The Regency CI2600 & CI2700 operation thread

[Wolves1]

If your getting bad black glass leave the bypass open 10 to 15 min even if thermometer reads 500 when closing leave the main air fully open for 10 to 15 min then close the air.

 

[vetrano]

If your getting bad black glass leave the bypass open 10 to 15 min even if thermometer reads 500 when closing leave the main air fully open for 10 to 15 min then close the air.

I am going to try this next time I fire it up and I'll post the outcome.

 

[Heizer]

What size liner do you have? Mine is the regency 5.5" diameter liner and is just over 24' long.

I'm starting to wonder if my wood is less dry than I thought. I need to get my hand on a moisture meter to measure a fresh split.

I don't think it is your wood. I have the same with wood moisture level well below 15% (after splitting). Removing washers at the door did not make any changes. I also removed the restrictor plate, which had no impact on the blackening either. My wood just burned faster down.

 

[Heizer]

Vetrono,


That glass buildup does not look normal. I had a similar problem develop shortly after my stove was installed over 2 years ago. Shortly after the stove was installed I had the normal blackening at the corners but as the first month or two wore on the glass became very black and I had poor draft too. The issue was that my cap was installed too far down onto the top of my liner which restricted the outlet of the stove. The poor draft led to more soot buildup that eventually blocked what little space was left between the top of the liner and the chimney cap.

Take a look at your chimney cap and make sure you don't have any restrictions there.

This is a good point to check. I have the impression too that poor draft could cause this buildup. When I load the box after creating the bed of glowing coals , bypass open for at least 15 sec, primary air fully open, I have smoke being pushed out into the room. Even when when the temperature is well about 500. I would not expect this to happen if I have a good draft.

 

[Wolves1]

This is a good point to check. I have the impression too that poor draft could cause this buildup. When I load the box after creating the bed of glowing coals , bypass open for at least 15 sec, primary air fully open, I have smoke being pushed out into the room. Even when when the temperature is well about 500. I would not expect this to happen if I have a good draft.

That definitely should not happen.

 

[vetrano]

Does anyone else need to keep the door cracked open for a good 15+ minutes after reloading to allow the fire to build? I am finding that closing the door before the fire is very strong will not let it grow enough to allow the bypass to be closed.

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[begreen]

Not with this insert, but it depends on the size of the coal bed. Normally I close the door right away and leave the air wide open for a bit until the new load burns well.

If the wood is slow to ignite it may be poorly seasoned wood. What is the moisture content of the wood?

 

[Heizer]

Does anyone else need to keep the door cracked open for a good 15+ minutes after reloading to allow the fire to build? I am finding that closing the door before the fire is very strong will not let it grow enough to allow the bypass to be closed.

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Vetrano, I guess we share the same problems. I have to have my door cracked open for about 15min too after reloading. My assumption is that this, plus the blackening of the glass, is due to poor draft. I have the installers scheduled for beginning of January to check this out.

 

[begreen]

Try putting a few pieces of dry kindling on the coal bed, loaded N/S a few inches apart, before adding the wood. The dry kindling will ignite quickly and will allow air to get under the wood load for faster ignition.

 

[vetrano]

Try putting a few pieces of dry kindling on the coal bed, loaded N/S a few inches apart, before adding the wood. The dry kindling will ignite quickly and will allow air to get under the wood load for faster ignition.

The wood will ignite almost immediately when I put it on hot coals (sometimes so quick I don't even finish loading the stove). The problem is that if I close the door before the whole stove is engulfed in flames the fire will slowly start to die out. It seems that the new version of this insert almost has the opposite problem of the initial batch - not enough air being let in resulting in black glass and this symptom as well. How old is your insert begreen? Do you know the date of manufacture (it is on the label that is under the fan)?

 

[vetrano]

Vetrano, I guess we share the same problems. I have to have my door cracked open for about 15min too after reloading. My assumption is that this, plus the blackening of the glass, is due to poor draft. I have the installers scheduled for beginning of January to check this out.

Heizer, let me know what the installers say. As I said in my last post, I suspect the changes Regency made to this insert to address the burn times may be what is causing our problems.

 

[griam01]

Mine was manufactured January 2016 according to the label and I have noticed similar although possibly not as bad. If I am reloading, I have to wait with the door cracked for several minutes to get the fire going before I can close the door.

Just curious. When reloading are you opening both the primary air and the bypass each time? I do but I was wondering if I needed to open the bypass if my cat temp was still at a high level?


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[vetrano]

Just curious. When reloading are you opening both the primary air and the bypass each time? I do but I was wondering if I needed to open the bypass if my cat temp was still at a high level?

Yes. I open the bypass and primary air and wait 20-30 seconds before slowly opening the door. This is to prevent smoke from entering the house. After loading and finally closing the door I let it burn with the bypass open until it is above 500F for at least 10 minutes. I then close the bypass and slowly adjust the air based on the temperature and how the fire is burning.

 

[Heizer]

Mine was manufactured January 2016 according to the label and I have noticed similar although possibly not as bad. If I am reloading, I have to wait with the door cracked for several minutes to get the fire going before I can close the door.

Just curious. When reloading are you opening both the primary air and the bypass each time? I do but I was wondering if I needed to open the bypass if my cat temp was still at a high level?


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I need to open the bypass otherwise I will have smoke billowing into the room. Primary is with the door cracked open irrelevant, but I usually open the primary first before opening the bypass.

 

[Heizer]

Heizer, let me know what the installers say. As I said in my last post, I suspect the changes Regency made to this insert to address the burn times may be what is causing our problems.

I would really like to know all the changes they made. I did remove the primary air reducer which had no effect on the blackening. The only noticeable changes was that the fire burned like hell. This I believe was the initial problem the unit had in the past.

 

[Wolves1]

This is all sounds like a bad draft, unseasoned wood or both. If you take a piece of newspaper lite it on fire and put it right into the bypass you should hear the draft.

 

[griam01]

When my bypass is open I had draft. I can see the flames going right up to that area. I am not also familar of what happens when you attempt to burn wet wood. My husband put some in the other night and it was a mess. Couldn't get up to temp and it just sort of smoldered. I told him it wasn't good for the unit and not to do it again. Unfortunately, he left out next batch of wood out exposed so it got wet with the latest storm so we don't have much left to burn.

 

[begreen]

Sounds like this batch of wood may be better left for next season. Search craigslist for firewood in your area and try to find some truly seasoned firewood. Tell them you have a cat stove that absolutely must have dry wood. Ask when it was split and stacked. Should be at least a year prior if not two. Ash wood can be the exception. If dried right and split in the spring then put under top cover it can be ready for fall burning. Don't be afraid to say no if it doesn't sound good. If you are lucky you will find someone that no longer has their woodstove and is clearing out some old stacks. Cold weather coming starting next week.

Here are some possibles
(broken link removed to http://wheeling.craigslist.org/for/5890037498.html)
(broken link removed to http://wheeling.craigslist.org/grd/5933544830.html)
(broken link removed to http://wheeling.craigslist.org/grd/5896039720.html)

 

[Woody Stover]

Ask when it was split and stacked. Should be at least a year prior if not two. Ash wood can be the exception. If dried right and split in the spring then put under top cover it can be ready for fall burning.

Soft Maple (Silver or Red) or Black Cherry will also get pretty dry if split in the spring and stacked in the wind. Won't burn as long as White Ash, but it will match the other Ash species. White Ash can be decent in a year if it was dead standing when cut, but ideally you want two years.
About the best way to get dry wood now, if you can do it, is to go into the woods and find small (<8") dead-standers with no bark. Even Oak might be alright if it's small enough.

 

[carloIT]

Hi folks !
I'm new to this forum.
I write from Milan (Italy) and I am very interested in Regency CI2600. I'm planning to buy one.
About the dirty glass: I have been to a dealer shop two days ago: He told me that black on the sides of the stove is absolutely normal for catalytic stoves/inserts at low burn rate.."you should not expect clean glass if you buy a catalytic insert"

I actually sow the Regency pro series F3500 running and there was black on the sides...

Now guys I kindly ask you to give me some advice about the opportunity to buy a RegencyCI2600. Here my doubts.

- would you buy it again?
- how long is the burn time (between two loads)
- how long is the insert able to put out "good" heat
- how much the insert needs in terms of wood (lbs) for low burn rate ??

Thanks a lot

Carlo From Italy

 

[Wolves1]

Hi folks !
I'm new to this forum.
I write from Milan (Italy) and I am very interested in Regency CI2600. I'm planning to buy one.
About the dirty glass: I have been to a dealer shop two days ago: He told me that black on the sides of the stove is absolutely normal for catalytic stoves/inserts at low burn rate.."you should not expect clean glass if you buy a catalytic insert"

I actually sow the Regency pro series F3500 running and there was black on the sides...

Now guys I kindly ask you to give me some advice about the opportunity to buy a RegencyCI2600. Here my doubts.

- would you buy it again?
- how long is the burn time (between two loads)
- how long is the insert able to put out "good" heat
- how much the insert needs in terms of wood (lbs) for low burn rate ??

Thanks a lot

Carlo From Italy

I liked it so much that I bought the stove equivalent the F3500 for a new extension I built on my house.The burn time depends on how cold it is outside, you will have hot coals after 12 hours but it's not enough heat to heat a home if the temps outside are below 30F if temps outside are 40F+ it should do the job. The stove should hold about 40 lbs of wood.
Here is a chart I have, I recorded the cat temp so you get an idea of heat output.

Stove 5. N/S 10 pieces, Filled 7am
Winter 2014-15
Time Cat temp. Outside temp
8am 1250. 32.
9. 1100 32.
10. 1000. 34.
11. 850 36.
12. 650. 39.
1. 600. 40.
2. 550. 40.
3 550. 40
4. 500. 39.
5. 500. 37.
6. 450. 35.
7. 350. 34.
8. Cool. 32.



 

[carloIT]

Thanks wolves!

 

[griam01]

Sounds like this batch of wood may be better left for next season. Search craigslist for firewood in your area and try to find some truly seasoned firewood. Tell them you have a cat stove that absolutely must have dry wood. Ask when it was split and stacked. Should be at least a year prior if not two. Ash wood can be the exception. If dried right and split in the spring then put under top cover it can be ready for fall burning. Don't be afraid to say no if it doesn't sound good. If you are lucky you will find someone that no longer has their woodstove and is clearing out some old stacks. Cold weather coming starting next week.

Here are some possibles
(broken link removed to http://wheeling.craigslist.org/for/5890037498.html)
(broken link removed to http://wheeling.craigslist.org/grd/5933544830.html)
(broken link removed to http://wheeling.craigslist.org/grd/5896039720.html)

Thank you very much!


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[vetrano]

Is it normal for the insert temperature to increase when the fan speed is changed from low to high?

Today the insert has been running with the fan on low and the temperature is indicating a steady 787 degrees f. Turning the fan speed to high causes the temperature to jump to over 805 in about 30 seconds. Putting the fan back to low causes the temperature to slowly drop.

I'm guessing this isn't normal. I also think I start getting a slight smoke smell in the house when I run the fan on high, but it may be in my head. I'm starting to wonder if I have an issue with the unit or the install.

 

[Heizer]

Is it normal for the insert temperature to increase when the fan speed is changed from low to high?

Today the insert has been running with the fan on low and the temperature is indicating a steady 787 degrees f. Turning the fan speed to high causes the temperature to jump to over 805 in about 30 seconds. Putting the fan back to low causes the temperature to slowly drop.

I'm guessing this isn't normal. I also think I start getting a slight smoke smell in the house when I run the fan on high, but it may be in my head. I'm starting to wonder if I have an issue with the unit or the install.

This definitely is not normal. The temperature should drop when turning the fan to high. You are pushing heat out of the box.