2022/23 VC Owner thread

[JohnDaileyNH]

so the at 100 is the way to go. it has a 6ft cord so you'll be able to see it from outside of the fireplace. Once the cat is engaged and up to a good temperature like 1000 degrees.. are you turning the air back half or most of the way.. I have the 2040, mine is a little different but routinely get 10 to 12 hours burn time with my longest being 16 hours..

The longest burn time I've been able to get is like 8 hours. Thinking I'm not getting enough wood in stove and then having the air too open drives my times down. I usually let the griddle temp get back up to 550-600 after a reload before I shut the damper. Then I'll gradually crank down the air flow

 

[GrumpyDad]

The longest burn time I've been able to get is like 8 hours. Thinking I'm not getting enough wood in stove and then having the air too open drives my times down. I usually let the griddle temp get back up to 550-600 after a reload before I shut the damper. Then I'll gradually crank down the air flow

When I read Jotul F45 customer comments, I kick myself for not buying an F45 over my Dauntless and saving $1k in the process. After I see quality control issues, design flaws like mine that require you to use a single wall stove adapter and then a double wall adapter on top of that..huh, overheats because...one minute an air control is fine for a certain amount of heat then another minute the entire box is FULL of flames.

It is what it is, would I buy another VC? Eh, I like the top loading but the F45 doesnt have problems with logs rolling out really because it's a N/S loader so. I guess I just lost a little faith after reading so many negative comments about their quirks then experiencing some of them myself. I have to tell myself that alot of it is user learning opportunities. And I actually like the look of the Jotul a bit more. It looks more rustic while my dauntless, to me, kinda looks a bit sinister. Not sure why or how to put it in words better.

The only negative with the jotul was it would stick out further than I would have like toward a foot traffic area. So because of placement constraints, positive reviews that I read (missed those negatives), and the top loaded - I opted for VC.

I think you and I will both learn to manage our temps based on outside air, wood, draft etc - however it's kind of an issue for me that my wife/kids/friends/visitor would never be able to operate the stove reliably.

 

[Woodsplitter67]

The longest burn time I've been able to get is like 8 hours. Thinking I'm not getting enough wood in stove and then having the air too open drives my times down. I usually let the griddle temp get back up to 550-600 after a reload before I shut the damper. Then I'll gradually crank down the air flow

Achieving long burn times is quit simple.. 1.. is to pack the stove tightly with wood. If you split your own wood like me, this is achieved by splitting the wood square or rectangle.. not all of my wood is split this way. I just split enough to pack the stove tightly for all of the overnight burns. the other wood is split however triangle, oblong.. dont matter for the day burns. 2.. is the type of wood your burning.. oak, hickory, copper Beach will beat out poplar, cherry, and most other woods every day of the week. oak will be roughly 26 million BTUs per cord while poplar is like 14 million and cherry is like 20 million BTUs per cord.. So packing the stove with a high btu wood means your cutting the stove back more vs other woods because there's more BTUs in the box per load making for longer burn times. 3.. is air control when I reload I dont have to get my stove back up to operating temperature. Ill reload the stove roughly when the cats about to stall.. between 6/700 degrees.. no need to get the stove that hot again unless the cat is out of operating temp. On a reload sometimes ill rake the coles to the back some put the wood in and closes the damper right away and the cat will light back off.. once it does that, the air is half way or less depending on heat needs..

We are running cat stoves.. they are ok to run with the air cut back when the cats engaged, this is the advantage of the cat stove and having the cat in it running will mean less to no creosote in the chimney long burn times and higher efficiency..

below is a couple pic's of my wood the first pic is a pice that is 4.5x4.5 inches.

 

[Todd]

When I read Jotul F45 customer comments, I kick myself for not buying an F45 over my Dauntless and saving $1k in the process. After I see quality control issues, design flaws like mine that require you to use a single wall stove adapter and then a double wall adapter on top of that..huh, overheats because...one minute an air control is fine for a certain amount of heat then another minute the entire box is FULL of flames.

It is what it is, would I buy another VC? Eh, I like the top loading but the F45 doesnt have problems with logs rolling out really because it's a N/S loader so. I guess I just lost a little faith after reading so many negative comments about their quirks then experiencing some of them myself. I have to tell myself that alot of it is user learning opportunities. And I actually like the look of the Jotul a bit more. It looks more rustic while my dauntless, to me, kinda looks a bit sinister. Not sure why or how to put it in words better.

The only negative with the jotul was it would stick out further than I would have like toward a foot traffic area. So because of placement constraints, positive reviews that I read (missed those negatives), and the top loaded - I opted for VC.

I think you and I will both learn to manage our temps based on outside air, wood, draft etc - however it's kind of an issue for me that my wife/kids/friends/visitor would never be able to operate the stove reliably.

I’m thinking your stove may run better with a cat. Probably slow it down and give you more control.

 

[Woodsplitter67]

I’m thinking your stove may run better with a cat. Probably slow it down and give you more control.

I have to agree with what your saying and disagree with much of the original post that you quoted..

 

[RandyBoBandy]

The little girl is 15 months old, gonna be some additional precautions taken to keep her out of reach of the stove but I’m willing to be she will be pointing at it every evening and babbling “fire” or something there abouts.

My stove was in jail for awhile while when my boys were young.

 

[Diabel]

Seasoned wood, good air control and good ash bed will get you good burn times. 8h of usable heat is good out of these stoves

 

[GrumpyDad]

Arrived at camp and the oil is out. So no taking the edge off and getting the place heated to temp then switching to wood.

I had a little competition between the living on room and fireplace vs expansion and wood stove. What would get the living spaces to temps fastest, quantity of wood considered, and ease of operations.

And the winner is....
The fireplace?!

Fireplace started with four small splits and one medium. Stove started with a ton of kindling. Waited almost thirty minutes to get it blazing and then added some small splits to the stove to try and heat it quickly.

Adding a few splits at a time to each as needed.

Three hours later the living room with fireplace is 67. Adjacent room 65. Living room is 14x20 with cathedral ceiling. Poorly insulated with crawlspace and crawlspace vents open. Other room is about 15x20 and being heated by fireplace as well.

Thermal blanket between old and new areas. Think moving blanket with foil on one side.

Expansion is 67 degrees. 24x26 cathedral.
Expansion is 26x24 cathedral.

Each appliance has had ten splits total starting with a few small then medium placed in them over the course of three hours.

The stove requires attention. Loading, opening damper, setting air control on high to get new wood going and constant checking as it went to 700 then half air throttle brought it down too much to 425. Careful wood usage and of course the danger of people and pets touching it. Not to mention harder to operate and requiring constant checks to fine tune the heat output.

The fireplace. Chuck a few pieces of whatever wood you've got laying around and done.


Outside temps 38 degrees
Inside temp at startup was 50.

Worth noting, the living room was 63 when the expansion was only 55. After an hour ish . After three hours stove caught up.

Now that I have the stove going and putting out good heat, I packed it during the last load 3/4, and set temp to high until 550 then backed it off a bit after about thirty minutes. It should stay around 550.

I fully expect the stove to continue for hours whereas the fireplace is going to need to be reloaded in , well about another five minutes with a few splits.


The stove will surely win out longer term. But for cold building warm ups and wood consumption the fireplace won.

Oh I should also mention in the expansion I have a 220v heater in the bathroom.

So the clean winner is the fireplace. I'm pretty shocked actually. And disappointed.
When I arrived I cleaned the stove out completely before starting either appliance and notice my door gasket is hardening in areas and getting creosote along the door and gasket. Something that is fairly easy to scrap off and as soon as you push on it, it turns to dust. But that gasket seems like it shrunk at the bottom of the door and has hardened in spots. Not cool for how little I've used this

The fireplace just works. Really really easy. And even a kid can chuck a piece or wood in it.

As much as I enjoy the challenge of getting the most out of my stove and learning everything. The fireplace competition really put things in perspective for me. As in, what am I doing??! I spend over 4k for this experience? Maybe other stoves are more simple and reliable.

I should add. I've been without oil before at this temp. So with the fireplace and stove running if the stove contributes to keeping the living room and other area tolerable while we are asleep and the next day with fireplace going I will know. And then I will have a better idea if the stove was worth the investment or like buying a used Alfa Romeo.

Edit. Added three more splits to fireplace where we hang out and where I'm sitting. Look how quickly those flames jump after being down to almost completely goals. My stove,. Eh you can kinda see some flames through the soot covered glass. There are some areas where the heat and fire burned the soot away so you can see inside somewhat. No one will be sitting near the stove. Ever.

 

[Woodsplitter67]

What a great morning to sit by the wood stove. Slept with the windows open last night and it got colder in here then I thought it would.. got to 60 degrees. I already had the stove loaded and ready for its next fire.. I took me about 30 minutes to get it up to temperature and running properly.. cat settled in at 950 degrees and as soon as that happened the air was cut back to midway.. sitting here relaxing drinking my coffee.. enjoying the silence..

 

[xanadu1797]

Hey everyone,
I'm trying to set up a cat temperature probe on a Vermont Castings Encore 2040. My understanding is I want to use the Aubur AT100 Universal thermometer. Can someone tell me what the correct probe is? I was looking at K type 6''. There is a 12'' one designed for kilns too that seems better suited to high temps.
Also, on the back of the stove where the probe goes does anyone have experience with drilling out that hole? I've read different things about cracking refractories, etc.

Just installed a new damper housing and getting ready for the cold next week!

 

[xanadu1797]

Universal Thermometer [AT100] - $41.50 : Auber Instruments, Inc., Temperature control solutions for home and industry

Auber Instruments, Inc. Universal Thermometer [AT100] - Features LED digital display, easy to read from distance. Powered with AC adapter for continuous operation. Programmable alarm with built-in buzzer. Record peak temperature and the time when peak temperature is reached. Accept 10 types of...

www.auberins.com

K type high temp thermocouple w/ mounting adapter [WRNK-193] - $30.00 : Auber Instruments, Inc., Temperature control solutions for home and industry

Auber Instruments, Inc. K type high temp thermocouple w/ mounting adapter [WRNK-193] - This K type transition style high temperature thermocouple probe can be used for glass kilns and heat treatment ovens. The maximum working temperature is 1100°C (2000°F). The maximum insertion length is 3"...

www.auberins.com

 

[Woodsplitter67]

Hey everyone,
I'm trying to set up a cat temperature probe on a Vermont Castings Encore 2040. My understanding is I want to use the Aubur AT100 Universal thermometer. Can someone tell me what the correct probe is? I was looking at K type 6''. There is a 12'' one designed for kilns too that seems better suited to high temps.
Also, on the back of the stove where the probe goes does anyone have experience with drilling out that hole? I've read different things about cracking refractories, etc.

Just installed a new damper housing and getting ready for the cold next week!

do you have the factory bi mettle probe in

 

[Woodsplitter67]

do you have the factory bi mettle probe in

the probe you need is posted a few pages back.. I posted is as well as someone else.. its a wnk some thing like that is what your looking for

 

[GrumpyDad]

Anyone know how to get a VC dauntless from being a raging inferno even with the damper closed and air control on the lowest setting. It's burning as I have air control wide open and damper open. Mostly oak and some cherry with medium splits loaded fairly high this morning after waking up to a cold room. Hard to inspect what is going on via top door as fire will flame out of the stove dangerously. It is windy outside so I'm assuming that is contributing to it. This is what I was trying to achieve last night when it was 35 and freezing. It's getting scary hot now, 700 and I don't see it stopping it was fairly tightly packed. Not sure what's going on and how to stop. Getting nervous

 

[begreen]

If the air is all the way closed, let it burn. 700º is hot, but not dangerously so. 800º would be more concerning. The stove should settle down after a while.

 

[xanadu1797]

do you have the factory bi mettle probe in

No, i don't think so. It looks like the port is plugged with a stainless cap of some kind.

 

[Diabel]

Take the plug out, carefully by hand using a drill bit drill through the refractory. Just the outside wall, you will feel the resistance change. Done

 

[xanadu1797]

Take the plug out, carefully by hand using a drill bit drill through the refractory. Just the outside wall, you will feel the resistance change. Done

So when you say drill through the refractory- does my probe land in the chamber where the catalyst sits?

 

[Diabel]

Yes right below the cat

 

[xanadu1797]

Hmm. The cat sits flush to the bottom of the chamber. Maybe it will end up sitting on the probe. Won't know until I drill the hole. Won't drill the hole until i have the thermocouple.
Just replaced my damper housing and regasketed. Going to seal the secondary air port off and try to tame this beast.

 

[Diabel]

Which stove do you have?

 

[Diabel]

Regardless, the probe goes where the plug is

 

[Woodsplitter67]

So when you say drill through the refractory- does my probe land in the chamber where the catalyst sits?

your using the drill bit to make the whole through the gasket in the back of the stove. you can do this by hand.. your not actually running a drill thru the stove .. just to clarify

 

[Woodsplitter67]

Hmm. The cat sits flush to the bottom of the chamber. Maybe it will end up sitting on the probe. Won't know until I drill the hole. Won't drill the hole until i have the thermocouple.
Just replaced my damper housing and regasketed. Going to seal the secondary air port off and try to tame this beast.

I just took the stove apart.. picture 1 is with the cat in.. picture 2 is the probe beneath the cat

 

[GrumpyDad]

If the air is all the way closed, let it burn. 700º is hot, but not dangerously so. 800º would be more concerning. The stove should settle down after a while.

It finally did. I considered blocking the fresh air intake port but opted not to for fear of doing harm. It's now just slowly burning with what I loaded earlier. Zero flames until I opened the damper and look via the top door. Still a good bit of wood in there at this point. We went up to 65 today outside. Starting to cool down now so I'll probably let this burn down as is and reload after dinner.