We are burning-Yippee about time-picture heavy

[RCR 3 EVER]

It took only 3+ months and endless delays by dealer and manufacturer, but Lennox Montecito is now burning wood instead of just our money and time
Note: lennox does NOT seem to stock parts for their products so everything gets backordered. Apparently not all the dealers are the same as the one we had were jerks and we had to watch like a hawk. He did NOT even check door gaps to make sure of air tight closure we had to do that. Here are the pics:
Initial wall where it will be installed:

After fireplace installed but then delayed for 2 months:

We installed Durock as base for the Marble surround,slate hearth nearly complete:

Marble installed, but found the door to be busted more delays-1 week:

First Fire start up finally!!

 

[RCR 3 EVER]

Nice warm temps, furnace off

I know it is a bit late in the year but it still gets below freezing at night. Heat pours out of the gravity vents and could even be felt a bit downstairs directly across from a vent. Closing the damper give a neat effect on the flames especially from Cherry with the Blue flames. It was a bit odorous at first even with small fires. It was hard to keep the fires small even with 1 log. I put in 2 logs for when we went to sleep with damper closed and they lasted about 5 hours with hot glowing embers in morning. We just threw in a piece of bark,splitter debris and it started right up. Fantastic!
Manual says 932+ degrees for max efficiency with dampers open and air boost on for area above the firebox behind the holes in front. Is there a Max temp I do NOT want to hit?
Proud owners of new fireplace:

Damper closed neat floating flames:

 

[Nuzzy]

FINALLY... Congrats!


Sure does look great!!

 

[Haywire Haywood]

Seems I recall the literature talking about max heat output being with air supply and air boost full open. I can't recall anything about efficiency and temps. 900+ is really hot, the temperature gauge on my stove is marked for "best operation" between 280 and 480 and anything over that is labeled "too hot". I've had it at about 525 a few times before reeling it back in. I can't imagine having it 900. Keep in mind that this gauge is supposed to be on the flue 12" above the firebox and I have it on the top of the stove... I'm guessing that I can add about 100 to the recommended temps on the dial due to location.

Congrats on finally getting it finished... next winter will be different. I know that the 6 weeks that we've had ours installed have been warmer and cheaper than the previous 2 months.. Our propane is turned off at the tank valve.

Ian

 

[danrclem]

Congrats on the completed installation. This heating season is winding down but you're gonna love it next winter. Get plenty of wood for next winter and you'll be snugger than a bug in a rug.

 

[KsWoodsMan]

Yep ! (drinks beer)

congrats or in order !!!

 

[havenodog]

Nice looking fireplace. Congrats and happy burning.

 

[Rookie1]

Very nice! I like the way its flushmounted in the marble. Look at the delays this way,at least youll be ready for next winter. Nice pics too.

 

[tballard]

good pics, nice post. Congrats on your completed install. Burn like hell while you still can!

 

[wkpoor]

Very nice install,looks great! 900 does seem high but maybe it were its measured from. On stoves I think 500 is just right but some burn hotter and some cooler. As I write this mine was at 700 but I turned down the air some to cool it off.

 

[RCR 3 EVER]

Being at outside temps of 25 degrees it is hard to judge, but the house is very comfortable even a bit hot in dining room and kitchen. We have a gravity vent directed toward the doorwall area of dining room and that room is a balmy 78.
The other vent is directed down a short hall towards the basement and you can even feel the heat as you walk up the stairs about 1/2 way up. We will put a fan to direct more heat dowwnstairs for the water pipes etc.We also work downstairs.
We ran a small humidifier last night and that helped a great deal. We also put a small fan in the 1 hall towards the bedrooms to direct some of the heat to them. Our main bedroom is the farthest and it stayed at a comfortable 72 even with the fan off. No more 2-3 heavy blankets!
I measured the temps of gravity vents vs hot box above the firebox and there is not much difference. So we are getting a substantial amount of heat from those fan powered vents. Getting the fireplace to a point of 900 degrees is too hot, you can't sit in front of it on the couch for very long without roasting to death.
It was worth the wait. and we even have a jump on next years wood.

 

[RCR 3 EVER]

bagless vacuum for ashes?

Is it possible to use a bagless vacuum on the cold ashes that have not burned for at least 8 hours. The bagless vacuum does not work for carpets and we would collect the bulk of the ashes with a shovel then use a vacuum for the rest and immediately empty the canister.

There are 1/2" wide gaps in the lower refractory stone between the bottom and sides.

 

[Haywire Haywood]

A bagless vacuum might just blow the ash right through. No real filtration to speak of. Personally, I wouldn't do it. The fire hazard is just too real. Now, I've used my bag vac on ash spillage after it's been there on the pad for for 2 or 3 days but not so fresh as 8 hours.

Ian

 

[MATTYB11]

A bagless vacuum might just blow the ash right through. No real filtration to speak of. Personally, I wouldn't do it. The fire hazard is just too real. Now, I've used my bag vac on ash spillage after it's been there on the pad for for 2 or 3 days but not so fresh as 8 hours.

Ian

+1 The coals in the stove may stay hot enough to start a fire for much longer than 8 hours.

 

[RCR 3 EVER]

Thanks will have to rethink as to how to get the ashes out of narrow channels, I can't afford the ash vacuum.

 

[beerman6]

NICE! bout dang time.

Has anybody ever told you that you look like the Jaws character in the 007 movies? minus the steel teeth of course.

 

[darren_nh]

Anything worth doing takes time to do right and always seems to involve moron distributors or salesmen.

Nice job!

 

[splittah]

sweet install!

 

[lanningjw]

Is your hearth a solid piece of marble? That must of cost a couple of bucks?
Jim

 

[bore_pig]

Nice pics! Glad to hear the project is complete!

I use a bagless vacuum for ash that falls out of my stove and onto the ledge beneath the door. That ash sometimes has hot coals after a few hours though. I really have to look carefully before vacuuming. As far as ash blowing through, I use a Dyson, nothing gets through it. The filter does plug faster if I suck some ash!