Last Night, I'd had it: Goodbye Defiant; Hello Mansfield!

[struggle]

You are right about the stove getting hot quickly. What I do is on reload is to rake the coals to the front of the stove instead of leaving them spread out. It lenghtens the burn time and slows it down a bit. Can at any giving moment open the air control and raise the stack temp to above 1000degrees on the probe thermometer.

I would strongly sugest a probe thermometer so you can see how it is doing for temps if you do not have one. Condor is the type I have. Installs without removing the pipe. 1/4 drill bit me thinks.

 

[swestall]

Hello Again, In talking 8 hour burn times, we are getting 8 hours off the wood; the hot coal stage is much longer. In fact I don't have a clue about that since I'm reloading after 8-9 hours. At 8 hours we have stovetop of 200-250 no problem; in fact those temps stay for quite a while longer. It doesn't take much to get back up to the 300+ area after that either.
The other day we let the coals burn down a bit, by opening it wide in the coal stage. The stovetop stayed at 275+ and if you considered the time from burn start till we reloaded it was about 12 hours.
Hope that clarifies it a bit.
And, I do have a probe, I just haven't installed it yet. When I put in the Mansfield I went to a double wall SS stovepipe which means I have to drill two different size holes to mount it. Just haven't had time to get to that yet; but I will.
I just have nothing but good things to say at this point. Do they call this Soap-side: Heaven?

 

[rmcfall]

Do you mean you still have wood in the stove after 8 hours...that you have some flame after 8 hrs?

Hello Again, In talking 8 hour burn times, we are getting 8 hours off the wood; the hot coal stage is much longer.

 

[rmcfall]

So if I understand correctly, your main living areas (kitchen, dining, family areas) are all in one larger open area, with the stove being almost centrally located. And then you have 6 rooms (3 up and down) that are detached from the open area, but they are still heated by the stove? If I understand your layout correctly, I am impressed that you can maintain temps in those rooms at the rear of the house (particularly the ones on the first floor) without overheating the main living areas.

Yes, it is a lot of space. The house is set up for wood burning and passive solar gain. My avatar is a picture of the stove location; the chimney is built about 1/3 into the long room (40x27) and separates living space into three areas that are all open. The rear of the house has two floors with 3 rooms up and down. The Mansfield has no problem with this space at all.

 

[jpl1nh]

Swestall, so glad the change has gone so well for you. The soapstone stoves are great if you just keep them going. While the Woodsocks are cat stoves and yours is secondary burn they both give great, even, long term heat. Last night it was 18 when I loaded at 10PM, 71 in the house, filled it full and tight with mostly very good hard wood but some middling stuff too like red maple and a small piece of hemlock. Got it going, engaged cat, shut it down in a couple of stages and went to bed. Woke up at 6AM, it was 6 outside and 68 inside. That's heating about 1000 sq ft with a cathedral ceiling and skylights in the living room with a 1.5 cu ft firebox! Stovetop was 300 with a hearty coal bed inside. Love my soapstone. I know they aren't for everybody or every situation but those of us that have them love them.

 

[Highbeam]

Ugh, you have to drill two differnt sized holes for double wall? I suppose that would have been obvious but you had better get those holes concentric or else your thermometer will be looking sideways. Do you drill the holes in the one side only? I would assume so and that the probe just sticks there in the pipe like a nail.

 

[swestall]

First hole is the larger one, the little adaptor goes through it, they say 1/4 inch but just a bit smaller will make a tighter fit. the second hole is for the probe itself, I don't recall the size, just hold it up to the drill to match size, Use a little center punch to start the drill (finish nail will do if you don't have one) and you are just looking to make a little ding so the drill won't walk on you.
Then in goes the adaprtor and the proble follows with the magnet on it.

 

[marc nichols]

Swestall,

so I see you arrived where I did...the everburn out the door. Junk! Too bad your dealer didn't step up as mine did, for which I'm very grateful.

I opted for another VC Encore, but the CAT version designed by the original VC company. I don't think the quality is the same, but I'm hoping the technology is in tact and I love the look of the stove. Unfortunately, the everburn creosoted my system badly and after a flue fire (this all caught me by surprise and initiated the swap), I have a seriously clogged chimney cap to resolve. Given the weather and height of the chimney, it will be another week before the chimney sweep can be here to rectify. From what I did experience briefly, this CAT unit is a horse of an entirely different color and I'm hopeful it will fulfill my needs.

Saw discussion of a "secondary air probe". can anyone tell me what this is, where it goes and where to get one? If it measures temps behind the cat, I'd be very interested in monitoring that. No more creosote for me...

Marc

 

[jetmech]

Marc, the secondary air probe controls a air shutter in the rear of the stove through a coil spring. It senses temp of the stove and opens or closes the shutter or flap what ever you call it to control stove temp. I belive it is always open somewhat. it is totally temp operated not controllable by hand.

 

[marc nichols]

OK, I understand that. For some reason I thought this was an operator viewable temp probe.

Thanks for the clarification.

 

[Corie]

Pictures, pictures, pictures!

 

[Corie]

And more pictures!

 

[bebopin]

Just looking at that makes me warmer.Cannot wait for my install to be done and start having that at home.Phil

 

[AndyD1480]

Awesome stove man! I've been following most of your posts and responses regarding this stove. It's been invaluable in helping me lock into my Heritage's sweet spot!

Now I've just gotta get the Fiance' to reload when she gets home and we'll have some great 24 hour burning going

 

[Harley]

Looks great!!

I bet that baby will be keeping the house nice and toasty

 

[Highbeam]

Looks good, even the ecofan is spinning so you must have had a good stove top temp.

I've got an odd HS specific question. How did you attach the first section of pipe/adapter/whatever to the stove's collar? I see you have an adapter piece in there with no damper but I can't see how it attaches to the HS non-predrilled collar.

Nice place.

 

[DriftWood]

I went to a double wall SS stovepipe which means

Why did you go to the double wall?
Seemes like a lot of heat could come off the single wall if it was there instead.

 

[Harley]

Looks good, even the ecofan is spinning so you must have had a good stove top temp.

I've got an odd HS specific question. How did you attach the first section of pipe/adapter/whatever to the stove's collar? I see you have an adapter piece in there with no damper but I can't see how it attaches to the HS non-predrilled collar.

Nice place.

That's strange, HB... unless I misread.... are you talking about the reversable collar on your Heritage? Mine does have 3 pre-drilled holed in the cast collar.

 

[jpl1nh]

S, the stove looks beautiful!! but I really think you need to upgrade your woodrack to something larger.

 

[Jefflee1]

Hey AndyD1480

Where did you get your stove from, I am looking to go with a soapstone stove? I am over in Willington

Jeff

 

[Gooserider]

Nice looking install, but aren't those racks awful close to the stove? - I thought NFPA said you were supposed to have 48" to non-wall combustibles? (I'll admit I think that's a bit much for firewood that gets rotated through fairly fast, but... I'll even admit that I keep mine closer than that, but not as close as yours is...)

Gooserider

 

[AndyD1480]

Jefflee1, hey I dont want to hi-jack the thread so I sent you a PM.

 

[jpl1nh]

Nice looking install, but aren't those racks awful close to the stove? - I thought NFPA said you were supposed to have 48" to non-wall combustibles? (I'll admit I think that's a bit much for firewood that gets rotated through fairly fast, but... I'll even admit that I keep mine closer than that, but not as close as yours is...) Yeah but its a soapstone stove aren't that skin searing heat of a cast or steel. Plus he's just warming it up so it burns better in that big ole stove

Gooserider

 

[begreen]

The Mansfield has an 18" side clearance to combustibles. It's hard to tell from the pictures, but it does look like only about 8-10 inches to the closest wood in the hoop.

Did you mean NFPA clearance to combustibles for unrated stoves is 36 inches?

 

[Highbeam]

I think I am in error Harley, the collar did have holes now that you mention it but they were not spaced to line up with the premade holes in the double wall. HS told me that I would have to drill new ones. The installer and the inspector said it wan't required or needed so my double wall slip piece is only twist locked at the ceiling and then screwed together at the slip joint, setting on the collar.

The wife has the heritage at 550 right now which is higher than I like. Setting a record.