Enviro Kodiak 2100 issue, advice?

[JustMike]

Hey Mike- don't know about those holes..... somewhere in front of stove is air intake- don't believe they have changed the air path that radically in that stove, as they still use the central sec air tube and brick baffle. Ok on the damper movement, that sounds ok. This stove is confusing, wished I was there to look at it.

I don't see any holes on the outside of the front of the stove, period, with the exception of the ones in the ash pan area as the pic above shows. I went to the store the previous owner purchased it from and asked a whole bunch of questions. The deal in mostly Jotul and PE but they are a dealer for Enviro. Funny thing is they said in the last 15 years since the salesman worked there they only sold ONE Enviro wood stove and it was a special order. Turns out it was mine! So, their knowledge base is lacking big time. Just for curiousity I purchased some more bricks to replace the broken ones and line the ceiling of the firebox with a 2nd layer again as per the manual to see what difference it makes again now that it's cleaned well. Observation: worst air flow, smoke still bellows out, even some flame came out this time When I light the fire now, I have to keep the ashpan open longer to get the fire going but now I can remove the pan all the way and it won't build up to a roar like it does with one layer of ceiling bricks, so that tells me the flow of air is now choked off more and the draft is as well. Now the damper from closed to open makes less of the change. With the fire as big as I can make it after 30 mins running, add some fresh dry wood, let it build some more for 5-10 mins, close the ash pan, damper open, it dulls down to a mild flame. Even open all the way and a steady but low flame built up the highest I can get the burn indicator is at the bottom of the burn zone at 275F... So, it's a step backwards with the 2nd brick layer in the ceiling

 

[kingquad]

The picture makes it look like that ash pan gasket used to sit above the holes. Just a thought.

Have you tried contacting Enviro's tech support. I contacted them when I bought my stove. It took them a couple days, but they did get back to me.

 

[JustMike]

Update:

OK, pretty sure I got this figured....Woke up at 4am this am, started searching the Enviro website and looked at the older archived manuals. While flipping through the manual and looking at part #'s for the stove I noticed the brick placement diagram was different then what's in my stove ( I knew this prior but didn't give a second thought). Then I looked at the flow diagram of the stove for the smoke and WHAM, it hit me like a ton of stove bricks... The issue is with the organization and size of the ceiling bricks I have in the stove, or should I say the Placement of the bricks. The previous owner installed the ceiling bricks without the use of the 2 x 9x3" bricks on the lower ceiling layer and just one 9 x 3" brick and filled the remainder of the layer with full size bricks therefore not allowing air flow up and out the flue. The diagram shows 2 of the 9 x 3" bricks used on both sides of the ceiling as below...

If instead of using 2 of the 3" brick you use 1 of them and the reminder 4 1/2" bricks it fills the lower layer completely to match the sides, not allowing smoke a path to escape. Who would have figured?
Stove works much better now... Before when I had the last brick removed the stove worked well and I could have left it like so but now it's good...
Yah, Me!
Now I have to go to the dealer and order some of the 9x3" bricks for replacement as some of mine are broken.

 

[Hardrockmaple]

Wow, great investigative work!! Hope this is the cure.

 

[BrotherBart]

I think somebody put that ash pan door gasket on wrong. Willing to bet it is supposed to be above those holes and that they are the EPA unrestricted primary air holes for that stove.

 

[JustMike]

Could be right Bart. I have some gasket glue left over from when I changed the door gasket last year so I'll peel it back carefully and reseal it above...

 

[kingquad]

Once you get this thing set straight, I think you're really gonna like it. I really liked mine.

 

[skinanbones]

Now that you have sorted it out back to stock, you'll find while it's better it still a slow to start stove. But with the 1 or 2 we've sold in the last 12 years here in ontario we take out the first full brick on top and cut the first lower 9x3 down to 9x2. That seems to have resloved most of our draft issues that customers experienced with these units. Currently we refuse to sell the 2100 as we feel the Kodiak 1700 will produce about the same heat with an easier to use stove. Once the 2100 is redsigned it should an incrediable heater.

 

[JustMike]

Now that you have sorted it out back to stock, you'll find while it's better it still a slow to start stove. But with the 1 or 2 we've sold in the last 12 years here in ontario we take out the first full brick on top and cut the first lower 9x3 down to 9x2. That seems to have resloved most of our draft issues that customers experienced with these units. Currently we refuse to sell the 2100 as we feel the Kodiak 1700 will produce about the same heat with an easier to use stove. Once the 2100 is redsigned it should an incrediable heater.

OK, Good info, I needed you to chime in a little sooner but this is good...
So, Could you clarity about the bricks on top a little better? When you say " First full Brick" do you mean the " Upper " layer or the " Bottom" layer, front or rearward of the stove? I already cut a full 9x4.5 brick in half cause the dealer didn't have any but a Tile cutter does a good job in doing that...So I have a 9x2.25 brick in the rear and front of the lower layer. That should be good, IMHO but do I need to change the upper layer? My upper layer now is flush with the front of the lower layer with the cutting of the bricks the way they are now...
Oh, forgot, yes it is a slow stove to start that's why I pull the ash pan just a tad to help it along until it gets going well enough to close it.

Here's a pic!

 

[kingquad]

Now that you have sorted it out back to stock, you'll find while it's better it still a slow to start stove. But with the 1 or 2 we've sold in the last 12 years here in ontario we take out the first full brick on top and cut the first lower 9x3 down to 9x2. That seems to have resloved most of our draft issues that customers experienced with these units. Currently we refuse to sell the 2100 as we feel the Kodiak 1700 will produce about the same heat with an easier to use stove. Once the 2100 is redsigned it should an incrediable heater.

Sounds like you know a good bit about these stoves. Any time line on when the 2100 will get redesigned? I'm gonna try and install a stove in my house in a couple years and need a bit more fire power than the 1700. My wife liked the old insert, so I can use that to help push the decision She really likes the ZC units though, so I might be stuck.

 

[skinanbones]

JustMike yeah i meant take the first full brick out of the upper layer. It can allow more air to roll over the front edge and out the chimney. You might want to start with cutting the first full brick on the upper layer in half so that it is 2.25" behind the bottem layer, in doing that it increases the opening. Which than should create some swirl which should increase draft.

KingQuad we as a store have dealt with Enviro since the early days and more recently have been top dealer in Ontario Canada for a few years in a row. I don't think it give me anything special pull wise with Enviro, but we have been talking to them about updating the 2100 for a few years. My personal feeling is that it's coming in the next few years, but not sure when.
Though if your wife likes ZC's show her the FP30 from Pacific Energy. It's bigger than the 1700 as it the Summit firebox in a ZC shell.

 

[kingquad]

JustMike yeah i meant take the first full brick out of the upper layer. It can allow more air to roll over the front edge and out the chimney. You might want to start with cutting the first full brick on the upper layer in half so that it is 2.25" behind the bottem layer, in doing that it increases the opening. Which than should create some swirl which should increase draft.

KingQuad we as a store have dealt with Enviro since the early days and more recently have been top dealer in Ontario Canada for a few years in a row. I don't think it give me anything special pull wise with Enviro, but we have been talking to them about updating the 2100 for a few years. My personal feeling is that it's coming in the next few years, but not sure when.
Though if your wife likes ZC's show her the FP30 from Pacific Energy. It's bigger than the 1700 as it the Summit firebox in a ZC shell.

Have you sold any of the FP30's? If so, are your customers happy with it? My wife likes the looks, but the cracked firebox thing has me a bit gun shy on buying a PE.

 

[skinanbones]

KingQuad only one so far, but have sold allot of summits over the years and never had any cracked units. So far everyone with the stove love them. You may also want check out the RSF Focus 250-350. If you have more question PM me so we don't hijack JustMikes thread to much

 

[begreen]

The Summit Insert issue appears to have been confined to a specific year range. They revised the design a few years back.

 

[stovelark]

Just Mike- was gone for a couple of days- great to hear you resolved your issue... have sold many 2100 current Enviros here in CT- great large firebox burner, espec for the money. I still like the Kodiak design better and thats what I burn personally, but I have found Enviros to get up and go, I used to be a "Jotul dog" but I have found Enviro and P/E steel frames and hybrids are probably the best you can buy for the money. Cast iron stoves are aesthetically pleasing (I like the Enviro Boston and P/E Alderlea too, but inside the engine is a steel stove design) but just burn and be happy- a steel stove is hard to beat. Anyway, enough jabbering, congrats on your fix...... Good luck

 

[GrampaDennis]

JustMike -

I haven't been in Hearth.com for a while. I would/could have chimed in sooner.
I have an Enviro Kodiak 2100, bought new last fall. We did much of our heating with it through the winter.

Glad to see you identified the problem with the firebrick installation. Our installer had quite a time figuring ours out. I almost wanted to kick him out of there and do it myself.

Some observations:

This stove needs to be filled about 2/3 or more with wood in order to get the temperature up when starting from cold. It will never get up to the recommended operating temp if you try to start with too small a load.

This stove doesn't pull a lot of air on startup, so you have to have good kindling and build your fire accordingly. I have gone to using a couple of fatwood sticks with whatever other kindling I use. Some on this forum speak ill of fatwood, but I like it.

I, too have a bit of trouble with smoke coming out when I add wood. I open the damper all the way first, and try to be quick, but I still get a small puff sometimes.

I like the way the stove heats, and the large firebox. It's reasonably economical on wood, but apparently not as efficient as the 1700 design. The 2100 does not qualify for the tax credit, but the 1700 does. I almost bought the 1700, but liked the idea of the larger firebox.

 

[Wait Aminute]

Hi... I am new to this tread...just wanted to add I have an older enviro 2100 .. great stove but I have the same problem with mine..does not draw well.
It puffs and sends out soot when I open the door ... I have become a good duster!

 

[JustMike]

Hey Guys,

Just wanted to add an update. The stove for this heating season thus far is performing great! I rarely get any smoke out the door now and the burn times are really good. It's been really cold this season and I've had the stove going 24/7 since November. Figure I've burned about 3-4 cord thus far. Haven't cut any new wood yet but will start in a few days. Overall, really happy with the stove and there's no substitute for wood heat is there guys?

 

[BrotherBart]

Never heard a discouraging word from a Kodiak owner. But you are about a year or two late getting started on next year's wood.

 

[JustMike]

Not next years wood Bart, I have about 8-10 cord drying from last year ready for next year, I'm cutting for the year after or the year after that.