2017/2018 VC owners thread
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Yup, the old upper fireback was taken out two weeks ago and I just checked, it looks identical to the new fireback. It has rope gasket alone each side which continues for 3-4 inches along the bottom. I still don't see any place to put a bead of cement "along the left and right sides".
I have just finished removing the old cement along the groove on the underside of the top. This would have been a lot easier without the new refractory and fireback already installed, but I must admit that upon re-reading the instructions for the thirteenth time, they do say to do this before beginning to install the new parts.
Given that the installation instructions DO NOT say to put a bead of cement in the groove on the underside of the top of the stove, AND they do say to put a bead on the left and right sides of the upper fireback (where?), I can only assume that the instructions are literally incorrect. I find this very hard to believe, but can't come up with any other option.
Now to spend a few minutes pondering if trying to put a bead of cement on the top edge of the upper fireback (and having it stay there) is easier than trying to put a bead into the groove in the underside of the top. Perhaps a few practice placements will reveal if I have a chance of putting the upper fireback in (with the bead on top of the UFB) and not smearing the cement before it goes into place.
I have just finished removing the old cement along the groove on the underside of the top. This would have been a lot easier without the new refractory and fireback already installed, but I must admit that upon re-reading the instructions for the thirteenth time, they do say to do this before beginning to install the new parts.
Given that the installation instructions DO NOT say to put a bead of cement in the groove on the underside of the top of the stove, AND they do say to put a bead on the left and right sides of the upper fireback (where?), I can only assume that the instructions are literally incorrect. I find this very hard to believe, but can't come up with any other option.
Now to spend a few minutes pondering if trying to put a bead of cement on the top edge of the upper fireback (and having it stay there) is easier than trying to put a bead into the groove in the underside of the top. Perhaps a few practice placements will reveal if I have a chance of putting the upper fireback in (with the bead on top of the UFB) and not smearing the cement before it goes into place.
RandyBoBandy
Minister of Fire
Reckless
Feeling the Heat
I was very lucky finding this little gem
https://www.plumbersstock.com/vermont-castings.html
If you know exact part numbers it makes it even easier. When I did my complete rebuild their prices could not be beat. Enjoy.
Reckless
Feeling the Heat
Not sure if this is may find this useful but Jeremy had a great write up on a rebuild he did. You may be reading instructions for a different model it sounds like..... Ask questions as there are a few of us who have done complete tear downs at this point.
https://www.hearth.com/talk/threads/encore-2550-rebuild-start-to-finish.112149/
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Reckless
Feeling the Heat
First fire of the year last night! Got down to 10F here mid NY. Looks like it may be the last fire too for at least a week 40-50 all week here way to warm for my encore. Going to sweep the chimney and put in the 6" liner I bought just because this thing is way too easy to operate at this point and miss the challenge of trying to figure it out [emoji23][emoji23][emoji23] stay warm brothers
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RandyBoBandy
Minister of Fire
RandyBoBandy
Minister of Fire
Reckless
Feeling the Heat
I got lower fireback , refractory ($40 at the time and was tempted to buy them out and flip them wish I would have), cat hood, the whole rear casting ( mine had a crack near the flue exit) and a 6" round flue collar instead of the stupid oval one. I still need a primary air handle but for the $30 may just make one myself. Good luck with your rebuild.
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Greetings all from northern NH. Haven't posted or read in quite a while as life as a ski racing dad has taken up most of my winters. I enjoyed and benefited from the collective wisdom of these forums as a new burner and looking forward to rejoining.
Winter arrived Thursday at 3:00 am with a thunder storm. I spent the day Friday cleaning out my Encore non-cat and fired it up after changing out the gasket on the top load door. Temps have been in the teens that past few days and the snow guns are running. Got some nice maple and beech in the garage and ready for winter.
Best to all.
Winter arrived Thursday at 3:00 am with a thunder storm. I spent the day Friday cleaning out my Encore non-cat and fired it up after changing out the gasket on the top load door. Temps have been in the teens that past few days and the snow guns are running. Got some nice maple and beech in the garage and ready for winter.
Best to all.
Mike, we missed the t storms way down in the Mt. Washington Valley, but winter did seem to happen overnight! Been running the old Defiant IIi non stop since last week. Bear Notch road is now closed if you're wondering. Everyone else is.
I'm slowly getting my issues sorted out one by one.
- My wood is showing 12-14% moisture. Seems good.
- I replaced the leaking gasket on the door glass, and also the griddle, which was pretty used up.
- Chimney is cleaned. It was pretty clean to begin with.
- Installed a cat probe.
The stove still doesn't seem like it's working that great. Getting a good secondary burn going takes way more messing around then it should. The cat temp rarely gets out of the 800-1000 range. I'm thinking replacing the bypass gasket is my next step to try. When the bypass is closed it seems like I still get a fair amount of flame reaching up to the top of the stove. If the bypass gasket is leaking could that be killing the draft through my secondary? What's the best way to get at that bypass gasket to replace it? Is there a way to do it through the front of the stove? Or do I need to take the flue collar off and do it from the back?
- My wood is showing 12-14% moisture. Seems good.
- I replaced the leaking gasket on the door glass, and also the griddle, which was pretty used up.
- Chimney is cleaned. It was pretty clean to begin with.
- Installed a cat probe.
The stove still doesn't seem like it's working that great. Getting a good secondary burn going takes way more messing around then it should. The cat temp rarely gets out of the 800-1000 range. I'm thinking replacing the bypass gasket is my next step to try. When the bypass is closed it seems like I still get a fair amount of flame reaching up to the top of the stove. If the bypass gasket is leaking could that be killing the draft through my secondary? What's the best way to get at that bypass gasket to replace it? Is there a way to do it through the front of the stove? Or do I need to take the flue collar off and do it from the back?
Thanks for the reply. The instructions I'm reading came in the rebuild kit for my stove and the diagrams inside match my stove exactly (including showing the correct refractory assembly), so I'm pretty sure they are the correct instructions. Ones with perhaps an incorrect step and missing a step that would seem to be necessary.
FWIW, the stove has been completely put back together, sat for 24 hours before I started a multi-day process of building small fires. Now, a week later, it is cruising along at 500° and heating my home again.
Reckless
Feeling the Heat
What's the pipe thermometer reading? My magnet therm with cat engaged cruising at 12-1400 reads around 3-400ish. If you don't have one, get one! In my opinion this stove needs two magnet therms (stove top and pipe) and a digital probe to operate correctly and even then it's a PIA [emoji23][emoji23]
Stove top inst as crutial, but it gives me an idea of the heat im putting into the room.
Take out the whole assembly is the easiest way to gasket it but not the easiest way to do it..... Pros and cons to both methods. Removing the flue collar is easy but can be tricky to get the old cement out and the new gasket cement in. You will also need to use some clamps as you work to hold it in place. Either way when finished I used paper inbetween and closed the bypass for it to cure. I say pull the full bypass and regasket everything (both walls and lower fireback for a 2500) good luck
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Hi, I'm new to the forum.
I have a 2040 Flexburn. I'm planning to buy the Auber AT 100 to monitor my CAT temp but I don't know which thermocouple to buy with it. Can someone post a link to the appropriate one.
Thanks.
Your wood might be too dry, or you just aren't getting enough draft. You should be able to bring the flame almost down to coals and still have the cat lighting off. is this not possible?
RandyBoBandy
Minister of Fire
Reckless
Feeling the Heat
Too dry? Is that possible?
With bypass engaged and primary open fully 90% of flames should be going into the throat of the cat and probe temps should climb not stall. Poor draft, leak or damaged cat would be my guess.
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RandyBoBandy
Minister of Fire
I think your wood is fine. You are going to want a flue thermometer and a griddle top thermometer. I have less than desirable draft and can still hit 1400 on the cat. What I do on a fresh reload is let my flue temps reach the danger zone (roughly 500* It's where the safe zone meets the red zone). Doing this my GT is usually between 500 and 600 degrees. Engage damper and I'm off. I will leave primary wide open until cat registers 900 degrees then in small increments start to close primary. With these milder temps it can take a little while to get cruising. Having a 3' horizontal section of pipe and a 90 degree is probably not doing you any favors. Try a couple different burning techniques before you go ripping the upper fire back and damper assembly out.
RandyBoBandy
Minister of Fire
You flue temp will probably run a little lower than 300-400ish. My flue temps are usually locked in at 275-325 when cruising (short stack). Reckless has insane draft that's probably why his flue temps are where they are.
According to the manual it is. Curious if he can kill the flames with the air control.
Reckless
Feeling the Heat
What are you trying to say?!?!?
My 30' center mass chimney is like a wind tunnel.Come to think of it I do have a different therm on the stack and it is a little on the high side so you're probably correct.
I can engage around 4-450 on the same flue therm and get the cat to take off, I dont even pay attn to GT until Im cruising. I dont start closing down until about 1020 and have it half air by 1200. As always YMMV
I have a magnetic thermometer on the flue, an IR gun, and a probe for the cat
With the bypass closed (cat mode), typically the stove top will be about 500 at a little over 1/2 air setting. The cat probe is reading about 800, and the flue is about 300-325. I can kill the flames with the air control. When the stove is cold, the air intake damper is fully closed when the air control is shut all the way down. When the stove is hot, the air damper seems to fully close with the control at a little less then half way open. I assume this is the way the thermostat control is supposed to work?
How do you all stack your wood in the firebox? Is there a trick to it? Should the coals be raked forward? backward? evenly spread out? Do you keep wood against the back where the secondary air needs to flow, or try to leave that open? Or does it not matter?
With the bypass closed (cat mode), typically the stove top will be about 500 at a little over 1/2 air setting. The cat probe is reading about 800, and the flue is about 300-325. I can kill the flames with the air control. When the stove is cold, the air intake damper is fully closed when the air control is shut all the way down. When the stove is hot, the air damper seems to fully close with the control at a little less then half way open. I assume this is the way the thermostat control is supposed to work?
How do you all stack your wood in the firebox? Is there a trick to it? Should the coals be raked forward? backward? evenly spread out? Do you keep wood against the back where the secondary air needs to flow, or try to leave that open? Or does it not matter?
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