Thank you. That's very helpful information. I've never had a stove with a cat before so it will be a learning curve. But it's nice to know it runs pretty well without it. At what temperature (stovetop or flue?) are you closing the bypass and how much/quickly are you closing the air down once it's closed?
VC Dauntless, problems with smoke
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Jmorg
Burning Hunk
No problem! Yes it’s a learning curve for me as well…I usually close the bypass at 500 degrees and I have a stovetop thermometer. Depending on how cold it is and it hasn’t been really cold in Richmond VA yet…so I usually dial back the air to keep it around 450-500 right away. I leave the front door cracked though for about 15-20 minutes though when I first start it to get it going quickly.
Same problem! Next to impossible to load the stove without getting smoke in the house🤬
ratsrepus
Minister of Fire
kinda they same way I look at it. I see some people having hemorrhoids because they have to replace the cat after 10 years
Could all of these smoke in the house issues simply be a design flaw?? Seems to me that opening the top of a woodstove defies logic...... smoke and heat RISE.
Negative pressure, user error, and draft issues are more likely the culprit. VC stoves have been top-loading since the late 1970s. The top-loading works well as long as one opens the bypass and waits a few seconds before opening the lid. Logic is not being defied. The flue draft creates a vacuum in the firebox. When the top is opened, air is pulled into the stove. If draft is very weak due to factors like warm outdoor temps, a compromised flue (dirty, too many 90º turns, too short, neg. pressure environment, etc.) then yes, smoke can spill.
Woodsplitter67
Minister of Fire
The stove pipe or chimney draft is what drives the stove.. Any stove.. Opening up a top loading stove does not change the draft of the stove pipe or chimney.. it still drafts up the pipe.. Smoke spillage out of a top or front loading stove is a sign of week draft.. A friend of mine has a lopi fore x, which did the same thing .. Smoke spilling out.. My advice to him was to open the damper before reload to reestablish draft prior to reloading.. Once he practiced this, it stopped altogether
^^That.
It's not the smoke pushing up the pipe - indeed that would result in a problem for a top loader.
It's the pipe sucking up gases and smoke. Opening up the stove more (temporarily) will just allow more gases (in this case room air) to be sucked into the stove and up the pipe.
It's not the smoke pushing up the pipe - indeed that would result in a problem for a top loader.
It's the pipe sucking up gases and smoke. Opening up the stove more (temporarily) will just allow more gases (in this case room air) to be sucked into the stove and up the pipe.
Jmorg
Burning Hunk
I am happy with it overall and I feel like it's held up well so far. I got great burn times with it and it throws heat out well. My 2 main issues with it are that the ashpan could be bigger and it seems to create more creosote than my old tube burner when dampered down for a long slow burn. I'm planning on using it with a catalytic combustor this upcoming season and I hope that that will help some with the creosote.
Woodsplitter67
Minister of Fire
If your burning the stove without the cat you will notice the stove operates better with the cat in. You will get more heat with the stove dialed down because the cat is using the smoke as fuel. your creosote will be alot less because no to very little smoke will be going up the chimney. your burn will be more consistent because the cat will keep the chimney heated and up to temperature. I start the season without the cat in because its just a fire here and there. After the cool down and I start burning on a regular basis I put the cat back in.. Once were in winter its pretty much in cat mode all the time..
Jmorg
Burning Hunk
Awesome!...that's exactly what I'm hoping for. I'd give the thing 5 stars if the cat reduces the creosote.
does any one know where to buy the cat kit for the dauntless via online? My dealer is over an hour away.
Thank you so much for responding. The reviews have been quite mixed and it's difficult to find people with newer models to see how they feel about them. What type of burn times were you able to accomplish?
Jmorg
Burning Hunk
The only site that I found was way overpriced. Your dealer should be able to order it for you and have it drop shipped to your house. Might cost a little more for shipping but not too bad.
Jmorg
Burning Hunk
Yes the reviews do seem mixed, but I’ve really enjoyed it so far. I was able to get about 11 hour burn times…well able to get the fire going again easily with good coals after 11 hours. I’ll post my 1st year review here in case you want to see it in action…
Oh, that's YOUR review? haha. I watched that over the weekend. Did you end up buying the catalytic combustion system?
Jmorg
Burning Hunk
Hahaha, yes that’s me. Sorry, not trying to self promote here but the stove is really the only reason I started the channel. I could hardly find any real world info on this stove so I figured why not make my own reviews and maybe that’ll be a help to others. I haven’t gotten the cat yet but hopefully by mid October. Might post a video on installation of the cat and the temp probe, but we’ll see…
Jmorg
Burning Hunk
I think I had just gotten the fire going so yes I believe the bypass was open and the air was wide open.
well isnt that what youtube was supposed to be? Not that I have anything against these kids making a bazillion dollars talking excited about opening a box to a new toy, those are interesting as well!
Im glad you did the review. I personally, do not have anything to go against with experience aside from using a fireplace. So I dont know. I do hang out with people that have stoves/inserts, and they dont walk around pissing and moaning about them, or even mentioning them. They just chuck some wood in occasionally and continue the conversation.
I would like to do something at some point, with lessons learned etc, probably plugging this website because it has been extremely helpful to me, even from a 'you can do this' confidence builder to do the install work.
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