2020/21 VC Owners thread

[Woodsplitter67]

Quick question starting a from cold stove... a fresh new fire do you empty the pan completely? Trying to picture the 5 inches in bottom of stove.

It depends on how much ash is actually in the stove. Im not saying how I do it is the best and only way. LAST NIGHT I started with a cold stove. I emptied the ash pan because it was completely full and I still had plenty of ash in the fire box. If there's enough ash in the bottom of the of the stove and the pan is full the pan gets emptied. If the pan is only partially full to empty like it is right now I will rake the ash every couple days to keep the ash to about an inch until the pan is full, then empty again. I usually vacuum my cat like every 10 days or so. I use to clean the stove completely when I first started, then realized I didn't need to and cat Engagement was slow on full clean outs.

 

[Jimmy C]

My alarm is set to 1800... and it’s only hit that 2-3 times in the past 2 seasons.

Cat usually is at proper temps.

I have not seen mine hit 1800 yet. Not saying it hasn't, only that I have not seen it. I just installed a new one and its already gotten up to 1705 once and 1711 another time. Really hoping to get this cat to last 6 or 7 seasons. Gaskets are good, maybe I just need to be more aware of the size of the splits.

I was considering setting an alarm for 1800 but honestly, I don't want to have to wake up in the middle of the night in case it does hit that high. Plus the alarm setting is super loud and we have an 8 month old baby. If I saw it happen before I might be more inclined to worry about it. I'm sure hitting 1700 is not great though.

 

[Jimmy C]

I have been able to kindle a fire back to life with a coal buried in the ash 27 hours after my last reload. I’m am by no means calling this a 27 hour burn. I’m just supporting the insulation factor of ash. If I do have to start a new fire from scratch I use the top down method with my largest pieces on the bottom and progressively getting smaller as I load the firebox. I always start new fires and reloads with the primary air fully open. No need for anymore air than that.

I am going to start keeping a thick layer of ash. I've had some problems with over firing and I think the EPA holes and/or extra air from ash pan are the problem. Almost every burn I'm hitting 1600 plus on the CAT and 700 on griddle top at least at one point. I've never had much luck with top down burns. Going forward, I guess I will just empty the ash pan when full and only rake a small area in the center when starting a fire from scratch.

 

[Jimmy C]

Per the discussion about leaving a layer of ash at all times...

So my ash pan is about half full right now and I have an inch, or maybe a little less, in the bottom of the stove. Today its strangely warm outside so I wont be starting a fire until tomorrow. When I do, my plan is just to start it on top of all of this ash, but usually I would be raking all of this to access all of the unburned fuel. Also, I always figured having the grate exposed helped more air pass through and made for an easier startup, but I have never tried this so I am curious to see how it works. The last couple days I did not rake at all on reloads and it seemed to keep the burn more tamed. For one burn at least, the CAT was cruising around 1050 when its usually about 1450 when cruising.
Anyway that's going to be the experiment tomorrow. Hope everyone has a Merry Christmas!

 

[frased]

Per the discussion about leaving a layer of ash at all times...

So my ash pan is about half full right now and I have an inch, or maybe a little less, in the bottom of the stove. Today its strangely warm outside so I wont be starting a fire until tomorrow. When I do, my plan is just to start it on top of all of this ash, but usually I would be raking all of this to access all of the unburned fuel. Also, I always figured having the grate exposed helped more air pass through and made for an easier startup, but I have never tried this so I am curious to see how it works. The last couple days I did not rake at all on reloads and it seemed to keep the burn more tamed. For one burn at least, the CAT was cruising around 1050 when its usually about 1450 when cruising.
Anyway that's going to be the experiment tomorrow. Hope everyone has a Merry Christmas!

Same here hoping to get my stove going again this weekend using the ash method. 60 outside today. Snow on roof is completely gone. I'm going to do a quick cleaning. Merry Xmas all!

 

[RandyBoBandy]

Per the discussion about leaving a layer of ash at all times...

So my ash pan is about half full right now and I have an inch, or maybe a little less, in the bottom of the stove. Today its strangely warm outside so I wont be starting a fire until tomorrow. When I do, my plan is just to start it on top of all of this ash, but usually I would be raking all of this to access all of the unburned fuel. Also, I always figured having the grate exposed helped more air pass through and made for an easier startup, but I have never tried this so I am curious to see how it works. The last couple days I did not rake at all on reloads and it seemed to keep the burn more tamed. For one burn at least, the CAT was cruising around 1050 when its usually about 1450 when cruising.
Anyway that's going to be the experiment tomorrow. Hope everyone has a Merry Christmas!

You can take your shovel and kind of rake the charcoal front and center if you want. I always do a top down burn on cold starts so I don’t pay much mine to the charcoal. It will eventually burn. What I usually will do when my ash is getting deep I use the shovel down through the top loader and kind of pry everything to the back of the stove. Then sort of sift the charcoal out towards the front of the stove if there is any. I usually don’t have much of it. If you you are getting an abundance of charcoal this could mean your wood isn’t completely dry thus not achieving a complete burn!?!

 

[Reckless]

Agreed, easier to get a fire going in the morning with plenty of coals buried and no issues getting one going from cold. If you want to still use the ash pan for helping get the fire going, I usually dig a single slot out of the bottom grill towards the front where the ash pan door opens and that’s all it needs.

 

[frased]

You can take your shovel and kind of rake the charcoal front and center if you want. I always do a top down burn on cold starts so I don’t pay much mine to the charcoal. It will eventually burn. What I usually will do when my ash is getting deep I use the shovel down through the top loader and kind of pry everything to the back of the stove. Then sort of sift the charcoal out towards the front of the stove if there is any. I usually don’t have much of it. If you you are getting an abundance of charcoal this could mean your wood isn’t completely dry thus not achieving a complete burn!?!

Dumb question... what’s the “top down” procedure?

 

[Woodsplitter67]

Dumb question... what’s the “top down” procedure?

top down is like ..sticks on top.. small pieces under that, medium under that.. large under that..

 

[Diabel]

I tried, never worked with my VC.

 

[Woodsplitter67]

Me personally I don't do top down either. I do a Jenga style. medium splits on the bottom with twigs in between.. 6 pieces of cut kindling(that I make myself) with a piece of small wood on top.. catches quick, not alot of smoke, gets the draft going quickly.

 

[Rusty18]

+1 for
-Leaving ash in the stove (read it on here and tried it, very pleased with the results)
-never use ash pan door for lighting among other reasons listed on here ash can get in the gastet and you can’t get it to seal off...ask me how I know
-rake coals to one side so the whole reload doesn’t go at the same time. It actually gives me the illusion I have some control over the stove.
-top down lighting. Haven’t had to use the map gas since I started doing it this way and it’s up to temp and running in minutes not hours.

 

[RandyBoBandy]

top down is like ..sticks on top.. small pieces under that, medium under that.. large under that..

What Woodsplitter67 said. Then you light the top tinder pile and away she goes. I will put three big pieces on bottom then 3-4 medium pieces. My next layer is about 1-1-1/2” splits that I start laying diagonally. My next layer is the same size in the opposite diagonal. Then I cross cross some tinder sticks and top it with some smaller tinder. Once the tinder sticks are burning decently I top it with a few more kindling sticks about 1-1/2”-2” and let it do it’s thing. I typically burn 24/7 so it’s mostly reloads for me. I will have to cold start when I get back from my cabin though so I will take some pics and post them.

 

[frased]

+1 for
-Leaving ash in the stove (read it on here and tried it, very pleased with the results)
-never use ash pan door for lighting among other reasons listed on here ash can get in the gastet and you can’t get it to seal off...ask me how I know
-rake coals to one side so the whole reload doesn’t go at the same time. It actually gives me the illusion I have some control over the stove.
-top down lighting. Haven’t had to use the map gas since I started doing it this way and it’s up to temp and running in minutes not hours.

Another thing I probably did wrong last week I didn’t rake coals and just reloaded. Probably ignited the fresh splits like kindling.

 

[Diabel]

I leave the ash in until the stove becomes sluggish or noticeably starved for air. This tells me that not enough air is coming in via the two holes by the ash pan, then time to empty the ashes.

 

[Jimmy C]

Me personally I don't do top down either. I do a Jenga style. medium View attachment 270308splits on the bottom with twigs in between.. 6 pieces of cut kindling(that I make myself) with a piece of small wood on top.. catches quick, not alot of smoke, gets the draft going quickly.

I do the same except I put a few pieces of fatwood on top of the first row to speed things up.

 

[frased]

Chimney cleaned. Had more creosote than I thought... definitely helped my situation.

 

[Jimmy C]

On reload procedure:

Do you leave the bypass open for a couple minutes to get everything heated up again before engaging the CAT?

Also, do you notice a slower climb to secondary burn temps on reloads then on startups?

I've only been using a CAT thermometer for a season now and am trying to nail down proper procedures but its hard to find what works best consistently.

 

[Woodsplitter67]

Chimney cleaned. Had more creosote than I thought... definitely helped my situation.

Its better just to run the brush down.. Doesn't hurt to keep it clean. I sleep better at night knowing that my chimneys clean and the chances of a chimney fire is low. Sometimes there is some user error other times there mechanical error.. in either case.. its not compounded by a dirty chimney.. Glad all is working out

 

[Woodsplitter67]

shut the stove down for the night.. cat is just where I like it

 

[RandyBoBandy]

On reload procedure:

Do you leave the bypass open for a couple minutes to get everything heated up again before engaging the CAT?

Also, do you notice a slower climb to secondary burn temps on reloads then on startups?

I've only been using a CAT thermometer for a season now and am trying to nail down proper procedures but its hard to find what works best consistently.

Hot reloads pretty much carry the same procedure as a cold start.
Open bypass
Open griddle top
Fill firebox/close griddle/open primary fully
Let stove pipe hit 500-600 (internal temp) and close bypass.
Let cat hit 700-800 and close primary 1/4
Let cat hit 1200-1300 turn primary down 1/4
Set final adjustments to your likings.
You have to adjust your increments to your stove and chimney length. Guys like @Reckless who have tall stacks are probably shutting their stuff down sooner than I do.
This is a good basic guide line however. Try it out and report back.
Also outside temps will have a play in this. During shoulder season my increments on the primary are much smaller due to less draw. Super cold days and I’m shutting it down pretty quick.

 

[Reckless]

Hot reloads pretty much carry the same procedure as a cold start.
Open bypass
Open griddle top
Fill firebox/close griddle/open primary fully
Let stove pipe hit 500-600 (internal temp) and close bypass.
Let cat hit 700-800 and close primary 1/4
Let cat hit 1200-1300 turn primary down 1/4
Set final adjustments to your likings.
You have to adjust your increments to your stove and chimney length. Guys like @Reckless who have tall stacks are probably shutting their stuff down sooner than I do.
This is a good basic guide line however. Try it out and report back.
Also outside temps will have a play in this. During shoulder season my increments on the primary are much smaller due to less draw. Super cold days and I’m shutting it down pretty quick.

30’ to be exact...
Hot or cold I only watch the pipe therm. Depending on load size I shut the damper at 300-350 but I’m not sure on the accuracy of this mag therm. Full throttle until 1050 cat then 1/4 down once it hits 1150-1200 I’m down about 1/2 air. Since I have all other air holes closed I can’t go much past half without extinguishing all the flames in the box. Everyone’s stove is unique and you can only take bits a pieces and apply to your own situation.

 

[Reckless]

Got a question for everyone... where you live and what’s your primary wood type? This might help some of the new guys to understand why certain things work.

Mid NY, white ash and red oak.

 

[Woodsplitter67]

Southern New Jersey....
Mostly oak.. some black cherry..
my wood is dry.. anywhere from
8 to 15% MC

 

[Diabel]

Eastern Ontario
With temps around freezing point I burn mainly hemlock. If colder, hard maple, some beech and black and honey locust. All seasoned more than 3 years.