Best performance ever from my Englander NC-30

[pen]

I actually have this stove connected to a 12" Chimney and yes the draft is weak. Still runs like a champ.

Mine spent the first year connected to a 7 1/4 x 7 1/4 masonry chimney. When I shoved the 6 inch liner down, insulated it with pour down, and hooked things up, I couldn't believe (and still can't) the difference!

I thought mine operated fine on that masonry chimney too

pen

 

[aaron1]

pen, what is the difference? were you able to kick it down and let the secondaries rip with a much lower stovetemp?

 

[pen]

pen, what is the difference? were you able to kick it down and let the secondaries rip with a much lower stovetemp?

In essence, yes. A cleaner, easier operating stove all together since the draft was stronger. It was especially noticeable when temps were above 30. That, and the chimney was cleaner than ever.

 

[aaron1]

This is a very interesting topic to me, as I have been debating insulating my 30' liner. I have to run the stove at 525+ to be able to damper it down to low draft and have nice secondaries with no smoke from the chimney. I wonder if I insulated my liner if I would be able to damper it down to low draft at a lower stovetemp and get full roaring secondaries if I insulated the flue?

 

[Hoozie]

I actually have this stove connected to a 12" Chimney and yes the draft is weak. Still runs like a champ.

I have ~12' of DVL... outside... after 2 90s and a 4' horizontal run

I guess it mostly seems to burn intermittently. Some days I'll get awesome secondaries with no flames on the splits; other days I can't get secondaries at all Burning Juniper that my MM says are between 1% and 8% on fresh split faces (yea right - seems low )

 

[BobUrban]

x2 however many have replied to this thread. I did all my stove research here and added the rod inside the rope along the left side plan during my install. Unfortunately I have no before/after comparison but I can say that with my set up I am one of those that can completely shut my primary air off and get complete secondary combustion.

Seasoned Oak - I suggest putting the rod inside a piece of gasket rope if you have not already. That's a lot of heat hammering the raw steel.

 

[Saddle Mander]

I wonder if the NC13 has the same issue? I'll have to check when I get home (if there isn't a fire in it!).

 

[Highbeam]

I have a ritual where with each fire I recenter the baffle boards and then with each load I close up the gap that seems to grow. The boards move around. I don't doubt that a little bit of gapiosis OR a flexible filler is important to accomodate the expansion/contraction of the stove without crushing the boards. In addition, during construction you know that the builders appreciate the gap.

Last night I got curious and found that I could slide the boards together one on top of the other to expose most of the flue from below. Now I'm not sure whether I will bother removing them for cleaning.

I have no rope sitting around but plenty of welding rods that I could shove in there to take up some of that gap. Mike hasn't seemed to frown upon the practice.

 

[Seasoned Oak]

x2 however many have replied to this thread. I did all my stove research here and added the rod inside the rope along the left side plan during my install. Unfortunately I have no before/after comparison but I can say that with my set up I am one of those that can completely shut my primary air off and get complete secondary combustion.

Seasoned Oak - I suggest putting the rod inside a piece of gasket rope if you have not already. That's a lot of heat hammering the raw steel.

The whole stove is made of raw steel ,including the thin burn tubes the rod is laying on.If i see a problem developing ill change it. I did notice my stovetop temps were up and the thing operates like a whole new stove. This is the first time i was ever able to close down the air all the way and still get great secondaries. Before it just seemed to choke the fire and smolder. Until now i was never able to run the stove with the air less than an inch out from closed.

 

[BobUrban]

The Burn tubes are stainless and able to take a LOT more heat. Time will tell if it warps and it is an easy replace if it does but trust me - that rod cannot handle the heat those tubes are taking for the long haul.

And yes - the stove is all steel but not taking the direct brunt of the heat being hammered at the center of those two block off plates. It will be interesting to know how long it lasts or if it lasts forever? Keep us NC30 lovers posted.

 

[PapaDave]

The Mfg should provide a fix for this IMO to improve the stove performance. (if they dont already)

Yeah, curious as to why this hasn't been addressed by someone we know on here.
Is it a non-issue to Englander, even though quite a few here have "installed" a "fix", which made the stove run better?
Nosy minds want to know.

 

[Seasoned Oak]

I was also considering laying a piece of angle iron up there between the boards. That way it would ride up and down as the boards expand and contract. But with the rod
it seems tight when its cold and tight when its hot so ill just let it be.

 

[Seasoned Oak]

Yeah, curious as to why this hasn't been addressed by someone we know on here.
Is it a non-issue to Englander, even though quite a few here have "installed" a "fix", which made the stove run better?
Nosy minds want to know.

Some Mfg items are purposely dialed back from peak performance for a variety of reasons. They do it with cars and trucks and particularly with diesel trucks. As far as the stove goes,perhaps they figure if the user is smart enough to figure this out, he is less likely to overheat or otherwise abuse the stove an then blame englander for it or cause a fire.

 

[PapaDave]

Some Mfg items are purposely dialed back from peak performance for a variety of reasons.

Yeah, I know. Maybe it has something to do with the EPA.

 

[BobUrban]

I don't think the fir board moves much - at least not on a measurable level with changes in temp. Someone way smarter than may come in and correct me here but I know the fire brick(same sort of stuff) in my forge doesn't move detectably and that sucker gets a lot hotter than my 30 - the bricks are thicker but I don't think that makes much difference.

 

[1750]

...This is the first time i was ever able to close down the air all the way and still get great secondaries. Before it just seemed to choke the fire and smolder. Until now i was never able to run the stove with the air less than an inch out from closed.

I'm trying to make sense of this... Is the reason this modification affects the ability to get secondary combustion that it both:
1. increases the temp in the box, and 2. keeps more combustible particulate from evacuating out the chimney (and available for combustion)?

Thanks.

 

[BobUrban]

1750 - Yes is the answer to your questions.

 

[1750]

1750 - Yes is the answer to your questions.

Thanks, Bob!

 

[Seasoned Oak]

I was checking and there is still some additional play there. So the gap is greater than 1/4 in. Not much though so better leave well enough alone.

 

[Seasoned Oak]

Fact still remains that with those boards the way they are the stove turned in the cleanest EPA test burns to that date of any large firebox wood stove.
.

I was wondering about that,cuz that very claim is stamped on the box the stove comes in. THe basis for the claim i a 1.63Gr emissions rate.
Well my harman has a .8 Gr emissions rate on low fire and an average rate of 1.1gram. So if thats how they measure a clean burn i would think the harman with its 3CU ft firebox would be considered a large firebox stove and would be cleaner. Am i missing something here.

 

[BrotherBart]

Harman has no wood stoves tested at .8 gr.'

 

[Seasoned Oak]

Harman has no wood stoves tested at .8 gr.'

(broken link removed to http://www.noutilitybills.com/Heaters/Wood/Harman/TL300/TL300Efficiency.html)
Are they making that claim without having the EPA test it?

 

[BrotherBart]

I don't know. I just go by the official EPA list.

(broken link removed to http://www.epa.gov/Compliance/resources/publications/monitoring/caa/woodstoves/certifiedwood.pdf)

 

[Seasoned Oak]

Still 1.1 is less than 1.63

 

[Seasoned Oak]

I'm trying to make sense of this... Is the reason this modification affects the ability to get secondary combustion that it both:
1. increases the temp in the box, and 2. keeps more combustible particulate from evacuating out the chimney (and available for combustion)?
Thanks.

Definitely getting hotter fire temps and more secondaries at all air levels.