1996 Fireview 201 observations and question

[Sawdustmaker]

Hi folks, long time lurker, first time poster.
Almost a month ago I purchased a '96 fireview 201. I used this site to help determine that it is a well -regarded stove and company. The previous owner had just replaced the baffle and touched up the paint.
After some minor fixes (replacing gaskets and installing a combuster) the stove is a reliable heat giver and I'm impressed with how little wood it goes through and how it holds onto substantial coals overnight. However... previous posts about similar stoves tell of stove top temps reaching 600-700F and 500's being the norm. The highest I've seen on mine is 450 and that is with the wind howling and outside temps in the 20's. I've read the posts describing the best use practices, and I've peaked at the combuster glowing red so I know it's working. The space I'm heating is well within reason (under 1000 Sq ft) but it's not well insulated and I am hoping to squeeze out more heat from the unit.
Full disclosure, I'm burning ash at various stages of curing. Absolutely nothing green, but the majority has spent 2.5 years in long log form and for health reasons I've only recently been able to start sawing and splitting. Not ideal, but it is my current situation.
So here's the question: do the grizzled veterans of fireview operations think the wood is the reason why I'm not reaching reported performance for this stove? I should add that I've burned wood for decades using the same chimney rig hooked up to a VC encore non catalytic. Flexible SS liner in a masonry chimney. I just removed the old stove and replaced it with the Woodstock, plug and play.
Thanks for your expertise!

 

[begreen]

It could be that the wood is not dry in the core. And rounds often burn slower. Try adding some 2x4 cutoffs to the mix in the next load.

 

[EatenByLimestone]

It sounds like wood might be the issue, but the chimney might be also. How tall? Diameter? Insulated?

It could just be learning curve with the new stove too.

 

[Sawdustmaker]

It sounds like wood might be the issue, but the chimney might be also. How tall? Diameter? Insulated?

It could just be learning curve with the new stove too.

Brick chimney, double flu. Flexible stainless steel pipe runs down the appropriate flu from the top. It has got to be 7 or 8" in diameter as there is a reducer at the union with the stove pipe clean-out T... and that's 6". Actual chimney is lined with orange masonry. The flexible SS piping is not insulated and is about 15' in length. Other flu runs to a fire place in basement. The draw up the pipe is powerful. When I open the stove door vents all the way, you can hear the air whooshing in. I once had a garbage bag get sucked up through the top and onto the roof when I was preparing to sweep the chimney. And that was with a cold chimney. The draw obviously increases when it's colder out or when the wind hits it right.
Typical morning ritual is to open CAT bypass, open door vents, gently rake coals and load with starter material with some larger on top. Within about 30 minutes the stove top temp reads about 300F. Engage CAT. Watch flames and adjust for vent until flames are present but diminished. I get the dancing flames / plasma effect pretty quickly but temp stays around 400.

 

[Sawdustmaker]

It could be that the wood is not dry in the core. And rounds often burn slower. Try adding some 2x4 cutoffs to the mix in the next load.

My smaller rounds are the best cured of what I have and I have the best results just using them. The majority of my wood is split from large rounds cut from logs that have been mostly off the ground for 2.5 years... but again, just recently cut and split. I guess the wood is probably contributing, if not being the major reason I'm experiencing lackluster performance. I'm talking myself into it the more I think about it.

 

[Sawdustmaker]

I guess I'm looking for reassurance that I didn't buy a dud or that I'm missing something... I've followed the seams around with a lighter. That resulted in the top lid gasket replacement. The CAT is not from Woodstock as they have them back ordered. I wrapped the appropriate insulating material around the two smaller ones I used as a replacement (ceramic), and it did expand and fill the gaps around it. Like I mentioned before, I've snuck a peak more than a couple times to make sure it is glowing, so that seems to work. The combuster housing appears to be snug against the baffle... draw seems good... I've read the posts describing how to operate it effectively.
Is this 30 year old stove too old to hunt?

 

[EatenByLimestone]

I think I’d try different wood before I blamed the stove. Pressed sawdust logs are probably hard to find now. I think I’d buy a couple 2x4s or a bag of grocery store kiln dried and try that.

 

[begreen]

The Fireview is a pretty easy breather, much better than the Encore NC so draft is not the issue. The cat may be restrictive, but I would try adding some known dry wood like 2x4 cutoffs to test before focusing on the cat.

 

[Sawdustmaker]

I appreciate the responses - I'll try the 2x4 cutoffs and report back

 

[Todd]

How big and how many splits or rounds are you loading into the firebox? Smaller splits will burn hotter than larger ones.

Another thing about this stove is the stove top temps don’t always tell you what’s going on. You could have a black box burn going with a stove top of 700 and the rest of the stove is relatively cooler. Then you could have a nice flame going with a 500 degree stove top with the rest of the stove just as hot. If you want more heat you want some flame in the box but not so much that the heat mostly goes up the chimney. Flue thermometer is a good tool to gauge this.

This stove takes some getting used to and it could be a variation of wet wood and or just trial and error learning the stove.

 

[Sawdustmaker]

Ok so I gave it a shot this morning. Cold start, paper and cut offs, with a medium sized chunk of ash on top. Cat engaged at about 275 stove top temp. Very pretty flames, combuster glowing... max stove top temp reached 425. On a hunch I grabbed my extra thermometer from the basement and it reads nearly 600 (). I'll grab another thermometer from town this morning to verify but chalk my concerns up to faulty equipment... luckily inexpensive equipment. Much thanks for the replies and ideas 👍👍

 

[Todd]

Ha, good deal, easy fix!

 

[Sawdustmaker]

Ha, good deal, easy fix!

No doubt! I'm happy to see that this old stove has some life left to it! And my regular splits and rounds are probably performing ok.

 

[begreen]

This is why I don't have any cheap thermometers. Get a decent one from Condar or a Reotemp.

 

[Todd]

I’ve surprisingly found this Reotemp gauge very accurate on my Fireview but it was 75-100 off on my cast iron stoves?

 

[EatenByLimestone]

Off in which direction?

 

[Todd]

Off in which direction?

On the cooler side

 

[begreen]

That's odd, Not sure what is going on. Mine reads pretty close to dead on on the steel stove top. Verified with the IR thermometer.

 

[EatenByLimestone]

Could the stone not be the same temp as the steel? Steel would be a conductor, stone would be an insulator.

 

[Sawdustmaker]

The new one I bought (center) more or less agrees with my backup (top). Initially it was reading a lower temp but after some time it ended up reading the same. The old one (bottom) pretty much topped out at that same 450 reading I've been getting. Consensus wins for now but I can see why folks want accuracy when running this type of stove. It has made a difference in how I run it 👍👍

 

[Sawdustmaker]

Photo

 

[Todd]

I also use an IR gun to check temps all over the stove. There’s quite a bit of difference just inches away from one spot to the next. I’ve seen my loading door as high as 800 while the center stove top can be around 500.

Mostly though I use my internal pipe temp about 20” above the stove to tell me when to engage the cat. Once at 500 I engage and always have good light off. Looks like your venting into a fireplace so it may be difficult to get a thermometer in there?

 

[Sawdustmaker]

I also use an IR gun to check temps all over the stove. There’s quite a bit of difference just inches away from one spot to the next. I’ve seen my loading door as high as 800 while the center stove top can be around 500.

Mostly though I use my internal pipe temp about 20” above the stove to tell me when to engage the cat. Once at 500 I engage and always have good light off. Looks like your venting into a fireplace so it may be difficult to get a thermometer in there?

Agreed - something I'll think about if I end up needing that info but I think at this point I'll rely on the new one to get me ballpark info and I'll eventually search out a better one. A few months of experience operating this stove will also help. Just knowing I'm running at expected temps makes me feel good about the purchase, my operating procedure, and my wood pile. It's my first catalytic stove and I'm impressed! Crazy how well it holds heat as well as a coal bed. It's a looker too.