Vogelzang/us stove co 3200 1week review

[Vg3200p]

Ok so tonight it's warm so that should mean poor draft. So i took out all the tin foil and unsealed the boost air port. So everything is back to factory besides sealed ash plug. Bit I added a 3rd damper on my flue. So far stove has been running very weak and sluggish. Thus is good! With all that extra air plugged up and only 2 dampers last night she ran really hot. In similar outdoor temps. Tonight it's a whole different stove. I really hope 3 dampers is the final fix I'm tired of experimenting with this damn thing

 

[ckr74]

Dang! Might as well add another just because. Going to be fun when you have to clean all of them.

 

[BillBurns]

2 is company, three is a crowd.

 

[Feldzpar]

Thanks for this thread. I just installed the VG3200 in my place.
Any updates on your stove Vg3200p? Was the tinfoil enough? I am about to fire it up for the first inside burn tomorrow or the next day.

 

[Feldzpar]

Alright, two weeks in and I've got the VG3200 dialed in! For the benefit of anyone else who ends up on this thread to research this beast like I did, I want to summarize what I've learned.

1. UNDER THE SIDE JACKETS: You will find 3 unregulated air intakes under the jacket on each side, take off the four screws while she is cool and you'll see what I mean. Now, these jackets don't seal great so air gets in there from all over the place, as well as underneath. So, plugging the underneath intake with foil as another poster did will only slow her down a little. Alternatively, if you plug these holes up directly, like I did, you can't get enough air on a low burn and you kill your secondaries. That equals more creosote and less heat.
2. LEAKS: There is extra air getting in the VG3200 all over. Through the internal dampers and the frame around the base especially. You get what you pay for and complete control is just not what you paid for at this price. Accept it.
3. OVER-FIRE: The result is a lack of complete control of the intake, and for some people the result is over-fire issues.
4. GOOD REVIEWS: However, this stove strangely has good reviews by a people on retailers. It has a 4.4 out of 93 people on NorthernTool. That's higher than a lot of low end stoves. Which is why I purchased it.
5. THE FIX: I had the same problem as the original poster and others, so I reached out to Vogelzang. My wife actually was able to text message one of their techs somehow. They said my problem is over-drafting. I figure it's possible since I could have too tall of a chimney, or too good of a chimney system. My setup is a DuraPlus triple wall at about 20 ft with an OAK. Vogelzang said "add a regulator." I did, and guess what? It worked! I now have a controllable wood stove without over-fires! And it's completely unmodified.

I hope that helps anyone who goes down the Vogelzang path like us. And hopefully you don't bow the top of yours with a 870deg over-fire before learning your lesson.

 

[EatenByLimestone]

I’m glad it worked. I wouldn’t consider 20 ft a tall chimney. Be careful when it gets cold out and your chimney starts drafting harder!