# Yup I think the woodstove I got is too big



## Wyld Bill (Dec 18, 2011)

SOme of you may have seen my posts on the VC Defient I scored for cheap then rebuilt. Well I was a little worried it may be too many BTUs for our 28x54 ranch. Well I think I was right. We have had a VERY mild early Winter & this thing is using more wood than the old beat up Encore used in 10 degree & lower weather & is making the house 75 to 80 degrees even on low heat output. It's kind of a bummer because I widened my hearth for this stove & I love the stove but I think it is just plain too big. I can sell it & make money off it though. Look like I'll be looking for another ENcore or something similar is size.


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## HotCoals (Dec 18, 2011)

Can you keep the flames under control or no?


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## Wyld Bill (Dec 18, 2011)

HotCoals said:
			
		

> Can you keep the flames under control or no?


Well you know how it works with woodstove,...if I let it die down & not keep it full & throttle it down enough it won't overheat the house but then my flue temps are way too low. With my old stove ti was always running nice high flue temps just to keep the house warm to the chimney never creosoted/sooted up.


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## HotCoals (Dec 18, 2011)

You really don't need high flue temps with epa stoves..but check your flue anyway.
You have burn tubes right?


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## Wyld Bill (Dec 18, 2011)

HotCoals said:
			
		

> You really don't need high flue temps with epa stoves..but check your flue anyway.
> You have burn tubes right?


No burn tubes just a "maze" that the flue gases go through & reburn when you switch it over.


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## SpeakEasy (Dec 18, 2011)

Wyld Bill said:
			
		

> SOme of you may have seen my posts on the VC Defient I scored for cheap then rebuilt. Well I was a little worried it may be too many BTUs for our 28x54 ranch. Well I think I was right. We have had a VERY mild early Winter & this thing is using more wood than the old beat up Encore used in 10 degree & lower weather & is making the house 75 to 80 degrees even on low heat output. It's kind of a bummer because I widened my hearth for this stove & I love the stove but I think it is just plain too big. I can sell it & make money off it though. Look like I'll be looking for another ENcore or something similar is size.



You're going to need a bigger house! Add on!

-Speak


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## NH_Wood (Dec 18, 2011)

Small splits and fewer of them for shorter, hot fires. Wait till you need the full power of the stove. I'd keep it and experiment with different burning techniques - at least for a full season and perhaps two seasons. Cheers!


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## weatherguy (Dec 18, 2011)

If your stove is catalytic you can turn it way down and let it burn nice and slow, dont worry about your flue temps.


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## Wyld Bill (Dec 19, 2011)

NH_Wood said:
			
		

> Small splits and fewer of them for shorter, hot fires. Wait till you need the full power of the stove. I'd keep it and experiment with different burning techniques - at least for a full season and perhaps two seasons. Cheers!


Yeah been trying to resist the temptation to add more wood when it gets burned down to like two logs left. I'm gonna play with it for this year. It just kind of makes sense, if this is the largest stove VC makes & I have a relitivly small house with a lot of insulation, good doors & windows, etc. then it is most likely too big for my house.


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## FGZ (Dec 19, 2011)

Hey Bill! Long time no see, hope things are well for ya.

Interested to hear how this works out for you, I have a smaller house and nearly bought a stove that I now know would have been too small. Thankfully the sales person talked me into the bigger one I have. But I've wondered now and then the usual "what ifs" like what if I got that bigger insert.  Would I get a better overnight burn or would I use too much wood and run us all out of the overheated house?


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## madison (Dec 19, 2011)

Well you would be the a one of the "one percent" who complain about a stove too large.  Experiment with smaller loads,  possibly don't obsess with comparing the flue temps with a previous unit, oh,  and wait for winter,  december 21st is just a couple days away....


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## cmonSTART (Dec 19, 2011)

I agree with madison.  Wait until the middle of January and make your decision.  The Defiant is a HUGE stove.  Just try smaller/shorter fires when it's not too cold out.


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## HotCoals (Dec 19, 2011)

I like the add on to the house advice..lol.


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## remkel (Dec 19, 2011)

People have mentioned smaller fires, with which I agree. You can burn small fires with the damper open, yes, a lot of heat going up the chimney, but it may make it a little more bearable during the warmer shoulder season. My father has the Defiant in his house and on those evenings when we just wanted to take the chill out of the air that is how we ran it. Just be certain not to overload that thing with the damper open as it will take off heatwise.


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## SlyFerret (Dec 19, 2011)

You can experiment with load frequency, load size, split size, and type of wood.  These really are the variables we can control to manage heat output in an oversized stove.

-SF


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## Mrs. Krabappel (Dec 19, 2011)

pfffft.   ;-)


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## WoodpileOCD (Dec 19, 2011)

SpeakEasy said:
			
		

> Wyld Bill said:
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Yea, just another of the hidden expenses associated with heating with wood.  You know, chain saw, splitter, truck, bigger house..   ;-)


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## remkel (Dec 19, 2011)

~*~Kathleen~*~ said:
			
		

> pfffft.   ;-)



Once again, great advice. Short, sweet and to the point. Never knew how much a line of consonants could communicate so much.


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## Backwoods Savage (Dec 19, 2011)

Tough problem to have. Stove too big! Hum.....  Don't fill it and less heat comes from it. Burn good fuel and no problems with chimney. Save dollars by keeping what you have.


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## Lumber-Jack (Dec 19, 2011)

I have seen people put an extra layer of fire bricks in the fire box to reduce the internal capacity. Might be something to consider trying if you find a problem with little fires in a big box.


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## Wyld Bill (Dec 20, 2011)

Thanks for all the great advice guys. I've talked to my wife & we have infact decided to just add onto the house. So after Christmas we are going to be starting on a 30x50 addition that with hold my collection of rare antique toilet plungers.

Just kiding haha... yeah gonna try it for this season. I may try the fire brick idea that sounds good & will help hold the heat when the fire dies down.


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## HotCoals (Dec 20, 2011)

Carbon_Liberator said:
			
		

> I have seen people put an extra layer of fire bricks in the fire box to reduce the internal capacity. Might be something to consider trying if you find a problem with little fires in a big box.


Ding..ding..ding..we have a winner..lol.


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## barn burner (Dec 20, 2011)

Carbon_Liberator said:
			
		

> I have seen people put an extra layer of fire bricks in the fire box to reduce the internal capacity. Might be something to consider trying if you find a problem with little fires in a big box.



I'm quite curious about this and have read a few past threads on the topic. But How does one add the firebrick?  To the bottom only? Sides only? or bottom and sides? I would like to try this, particularly in the shoulder season.


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## HotCoals (Dec 20, 2011)

barn burner said:
			
		

> Carbon_Liberator said:
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I would guess any and all of the above...I just know people have done it with good results.
They tell me it helps hold the heat in the wee hours also.


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## firefighterjake (Dec 20, 2011)

Wild Bill . . . nothing much to add . . . other than to say that this has been an usually warm Fall with only a few notable days of very cold weather . . . I would definitely run this stove all winter long before giving up on it . . . and as mentioned you can try adding the firebrick if things still are too warm.


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## Wyld Bill (Dec 23, 2011)

Ok it has been mild again & we are doing better with the stove. I guess I was quite worried about building creosote with low flue temps but you guys don't seem to see that as a problem. So what I have been doing is getting the stove going really good, get about 1" to 2" of hot coals, then keep two to three sticks of wood on the coals with the air adjustment 80% to 100% closed. House is comfortable even with 40 degrees outdoor temps.


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## eujamfh (Dec 24, 2011)

Sounds as if you are getting a handle on it.  I would vote like the others - play with it for a season if not two.  Once to temp, with the cat you can choke it to near nothing so long as the cat is engaged...and with good wood, there will be near zero creosote.  OUr big Buck 91 heated us out in the shoulder season until we learned how to tweak it and when to light it off...happy holidays!


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## HotCoals (Dec 24, 2011)

Wyld Bill said:
			
		

> Ok it has been mild again & we are doing better with the stove. I guess I was quite worried about building creosote with low flue temps but you guys don't seem to see that as a problem. So what I have been doing is getting the stove going really good, get about 1" to 2" of hot coals, then keep two to three sticks of wood on the coals with the air adjustment 80% to 100% closed. House is comfortable even with 40 degrees outdoor temps.


Can you get it to heat without any visible flame to speak of?
Sounds to me you are getting on track. Cheers!


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## firefighterjake (Dec 24, 2011)

So now that the temps are in the low to mid teens Bill how is the stove working out?


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