2017/2018 VC owners thread

[jharkin]

I'll have to check it next time it cools down, but I think its set similar. I put a brick under the secondary to stop it from falling to far and reopening at the top.

 

[Diabel]

My secondary is still taped shut (with aluminum tape). The stove works great! The reckless mode worked out great in my situation.

Keep tinkering guys, it is all about the user....

 

[Reckless]

Sorry guys, things have been so busy this fall/winter (work/family) Ive been away.


Unfortunately the light off problems are back. Start a big load without a good coal base and it takes forever to light off and will stall sometimes. Decided I'd rather live with that than the thermonuclear runaway.

I got some draft you guys can borrow [emoji23][emoji23] only time I have light off issues is with straight white oak, it always just smolders on me unless I mix with ash.... This stove loves ash or red oak.

Stove went full 1600 the other night when it was -8 I couldnt get the cat to shut down as it sounded like a jet engine. Tried closing the primary and immediate back puffing... Opened the bypass with the air off and watched the secondary burn flame show as my throat hood went from cherry red back to cast brown. closed the bypass at 1300s and had full control back.... This stove makes it interesting that's for sure


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[begreen]

I got some draft you guys can borrow [emoji23][emoji23] only time I have light off issues is with straight white oak, it always just smolders on me unless I mix with ash.... This stove loves ash or red oak.

Stove went full 1600 the other night when it was -8 I couldnt get the cat to shut down as it sounded like a jet engine. Tried closing the primary and immediate back puffing... Opened the bypass with the air off and watched the secondary burn flame show as my throat hood went from cherry red back to cast brown. closed the bypass at 1300s and had full control back.... This stove makes it interesting that's for sure

White oak needs a long time to season, ash seasons quickly. Give the oak another year and it may be fine.

Is the stove normally better behaved? Does not seem too convenient. I'd be concerned about leaving the stove untended.

 

[Reckless]

White oak needs a long time to season, ash seasons quickly. Give the oak another year and it may be fine.

Is the stove normally better behaved? Does not seem too convenient. I'd be concerned about leaving the stove untended.

That oak is 5 yrs CSS and was dead standing when I cut it. The stove is fine as I know immediately after light off by sound alone if it is traveling to the moon or not and can adjust accordingly. Once established it cruises 13-1400s at 1/2 air. On top of all this stove is sitting in a fire place so if anything did ever happen it would be secure (I think the cat would crumble before full thermonuclear melt down occurred).


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[Dobish]

Since I put in the AT100, I have been keeping closer eye on my temps. I feel like my cat temp has been hanging out around 800, and will peak around 1200. I have seen it get as high as 1670, but that was when it was super cold out, and I packed it full with elm, maple and some pine. My griddle temps stay around 450-550, and flue temps are around 350.

Maybe i'm not packing it full enough and there is a lot of air space in there? Weak draft?

 

[RandyBoBandy]

Since I put in the AT100, I have been keeping closer eye on my temps. I feel like my cat temp has been hanging out around 800, and will peak around 1200. I have seen it get as high as 1670, but that was when it was super cold out, and I packed it full with elm, maple and some pine. My griddle temps stay around 450-550, and flue temps are around 350.

Maybe i'm not packing it full enough and there is a lot of air space in there? Weak draft?

800-1200 is amazing. Even with my secondary mods my cat will peak at 1500+ generally cruise between 1300-1400. I have crap draft too. Spring is the start of a new hearth and chimney setup. Going to switch over to 6" and add some length to it as well.

 

[RandyBoBandy]

White oak needs a long time to season, ash seasons quickly. Give the oak another year and it may be fine.

Is the stove normally better behaved? Does not seem too convenient. I'd be concerned about leaving the stove untended.

Usually when the cat decides to runaway the rest of the stove is tame. I've never seen my griddle top go over 650-700 degrees when damper is closed. What kind of temps can a refractory box handle?

 

[RandyBoBandy]

What do you guys have your high and low alarms set at on your At100? Seems like I'm either doing something wrong or I have a faulty unit. Can't seem to get both alarms to work properly.

 

[Dobish]

i have only 1 series set, and it is set for a max of 1600. Try playing around with the settings to make sure it goes off. I did it with a max of 73, just to make sure it when off!

 

[RandyBoBandy]

I just set both alarms AH1 = 900. AL1 = 800
AH2 = 1500. AL2 = 800.

We will see what happens. In the past only the first alarm would buzz.

 

[Dobish]

I just set both alarms AH1 = 900. AL1 = 800
AH2 = 1500. AL2 = 800.

We will see what happens. In the past only the first alarm would buzz.

this seems like the buzzer would be going off from 900 through 1500+ with your setting.

 

[RandyBoBandy]

this seems like the buzzer would be going off from 900 through 1500+ with your setting.

The way I understand it is when the first alarm goes off at 900 you push the > button to turn it off. Then if the cat hits 1500 alarm two buzzs away until you hit the button again. I may have this wrong I suppose

 

[Reckless]

What do you guys have your high and low alarms set at on your At100? Seems like I'm either doing something wrong or I have a faulty unit. Can't seem to get both alarms to work properly.

I never figured out the second alarm so I just run the low alarm to alert me when the cat is 1020 after closing the bypass


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[Jeanie Cannon]

Hello, we are VC owners in the Texas Hill Country. We have owned a Defiant Encore 2550 since 1998 and absolutely love it! We need to purchase a Rear Heat Shield and wondered if there was any other route besides the retailer from whom we purchased the stove. Also, we are only 18" from the wall and if we can't purchase a heat shield what would be the best option for covering the wall behind our stove in order to be compliant with the fire code?

 

[Reckless]

Hello, we are VC owners in the Texas Hill Country. We have owned a Defiant Encore 2550 since 1998 and absolutely love it! We need to purchase a Rear Heat Shield and wondered if there was any other route besides the retailer from whom we purchased the stove. Also, we are only 18" from the wall and if we can't purchase a heat shield what would be the best option for covering the wall behind our stove in order to be compliant with the fire code?

Got a part number?
https://www.plumbersstock.com/vermont-castings.html

 

[RandyBoBandy]

Black swan or woodman direct should have it.

 

[Diabel]

Hello, we are VC owners in the Texas Hill Country. We have owned a Defiant Encore 2550 since 1998 and absolutely love it! We need to purchase a Rear Heat Shield and wondered if there was any other route besides the retailer from whom we purchased the stove. Also, we are only 18" from the wall and if we can't purchase a heat shield what would be the best option for covering the wall behind our stove in order to be compliant with the fire code?

Welcome to the forum!

Ideally, building a second wall behind the stove would be best. It can even be a piece of sheet metal as long as it has 1" space/gap between it self and the existing wall. This secondary wall would eliminate the need for a rear heatshield.

Btw you have owned this stove 19yrs and only now you want it to be code compliment?

 

[Jeanie Cannon]

Welcome to the forum!

Ideally, building a second wall behind the stove would be best. It can even be a piece of sheet metal as long as it has 1" space/gap between it self and the existing wall. This secondary wall would eliminate the need for a rear heatshield.

Btw you have owned this stove 19yrs and only now you want it to be code compliment?

Well, it is only 1/2 inch off compliance, but for resale, we decided it must be exactly compliant. Thank you for this response, that is what my husband had decided was the most practical solution. The part for our stove is not available.

 

[Jeanie Cannon]

Got a part number?
https://www.plumbersstock.com/vermont-castings.html

The part for our stove is not listed on any site we have tried.

 

[Rahm]

Hi everyone. I have an Encore 2040. I just dropped a few splits in and one of them rolled over and broke the cover plate in front of the cat chamber. This happened to me a few years ago as well. Has anyone else had this problem? Ever since it happened the first time I've tried to be really careful when putting wood in and I don't think I loaded it carelessly this time. The split really didn't hit the cover very hard.

I'll be getting a replacement as soon as I can. Does anyone know if I can continue to run the stove without the cover until I get the replacement?

Thanks.

 

[RandyBoBandy]

The part for our stove is not listed on any site we have tried.

Bummer. Your local dealer can't get one through VC directly?

 

[RandyBoBandy]

Hi everyone. I have an Encore 2040. I just dropped a few splits in and one of them rolled over and broke the cover plate in front of the cat chamber. This happened to me a few years ago as well. Has anyone else had this problem? Ever since it happened the first time I've tried to be really careful when putting wood in and I don't think I loaded it carelessly this time. The split really didn't hit the cover very hard.

I'll be getting a replacement as soon as I can. Does anyone know if I can continue to run the stove without the cover until I get the replacement?

Thanks.

Not familiar with your model. My 2250 has a cast fireback. I'm inclined to say hold off burning until you get your replacement but like I said I'm not familiar with your model. Try reaching out to @defiant3

 

[redhat]

Hi everyone. I have an Encore 2040. I just dropped a few splits in and one of them rolled over and broke the cover plate in front of the cat chamber. This happened to me a few years ago as well. Has anyone else had this problem? Ever since it happened the first time I've tried to be really careful when putting wood in and I don't think I loaded it carelessly this time. The split really didn't hit the cover very hard.

I'll be getting a replacement as soon as I can. Does anyone know if I can continue to run the stove without the cover until I get the replacement?

Thanks.

The refractory access covers on the early 2040's were somewhat susceptible to breaking. VC redesigned this part to make it more resilient, perhaps you had two covers that were of the earlier design?

I'm on my 3rd year with my 2040 and have had no issues with the access cover whatsoever, but I'm pretty sure my stove has the redesigned cover based on it's build date.

 

[Rahm]

Not sure how I would know if the access covers I've had were of the old design or not. I ordered a new one on Ebay. It will be here on Friday. I hope it holds up better than the last two.

The broken one is cracked right down the middle and it holds together well enough when I put it back in it's place. I'm running the stove now and everything seems to be fine. Just making sure that I don't lean any splits against it and don't load it very high so that no splits fall on it while burning.