Vermont Castings Merrimack
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WhitePointBeach said:
I'll be interested in your experiments. Any thoughts on how to remove lint/dust that is building up on each of the intake sides of the two electric motors? The one on the right will be easy. The left one is behind the thermostat and its housing. Some kind of vacuum tube???...
We have the Monte in our living room. Just watched Jeremiah Johnson last night. We let the fan run - but turned it down some.
It's no different than other fans or maybe a window unit air conditioner. I think people just are not used to hearing fans in the winter.
I had a house that had forced air. My living room chair was near one of the vents. THAT was annoying because I would adjust the TV volume with the furnace off. Then it would kick in and I'd turn it up. Then the furnace would shut off and the TV seemed really loud. Solved that by putting in a wood stove.
It's no different than other fans or maybe a window unit air conditioner. I think people just are not used to hearing fans in the winter.
I had a house that had forced air. My living room chair was near one of the vents. THAT was annoying because I would adjust the TV volume with the furnace off. Then it would kick in and I'd turn it up. Then the furnace would shut off and the TV seemed really loud. Solved that by putting in a wood stove.
WhitePointBeach said:
All you need to do is remove the two hex cap screws/bolts that hold the bottom cage on, route the cord, and bolt the cage back on. 7/6" hex socket works fine.
Sean
DeltaBoy
My fireplace is in my main TV Room. The "chair" closes to the Fan produces a loud sound the affects the TV sound reaching you when you sit in the chair (so you need to turn the TV up). If you turn the fan down to 50% then the TV wins, but I want heat output so my fan is almost always at 100%. The couch that is directly accross the fireplace about 12' away the fan noise is not too bad. I had my fan serviced and they did add a piece of styrofoam to isolated the fan from the sheet metal enclosure. It did reduce the noise but by maybe 10%. The service guy's comment was that is what a fan sounds like. Well other manufactures have quieter fans (QuadraFire is one manufacture).
Another way to put it
When I sit in the "chair" with the fan off I listen to the TV at volume setting of 25 and with the fan at 100% I need to increase the TV volume to 35.
My fireplace is in my main TV Room. The "chair" closes to the Fan produces a loud sound the affects the TV sound reaching you when you sit in the chair (so you need to turn the TV up). If you turn the fan down to 50% then the TV wins, but I want heat output so my fan is almost always at 100%. The couch that is directly accross the fireplace about 12' away the fan noise is not too bad. I had my fan serviced and they did add a piece of styrofoam to isolated the fan from the sheet metal enclosure. It did reduce the noise but by maybe 10%. The service guy's comment was that is what a fan sounds like. Well other manufactures have quieter fans (QuadraFire is one manufacture).
Another way to put it
When I sit in the "chair" with the fan off I listen to the TV at volume setting of 25 and with the fan at 100% I need to increase the TV volume to 35.
Okay, so the fan is loud on the Merrimack. That is a negative. I assume everyone agrees the looks of the Merrimack VC are a positive. I have looked at every insert option out there and I see nothing that comes close. So minus one and plus one. So last question, how is the heating versus other options? Is the heating good? In my town, the two dealers sell VC, Jotul, Buck Stove, Hearthstone and Quadrafire. Is there one you would rank better on functionality and beauty?
let me ask u guys some more questions...
What do you use as kindling? as a firestarter, i have been using ignito's from home depot. What kind of wood is best to use in a merrimack? i have been told the home depot wood i have been using is like crap paper.
Also the primary air control - when i first start a fire i pull it to the left and the push one more time it seems to make a spring noise and then bounces back - what does that do? doesnt seem like it does anything.
Can you guys run down how u use the primary air control from when you first start a fire to the end - basically looking for primary air control positions.
also the news paper and ash thing didnt seem to work and plus i fired it up pretty good, black glass still remains.
What do you use as kindling? as a firestarter, i have been using ignito's from home depot. What kind of wood is best to use in a merrimack? i have been told the home depot wood i have been using is like crap paper.
Also the primary air control - when i first start a fire i pull it to the left and the push one more time it seems to make a spring noise and then bounces back - what does that do? doesnt seem like it does anything.
Can you guys run down how u use the primary air control from when you first start a fire to the end - basically looking for primary air control positions.
also the news paper and ash thing didnt seem to work and plus i fired it up pretty good, black glass still remains.
I hope you are not buying all your wood from home depot.
To figure out what wood is good google "wood btu's". Black Locus, Sycamore, Hedgeapple, Oak burn the hottest.
If you don't have a wood source, go to craigs list and find firewood contractors. You get what you pay for. Also don't negotiate the price instead clarify volume. Ask them what is their defination of a cord. I sent out 12 emails saying "Is you cord 8' x 4' x three 16" logs deep" and only one person responded. I am burning well seasoned cherry and very happy. It is only 20,000,000 btu per cord, whereas black locus is 28,000,000 (40% more). Therefore a cord of Black Locus is worth 40% more than a cord of cherry.
To get rid of the black on the glass
1) slightly wet newspaper, keep diping and redipping in ash, replace newspaper as needed, use "elbow greese" and circular motion
2) try to build the fire so the flames are closer to the glass. After you get a fire going, load the box top to bottom, open the dampner (far left) to produce a hot fire and the black should burn off. I have not figured out how to burn the black on the bottom on the glass yet.
To figure out what wood is good google "wood btu's". Black Locus, Sycamore, Hedgeapple, Oak burn the hottest.
If you don't have a wood source, go to craigs list and find firewood contractors. You get what you pay for. Also don't negotiate the price instead clarify volume. Ask them what is their defination of a cord. I sent out 12 emails saying "Is you cord 8' x 4' x three 16" logs deep" and only one person responded. I am burning well seasoned cherry and very happy. It is only 20,000,000 btu per cord, whereas black locus is 28,000,000 (40% more). Therefore a cord of Black Locus is worth 40% more than a cord of cherry.
To get rid of the black on the glass
1) slightly wet newspaper, keep diping and redipping in ash, replace newspaper as needed, use "elbow greese" and circular motion
2) try to build the fire so the flames are closer to the glass. After you get a fire going, load the box top to bottom, open the dampner (far left) to produce a hot fire and the black should burn off. I have not figured out how to burn the black on the bottom on the glass yet.
I hope you are not buying all your wood from home depot.
To figure out what wood is good google "wood btu's". Black Locus, Sycamore, Hedgeapple, Oak burn the hottest.
If you don't have a wood source, go to craigs list and find firewood contractors. You get what you pay for. Also don't negotiate the price instead clarify volume. Ask them what is their defination of a cord. I sent out 12 emails saying "Is your cord 8' x 4' x three 16" logs deep" and only one person responded. I am burning well seasoned cherry and very happy. It is only 20,000,000 btu per cord, whereas black locus is 28,000,000 (40% more). Therefore a cord of Black Locus is worth 40% more than a cord of cherry.
To get rid of the black on the glass
1) slightly wet newspaper, keep diping and redipping in ash, replace newspaper as needed, use "elbow greese" and circular motion
2) try to build the fire so the flames are closer to the glass. After you get a fire going, load the box top to bottom, open the dampner (far left) to produce a hot fire and the black should burn off. I have not figured out how to burn the black on the bottom on the glass yet.
To figure out what wood is good google "wood btu's". Black Locus, Sycamore, Hedgeapple, Oak burn the hottest.
If you don't have a wood source, go to craigs list and find firewood contractors. You get what you pay for. Also don't negotiate the price instead clarify volume. Ask them what is their defination of a cord. I sent out 12 emails saying "Is your cord 8' x 4' x three 16" logs deep" and only one person responded. I am burning well seasoned cherry and very happy. It is only 20,000,000 btu per cord, whereas black locus is 28,000,000 (40% more). Therefore a cord of Black Locus is worth 40% more than a cord of cherry.
To get rid of the black on the glass
1) slightly wet newspaper, keep diping and redipping in ash, replace newspaper as needed, use "elbow greese" and circular motion
2) try to build the fire so the flames are closer to the glass. After you get a fire going, load the box top to bottom, open the dampner (far left) to produce a hot fire and the black should burn off. I have not figured out how to burn the black on the bottom on the glass yet.
thanks musky ill try the gas cleaning again. my wife used windex and paper towels the first time she saw the black on the glass. i thought she may of etched the glass.
btw the pic below the installer said this was an extra peice for the handle? where do you guys used this at if at all?
btw the pic below the installer said this was an extra peice for the handle? where do you guys used this at if at all?
I used this Rutland glass cleaner and conditioner for the first time and it took no effort at all to clean the glass....plus it leaves behind a thin layer of silicone to help prevent buildup. I picked it up on eBay for 3 bucks...
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![[Hearth.com] Vermont Castings Merrimack](/talk/data/attachments/36/36883-b0608e7d109dea46224ee0a07d40b194.jpg?hash=h5v-PQlUB0)
ok guys i got a reply back from a tech at VC through my dealer. I asked about why the fans take soo long to come on and the blackening glass issue:
The baffle needs to be all the way towards the back of the unit. This will keep the firebox temps hotter.
The glass getting dirty could be caused from a poor seal on the door, or air wash manifold. I would make sure that both are tight all the way around, this could also explain the lack of control.
Anyone know what he means by baffle towards the back of unit and tightening the air wash manifold?
The baffle needs to be all the way towards the back of the unit. This will keep the firebox temps hotter.
The glass getting dirty could be caused from a poor seal on the door, or air wash manifold. I would make sure that both are tight all the way around, this could also explain the lack of control.
Anyone know what he means by baffle towards the back of unit and tightening the air wash manifold?
The baffle towards the back of the unit referrs to that board that rests on top of those pipes that run across the top of the burn box. It just sits there loosely, and should be pushed back as far as it can go. This should force the hot exhaust to run from the back of the stove along the top towards the front, then up and out the flue.
I'm not sure what they mean by tightening the air wash manifold. I'd look inside at that arched piece of iron that is just near the top of the glass and tighten any screws I see.
One thing also is that I've notice on my liner the crimped connector was too long. The connector bottomed out on the stove's collar and this created a poor seal between connector and collar. This had a horrible effect of reducing the draft through the stove. I fixed it by putting that high-temp gasket rope in the gaps.
I'm not sure what they mean by tightening the air wash manifold. I'd look inside at that arched piece of iron that is just near the top of the glass and tighten any screws I see.
One thing also is that I've notice on my liner the crimped connector was too long. The connector bottomed out on the stove's collar and this created a poor seal between connector and collar. This had a horrible effect of reducing the draft through the stove. I fixed it by putting that high-temp gasket rope in the gaps.
Micaaronfl
Does your unit bear on your brick hearth or is there a gap created by the screw adjustment feet. My unit has about a 3/8" to 1/2" gap.
Does your unit bear on your brick hearth or is there a gap created by the screw adjustment feet. My unit has about a 3/8" to 1/2" gap.
thanks black yep everything is tight and i see the baffle and it was pushed back. Also the person who gave me the ash newspaper glass cleaning trick, it did work and u really have to put ur back into it. Maybe ill try the rutland cleaner.
Also guys how deep do u have ur ash bed and i know the ash bed protects the floor but does it also help raise the temp in the merrimack? i took a pic of my ash bed below.
Also guys how deep do u have ur ash bed and i know the ash bed protects the floor but does it also help raise the temp in the merrimack? i took a pic of my ash bed below.
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Musky, dont tell me those legs should be elevated? are the cold bricks a reason why its not heating up quicker? another pic below.
please let me know as i have the installers coming out thur morning to route the blower power cord, i can get them to readjust if so.
please let me know as i have the installers coming out thur morning to route the blower power cord, i can get them to readjust if so.
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I would say you instalation looks good and was done right. The part that sits on the bricks is decorative and does not heat up.
thanks musky i just want to make sure when these guys come back out on thur i get everything that needs to be done complete.
one question though the primary air control i understand for a longer burn pull to the right, when u pull to the left there is a sping and when u push it a click, does that do anything? the instructions that came with the merri were not clear on this
one question though the primary air control i understand for a longer burn pull to the right, when u pull to the left there is a sping and when u push it a click, does that do anything? the instructions that came with the merri were not clear on this
Micaaronfl
my ashes can get 3" to 4" deep. I don't keep a thin layor to protect the bottom when I clean the ashes. Should I?
There is a "air hole" at the end on the center stone that you are to keep clear of ashes (see manual). Almost Impossible. I can't believe this is connected to the blower? See what you installer says.
my ashes can get 3" to 4" deep. I don't keep a thin layor to protect the bottom when I clean the ashes. Should I?
There is a "air hole" at the end on the center stone that you are to keep clear of ashes (see manual). Almost Impossible. I can't believe this is connected to the blower? See what you installer says.
No idea on the air control I asked the same question. The parts diagram notes it as automatic air control
oh musky to your ashbed question, thats what the dealer told me no idea if its true or not. ill check to see what the installer says but if its the same ones that did the first install it will probably be useless as it was their first merrimack install and they just seemed to be the type to throw it in and then u figure it out. most of my info has come from this forum thread.
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