2018/19 VC Owners Thread

[Kevin Weis]

Why are we drilling a 4mm hole here. The Encore Flexburn already has the hole drilled in the back for they're probe supplied with the stove when new. Is the probe being installed a different size then the VC probe. Am I missing something here? Kevin

 

[Woody Stover]

We're debating between the VC Montpellier and a Enviro Cabello 1700. The figures given for BTU's are drastically different but as a first time stove user, these numbers mean little to me. (VC Montpellier = 58000, Cabello 1700 = 74000). The Cabello is rated for a 3000 sq.ft. space, which could be overkill.

You may want to start your own thread, since we are bringing stoves other than VC into the equation. You could copy and paste some of the info you've already supplied here, over to the new thread.
3000 sq. ft. seems like a stretch for a 2.5 cu.ft. stove...unless you're living in Arkansas. I wouldn't put too much stock in those "max output" numbers that you see on manufacturers' websites; Who knows how they come up with some of those?
I see that the EPA high-output numbers for the 1700 are actually lower than those for the 1200. That could be a difference in stove construction, a fluke test run, or who knows what? Conventional wisdom holds that the bigger the box, the more heat you get, other things being equal. But I don't think they are equal in most cases (cat vs. secondary burn, interior construction, etc.) so it may be like comparing apples to oranges. For sure, with a larger firebox the stove will run longer at a high-output level. In a smaller box, if you keep throwing more wood in to keep output up, you soon have a stove full of coals, with no room for more wood until you deal with them.
Again, the numbers do apply to the stoves I've run, and to feedback I've seen from some other members who have run multiple stoves.

 

[Woody Stover]

Why are we drilling a 4mm hole here. The Encore Flexburn already has the hole drilled in the back for they're probe supplied with the stove when new. Is the probe being installed a different size then the VC probe. Am I missing something here? Kevin

Yes, the hole is in the stove, but I think they are drilling through the refractory with a drill bit held in the fingers. Post #116 is what I saw just now, going back a couple pages.

 

[RandyBoBandy]

Why are we drilling a 4mm hole here. The Encore Flexburn already has the hole drilled in the back for they're probe supplied with the stove when new. Is the probe being installed a different size then the VC probe. Am I missing something here? Kevin

My encore is old and did not come with a probe so I hand to drill a hole in the refractory box (the back casting was pre drilled). If your stove came with a probe I would assume pull it out and replace with the Auber Instruments if you desire a digital probe.

 

[Kevin Weis]

Okay, I got it now. By all means drill away. Kevin

 

[nunyabinis]

I've read posts that say the new Encore Flexburn doesn't seem to heat as well as the older Encores. I looked up the official EPA numbers. My old Encore 2190 built in 1994 is listed at 41,700 BTUs. The new Encore Flexburn 2040 is listed at 34,000 BTUs.

Also of note is that the older Defiant is listed at 44,400 BTUs and the new Defiant Flexburn is listed at the same BTU as the new Encore Flexburn (34,000 BTU).

Does anyone know why that is?

I had planned to purchase a new Defiant since I've expanded my house and put the old Encore in my barn, however, if the new Flexburns put out less heat I may just have to rebuild my old Encore and keep it in the house.

Thoughts?

 

[SculptureOfSound]

Just fyi for anyone interested, I put some stainless foil in 2 of the 4 tubes (the middle two) on my montpelier,reducing the air through them maybe 30% each, and it gave me much more control of the fire when turning down.

Still would like a bit more control so will be doing the same to the other two tubes and see how that fares.

 

[Dobish]

i have been slacking off and haven't brought up wood for a few days, so I figured I would get through my small pile of kindling that has been piled up by the door for a while. I loaded up the stove with the kindling and smaller chunks. Mostly cherry, apple, elm, and walnut pieces roughly 1/2" to 2" diameter.

Man those burn hot! My stove pipe jumped to 600 pretty quick! I reloaded around 11pm, and i still had a big pile of coals this morning at 7:30am...

 

[Kevin Weis]

Surprised you didn't get some puff back from all that gasser wood. Must have a hell of a draft. Kevin

 

[Dobish]

Surprised you didn't get some puff back from all that gasser wood. Must have a hell of a draft. Kevin

I was too. Draft was pretty good last night. Cat temps topped out at around 1100º.

 

[Woody Stover]

I put some stainless foil in 2 of the 4 tubes

So what is holding them in place when the tubes expand from heat? Are they pretty big wads of foil, extending for inches inside the tubes, that have a lot of friction against the walls? I guess you would be able to tell if they moved..bigger flames coming from holes that were before the foil.

 

[CTwith3]

FYI: the new access panel for the Encore is now about 25% thicker. Maybe they got tired of replacing them under warranty?

 

[RandyBoBandy]

Just fyi for anyone interested, I put some stainless foil in 2 of the 4 tubes (the middle two) on my montpelier,reducing the air through them maybe 30% each, and it gave me much more control of the fire when turning down.

Still would like a bit more control so will be doing the same to the other two tubes and see how that fares.

I disconnected my secondary air shutter and left It fully closed. The stove is way more controllable now and the cat actually stays active much longer

 

[frased]

Does it take a long time for the flue temperature to catch up with the griddle temperature?

Granted this is a fresh 30 minute small break in fire.

Just wondering if the flue gauge is accurate.

I am running an 8” chimney

 

[frased]

Does it take a long time for the flue temperature to catch up with the griddle temperature?

Granted this is a fresh 30 minute small break in fire.

Just wondering if the flue gauge is accurate.

I am running an 8” chimney

Update things are evening out more...

 

[SculptureOfSound]

So what is holding them in place when the tubes expand from heat? Are they pretty big wads of foil, extending for inches inside the tubes, that have a lot of friction against the walls? I guess you would be able to tell if they moved..bigger flames coming from holes that were before the foil.

Just wads in each end of the tube (can't tell what direction the air is coming from on the tubes, I think it is different for every otheer tube). I'm not sure if the foil would expand too. All I know is that it has helped some.

For some reason my draft is really strong with only 17 feet of pipe, I think it has to do with a line of tall bushes that is right at the height of the stack, I think air moving over them creates a vacuum like effect at the chimney. Anyhow, I will try some more aggressive experimentation as I still can't turn down as much as I'd like.

The unregulated front air channel (air comes from underneath the unit and comes out from under the front angled refractory piece) acts like a bellows to the flame, even with air all the way down. I've tried plugging the holes with my fingers when the stove is cool enough to do so, it instantly removed the bellows effect. I'll have to rig something with magnets to easily block them when needed.

 

[RandyBoBandy]

Update things are evening out more...

It looks like you have a pipe thermometer on your GT (griddle top). If you are having a real small fire than I wouldn’t expect to see very high flue temps.

 

[frased]

It looks like you have a pipe thermometer on your GT (griddle top). If you are having a real small fire than I wouldn’t expect to see very high flue temps.

Oh shoot I thought it would be ok for griddle. Guess I need to return that one!

What stove thermometer you guys recommend that compliments my flue gard one?

 

[Woody Stover]

Guess I need to return that one

That should be OK, you just look at the numbers, not the ranges. I don't think you want to go over 750 anyway, do you?

 

[frased]

That should be OK, you just look at the numbers, not the ranges. I don't think you want to go over 750 anyway, do you?

Thanks! I may still swap er out but I’m in good shape for my first big burn tomorrow night

 

[RandyBoBandy]

Thanks! I may still swap er out but I’m in good shape for my first big burn tomorrow night

Like woody said you will be fine with it. Just pay attention to the numbers and not the ranges. I don’t let my griddle top get to 700. It’s probably fine but I don’t require that much heat output. On your first big run pay attention to your flue temps first. If your flue temps are getting into the danger zone before your GT is about 400 I would still close the damper to calm down the flue temps. Than pay attention to your cat temps. If they are steadily rising than you are good. Start shutting down the air in small increments once the cat hits 900. If you cat hangs out around 400 for a long time it has stalled. Open your damper and let the fire build up again and repeat process. Good luck and happy burning. Post pics.

 

[frased]

She’s off n running engaging CAT soon...

 

[frased]

She’s off n running engaging CAT soon...

Hey all I have the CAT griddle and flue all cruising at the right temps. I have to say wow. You would be flying blind without this data. Normally you’d be thinking I need to see a big dancing flame fire. Nope. This is awesome. Man when the VC is dialed in it’s an impressive appliance.

 

[therealdbeau]

Just wads in each end of the tube (can't tell what direction the air is coming from on the tubes, I think it is different for every otheer tube). I'm not sure if the foil would expand too. All I know is that it has helped some.

For some reason my draft is really strong with only 17 feet of pipe, I think it has to do with a line of tall bushes that is right at the height of the stack, I think air moving over them creates a vacuum like effect at the chimney. Anyhow, I will try some more aggressive experimentation as I still can't turn down as much as I'd like.

The unregulated front air channel (air comes from underneath the unit and comes out from under the front angled refractory piece) acts like a bellows to the flame, even with air all the way down. I've tried plugging the holes with my fingers when the stove is cool enough to do so, it instantly removed the bellows effect. I'll have to rig something with magnets to easily block them when needed.

My Merrimack insert is the same way with the fixed open front/bottom intake. I just wonder why they put such a limit on how much control you have over the air intake. There is a warning in the manual that states:

"This wood heater has a manufactured-set minimum low burn rate that must not be altered. It is against federal regulations to alter this setting..."

But why is what I want to know. I have experimented with blocking the front/bottom intake but I haven't really had enough time or dry wood to really come to a educated conclusion.

 

[Diabel]

Hey all I have the CAT griddle and flue all cruising at the right temps. I have to say wow. You would be flying blind without this data. Normally you’d be thinking I need to see a big dancing flame fire. Nope. This is awesome. Man when the VC is dialed in it’s an impressive appliance.

Nice

Here is my typical 2550 9h burn.