Vitcas 140 issues

[truckcab79]

Great. I’m assuming your wood is from a ‘proper’ supplier. If it’s ‘kiln dried’ from the likes of supermarkets or Wickes it’s likely wetter than our summer weather.

[truckcab79]

I buy Ash from these guys. Never had an issue.

www.uklogsdirect.co.uk/moisture-content-i17

[stolzy]

I'm awaiting delivery of a moisture meter to test the wood. However, I have my doubts that kiln-dried wood from three different supplies could all be at fault.

I installed a 1 metre extension to the flue and fired the oven again yesterday, but it was just the same - big floppy flames with loads of smoke coming out of the door.

3 hours and the temp at the top of the oven directly above where the dire had been was 270C

[stolzy]

So Mr Vitcas drove from Bristol to east Kent with his kindling and magic wood. To be fair he managed to get the oven hotter than I had, contrary to all previous advice he kept the door almost completely closed. As before, though it was still smoking badly from the door.

After 2 hrs the oven was hottish (sole was 340C) and he declared it good for cooking. To simulate cooking a pizza he closed the door for 2-3 mins and then opened it - the garden filled with smoke (see pic). He declared this acceptable.

At this point we agreed that the oven could not perform to my satisfaction. I was also unhappy about the appearance of full-thickness cracks all over the oven.

They've agreed to take it back for a refund.

[stolzy]

Sorry, those images resized, here are the cracks.

[truckcab79]

Sounds like you got the result you wanted. To be fair that oven temperature is good for cooking. I usually cook when the floor is 350-400. Surprised it took 2 hours but every oven is different. I can cook pizza in mine in 40 minutes though obviously takes a lot longer than that to soak the structure with heat if I’m cooking anything else in the oven.

Don’t understand why you’d close the door. The flames will go out straight away and the heat drop? Pizza always in with the door open so you have the rolling flames to cook the top.

All academic if they’re taking it back. Personally I wouldn’t spend the money on a Vitcas. They look very crisp but I’ve read quite a few threads complaining about worse than expected fit quality (never heard heating up issues though to be honest).

Plenty of others on the market. I’ve built a few and now only offer clients oven cores from Pizza Oven Supplies. In my view much better value for money. The fit isn’t perfect but they make no bones about the fact that they’re hand cast and will have irregularities. I personally have their 750 and they do a 900 which might suit you better. As a ‘kit’ I think they should make it clearer that they are far from a slot together and start cooking solution, but otherwise excellent performance in my view. If you’re capable of doing the base build, rendering etc then there is nothing that should put you off. Search on here for Milan 750 and you’ll find quite a few builds including a couple of mine.

You’ll also find it near impossible to fault their customer service and advice in my experience.

Good luck with your next foray into oven building.

[truckcab79]

And those cracks are nothing to worry about. Perfectly normal for any oven.

[stolzy]

Aug 7, 2021 10:07:32 GMT truckcab79 said:

Sounds like you got the result you wanted. To be fair that oven temperature is good for cooking. I usually cook when the floor is 350-400. Surprised it took 2 hours but every oven is different. I can cook pizza in mine in 40 minutes though obviously takes a lot longer than that to soak the structure with heat if I’m cooking anything else in the oven.

Don’t understand why you’d close the door. The flames will go out straight away and the heat drop? Pizza always in with the door open so you have the rolling flames to cook the top.

All academic if they’re taking it back. Personally I wouldn’t spend the money on a Vitcas. They look very crisp but I’ve read quite a few threads complaining about worse than expected fit quality (never heard heating up issues though to be honest).

Plenty of others on the market. I’ve built a few and now only offer clients oven cores from Pizza Oven Supplies. In my view much better value for money. The fit isn’t perfect but they make no bones about the fact that they’re hand cast and will have irregularities. I personally have their 750 and they do a 900 which might suit you better. As a ‘kit’ I think they should make it clearer that they are far from a slot together and start cooking solution, but otherwise excellent performance in my view. If you’re capable of doing the base build, rendering etc then there is nothing that should put you off. Search on here for Milan 750 and you’ll find quite a few builds including a couple of mine.

You’ll also find it near impossible to fault their customer service and advice in my experience.

Good luck with your next foray into oven building.

Not really the result I wanted, I'd much rather have had a working pizza oven.  I'm also still well out of pocket even after the refund.

I've seen your recommendations for the Pizza Oven Supplies and they do look good value, but I think I'm knocking this project on the head.  Once bitten etc.  Domestic complaints and from AirBnB guests about the smoke has resulted in a general withdrawal of support for the idea.  Nobody (myself included) has the confidence in it being made to work.

[stolzy]

The Epilogue

Dismantling the Vitcas oven turned into more of a demolition exercise. As expected the oven fell into a dozen pieces along the lines of the cracks previously noted.

You'll also note the amount of soot on the inside of the oven. My understanding is that the oven should get hot enough for the soot to get burned off. This clearly isn't happening.

Anyway the bloody thing is gone now, but leaves me out of pocket and with a 1.5 m square, 1 m high plinth in my garden.

[fox]

Yep the that is what is expected to happen if you heat a pre cast oven without insulation, I cant believe any self respecting pizza oven manufacture could possible hand out such crap info and instructions.
I cant see any reason that oven would not of worked if properly set up and I see every reason why it failed !
The cement cracked because the product (refractory) cement  can not withstand different rates of expansion, the top would be getting very hot and dry and the bottom sides would be a lot cooler.
If the whole dome is heated more evenly all over then there is far less tenancy to crack.
I am surprised you managed to get up to the temperature you did but with the correct insulation the dome should get to 500c in 60 minutes.
I do feel for you as you defiantly received some rubbish and misleading info!