2019/20 VC Owners thread

[Dobish]

It's a Vermont Castings Defiant...it has a cat and secondary chamber.

Thanks for the tips. To answer some questions/comments.

Getting 2 year old wood near me is a near impossibility unless I cut it myself. Problem is, I only started cutting a year ago, so I can't make the time go any faster. Most dealers' wood is even less seasoned as mine....I know they cut and split it as recently as the summer. And yes, getting a hot, hot fire does reduce some of the black on the glass, but once I close the damper to let the EPA cat do its thing, it comes back. I do not get much hissing or water coming out of the logs...I've watched for that and mostly see none. I had some in September do that, but haven't seen it since. I tend to burn ash, maple, and hickory. I've been letting the oak sit as long as possible. The logs I'm splitting are from fallen, dead trees, or trees that were felled for a building site 18 months ago.

I have a bunch of stacks going so by next season, I should have wood that is seasoned 12-18 months and longer as time goes on. My stacks are spaced and in the sun/wind on pallets, under a lean-to.

I tend to burn a hot fire (650-700 degrees per the stovetop thermometer) and really get it going. I start small, add logs, and once they get to 550 or so, i tend to load the box up with wood. I give it another 15 minutes and make sure it's burning nicely from the bottom up, and once it's at 650-700 i close the damper and let it run overnight. During the day, I tend to it more so the temperature doesn't really drop much below 550 with the damper closed. If it does, I open it back up, let it get hot, add wood, and close it again.

I read something here about the opening in the flue collar that I will seal up could cause some creosote down low. So maybe that's not helping me either on top of less than ideally seasoned wood. When the damper is closed I hardly see smoke coming from the chimney.

Do you have a cat thermometer? If not, get one. Many of us have the auber at, which is a huge help. I had a similar problem with wet wood a few years ago, and finally started mixing in lumber scraps. Now that my wood is really dry, i don't get black glass at all. These stoves are very sensitive to wet wood, so even if you think it is dry, it probably isn't.

Are you turning down the air as well as engaging the cat? If you are, try leaving it open.

 

[rjrdomer]

I'll order an Auber AT and see how that goes. I assume it's easy to install. I am turning down the air about 10-15 minutes after closing the damper/engaging the cat. I took everything apart 2 days ago and the cat was very clean (no creosote buildup there). The flue looked clean too. Just my doors that seem to be a mess.

 

[Kevin Weis]

Don't know if this will help but I've noticed on my Intrepid flexburn the more the secondary is closed the cleaner the glass will be. Wondering if this is a common denominator with all the flexburns? To add with the bypass damper open the secondary is closed all the way the glass stays absolutely clean even with the primary nearly closed. I don't know the exact flow path of my Intrepid though between the primary and the secondary but the conclusion I'm drawing now with what I've seen is that the secondary air dilutes the air wash either in volume or velocity or both. I'm pretty certain of that. Now with that all said, the Intrepid combuster is different than the other VC flexburns but I think the concept is similar. So if the drier wood makes no difference than maybe play with the secondary air? Just saying.

 

[rwh63]

both the Seneca and it's big brother the Sequoia are catalytic stoves.

 

[begreen]

I've heard of the Sequoia but have never seen either model. Tell us more about it, how and where the cat is mounted and serviced. Looks a bit more like a CDW design. Were they out of the VT factory or imported?

Edit: Yes I see now this is a Dutchwest Seneca. Are you on the original refractory package still?

 

[rwh63]

yes, original refractory piece that covers the catalytic . two rebuilds since new. cat is mounted under the top lid, in the inner top. they were CDW stoves. i believe out of vermont. not sure how many years they were made.

Dutchwest Seneca Stove (2169-2170)

www.cozycabinstoveandfireplaceparts.com

 

[Reckless]

I posted a few weeks ago. I have been using my VC Defiant at my vacation home as my sole heat source when there. It has worked great. Just a few things I was wondering if anyone can opine on. My glass doors...they are black. And not just with some ashes like Ash Wednesday Ashes. But crusted on creosote. How do I get this off? I tried the water+ash trick, I tried soapy water and elbow grease. Can I take a razor blade to it and scrape? Has anyone used any of the Rutland Creosote remover that you burn that's supposed to loosen any potential creosote in the chimney? I'm burning all hardwood, however it's only been seasoned about 6-12 months. I typically get the fire started with 1 or 2 pieces of fatwood and newspaper with a smaller log or two and then just add hardwood split logs after that.

Secondly, there is a visible gap between my chimney pipe and flue collar and you can hear a whistling noise when the stove is running with the damper open. Does this gap need to be closed? I read somewhere that creosote could form down low if there are gaps in the flue collar. I've attached a video. Hopefully it went through. Thanks in advance.

I would personally pull the chimney pipe off, reshape it a little, fold a long length of tin foil a few times and then fold it around the edge of the chimney pipe and reinstall it. Once reinstalled use a small flat head screw driver and push the excess back down so it helps fill the gaps and make it not visible. As for black glass I also occasionally use Rutland glass cleaner, newspaper and a touch of ash if it’s really cooked on but honestly I clean the glass 2-3 times a season max.


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[Reckless]

I'll order an Auber AT and see how that goes. I assume it's easy to install. I am turning down the air about 10-15 minutes after closing the damper/engaging the cat. I took everything apart 2 days ago and the cat was very clean (no creosote buildup there). The flue looked clean too. Just my doors that seem to be a mess.

You will also need a thermocouple probe, I believe K type? Maybe someone can verify that as I still use the one that came with my condar kit and the auber.
It looks like you have room behind so you could go the cheap route cause something is better than nothing

Condar catalytic thermometers

Condar catalytic probe thermometers are made of varing lengths to accomodate most catalytic wood stove models and extend the life of its catalyst.

www.condar.com

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[Woody Stover]

I read something here about the opening in the flue collar that I will seal up could cause some creosote down low. So maybe that's not helping me either on top of less than ideally seasoned wood. When the damper is closed I hardly see smoke coming from the chimney.

Sound like you aren't doing to badly, over all. They make some stove sealant that is rated for 1100 intermittent temp but that area right at the flue opening could get even hotter, I don't know. Furnace cement will just crumble out of the gap in a short time. There is also some other types of high-temp refractory cement. Try some of the flat stove gasket first, or maybe some interam gasket..?
Try to get some soft Maple split and stacked ASAP. That stuff will be dry by next fall, though it won't burn as long as Oak or White Ash. That White Ash might be pretty decent come fall, with 18 months drying.

 

[Kevin Weis]

I have smething similar, a gap where the stove pipe goes into a masonary thimble in the chimney and I just stuff some gasket material in there and it works great. That's covered by a dress ring around the stove pipe anyway there so you don't see it.

 

[Kevin Weis]

Another Intrepid Flexburn update: After discussions on senondary air intake on this thread and others recently, I'm taking the plung and installing a manual secondary air intake control. Easy to do, just disconnect ball chain from bypass damper handle shaft and connect to another Handel to be installed nearby. This would give the most control possible with this stove the way I see it. Have a feeling it will be in the closed position most of the time. Handel will have spring tension to maintain position like the thermostat control. The secondary air flap just lays on the frame so no way it is sealed even when closed. Hopefully can get this done in a couple weeks or so. Otherwise save for steel cat clogging some with ash is working well and like with any stove size, type, and MC of wood means everything on performance.

 

[Diabel]

Interesting, that tinkering needs be with a brand new stove.

 

[Kevin Weis]

What's interesting is the Intrepid II had a thermostatically controlled secondary. The Intrepid Flexburn does not, it's fixed. Even though the two have different combustion chambers it would be safe to assume I would think the the secondary air would serve the same purpose in the secondary combustion process. In the Intrepid II it was thought have it open only during low burns but in the flexburn to keep it open just the same in all levels of burn. I'm not an engineer but would love to hear what the thinking is by VC in the secondary airflow in this stove just for the oppurtunity to understand it. They obviously didn't want us to know anything about the function of the secondary air as there is no mention of its existence in the owners manual. Well I'm challenging myself to figure that out I guess. Anyways still more positives than negatives.

 

[ajayabb]

Bedtime

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[Reckless]

Really quiet around here. Supposed to get down 14 tonight and hit 60 by Tuesday..... what a wild winter so far


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[Northern NH Mike]

Really quiet around here. Supposed to get down 14 tonight and hit 60 by Tuesday..... what a wild winter so far


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I've got 9* here just north of the notches. It's been flurrying all day. Would prefer the rain and mild temps stay away myself.

 

[Kevin Weis]

18 here this morning. 55 and rain Tuesdayay. 30 and some snow Wednesday.

 

[Diabel]

Yes, indeed very quiet in this thread
I suppose all the VCs working as they should

 

[Reckless]

Yes, indeed very quiet in this thread
I suppose all the VCs working as they should

Or everyone is running around trying to avoid thermonuclear catastrophes, no time to type [emoji23][emoji23]

8* when I woke up this morning with some coals to get the beast roaring again.


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[rwh63]

wood stove pumping out heat, cornbread in the oven, football on tv

 

[Diabel]

wood stove pumping out heat, cornbread in the oven, football on tv

View attachment 253104

Very cozy.
But please stop shooting pellets at your stove!

 

[rwh63]

irreversible issue, after 23 straight winters.

 

[RandyBoBandy]

Bedtime

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I love your alcove. I’m super jealous. My hearth sucks right now. Functional but ugly.

 

[RandyBoBandy]

Its basically 40 here today. Stove went cold last night due to attending a Christmas party and returning home late. Took advantage of a cold stove and mild temps today to sweep the chimney. Will return to burning 24/7 tonight after the kiddos go down.

 

[RandyBoBandy]

It's a Vermont Castings Defiant...it has a cat and secondary chamber.

Thanks for the tips. To answer some questions/comments.

Getting 2 year old wood near me is a near impossibility unless I cut it myself. Problem is, I only started cutting a year ago, so I can't make the time go any faster. Most dealers' wood is even less seasoned as mine....I know they cut and split it as recently as the summer. And yes, getting a hot, hot fire does reduce some of the black on the glass, but once I close the damper to let the EPA cat do its thing, it comes back. I do not get much hissing or water coming out of the logs...I've watched for that and mostly see none. I had some in September do that, but haven't seen it since. I tend to burn ash, maple, and hickory. I've been letting the oak sit as long as possible. The logs I'm splitting are from fallen, dead trees, or trees that were felled for a building site 18 months ago.

I have a bunch of stacks going so by next season, I should have wood that is seasoned 12-18 months and longer as time goes on. My stacks are spaced and in the sun/wind on pallets, under a lean-to.

I tend to burn a hot fire (650-700 degrees per the stovetop thermometer) and really get it going. I start small, add logs, and once they get to 550 or so, i tend to load the box up with wood. I give it another 15 minutes and make sure it's burning nicely from the bottom up, and once it's at 650-700 i close the damper and let it run overnight. During the day, I tend to it more so the temperature doesn't really drop much below 550 with the damper closed. If it does, I open it back up, let it get hot, add wood, and close it again.

I read something here about the opening in the flue collar that I will seal up could cause some creosote down low. So maybe that's not helping me either on top of less than ideally seasoned wood. When the damper is closed I hardly see smoke coming from the chimney.

When I still had the oval to round flue collar on my encore I just used furnace cement to fill the gaps. It will crack over time but it stays in place and functions well. I have since switched to a round flue collar and a 6” pipe.