Using and servicing Pre-Acclaim Resolute Wood Stove - by forum member Jack33
I will try to offer some advice since I use the same stove as you. First, your stove and chimney may be physically fine. Second, do not install a
Damper in the pipe. This stove operates efficiently through controlled air intake not restricted exhaust. Reading your initial post I believe the problem is air supply. If your stove is holding 500 in updraft and you close the stove damper you will not hold that temp without increasing the air intake. You need to add more air for the secondary combustion to take place. If your house is super airtight it is possible there is not sufficient inside air to feed the stove. You can try cracking a nearby window to check for this. Also the thermostat is not always a simple set it and forget it deal. Depending on the type of wood, dry/semi-dry, wind, inside air, outside air temp, etc will all effect how much air you need to adjust. I often adjust my thermostat to the load of wood. Also, there is little flame with this stove when burning horizontal, maybe just the bottom few inches of the wood. This can be deceiving if you have the glass pane option on your stove.
To clean behind the damper area, you need to unscrew the plate on top or rear of the stove. Mine is setup for rear exit so I dont have to mess with the pipe, I just pop the top plate off. If yours is a top exit, the plate will be on the back of the stove but it is far easier to clean it from the top. There are a couple of hex head screws that hold the plate and exhaust collar on. Scrape behind and under the damper area and then shop vac out all the build up and be sure the gasket stays in place when you reinstall. Shop vac all the air ports while your there. You can expect to do this at least a couple times each season depending on wood quality and burn temps.
You probably already know all this but maybe it is a simple operational issue since this stove is new to you. You should have the round air port (on the left side of the stove) all the way open. There needs to be a bed of ashes on the bottom of the stove, about an inch below the 6 air holes in the fireback. Ashes should not get above the holes, but cinder will during operation (that is OK). You need a good bed of cinder before you close the stove damper. Use some small stuff to get a good cinder bed before putting in your normal size pieces. When you load the stove, let it run up to around 500 before closing the damper since it will die down as it adjusts to burning horizontal, then adjust to your liking after 15-30 minutes. When you first light the stove, slowly get the temp up to 500-600 in up-draft and hold it there for 30- 45 minutes. This will warm the stove, burn off build-up in the back of the stove and firebox, and warm your flu. Measure temp from the top griddle, you want to stay between 300 - 600 when operating.
I have been picking away at this from work in between actually working so I apologize if some else has replied with the same info since I last looked at the original message.;Operate_an_older_VC_Resolute
