Drolet Myriad: Installation and Review

[tekguy]

Ah good, I was concerned they might be vinyl gutters.

Good documentation of the whole process. Thanks for taking the shots and time to post them. You can place images as thumbnails in your posts. That way you can include more pics and explanations in one post. Use the "More Options" button to expose the thumbnails. I will do it for a few posts to show the difference.

Thanks, on my tablet makes this a pain

A keen eye may have noticed I haven't built the mantel yet, open to ideas on that.

I am getting a lot of heat from it but haven't figured out long burn times, this fire is about 520 stove top and 680 flue, cutting air back now (its like 85 in here)

 

[begreen]

Yes, posting pics from a tablet is less fun, but it looks like you got it right.

Based on the temps I'm wondering if the fire is getting too much air. Try cutting back the air sooner and further. Close it all the way if that doesn't smolder the fire. Lazy flames are ok. That will reduce primary air and will increase secondary burning.

A nice stone cap on the wall would look good.

 

[richg]

There's not much out there on Drolet stoves, but if you look at the reviews on Northern Tool, they receive very favorable feedback. Their prices are very reasonable and a lot of people comment about how well they are built which is not surprising as Drolet stoves are made in Canada. Surprisingly, the Myriad disappeared from NT's Drolet offerings a few days ago, but they still have the HT2000, Savannah etc. that is a mighty fine install you did there. Good luck with the stove.

 

[andybaker]

Nice install, nice carpentry work. Have fun figuring out the stove. Took me a while to figure mine out but after 10 years I still find ways to improve a little.

 

[tekguy]

Its my third day and I am getting better. I can get the secondaries to fire but not for very long. My burn times have increased and I am keeping flue gas temps in the 600 range.

Refiring the stove from coals in am has been easy, surprisingly easy to be honest. Open primary air, open bypass, rake goals forward, stick in some small pieces, some splits and leave door cracked a couple minutes. Fire is burning good with charring in a short time, close it up, shut down bypass and after few more minutes start closing back primary.

I am impressed with air wash over the door glass, at this point I still don't have any noticeable soot build up and a good view of the fire.

 

[begreen]

How far is the primary air closed down? All the way? If not, try less air with the next load. You should see the flue temp go down and the secondaries last longer.

 

[tekguy]

Thanks for the replies and comments on the work, I got my myriad from northern tool last spring, I got lucky, they stuck it on sale for $749, I had a $50 discount code so with shipping I paid same price as a nc30 locally on sale. I told another guy who tried a week later and they where sold out, I bet its same right now.

I would have to agree with the fit and finish of these stoves, owned a nc13 which I sold, and having looked at everything at Lowes, home depot and tractor supply, the drolets are arguably the best fit/finish at these price points

How far is the primary air closed down? All the way? If not, try less air with the next load. You should see the flue temp go down and the secondaries last longer.

Primary is only slightly open, I think I need to get a little 'braver' so to say and load it up good. I did try completely shut and that's when I get the secondary action but it didn't last too long. Should I see constant flaming from secondaries or should it come and go?

 

[tekguy]

Little background might help those reading this. I live in an old drafty house with plenty of air leaks and a semi open floor plan on first floor, central stairs pointed towards gable end and three bedrooms upstair roughly 1800 square feet. I use to own the large Englander pellet stove that could not keep this place warm. In this weather (30 day, 20night) the room where the pellet stove was might hit 70 and the farthest away rooms would be <60

Myriad so far has kept entire house above 70, I know I haven't owned it long enough for true review but this should give you a good idea of setting/environment

Ohh and chimney is 15ft with the top sitting out in in the breeze on its own..



I know I am going to have to push this stove a little harder than people with newer/tighter houses and burn more wood.

 

[begreen]

Ideally the secondaries should be very lazy, floating above the wood and ghostlike. If they come and go that's fine.

 

[realstihl]

Its my third day and I am getting better. I can get the secondaries to fire but not for very long. My burn times have increased and I am keeping flue gas temps in the 600 range.

Refiring the stove from coals in am has been easy, surprisingly easy to be honest. Open primary air, open bypass, rake goals forward, stick in some small pieces, some splits and leave door cracked a couple minutes. Fire is burning good with charring in a short time, close it up, shut down bypass and after few more minutes start closing back primary.

I am impressed with air wash over the door glass, at this point I still don't have any noticeable soot build up and a good view of the fire.

Thanks for the replies and comments on the work, I got my myriad from northern tool last spring, I got lucky, they stuck it on sale for $749, I had a $50 discount code so with shipping I paid same price as a nc30 locally on sale. I told another guy who tried a week later and they where sold out, I bet its same right now.

I would have to agree with the fit and finish of these stoves, owned a nc13 which I sold, and having looked at everything at Lowes, home depot and tractor supply, the drolets are arguably the best fit/finish at these price points



Primary is only slightly open, I think I need to get a little 'braver' so to say and load it up good. I did try completely shut and that's when I get the secondary action but it didn't last too long. Should I see constant flaming from secondaries or should it come and go?

I totally agree on the fit/finish. There were a couple spots that weren't deburred we'll but a small file took care of it. Maybe if you have time you could do video of your burns. I have Baltic pretty much the same as a myriad. Sounds like you are having better luck than me at this point.

 

[HotCoals]

Mike,load her up! You won't melt it!
Just know that if it does get wild you can always open the door to break the draft and slow things down.
Another thing would be to know where your secondary intakes are and have magnets or tin foil to block those some.
I really don't think you need to worry much about over fire but it's good to know what to do just in case things seem to be out of control.

If you're going to be home all day,it's a good time to do it!

 

[Huntindog1]

You might go a head and locate the secondary air inlets usually in the back on the bottom of the stoves usually two of them one on each side, then keep on hand some foil tape good for sticking over those inlets if you do get nervous about the stove getting too hot. It happens to all of us from time to time. But I have never seen my stove glow red so thats a plus but I have pegged the Condar on the stove top a few times which registers 900.

Also wanted to point out a nice feature of your stove is the bypass for starting up the stove, which for newbies , its a feature that opens the stove up for better airflow during restarts. Alot of stoves like this dont have that feature.

 

[tekguy]

As requested, some video of the unit burning with some secondary action

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[tekguy]

Quick update, day 5, I am getting better at long burns. Secondary action is lazy after the initial flare up, raking coals forward at 1030PM and sticking in 4-5 decent size splits and shutting primary air down to >1" open will get me through to the next morning, where I will have some large coals, not much heat coming off but the house will still be warm (mid 60's). Temps at night have been in 20's. Next few days will be real test as temps will have highs in the teens and lows of -8.

I am enjoying the sound of silence, ny furnace hasn't clicked on since I started burning

 

[tekguy]

Two + weeks in and I love this stove, I did experience some frustration and maybe a little disappointment I will admit. That's my fault as I think I had some unrealistic expectations. When its -10 outside and windy and you live in an old drafty house you got to be realistic. I can get hot fires, smoldering fires, long fires at my choosing, its all in how I load the stove and how I set the air controls. I can not get it to over fire although I am sure it is possible.

I have been burning 24x7 since I started and have used 3/4 super cedar, 1/2 the first fire and a 1/4 the next morning (which I now know I didn't need) . if I load up at night I always have a bed of hot coals in the am. Just reload and go - the bypass works great, within a few minutes the stove is fired right back up.

I have burnt about a face cord so far.

This stove is very controllable and responds very well to your input. The air wash over the door is excellent and the door glass stays clean. It puts out a good amount of heat.

I can get the secondaries firing if I choose, its all in how you load it and control air. Because this stove is deep (true north-south loader) you don't always see the secondary action without getting down to look for it. I had to learn that, sitting on the coach I might not see it, but getting down and looking in the secondaries in the back can be firing on and off.

The only difficulty I have is getting wife trained to burn correctly and safely and not just 'yup yup got it' when I explain what to do and why.

I really have very little fear of an over fire.. Knocking on wood just in case (well maybe a little when the wife is running it)


This is a well built easy to control stove that can throw off some heat.

When I get a chance I will post some detailed pics of features.

Oh yeah I had to learn to burn hotter! And be realistic with burn times/heat output

 

[tekguy]

The only downfall so far is the blower motor is dissapointingly more noisey than I would like, might just be how they are

 

[Hardrockmaple]

I bought and installed a Thermodisc kit for the blower when I bought the stove. Cuts in at 110F, cuts out at 90F, I've returned to the Austral after 12 hrs. and found the fan turning away. No problem at this point for a quick hot restart.

 

[tekguy]

What a difference a few degrees make, this stove will heat ya right out of the room on warmish days with small fires
Shoulder season is going to equal shorts and tshirt season with the windows cracked

 

[tekguy]

Well here ya go, some detailed pics of the stove

Glass stays clean with hot fires


Standard door pins
s

Brass door lever.. Latches good



Adjustable latch ( you can tighten seal up as it wears)



Large ash pan





Cast baffle (thought the tablet would melt taking this one)



Bypass damper


Removable handle


Blower fan

 

[tekguy]

Rear heat shield



Primary air open and closed along

Open


Closed


The opening behind must be the secondary air

 

[HotCoals]

Dang Mike,that is a huge ash pan!
So people know his stack temp is with a probe,

 

[tekguy]

Dang Mike,that is a huge ash pan!
So people know his stack temp is with a probe,

Yes sir.

 

[NVHunter]

How much micore did you use, how much did it cost, and where did you buy it if you don't mind me asking?

 

[GENECOP]

Nice Job, that room looks great....

 

[tekguy]

How much micore did you use, how much did it cost, and where did you buy it if you don't mind me asking?

I used about 50 square feet and I got it for free.

Micore is used in some lines of fabric panels used to build office cubicles, I got some junk panels and skinned them - free micore