2021/22 VC Owner thread

[clancey]

That's a pretty stove and thought I would put a picture of it on here..Someone will come along and help you with your question because I have no experience with all of this: old mrs clancey
(broken link removed to https://www.woodheat.com/products/stoves/wood-stoves/vermont-castings-intrepid-flexburn-1833.html)

 

[Diabel]

Totally normal.
This is not paint flaking but some flakes of soot. Keep burning

 

[rev1911]

Totally normal.
This is not paint flaking but some flakes of soot. Keep burning

Right on, thank you! Kinda figured it wasn't a big deal but wanted to confirm.

 

[RandyBoBandy]

First off, want to say “thank you”! This forum has been an amazing resource during the past few months while I searched for a stove to heat our Colorado high country home. Ended up with a VC Defiant and have been thoroughly pleased since install a few weeks back. I am SO GLAD to no longer be propane-dependent.

When reloading for today’s burn, I noticed the paint (?) on the underside of the lid is flaking off. We’ve been doing all night burns (8ish hours with hot coals left over in the AM) but nothing scorching hot. Is this normal? Or did I torch the lid with a too-hot fire?View attachment 293192

Thanks in advance!

Welcome to the forum and congrats on your purchase. The griddle tops are not painted. What you are seeing is creosote/soot flaking off.

 

[bert670]

VC Dauntless owners- careful tightening the nut on the top loading door handle, used a socket wrench with what I would consider moderately light pressure, and it snapped right where the thread ends and becomes the handle. Reached out to the dealer in hopes of getting it replaced under warranty.

 

[Barkpeeler]

Hello all,
I've been creeping around on the forum for a while and decided to finally join. I'm running an Intrepid II Model 1990. I bought it used a couple years ago and put all new gaskets, throat hood, and back plates in it. I made a bottoms heat shield for it and it has a rear shield as well.

I recently pulled the back and looked at my cat, and I'll need to replace it, missing some cells and some broken, but still seems to be working. I pulled it because I was having drafting issues and needed to clean out the refractory.

I have definitely experienced the nuclear scenario on the stove...which is probably why my cat is the way it is.

I don't have any probes on the stove yet, but am definitely considering them.

Should I install a probe before I block off or partially block off the secondary air, or would this be ok to do without a probe installed?

Can I put the probe through where the current one for the bi metal spring is, or should I drill a new hole through the refractory (this hole is to the right of the secondary air)? I'll attach a couple pictures.

Looks like I also have EPA holes up front that feed into the ash pan area.

There is also a gap between the stove and the air control box and I can see fire/red through it when the stove is operating and the room is dark. Should I consider a gasket in this area?

Thanks in advance.

 

[begreen]

EPA holes? Are they threaded or clear? They may be boost air intake ports for easier starts.

 

[Barkpeeler]

EPA holes? Are they threaded or clear? They may be boost air intake ports for easier starts.

They are not threaded.... Are EPA holes threaded or clear through?

 

[begreen]

They are not threaded.... Are EPA holes threaded or clear through?

No, I was wondering if a potential accessory attached there, that's all. Are the holes behind the fireback? They may be for secondary combustion.

 

[Barkpeeler]

No, I was wondering if a potential accessory attached there, that's all. Are the holes behind the fireback? They may be for secondary combustion.

They are up front on the bottom side, almost under the doors. They lead right into the area under the ash pan. On this stove I have to open both doors to access the ash drawer. The picture was taken by lying down in front of the stove.

 

[begreen]

Thanks, it was hard to tell from the pics. I would suspect they might be boost air ports, for easier fire starting, but they may feed the airwash.

 

[Barkpeeler]

I think you might be on to something with the air wash. Thanks.

 

[RandyBoBandy]

Hello all,
I've been creeping around on the forum for a while and decided to finally join. I'm running an Intrepid II Model 1990. I bought it used a couple years ago and put all new gaskets, throat hood, and back plates in it. I made a bottoms heat shield for it and it has a rear shield as well.

I recently pulled the back and looked at my cat, and I'll need to replace it, missing some cells and some broken, but still seems to be working. I pulled it because I was having drafting issues and needed to clean out the refractory.

I have definitely experienced the nuclear scenario on the stove...which is probably why my cat is the way it is.

I don't have any probes on the stove yet, but am definitely considering them.

Should I install a probe before I block off or partially block off the secondary air, or would this be ok to do without a probe installed?

Can I put the probe through where the current one for the bi metal spring is, or should I drill a new hole through the refractory (this hole is to the right of the secondary air)? I'll attach a couple pictures.

Looks like I also have EPA holes up front that feed into the ash pan area.

There is also a gap between the stove and the air control box and I can see fire/red through it when the stove is operating and the room is dark. Should I consider a gasket in this area?

Thanks in advance.

View attachment 293282 View attachment 293283 View attachment 293285 View attachment 293286

I don’t have any experience with the intrepid, however, I presume the hole next to the secondary probe is for your cat probe. Take a 1/4” drill bit and by hand carefully drill a hole in the refractory box. I would start here before any secondary mods. Some have completely blocked off their secondary and some leave them operating. My encore in my house is completely blocked. I didn’t even install the secondary probe when I put a new refractory box in. My defiant at my cabin is fully functional. I haven’t witnessed any problems with that stove. You should also get a stove top thermo and a stove pipe thermo. VCs are a three thermo stove.

 

[Barkpeeler]

I don’t have any experience with the intrepid, however, I presume the hole next to the secondary probe is for your cat probe. Take a 1/4” drill bit and by hand carefully drill a hole in the refractory box. I would start here before any secondary mods. Some have completely blocked off their secondary and some leave them operating. My encore in my house is completely blocked. I didn’t even install the secondary probe when I put a new refractory box in. My defiant at my cabin is fully functional. I haven’t witnessed any problems with that stove. You should also get a stove top thermo and a stove pipe thermo. VCs are a three thermo stove.

Thanks, I'll look into getting the probes and digital read outs then. For the cat probe, are most people holding it in place with stove cement ?
Regarding stove top temp, is this another probe? I currently use an IR thermo to check the top. I have one of those magnetic bi metal stove top thermos on top too, but it's always off by a minimum of 20 deg f.

Not sure how I'd do stove pipe probe. I have a double walled pipe from the stove to ceiling.

 

[THenney]

Hi guys! I know it's May, so it might be a long shot if anyone is paying much attention here, but I still had my stove running last week, so I figured this is worth a shot. I have a Defiant 1975-CAT-C. This past winter was it's first season. It ran beautifully once I figured out my wood selection and processes (with a lot of wisdom gleaned from here). Since this is a new stove and I'm a new owner I was wondering if anyone would share words of wisdom for spring maintenance to put it to bed ready for next year. I'm planning on cleaning the chimney, thoroughly cleaning the stove (but input here would be appreciated) and leaving all the doors gapped to reduce gasket compression over the summer and let the stove "breathe" since it can be very humid in south east Nebraska during the summer. What am I missing? Many thanks and happy wood hoarding from all us VC newbs!

 

[MacEntyre]

Folks, I just purchased a 1992 VC Defiant Encore Model 2190, "Biscuit" colored... hasn't been used for at least 8 years. I've studied up on how to get it apart and check the cat, but apparently I should have studied more. I couldn't figure out how to remove the Lower Fireback inside the burn chamber, so I went in through the back. I never got the back off, and a bolt on the back broke. The Refractory Assembly fell apart but the cat came out. It looks good, so I should have left well enough alone! Now I need to source the Refractory, Refractory Plate and gaskets.

Found the Refractory here... much better price than another that came up in my search.

I found this thread on removing the Refractory, and this one on rebuilding a 2190, so I will study up on how to get the stove back into service before the cold arrives next fall! Any tips or tricks to make it easier will be most appreciated.

 

[begreen]

Visually the enamel looks good. That's a good find on the refractory assembly.

 

[defiant3]

Looks like pre-ingiting combustualization to me.

 

[defiant3]

Actually normal deposits there, no worries.

 

[MacEntyre]

Plumbers Stock canceled my order and flagged it as Possibly Fraudulent... I replied and asked what I can do to clarify things. I hope it works out.

 

[begreen]

That's odd. Maybe it would be better to call them.

 

[MacEntyre]

That's odd. Maybe it would be better to call them.

Called, sent email, responded on their Customer Service ticket. No response today, mebbe this evening.

 

[MacEntyre]

Turns out if you use a credit card with PlumbersStock.com and their 3rd party verification fails, the only option is PayPal or a personal check. I hope PayPal worked and the product will arrive, because their price is by far the lowest for a Defiant Encore refractory.

PayPal robo-called three times to tell me the transaction needs to be verified... I called PPal customer support, but it all looks good. They have no idea what that's all about.

PlumbersStock .com has a 30 day lead time on the Refractory. I'll let y'all know how it turns out.

 

[Rusty18]

Other than the cobwebs the vertical part is still looking pretty good! A few of the non believers at work can’t wrap their mind around it that it is still that clean after 4 winters of burning pine.

 

[Frosty29]

I’m new here. Just purchased a Encore in flat black with the transitional style doors. I always wanted a wood stove in my house and specifically a Vermont Castings. I heard they were cranking out real garbage at one point but the new ones have a better refractory. I’m hoping I didn’t buy a piece of junk. I will be using it to take the edge off my heating system on those really cold days and weekends.

How are these new stoves?