Alternate to DVC500?

ablumny · Post by **ablumny** » Thu. Oct. 30, 2014 8:17 pm

Year 7 with my dvc500 is not off to a good start. Not feeding correctly and I'm out of patience for this thing.

The question is what other direct vent stoves are out there? I've poked around the forum and web but who's using what out there?

Leisure Line
Reading
Alaska
Keystoker
..?

Thx
Andrew

Rick 386 · Post by **Rick 386** » Thu. Oct. 30, 2014 10:14 pm

Andrew does it have to be a DV or could you use a PV ???

Me personally, I prefer the idea of using the PV as it does not pressurize the pipe in the living quarters like the DV does.

Most of the other stoves you mentioned have a PV option or you can just buy the PV and hook up a regular stove to it.

Rick

009to090 · Post by **009to090** » Thu. Oct. 30, 2014 10:43 pm

I found a feeding problem with one of my DVC-500's last year. There was an abundance of red high-temp silicone at the bottom of the hopper to seal the joints. But I found the silicone peeling away from the hopper and blocking the coal from dropping down in front of the push bar. I trimmed off the excess silicon that had come loose, and all was well for the entire burning season last year.

ablumny · Post by **ablumny** » Fri. Oct. 31, 2014 8:01 am

Took me a minute to realize the acronyms
DV Direct vent
PV Power vent?

No matter I'm open to anything that doesn't require a full chimney as I don't have one. I'm going to call each manufacturer and get some feedback as well.

090, my mechanical systems are working well. Put it in test mode and the push block is moving as always and coal is being pushed up the grate. My problem is electronics again, although this was the first ever I used very wet coal, burned for a bit, shut down for a bit. I'm wondering if that had an affect.

I pulled the temp probe from the output, cleaned it, tested it and got back to almost normal function last night. However the line of lit coal is way farther back towards the hopper then I've ever seen it.

Off to research options!
Thx guys

Rick 386 · Post by **Rick 386** » Fri. Oct. 31, 2014 8:08 am

Sorry about the acronyms............

Most who use the power vent use the SWG brand. It can be used on any regular stove whether top vent or bottom vent. It is just a matter of hooking up a fume switch on the stove and then mounting the power vent where you want it. Then connect regular pipe between the 2 as long as clearances are kept from combustibles.

You might want to check the classifies and Craig's list......

Rick

McGiever · Post by **McGiever** » Fri. Oct. 31, 2014 5:43 pm

Not mentioned so far, PV and DV can only work on stoker stoves...NEVER to be used on any Hand Fed stoves.

ablumny · Post by **ablumny** » Fri. Oct. 31, 2014 7:03 pm

Thanks guys

th77 · Post by **th77** » Sun. Nov. 02, 2014 6:22 pm

|Two things, theDVC500 does not like very wet coal and check the push forks that they are not spread more than 1.75 ". This happened to me last year I had to use C clamp to squeeze them closer to each other.

ablumny · Post by **ablumny** » Sun. Nov. 02, 2014 6:29 pm

th77 wrote:|Two things, theDVC500 does not like very wet coal and check the push forks that they are not spread more than 1.75 ". This happened to me last year I had to use C clamp to squeeze them closer to each other.

Ya I'm convinced the wet coal contributed to my problem. I never had wet coal in the past 6 years. It's been a few days since my first rant and it seems to be running better.

Interesting about the forks, I measured mine, they are 2" apart! Not more the 1.75" but what's normal ?

th77 · Post by **th77** » Sun. Nov. 02, 2014 6:43 pm

Your forks look alot different than mine.Mine look more like tuning forks and measure 1 .13/16"

th77 · Post by **th77** » Sun. Nov. 02, 2014 6:46 pm

Also when I had extremely wet coal I would the next load in a cardboard box the day before to dry it out a little.

ablumny · Post by **ablumny** » Sun. Nov. 02, 2014 7:02 pm

th77 wrote:Your forks look alot different than mine.Mine look more like tuning forks and measure 1 .13/16"

That's Odd. I found this in my manual under troubleshooting

"Verify forks on pusher assembly are not spread apart or bent. Forks should be 1 7/8" - 2" apart. Verify cam bearing in pusher assembly correctly. "

Nevercold · Post by **Nevercold** » Sun. Nov. 02, 2014 9:15 pm

Started burning with my new DVC-500 in Nov 2005. My ONLY source of heat.
Only problem has been a bad circuit board beginning of second season. Got it warranted!!
Fired right up, after shutdown this past spring. Restart NOV. 1 2014,
with no maintenance, ( I am ashamed).
WET COAL DOES NOT WORK IN A DVC-500!
Been there, done that, won't go back.
It sticks together and will not feed.
I would buy another in a heart beat, if I had a couple few extra bucks.
I will go this week to look at a brandy new one for less than $2,200.00 this week.

ablumny · Post by **ablumny** » Mon. Nov. 03, 2014 5:26 am

Nevercold wrote:Started burning with my new DVC-500 in Nov 2005. My ONLY source of heat.
Only problem has been a bad circuit board beginning of second season. Got it warranted!!
Fired right up, after shutdown this past spring. Restart NOV. 1 2014,
with no maintenance, ( I am ashamed).
WET COAL DOES NOT WORK IN A DVC-500!
Been there, done that, won't go back.
It sticks together and will not feed.
I would buy another in a heart beat, if I had a couple few extra bucks.
I will go this week to look at a brandy new one for less than $2,200.00 this week.

Agree on the wet coal. Mine is my only source of heat as well. It appears to be cranking along again do my search to replace it is postponed but I'll que up options in case.

Alternate to DVC500?

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