2016/2017 VC owners thread

[RandyBoBandy]

So this dose not slide into the existing cat probe hole in the back of the stove. Dose the existing probe stay in.. if i am understanding. . I am to remove a bolt in the back.. drill the refractory and just slide it in. The hole should be tight to the probe and no sealant will be needed..

I used a little stove cement to help seal and hold it in place. Also used a clip to hold the wire to the secondary cover.

 

[RandyBoBandy]

So, yesterday I was trying to force one of "uglies" piece with sharp edges and pulled loose the griddle gasket (I was using a regular not the steel covered one). No big deal, I placed the gasket gently back in its groove with my fingers, closed the griddle, stove behaved normally.

I decided not to reload for the night (it has been warm here as well 35-40s). This morning I cleaned the stove, emptied the ash, brushed the cat etc. and re-glued the gasket using some very old (clear) gasket cement.

Started the fire around 2:30pm, everything seemed normal but at one point the cement started to bubble and it lifted the left side of the griddle up by about 1/8 of an inch!! I can see the fire through the gap!! Definitely a massive air leak, considerable flame in the firebox, cat temp ok around 1400, but flue at 500 and stovetop at 650!! Very unorthodox for this stove.

I will let it go out and tomorrow pick up some new gasket and a new tube of cement, clean the groove and install the new gasket.

Any idea what is the length and thickness i need for the griddle gasket (did not take notes when rebuilding)....

I just did my griddle top the other day. I did use the wire gasket that is speced. So far so good. Haven't had a chance to really load the stove up though. It's been very mild and rainy here. I also moved the GT thermo to the top of the stove between the flue collar and GT for shi$! And giggles. Jury is still out on if I like it better there or not.

 

[Diabel]

I stopped looking at the stovetop thermo.
As long as my cat probe sits at 1200-1400,
Flue probe 300-400 then I know that the stovetop wil be somewhere between 450-550

The other day it was an anomaly!!

 

[BronYrAur]

Where are you at with your stove? Any progress?

No progress this week, smoke bombs showed up in the mail today, going to bomb my stove tomorrow and find where my air is coming in at.

My dealer is under the impression that there is no service manual, I called
The distributor they get the stove from and they promptly emailed my the Service manual for the 2040. Anyone that would like it get your email to me.

The manual describes tear down procedures quite well, I do wish it had a troubleshooting section for the layman. However that would make things easier and we don't necessarily want that.

 

[Woodsplitter67]

Thanks to all my vc brothers for the info.. i will order one up and slide it into the existing opening..this is why i feel this site is the best

BRON its cool with me if you email the info you got.. i really dont have anything on it and one day... probably going to use it.. i am running the S#*T out of this thing
AGAIN thanks for all the input verry appreciated

 

[BronYrAur]

Thanks to all my vc brothers for the info.. i will order one up and slide it into the existing opening..this is why i feel this site is the best

BRON its cool with me if you email the info you got.. i really dont have anything on it and one day... probably going to use it.. i am running the S#*T out of this thing
AGAIN thanks for all the input verry appreciated

Shoot me your email. Get your hands on the regular owners manual, you can get it on the vc site. Run the hell out of it ! But follow the temp guideline of no extended period of stove top temp 650 or above.

 

[Woodsplitter67]

Shoot me your email. Get your hands on the regular owners manual, you can get it on the vc site. Run the hell out of it ! But follow the temp guideline of no extended period of stove top temp 650 or above.

 

[Woodsplitter67]

I am trying to figure out how i pm you.. i dont see an icon for it.. or done one post information on the open site

 

[Woodsplitter67]

Ok.. soo cleaning the stove today the cat slipped in my hand and long story short i broke it and now need to replace it.. is there a quality aftermarket one.. what am i looking for in a replacement .. Do i have to go to VC or is there a better place and better kind

 

[trispad]

You can buy them on Amazon from Condor (https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00SYYE8NE/?tag=hearthamazon-20) or from Firecat (http://www.firecatcombustors.com/ACI-67C-p/wa-4152000893.htm).


Edit: These are for the new 2n1 models. 1975/2040.

 

[BronYrAur]

Still troubleshooting.. anyone here know how to test the secondary air regulator function?

 

[trispad]

I do not believe there is a mechanism that actually regulates the secondary air in the 2n1 stoves. Only the primary air is regulated.

 

[Dobish]

Ok.. soo cleaning the stove today the cat slipped in my hand and long story short i broke it and now need to replace it.. is there a quality aftermarket one.. what am i looking for in a replacement .. Do i have to go to VC or is there a better place and better kind

they do have a warranty replacement program.....

 

[trispad]

Has anyone with a 2n1 re-gasketed their doors/glass with RTV high temp. silicone? If so, how did it go? Any reason to not use it?

 

[Diabel]

Has anyone with a 2n1 re-gasketed their doors/glass with RTV high temp. silicone? If so, how did it go? Any reason to not use it?

I personally would use a regular gasket cement.
The silicone is a pain to clean next time you need to regasket!

 

[Reckless]

Hope all is warm with you guys. I still have the secondary blocked and all is great. 1200-1350 on the cat, stove room 75 with the rest of the house is 65-70. Never thought this stove could heat 2000 sq ft and it's really got me questioning my decision to replace it next year.


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[Dobish]

all is warm, but the stove is cold. its been warm here the last week (in the 60's). New cat came in today, so i'm glad I will be able to swap it out when the weather is warm!

 

[Woodsplitter67]

Hope all is warm with you guys. I still have the secondary blocked and all is great. 1200-1350 on the cat, stove room 75 with the rest of the house is 65-70. Never thought this stove could heat 2000 sq ft and it's really got me questioning my decision to replace it next year.
How dose one block off the secondary... what is the advantages of doing this..

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[Woodsplitter67]

How do you block off the secondary and what is the advantages of doing that

 

[Woody Stover]

Has anyone with a 2n1 re-gasketed their doors/glass with RTV high temp. silicone? If so, how did it go? Any reason to not use it?

I'm guessing they didn't use silicone from the factory, then? The Buck did, so I continued. I used the copper high-temp stuff, good to 650 intermittent. I think it will depend on the stove design, as to weather it will work or not. On the Buck, the door frame was well-shielded from direct radiation from the flames/coals, since the opening was a little smaller than the door frame. I've seen other high-temp silicone...Firemaster High-temp silicone 'M230', and some others.

The silicone is a pain to clean next time you need to regasket!

I just used an angle grinder, and it made pretty short work of it....just a little silicone left in the corners.

 

[Reckless]

How do you block off the secondary and what is the advantages of doing that

This method only works depending on how well your stove drafts, YMMV. I removed the door and arm from the secondary air intake then I folded tin foil to the exact opening size and pushed it in the hole so it was flush. I then replaced the door so it covered the tin foil filled opening and tightened it so it wouldn't move and left the arm to the coil disconnected.

This cuts off the secondary oxygen to the cat, especially when the temps are climbing to high. I found that even when the secondary door was fully closed my cat temps would still climb to the danger zone by sucking oxygen through the gaps of the closed door . I now have much better control and can really dial the stove in.


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[Ladd]

I have a Vermont Castings Encore Defiant (installed early 1991) and due to several mistaken over-firings over the years [two in the last month :-( ], it is now time to replace the lower fireback. I’m hoping that I don’t have to also replace the refractory assembly, but that’s a distinct possibility as when viewing from the catalytic combustor bay in the back, it appears that the top near the where the bottom of the catalytic converter rests is bent towards the back of the stove.

The catalytic combustor itself seems to be in good shape as does the refractory cover that goes between it and the access cover on the back of the stove.

I think that if I only need to replace the lower fireback, I’ll probably also need four kaowool pads for the bottom and some 5/16” medium density gasket rope for the sides of the fireback and some stove cement. Is that it?

If I *do* need to replace the refractory assembly, other than extra lengths of 5/16” gasket rope and stove cement to re-install the back of the stove, am I going to need anything else?

As long as I’m in there, what else should I check and/or replace?

Will I be able to see the heat exchanger from the inside when I remove the lower fireback?

 

[Excavator]

I have a Vermont Castings Encore Defiant (installed early 1991) and due to several mistaken over-firings over the years [two in the last month :-( ], it is now time to replace the lower fireback. I’m hoping that I don’t have to also replace the refractory assembly, but that’s a distinct possibility as when viewing from the catalytic combustor bay in the back, it appears that the top near the where the bottom of the catalytic converter rests is bent towards the back of the stove.

The catalytic combustor itself seems to be in good shape as does the refractory cover that goes between it and the access cover on the back of the stove.

I think that if I only need to replace the lower fireback, I’ll probably also need four kaowool pads for the bottom and some 5/16” medium density gasket rope for the sides of the fireback and some stove cement. Is that it?

If I *do* need to replace the refractory assembly, other than extra lengths of 5/16” gasket rope and stove cement to re-install the back of the stove, am I going to need anything else?

As long as I’m in there, what else should I check and/or replace?

Will I be able to see the heat exchanger from the inside when I remove the lower fireback?

I replaced my upper and lower fireback and the refractory all at same time with this kit. I did it all from the front.

(broken link removed)

 

[Ladd]

I replaced my upper and lower fireback and the refractory all at same time with this kit. I did it all from the front.

(broken link removed)

I don't really need to replace the upper fireback (as far as I know), but it's worth the cost to be able to replace everything from the front. Your stove has the catalytic converter access from the rear?

 

[Excavator]

Yes cat comes out the back