills. The problem is last year I replaced the front 2 baffles. While in the stove I noticed that some of the fire bricks were getting in pretty bad shape. Thats when I discovered that the metal tabs that hold the bricks upright on the left side were GONE. The right side appear to be fine. So, I called Quadrafire today, and the rep told me my stove was overfired and that would not be covered under warrantyThey advised I call my local dealer and have them look at the stove. I bought this stove for the large capacity and ability to burn lots of wood all the time. I dont think I burn this stove any harder than other stoves I've used in the past. Heres the routine:
During the week:
Fire the stove up at night and let it burn until bedtime. Load it up at bedtime and then damper down. In the morning, open the dampers and load it again for several hours then damper down again for the day while at work.
Weekends:
It burns pretty much all day and is damped down at night.

As a side note my chimney is cleaned each year and the Chimney sweep says everything looks good with the burn, the ashes are right, and it looks good??

I grew up using an Alaska Double door stove and never had a problem like this..That baby was burned HOT all the time. Has anyone else had this problem?


----------



## branchburner (Aug 30, 2010)

I don't know the specifics of your stove, but it sounds like you may have given the fire too much air (so it burned too hot for too long). When you say "let it burn a few hours" that makes me think it was wide open, and a few hours is too long.

Questions: did you read and follow the specific operating procedures in the manual, and did you monitor stovetop and/or flue temps with a thermometer? When you say "damper" do you mean the air-supply controls on the stove, or an in-line damper in your stove pipe?


----------



## firefighterjake (Aug 30, 2010)

Random thoughts . . .

I'm kind of scratching my head wondering how someone could tell if your stove was over-fired from a simple phone call without seeing pictures or having someone look at it in person.

Open damper for several hours . . . I'm thinking you may have worded this sentence poorly so that it sounds as though you open the air control on the stove all the way for several hours before closing it down part-way . . . when in fact you were trying to say you get up, load up the stove, open the air control on the stove until the wood ignites and takes off and then you close down the air control part way to allow it to burn for several hours while you are at work . . . at least that's what I'm hoping you meant since leaving the air control on the stove all the way open for several hours could cause an over-firing situation.

Temps . . . you never mentioned temps. I think this is important to know . . . what are/were the temps on the stove and the stove pipe . . . these tell the true story (or at least give us a hint) as they will let you (and us) know if you were burning too hot . . . otherwise just thinking you were burning at the proper temps is just a guess.


----------



## thewoodlands (Aug 30, 2010)

Do you use a Woodstove Thermometer?

zap


----------



## webbie (Aug 30, 2010)

I've seen twisted and eaten away brick retainers over the years....it's not an uncommon problem. You may not be doing anything wrong - there are almost infinite combinations of wood, chimneys, operators, etc. and for whatever reason these small angles were torched. 

It is a bit presumptive of them to claim they are not going to help without having inspected them...or the stove as a whole. In any case, many stove warranties may not provide much help anyway - for instance, some require you to ship your stove back to the dealer or to a factory!

Read the warranty carefully to see who is responsible for what.

If the bricks tend to stay up by themselves or can be cemented in place, than that is just as well. If you end up needing to repair it, you can do it in various low cost ways. Some examples:
1. Have someone with a portable welder come out and tack in a new angle - if you look around for someone to do this "on the side" after work, etc. you might get it done for under $100. The factory may provide some credit to you and the angles also.
2. Possible DIY fixes - a small angle could be made from relatively light gauge stainless steel and riveted into place. This might even outlast the original.


----------



## vvvv (Aug 30, 2010)

Hog Sniper said:
			
		

> New here to the forum, and have a quick question. I purchased a new Quadrafire 5700 about 3-4 years ago for the new house that we built. I love the stove and its saved me a bunch of money on my propane bills. The problem is last year I replaced the front 2 baffles. While in the stove I noticed that some of the fire bricks were getting in pretty bad shape. Thats when I discovered that the metal tabs that hold the bricks upright on the left side were GONE. The right side appear to be fine. So, I called Quadrafire today, and the rep told me my stove was overfired and that would not be covered under warrantyThey advised I call my local dealer and have them look at the stove. I bought this stove for the large capacity and ability to burn lots of wood all the time. I dont think I burn this stove any harder than other stoves I've used in the past. Heres the routine:
> During the week:
> Fire the stove up at night and let it burn until bedtime. Load it up at bedtime and then damper down. In the morning, open the dampers and load it again for several hours then damper down again for the day while at work.
> Weekends:
> ...


"damper down refers to a fluepipe damper or primary air control? does stove have uncotrolable secondary air intake? what is the chimni & how tall?


----------



## flueguyPA (Oct 12, 2010)

Hey, had to reregister because I forgot my old id but anyway....

It appears that Quadrafire has a problem with the 5700 models in that they are developing cracks along the back of the stove in the channel above the bricks. Just yesterday I was in the process of reconditioning a 5700 that I picked up from customer that was moving; I removed the side heat shields (3 screws on the back of each side) and found that BOTH SIDES of the stove were cracked through to the extent that you could actually see light inside the stove! This is probably 1/4 inch plate steel that is cracked around the weld where the channel that holds the air tubes is attached. I also see a couple tabs that hold the brick in are deteriorated also, similar to your situation.

I would strongly suggest checking for cracks in both places on your stove BEFORE burning this season. If yours is cracked like mine then you most certainly will be sucking in cold air and causing the fire to burn hotter than intended.

Quadrafires do not / should not require any additional dampening measures other than the primary and secondary air intakes on the stove.

Oh, and regarding warranty... if you bought the stove you should contact your dealer. Quad is aware of the cracking issue and has directed their dealers to REPLACE THE STOVE with a new one. It seems they intend to screw me though since I'm the second owner even though it hasn't been burned since getting it from the original owner.


----------



## RonB (Oct 13, 2010)

My 5700 is same age as yours and no I do not have the problem you described.  It would help if you could post pics of the missing brick tab holders.  I run my stove 24/7 in season and my metal tabs are pristine.  How long do you keep the start up air control open (manual indicates I believe 15-30 min max)?  Do you have a temp gauge on stove top?  This is very helpful in running the stove and in diagnosing problems.  It is strange that you having missing brick holders only on one side.  If you were over firing the stove it seems like both sides would be affected.  Keep us posted on what happens so we know the end of the story and look for any possible problems in our own stoves.


----------



## Hog Sniper (Nov 17, 2010)

flueguyPA...I'd like to thank your for taking the time to post.......Heres why.....Quadrafire denied my warranty this week and said that the stove was overfired. It has been a nightmare trying to deal with them. No communication, and Quadrafire will tell you to speak to the dealer and the dealer says they are waiting to hear from Quadrafire..I have been dealing with people in 3 different states all looking at pictures of my stove making a determination..

Anyway, the damage to the stove was the loss of the mounting tabs, and the rear air exchanger was cracked in the middle. I thought that the overfiring issue was odd since I dont burn this stove very hard, and its spends most of the day smoldering while I'm at work. After reading the post about welding new tabs in it, I went down and gave the stove a good going over. I pulled the right side cover of the stove out to inspect the box. I saw a crack on the side right where the air channel is welded to the box. I stuck my flashlight on the side of the box and sure enough could see the light on the inside of the stove. The rep that my dealer sent out never looked for this and completley missed it.  

Looking back now my stove was acting a bit different last winter. No hot coals in the morning, harder to regulate the temps etc. Now I know why. So today I logged in and search around to find your post.....Do you have any documentation on the replacement issue? With such a dangerous situation you would think that Quad would send out notices to the owners of these stoves. Yes, I am the original owner and it gets cleaned every season and no one has noticed this. I would never think that the stove would develop a crack in the middle of a firebox wall....Everyone please check your stoves!


----------



## flueguyPA (Nov 17, 2010)

I will check and see if HHT isssued anything in writing to the local dealer. BTW, the dealer here is getting quite irritated with the company and they way they are standing behind their product; or should I say NOT standing behind their product. 

As I mentioned before, they did issue a type of "repair" kit for the crack along the rear channel. That is to be installed and then when the crack continues to be an issue the customer comes back in and after much knashing of teeth, HHT (Quad) has replaced the stove. Yours is the first I've heard of that developed the cracks like mine did. I believe 1000% that the original crack in the rear is leading to the overfiring that is cracking the sides of the stove.  My response to Quad was "NO S#!& ITS BEEN OVERFIRED, YOUR STEEL SIDES CRACKED AND LET AIR IN BECAUSE THE REAR CHANNEL CRACKED FIRST!!" Why no sir, you must have overfired it to cause the cracks in the first place. 

The REAL issue actually seems to be cheap Chinese steel that they're making these things with now. I hadn't realized until the dealer told me but now HHT is having these all made in China now. Big surprise when they fall apart! On the up side of things, he does say that they have made major adjustments in the manufacture of the stoves to try and correct their problems. Apparently they're keeping all the info to themselves though. "Deny and misdirect" seems to be the company policy lately.


----------



## flueguyPA (Nov 17, 2010)

I would also like to point out that I have inspected 2 other Quad 5700's this month and neither of them have experienced any cracking or overfiring issues. Their models were only 1 - 3 years old while I believe my model is a 2005. Of course I had to teach one of the customers how to actually fire the stove so now that he's actually burning wood instead of smoking it, things might change.


----------



## flueguyPA (Nov 17, 2010)

These are the cracks in the exterior sides behind the heat shield


----------



## BrotherBart (Nov 17, 2010)

Overfiring may warp a steel stove. Usually the top plate first. But those kind of cracks in the side of the stove body ain't from overfiring. That is a chit built stove. Probably cracked from the welds where the secondary manifolds and brick retainers are welded into it and weakened the steel.


----------



## flueguyPA (Nov 17, 2010)

Yeah, we can all figure that out here but the brain trusts at Home & Hearth Technologies are obviously much smarter than we are and they say it's our fault.


----------



## Hog Sniper (Nov 17, 2010)

That is EXACTLY how the crack in my stove looks Its funny how you mention the China sttel. The guy that inspected my stove told me the same thing..He also told me that Quad had issues with the cracks in the back as well and they were fixing them some how. He also said they had a quick fix for the older models that were burning off the firebrick tabs but the design has since changed which makes it harder to fix that without welding. The other thing I find interesting is my stove is an 05 model as well. I will be on the phone with them on Wed. morning to see what they have to say now. I now feel like I got scre###   when I bought this stove. I did alot of research on it and found great reviews back then. I grew up burning wood in an old Alaska double door stove that just burned great. Never had an issue out of that old gal. Thanks again so much for your help. Heres a few pics..Looks just like yours..


----------



## RonB (Nov 17, 2010)

Now I understand why there are so many class action law suits these days.  My stove burns properly, no issues, but I would like to inspect it as well.  I think I can remove the back shield but the side shield is tack welded to the front of the stove and bolted at the rear.  What year model is your 5700?  I can't understand why they won't stand behind it.  Does the white ashen sides indicate overfire?  If it did overfire it was likely because of the crack admitting extra air.  Thanks for the pics.


----------



## Jags (Nov 17, 2010)

Those cracks are Grade A crap.  Don't let up. The tabs - overfire - maybe.  The cracks in the panels - no.  That is a design issue, not an overtemp issue.


----------



## flueguyPA (Nov 17, 2010)

Keep in mind that the tabs that are "melting" are about 3 inches away from those huge cracks you see in the sides. The crack on the rear tube was usually confined to the tube and did not break the outer plate of the stove. Usually being the key word.

Sniper, for all I know both of our stoves came from the same dealer too. I got my stove from a house just south of Carlisle and brought it back to central PA. You both may have gone to the same dealer originally. Since Quad wouldn't help me I had the sides welded (the guy did an excellent job) and if need be I can go back and plate over it later. The stove seems to be burning ok and I make it a point to not allow it to burn over 450 degrees on the stovepipe thermometer which I have about 2' above the collar. Excellent burn time and actually getting more heat with less wood than my old 3100 (which WAS overfired but never cracked - 1993 model).


----------



## WarmHouse (Dec 18, 2010)

I have two Quadrafire 5700 Step Top stoves. Recently I noted a crack in the back interior above where the center brick holder is welded. I found this site and thread and I just looked under the the shields-- there are cracks on both sides. No discoloration--just cracks much like what is shown here. My warranty indicates that these issues are covered on a lifetime basis.

I have not looked behind the shields of my other stove yet. Nonetheless, all of this is troubling especially since Quadrafire has known of these problems and no hazard bulletins have been issued. 

Two years ago, we bought our other 5700 for use in the shop. Soon after, I noted that the fiberboard was split diagonally. When I contacted Quadrafire they insisted I broke it; when I called the dealer they said they'd sell me a replacement for $100. I feel deceived... and now these crack issues.

I am contacting the dealer.


----------



## flueguyPA (Dec 19, 2010)

HogSniper and I will be interested to hear your experience. If he's still following this thread he may share more with us but he's pretty much gotten the shaft from Quadrafire and I think they're refusing to talk to him now. Quadrafire / Home Hearth Technologies are a poor excuse for a stove company and their customer service sucks. They deserve every bad word they get on here.

Sniper, if your out there and are willing, please post the experience you've relayed to me in dealing with these clowns. I don't want to repeat it without your approval first. At the very least we may have another victim to add to the list.


----------



## Hog Sniper (Dec 19, 2010)

Oh yeah, I'm following this thread....Getting alerts to my phone. Please take photos of your stove and post them here. I will contact you via email. In a nut shell, Quad has refused my warranty claim. I have never heard that directly from Quad. My dealer told me that they got an email from Quad stating that they would send me a letter. It has never arrived. My customer experience with Quad has been like NOTHING I've ever dealt with before. You will NEVER be allowed to speak with them directly. When you call them a call taker listens to your complaint and sends an email to the Reps that review the case. I asked to have a Rep call me to discuss my stove. My phone number was taken and NO ONE ever returned my call. After several times of trying to speak with a rep I started asking for a supervisor. That was refused and the phone was HUNG UP on me. Several days later,  I had additional information about my stove that I needed to relay to the rep that had my case. I was told to "email us photos" and the phone was HUNG UP on me again. These have been some of the nastiest people I have ever dealt with. Make sure to keep notes on the dates and times you call, what they tell you and their responses to your request. They say your call may be recorded. 

It appears that the internal design has been changed several times with this stove. I just need to figure out how many times. I have a copy of a Field Repair from Quad to repair the rear air channel crack dated 10-26-2007. I think they know they have problems with this design, and by issuing a warranty would open them up for liabilty. I doubt I will see any money for my stove or a replacement but for me its more of a safety issue. There are a bunch of these stoves out there and most people would not be aware of the firebox CRACK until its too late and they have a fire. Please spread the word for everyone with a Quad 5700 to check the sides of their stoves for these cracks!! If you find someone with issues on this stove or customer service please encourage them to post it here so we can keep a record of it.

Thanks so much for posting.


----------



## WarmHouse (Dec 19, 2010)

Thanks Hogsniper and Fluguy. I called the dealer today but the repair person had left for the day. They indicated that he would call me back on Monday. 

Having to do with my fiberboard experience, I know what you mean about Quadrafire and I too have found them to be dangerously irresponsible, nonchalant, and flip. Might be prudent to run all this by a product liability attorney knowledgable of wood stoves. In any case, I'd like them to stand by the stove that heats our home.


----------



## begreen (Dec 19, 2010)

Those identical cracks on multiple units spell design flaw. Possilby, the burnt off tabs are a symptom of the air leak torching this area. This is not overfiring, nor in control of the user. It appears to be a serious and dangerous problem that needs immediate attention.


----------



## savageactor7 (Dec 19, 2010)

Well that does it...the 5700 is out of consideration for our next stove. 

Totally bogus that they don't have 800 line too. Sure it makes sense to go threw the dealer first, but what if the dealer has issues? Under the Quada Fire system there's no check/balance against the dealer.

Hell I'd be better off buying 2 NC30's in the off season and dressing 'em up with gold trim...can't remember the last time I read of a complaint about an Englander.


----------



## WarmHouse (Dec 19, 2010)

Hogsniper, Any possibility of posting that Field Repair from Quadrafire (the one to repair the rear air channel crack dated 10-26-2007) here? That's one of the problems on my stove.


----------



## flueguyPA (Dec 20, 2010)

I've shared with Sniper that I went ahead and had the cracks in the stove welded and put the stove back into service. I didn't have time to play around with Quadrafire since it was cold and I wanted heat in the house. If the welds don't hold I might try drilling and plating the crack next. So far though the stove is working ok. It's clear that Quadrafire won't help their customers and if we want heat and we can't afford to throw the stove away we have to do something. I only wish Regency would come out with a stove that took 24 inch logs!

If someone wants to take it to a lawyer and has the patience to see it through they're welcome to the pictures I've posted here along with any info I can give them. If anyone knows how to put a notice on the web for anyone that has a problem with Quads and directs them to this site should give it a go.


----------



## WarmHouse (Dec 20, 2010)

Here are the pictures of cracks on my Quadrafire 5700 Step Top. The unit is 7 years old and I have used it conservatively. It has never been aggressively used or over-fired and I am certain of this fact.  It still looks good with the exception of the cracks. The pictures include the air channel crack in the very back and the cracked outer sides of the combustion chamber. (That is a flashlight shining on the air channel crack and not discoloration).  I inspect the inside of the chamber often and the inner crack developed in the last month or so. I did not have the notion to check behind the shields until reading here. Indeed, there are cracks on both sides. I would encourage people who have this stove to inspect the sides behind the shield... but there is a problem to easily inspect some newer models.

My other newer 5700 Quadrafire stove has its right and left shields welded so to inspect it is more complicated. One must remove the rear bolts and bend the shield back while inspecting with a flashlight. The cracks can be seen and felt if they are present. I wonder why Quadrafire made the change of welding the shields?

I should also add that the chimney and unit are cleaned each year and that I have only burned well-seasoned wood. I note that the Limited Lifetime Warranty has a maximum period of 10 years. I wonder what the useful life of a wood stove typically is?


----------



## flueguyPA (Dec 20, 2010)

My last stove was a Quad 3100 made in 1995; it still works good as new. That stove was made way before the present owners took over the company and put profits over quality. As a matter of fact I have almost completed the refinishing of the stove and it will be up for sale on Ebay soon. Looks almost as good as new.

From a guy who makes his living in the heating business I can tell you that I've seen good functioning stoves that were well over 15 years old and older.


----------



## WarmHouse (Dec 23, 2010)

I have been in contact with the dealer regarding my cracked Quadrafire 5700. He had me send several photos of the burn chamber and Quadrafire is decidedly covering it under warranty. Honestly speaking, the dealer has been quick and responsive so far. They are replacing the unit with a new one in about 10 days and I have to use the same door on my original unit. They are charging $100 to paint it the same custom color as my original, and $250 to install it and take away the old one. I think this is fair and in accordance with the written warranty I received. I will keep this group appraised of how things turn out.

Now some other interesting news: The newer Quadrafire 5700s (and maybe others too) have limiters that control the intensity of the burn. This apparently keeps the units from getting too hot and causing the cracking problems we have faced on this thread. Those brick tabs is what the manufacturer uses to determine if the units have been over-fired. "If they are eroded or gone the unit has been over-fired" according to the dealer. Seems to me, however,  that if a crack occurred or if a gasket failed, the unit may over-fire without the user even knowing or even having the ability of controlling the problem. Also, the manual states: "If the chimney connector or stove glows red or even worse, white, the stove is overfired." It says nothing about the the erosion of brick tabs which would be good for consumers to know. 

More later. Meanwhile, Merry Christmas to all, and to all a good night.
WarmHouse


----------



## begreen (Dec 23, 2010)

The tab erosion only indicates that there is an air leak nearby. It is not a sign of operator negligence from what I can see so far. 

Do you know how the new 5700 "limiters" work? Is there documentation on this change?


----------



## RonB (Dec 23, 2010)

BeGreen said:
			
		

> The tab erosion only indicates that there is an air leak nearby. It is not a sign of operator negligence from what I can see so far.
> 
> Do you know how the new 5700 "limiters" work? Is there documentation on this change?



I would surmise that the "limiters" that is being referred to is the new style, spring-wound, timed, start up air control know as the ACC (Automatic Combustion Control).  My 5700 does not have this control and there is a little metal triangle tag that hangs from the startup air control warning you not to leave it open longer than 15 minutes.  However, I am just guessing.  Perhaps there is another type of "limiter"?


----------



## WarmHouse (Dec 23, 2010)

The dealer told me that my other (2008/09 model. I have two) 5700 has the limiter. Based on that, I would bet that it is just limiting the amount of air that gets to the fire. Nothing spring loaded or anything like that.  I've noted that my other 5700 does not "blaze" quite like my first one. In the shop I have a longer run of chimney and I thought this was the cause. I now think it's the limiter. I would bet that the BTU output is lower too.


----------



## savageactor7 (Dec 23, 2010)

Kind if difficult to tell when a jacketed stove over fires. 

Formerly the old smoke dragons in high winds would glow red in spots, well OK then, you might close the damper or adjust the intake air. Newer jacketed stoves you have to be lucky and catch the thermometer...maybe. I don't think I've ever seen a warning number posted here.  

Personally I'd be more worried about replacing those expensive tubes on the top. I suppose cracks could have a plates welded over them on the inside. Sure that's a hassle and not enexpensive but it'll keep most users burning for another 5 years. What's a new stove cost?

Still its make you wonder about today's engineering/manufacturing when considering how hot the stoves of our parents coal generation burned.

I can't help but wonder about the interference format factor government regulations play into this esp when I'm cursing at E-10 or struggling with the newer "non-spill' gas caps etc. imo logic and common sense has been thrown out the window and comes back to haunt us in situations like this.

Manufacturing companies are loath to complain 'publicly' about regulatory problems because the pie faced college kid regulators come back with a vengeance...so they're intimidated in a manner of speaking.


----------



## timlynne (Dec 23, 2010)

About 5-6 years ago maybe a little longer I bought a 5700 for our hunting camp. It still does  great job heating about 2400 sq feet of uninsulated area. It is the older variety that had the two push in- push out levers in the front to control the airflow.  Last spring I bought one for my home.  This one is the acc style and was built in 2009.  I never used thermometers before this fall.  I noticed that my home stove even though it is a 5700 does not have the same size firebox as the camp stove.  When I get my initial blaze going on the home one my flue temp goes up to 1100 and the stove top get to 725-750.  That will level off at about 800 flue and 650 stove when it settles down with the air at about 1/5th to 1/4th.  The camp stove if I had it at that setting would not burn near that hot and has to be at least 1/2 to get that temp.   With many different guys running it I am afraid that we may be looking at a potential problem down the road with cracking as some guys think you just load it up and let er rip.  Another thing I have noticed is the newer one even at full throttle does not burn as hot as the older one.


----------



## burleymike (Dec 24, 2010)

HHT is owned by HNI maybe complaining to them will get a response.  You should also contact your state attorney general and file a complaint.  The squeaky wheel gets the grease.

http://www.hnicorp.com/index2.htm


----------



## Hog Sniper (Dec 24, 2010)

Heys guys just checking back in..I will post that field fix for you. Interesting that they are standing behind a stove!!?? The thing that started my warranty process was the missing tabs that hold the firebricks. Now that I found the cracks in the side I know why the tabs were burned off... The tabs that are missing are beside the cracks in the firebox...You would think that Quad may have a rep floating around on these boards to monitor problems........


----------



## flueguyPA (Dec 24, 2010)

Quadrafire doesn't think they have a problem with their stoves; They think the problem lies in the customer that operates the stove!

MERRY CHRISTMAS TO ALL!!


----------



## richg (Dec 26, 2010)

My 4300 step top is in its first year of use and this thread is scaring the crap out of me.


----------



## timlynne (Dec 26, 2010)

I'm not sure but I think the problem was more with their older stoves.


----------



## WarmHouse (Dec 31, 2010)

I must say that Quadrafire and the dealer stood behind my stove and reacted by what was listed in the printed warranty. They came out, replaced my cracked stove with a new one, and took away the old one. The old door was used on the replacement. The labor was not included in the warranty so I was charged $250 for the installation and another $100 for the custom paint, and sales tax.

I have got some initial observations that may be useful here. The new stove has what they are calling Advanced Combustion Control (ACC) which is different than the other 5700s I own. I don't know if this is a Quadrafire term or one from the EPA. I think this change occurred in 2009 soon after I purchased the one in the shop. It is a completely different animal and it behaves unlike my others. 

First of all it is smaller, about 1-1/2 inch shorter and a little narrower. The firebox is smaller and it is completely redesigned. I think you can put nearly the same length wood inside but not as much. There are no welded tabs to retain the bricks but instead steel buttons that loosely attach to a bracket retainer. There is an ash pan in the bottom with a very small exit crack for emptying into a box located on the belly of the unit. A lever on the left side opens the ash door. The air induction enters the firebox by way of a bottom manifold on either end. No more two tubes in the back and single port under the glass. The upper interior shelf where the insulation lies on top of the reburners has a frontward stainless steel baffle of some kind. The fiber insulation board is in two pieces rather than one. I noted that the collar where the stovepipe attaches is a thinner material but the actual steps/shelves seem to be the same thickness. The side jackets are solidly attached.

On the right side the controls are completely different. There is a nicely located upper lever with a short throw that dampens the airflow. On the lower right side there is a lever that is attached to a mechanical timer. When the knob is pulled back and placed in the center position it starts a timer that slowly dampens down the start-up air over the course of about 25 minutes.  It is funky and there is a quiet tick-tick-tick sound that comes from the rear of the unit.  It can be over-ridden manually. The instruction booklet reads that it is intended to take the "guess work" out of the start-up process.

Like any stove, there is a learning curve as man and machine "become one" so some of my thoughts may change. Compared to my other 5700s, I note the intensity of the blaze is sharply curtailed. The unit does crank out lots of heat but not as quickly as the other. It very well may be more efficient than my old one with or without her cracks. I also note that there seems to be less heat from the top shelf and more on the lower; lots radiating from the door. Right now it is 1 degree outdoors and 76 in the main room where the new stove is located.

Bottom line, I'm okay with the replacement and I think I was treated moderately well. I definitely was treated better than my last encounter having to do with the broken insulation board.  QF and the dealer this time were johnny on the spot. We love our wood heat and our warm house.


----------



## WarmHouse (Dec 31, 2010)

Hi RichG, 
Don't be fearful. I would just inspect the inside periodically and look for cracks in the air channel. For me, that's what clued me in to the other stuff. It also took 7 years for it to occur on my stove used daily during the cold season. Rest easy.


----------



## Hog Sniper (Jan 17, 2011)

Glad to hear you got your stove replaced. I sent you a PM with a quick question for you..


----------



## offroadaudio (Jan 17, 2011)

flueguyPA said:
			
		

> Hey, had to reregister because I forgot my old id but anyway....
> 
> It appears that Quadrafire has a problem with the 5700 models in that they are developing cracks along the back of the stove in the channel above the bricks. Just yesterday I was in the process of reconditioning a 5700 that I picked up from customer that was moving; I removed the side heat shields (3 screws on the back of each side) and found that BOTH SIDES of the stove were cracked through to the extent that you could actually see light inside the stove! This is probably 1/4 inch plate steel that is cracked around the weld where the channel that holds the air tubes is attached. I also see a couple tabs that hold the brick in are deteriorated also, similar to your situation.
> 
> ...



Mine did - 4100I with 32 feet of insulated double wall SS rigid liner - over-fired every time. I pulled the stove, cleaned it, took it apart, inspected every weld, seem, corner and connection and all was well. So I put a damper in the flue outlet of the stove and closed it about half way - re-installed stove. Nice controllable burns now - lower wood consumption.


----------



## WarmHouse (Jan 17, 2011)

The newer Quadrafire 5700s (current ACC model 12/10) does not get as hot as the old model, and it burns through wood faster. I do not believe that it is as efficient as the older ones that tend to crack, plus the firebox is smaller. It will not last through the night unattended like the old one did. The window soots up pretty fast too. Just my observations having dealt with three of these beasts.


----------



## timlynne (Jan 17, 2011)

I have both versions,  the older one at my camp and the new one in my house.  The new one is smaller, but I have no problem with the  window getting dirty nor do I have a problem with an overnight burn.   I can just add wood up to 10 hrs after last load and still it will have enough coals to ignite it.  If you look inside I think you will see a different design between the two.  The bracket holding the fire brick is different and the welding looks different inside.  For overall heat I think the older model was better  IMO


----------



## jtp10181 (Jan 18, 2011)

Hog, can you take some better pics of your stove. Specifically zoomed out more so I can see the full picture. I might be able to help get it resolved if it looks reasonable.


----------



## jtp10181 (Jan 18, 2011)

WarmHouse said:
			
		

> The newer Quadrafire 5700s (current ACC model 12/10) does not get as hot as the old model, and it burns through wood faster. I do not believe that it is as efficient as the older ones that tend to crack, plus the firebox is smaller. It will not last through the night unattended like the old one did. The window soots up pretty fast too. Just my observations having dealt with three of these beasts.



Might be a slight learning curve with the new air controls. Also make sure your startup is closy fully, I have seen a few where they get stuck partially open which would then burn the wood up faster. The glass should stay clean as long as the fire is burning nice and hot, with good wood. I assume you know this already though since you have other stoves.


----------



## rustynut (Apr 15, 2011)

You folks have told me of this problem a couple of times but today i ran across this post.
First i've seen of these pictures.
  It has been a while but this reminds me of a problem that i've seen in a Strengh of Material 
class that I had. It looks like "stress corrosion cracking". You can find info on the web regarding this condition.
It has to do with thermal expansion and the metal being locked down and not being able to expand and contract
as necessary from cold to max heat condition and the stresses involved. When expansion is restricted to a certain
point the metal will crack. "www.centralboiler.com/stainless.html" has a description of this in their ad for selling the
stainless model that they have available. sorry for posting that ad but it's pretty good info on this.
  It may be that the interior structure that is welded in could be locking the metal down to that point ?
  My 5700 has the sides welded on but i'll be looking close at cleaning time myself.
Hope this helps / food for thought anyway
rn


----------



## WarmHouse (Apr 16, 2011)

Hi RN, 
Good information and good idea to keep your eye on the condition of the metal. Little trick to easily check the condition with the welded sides.
WH


----------



## Country Chic 99027 (Sep 10, 2011)

My Quadra-Fire 3100 Step was purchased in 2001; the "Lifetime Warranty" on this stove did/does not have a time limitation (i.e., 10 years).  The technician cleaning my stove and stove pipe last week discovered the interior back wall of the stove is cracked.  I contacted the dealer (as the warranty instructs; NO contacting the company directly!); it was assumed I had a 10 year warranty on this stove, which I explained was not true.  Initially the dealer stated he thought Quadra-Fire has a repair kit for this problem (which leads me to believe it must be a common problem).  When the dealer called back he stated the manufacturer was giving me the following three choices:  1) have the crack welded; 2) file a claim; or, 3) purchase a new stove.  I opted to file a claim, which the dealer had to initiate on my behalf.  I was instructed to take photos of the crack, both inside walls of the stove, the front, top, back and each side of the stove, which I did and emailed to the dealer along with a copy of my "Lifetime Warranty."   I received a call the next day that my claim had been denied; the reason stated was that, from the pictures, Quadra-Fire determined I had used the stove without the firebrick in place on the back.  Taking a photo of the back wall crack necessitated my removing the firebrick--what a joke!!  So much for the "Lifetime Warranty!!" 

I've moved forward and had the crack welded ($146.00), but I have also filed a complaint with the Washington State Attorney General's Office.  Product safety should be of concern to them.  I believe should this agency receive enough of these complaints, they are in the best position to seek remedy to the problem.

I encourage everyone with the problem of cracked stove metal in their Quadra-Fire wood stove to also file a complaint with the WA ATG's office.  This can be accomplished online at the following web address:  https://fortress.wa.gov/atg/formhandler/ago/ComplaintForm.aspx

Since Quadra-Fire stoves are built in Colville, WA, this ATG office can accept complaints from anyone in any state.


----------



## flueguyPA (Sep 11, 2011)

You're kidding right? Please tell me you didn't give up that easy. There is no way I'd pay the amount of money that these stoves cost and not expect them to stand behind the warranty. You have all of these comments and pics here to help you; dig in and fight a little bit, they should be fixing your stove or giving you a new one.


----------



## WarmHouse (Sep 11, 2011)

I dealt with Falcos in Spokane and they were very helpful. You might try giving them a call. Other considerations would be all the posts here and offering them to the AGO. Of course if the unit was fired without the brick (they can tell) you might be getting off cheap at $146. A product liability attorney is another expensive road you can take. The BBB yet another avenue.


----------



## BrotherBart (Sep 11, 2011)

File it in small claims court. The fact that you had to take the bricks out to take the pics will make the judge smile and make them look like idiots.


----------



## Country Chic 99027 (Oct 12, 2011)

My previous post is #49, and this post is the update to my reported problem with my Quadra-Fire 3100 Step wood stove.  As I reported earlier, my claim filed through the dealer regarding the rear firebox metal crack was denied.  I resorted to one of the other three remedies suggested by the manufacturer:  having the crack welded.  But, I didnâ€™t stop there--I filed a complaint with the Washington State Attorney General's Office (https://fortress.wa.gov/atg/formhandler/ago/ComplaintForm.aspx).  Less than a week after filing that complaint I received a call from a Home & Hearth Technologies (HHT) manager regarding the letter he received from the WA AGâ€™s office.  I answered his questions regarding stove model, etc. and he advised he would be investigating my claim/complaint.  A little over a week later the same manager called to say HHT would be providing me with a new stove, and they would also cover the fee to be charged by the dealer to remove the old stove and install the new one.  The new stove was installed yesterday, and I have to say, it is a much different stove than my original--ash removal pan is included, and also an air control timer system--they did use the door from my original stove, but everything else is new.

Needless to say, I am very pleased with this outcome.  I give total credit for this result to the Washington State Attorney Generalâ€™s Office complaint process.  I canâ€™t guarantee this process will work for everyone (HHT did acknowledge that my original ownerâ€™s manual was deficient in providing maintenance information regarding the firebrick, and there was no time period limitation on my â€œLifetime Warrantyâ€ as there is now), but I do suggest following up with the WA AGâ€™s office should an initial stove defect claim be denied by the manufacturer.  

Thank you fellow posters for your support and information--most helpful!!


----------



## ohlongarm (Oct 12, 2011)

I had the same problem a little over a year ago with my 5700,Quad told me the same song and dance,BUT they did have me submit photos of the interior of my stove,and the sides under the heat shields which cracked. After seeing my photos taken by the stove shop where it was purchased my Quad 5700 was replaced in it's entirety including labor at no charge to me,however I was unaware that Quad had modified the air system and made the firebox smaller. The new Quad did not put out the same as the old,got rid of it after a month,replaced it with a Buck 94,got rid of it after a month and got a BKULTRA,still have it, only burned it a month this spring,we'll see how it does. In this case Quadrafire did stand 100% behind their product,but when something works well why change ?PS mine ate up bricks like candy,I ran it hot at times 700 degrees,but the manufacturer should build a product knowing some will test it's limits. Good luck.


----------

