Older Vermont Castings Intrepid for cabin?

[dairygal]

Hello, I am new here and this looks like a great board! My husband and I have built a cabin in the woods. We installed baseboard heaters for heating and after staying there last weekend we realized we needed more heat for when it really gets cold. We have no electricity except a generator outside.
We have found an older Vermont Castings Intrepid that is for sale not to far from here and we were wondering how that would work to heat our cabin. Also, does it need a fan or can we get by without it?
The cabin floor measures 20 x 20 and there is a loft. I have heard that the first VC stoves did not burn the cleanest and that is the reason for the Intrepid II.
This VC stove was installed in his house in the 90's. We don't know too much about wood burning stoves and would like to get the heating dilemma right this time.
Any help is greatly appreciated!

 

[Bigg_Redd]

Hello, I am new here and this looks like a great board! My husband and I have built a cabin in the woods. We installed baseboard heaters for heating and after staying there last weekend we realized we needed more heat for when it really gets cold. We have no electricity except a generator outside.
We have found an older Vermont Castings Intrepid that is for sale not to far from here and we were wondering how that would work to heat our cabin. Also, does it need a fan or can we get by without it?
The cabin floor measures 20 x 20 and there is a loft. I have heard that the first VC stoves did not burn the cleanest and that is the reason for the Intrepid II.
This VC stove was installed in his house in the 90's. We don't know too much about wood burning stoves and would like to get the heating dilemma right this time.
Any help is greatly appreciated!

FULL DISCLOSURE - I'm not a fan of VC.

Having said that there are very few stoves on the market that would have trouble heating up a 400 sq ft cabin. I can't think of a single one that wouldn't.

 

[dairygal]

Thank you for your reply.
I am not sure if this model would be real sooty or what the problems were in the past with this model. Any thoughts?
We had a Mendota gas fireplace installed in our basement and absolutely love it but a woodburner is a whole different breed of cat.

 

[Bigg_Redd]

Thank you for your reply.
I am not sure if this model would be real sooty or what the problems were in the past with this model. Any thoughts?
We had a Mendota gas fireplace installed in our basement and absolutely love it but a woodburner is a whole different breed of cat.

VC quality has varied a great deal. They started off very good, then they took a break from making good stoves to making garbage. This pattern was repeated once more I believe and I'm not sure where they were in the cycle in the mid 90s.

I'd pass on it.

 

[thinkxingu]

Agreed--you didn't post the price of the VC but you could buy an Englander 13 for $650 or so and it would qualify for the tax credit.

S

 

[dairygal]

The guy wanted 650 for his VC. Do you have to have a blower on these units or will they warm the cabin without one.

 

[Bigg_Redd]

The guy wanted 650 for his VC. Do you have to have a blower on these units or will they warm the cabin without one.

In my first response I said that any stove will heat a 400 sq ft, however if it is well insulated you will have to select a stove very carefully so that it doesn't over heat.

In a place that small you won't need a blower. You said it has a loft. Does that mean it has vaulted ceilings? If so a ceiling fan is a must.

 

[dairygal]

The loft is 1/2 of the cabin and the open half has a 52" ceiling fan in the peak, which is about 16' up.

 

[Bigg_Redd]

The loft is 1/2 of the cabin and the open half has a 52" ceiling fan in the peak, which is about 16' up.

Good.

No blower required or needed.

 

[BrowningBAR]

The guy wanted 650 for his VC. Do you have to have a blower on these units or will they warm the cabin without one.

$650 is WAY too much. $300-$400 for a good quality older Intrepid is a fair price.

 

[Bigg_Redd]

There are lots of small stoves under $1k brand new.

 

[piglet]

any more pros and cons on the older vt. castings 1302?
i also have a small cabin, 200 sq. ft. and trying to decide between intrepid cat. model 1308 or intrepid non cat 1302. help!
i bought the 1308 used for 350.00
the day after , someone gave me a used 1302 in better condition w/firebricks, for free.
not sure which to hook up now.

My main concern is holding heat for 8-9 hrs (the cabin is WELL insulated and holds heat well) while i am at work so my dog doesn't freeze.

!

 

[bmwloco]

If the VC is from the early 80's, in good shape, tight, you should have no problems.

The dog will figure it out quicly, bellieve me. Have shots of my ancient chocolate labs sleeping so close steam was coming off their wet fur. Now only one remains, her favorite spot inches from a hot VC Resolute.

When i finally wear out my Resolute and Itrepid, I'll go with a Jotul. But that's gong to be a long time from today.

 

[piglet]

thanks! i am just concerned because it will be running 24/7 and is the only source of heat - no back up, no electricity.

 

[BrowningBAR]

thanks! i am just concerned because it will be running 24/7 and is the only source of heat - no back up, no electricity.

The Catalytic Assembly with front enclosure will run you about $270 with tax. $250 for the assembly, $12 for the front enclosure. The catalytic honeycomb box will run you $120. You should get longer burn times from the cat version as it is newer and cat stoves tend to have longer burn times.

If you already have the cat stove that is the cheaper way to go, even if you need to replace the cat and assembly. $650 for a used, 30 year old Intrepid is not worth it, especially if you already have one installed.

 

[piglet]

The Catalytic Assembly with front enclosure will run you about $270 with
tax. $250 for the assembly, $12 for the front enclosure. The catalytic
honeycomb box will run you $120. You should get longer burn times from the
cat version as it is newer and cat stoves tend to have longer burn times.

If you already have the cat stove that is the cheaper way to go, even if
you need to replace the cat and assembly. $650 for a used, 30 year old
Intrepid is not worth it, especially if you already have one installed.

phew, i hope i don't have to buy all that stuff you just listed. We are pretty broke, both work minimum wage jobs in the ski resort business as that is the only employment here. So trying to spend as little as possible - BUT want it to be SAFE, and long burning. We don't nec. need high heat as the cabin is tiny (200 sq ft) and always too warm.
What we do need is moderate temp, over long period of time. Even w/ abed of coals the cabin stays pretty warm, but i'm wondering how that will be in the dead of winter. Vermont gets pretty chilly up here!

we have neither of these stoves hooked up right now. Right now we have a Scandia that looks like the Jotul. It throws a lot of heat, but sparks fly out the draft control, and the door spring is broken and it won't shut properly. We don't like the scandia at all, altho it certainly heats us right out.

so just trying to decide which VC to hook up tomorrow.
It seems so much like a matter of opinion and experience. that maybe we just have to pick one and try it.
With no backup heat, we don't want any trouble in the middle of winter, so we'll be taking apart the cat model tomorrow, see what it needs, and take it from there, i guess.

Great responses, though. This site is a wealth of information and i appreciate all your helpful advice everyone.

 

[Nonprophet]

In my opinion, the Vermont Castings stoves are not ideal for those on a tight budget. Even with proper use (i.e. no over-firing) they will need regular maintenance, a new $200 cat every 3-5 years at least. If you over-fire, repairs can get pretty expensive pretty quickly!

IF it's in really good shape, AND the seller can show you receipts for recent parts, they are a nice little stove. They still sell new for $1800, but I see used ones sell pretty regularly for $400-$500 in working condition. It is a nice little stove. FWIW I think it's REALLY important that you not get too big of a stove or you WILL cook yourselves out of a small space........

I think one of the best deals out there for a small stove is the Jotul 3b, you can pick those up used for $200-500. Also, the Vermont Castings Aspen is a nice little stove, non cat, new for about $900 I believe. Morso also makes some nice smaller stoves.

NP

 

[BrowningBAR]

The Catalytic Assembly with front enclosure will run you about $270 with
tax. $250 for the assembly, $12 for the front enclosure. The catalytic
honeycomb box will run you $120. You should get longer burn times from the
cat version as it is newer and cat stoves tend to have longer burn times.

If you already have the cat stove that is the cheaper way to go, even if
you need to replace the cat and assembly. $650 for a used, 30 year old
Intrepid is not worth it, especially if you already have one installed.

phew, i hope i don't have to buy all that stuff you just listed. We are pretty broke, both work minimum wage jobs in the ski resort business as that is the only employment here. So trying to spend as little as possible - BUT want it to be SAFE, and long burning. We don't nec. need high heat as the cabin is tiny (200 sq ft) and always too warm.
What we do need is moderate temp, over long period of time. Even w/ abed of coals the cabin stays pretty warm, but i'm wondering how that will be in the dead of winter. Vermont gets pretty chilly up here!

we have neither of these stoves hooked up right now. Right now we have a Scandia that looks like the Jotul. It throws a lot of heat, but sparks fly out the draft control, and the door spring is broken and it won't shut properly. We don't like the scandia at all, altho it certainly heats us right out.

so just trying to decide which VC to hook up tomorrow.
It seems so much like a matter of opinion and experience. that maybe we just have to pick one and try it.
With no backup heat, we don't want any trouble in the middle of winter, so we'll be taking apart the cat model tomorrow, see what it needs, and take it from there, i guess.

Great responses, though. This site is a wealth of information and i appreciate all your helpful advice everyone.

If you already have the cat stove you need to check out the assembly immediately. If you need the parts there can be up to a 3-4 week wait time. If you are willing to spend $650 on an Intrepid, there might be other option out there for you that offer longer burn times and provide you with more heat output as Vermont does get quite cold. I'm a little confused as to why you are willing to spend $650 on another stove but are concerned about spending the $390 on parts for the stove you already have.

I really do not know your entire story, but I did a quick search on Craigslist for other stoves and came up with these stoves that are less than the Intrepid in the Vermont area(hopefully I am not causing more problems than solutions):

Vt Castings Resolute $450. Bigger than the Intrepids you are looking at/have and does not have a cat:
(broken link removed to http://burlington.craigslist.org/fud/1446760863.html)

Vermont casting,wood stove - $300
(broken link removed to http://burlington.craigslist.org/hsh/1445339304.html)

Englander Wood Stove - $550 (a lot of people on here really like these stoves as they are inexpensive and people seem to like the heat output)
(broken link removed to http://burlington.craigslist.org/hsh/1442625306.html)

I'm assuming this is the Intrepid you are looking at for $650:
(broken link removed to http://burlington.craigslist.org/hsh/1436702154.html)


Again, I don't know all the details, so hopefully this isn't causing more confusion for you.

 

[begreen]

any more pros and cons on the older vt. castings 1302?
i also have a small cabin, 200 sq. ft. and trying to decide between intrepid cat. model 1308 or intrepid non cat 1302. help!
i bought the 1308 used for 350.00
the day after , someone gave me a used 1302 in better condition w/firebricks, for free.
not sure which to hook up now.

My main concern is holding heat for 8-9 hrs (the cabin is WELL insulated and holds heat well) while i am at work so my dog doesn't freeze.

!

From the description, I'd stick with the older, non-cat Intrepid. The newer gen catalytic Intrepids are ok, but much higher maintenance and expensive parts are often required if it needs maintenance. If it's in the single digits outside, it will likely be cold when you get back from work. There is no way to have a small heater burn for hours on end. There isn't enough fuel capacity. But the dog has a fur coat. If the cabin is reasonably tight, it will be above freezing when you get home. Have plenty of dry, cut wood on hand. Don't mess with semi-damp wood.

 

[Nyquil Junkie]

I have an interpid 1990 cat model.

I heat 1400 SqFt little house with no problem. I don't use the cat. I run it on bypass with the damper open. Even running in this way it makes a lot of heat for a little wood.

My mom has an older non cat interpid, it heats a similar sized house fine.

From using mine for a while, in my opinion it runs to hot with the cat engaged. I think this is why you find a lot of interpids with warped sides and burned out joints.

I dont see it burning "dirty", My pipes are always pretty clean. I cook on this little stove, bake on it too. The only fan you would maybe want is a small fan blowing on the griddle to push some heat around, the griddles get 500-600 degree + (hotter than the cast iron stove body) so blowing a fan on the griddle pushes a lot of heat off into the room.

650 is too much unless its one someone never used and its like brand new.

I paid 100 bucks for my moms, and it was actually never used, it was a lucky find someone wanted to get rid of.
I paid 500 for mine but it is in perfect condition (the cat assembly box is a little ragy but I dont use the cat so I dont care. It still works ok if I did) and was (apparently) not abused or over fired.

I really didnt want to pay 500, Ive seen them cheaper but I was tired of looking and winter is coming and I gave up a 100 or so to just get it.


Like anything used, its only worth your money if its in really good shape.
For 650 it better be spotless.

with the side racks and some other goodies.

 

[BrowningBAR]

any more pros and cons on the older vt. castings 1302?
i also have a small cabin, 200 sq. ft. and trying to decide between intrepid cat. model 1308 or intrepid non cat 1302. help!
i bought the 1308 used for 350.00
the day after , someone gave me a used 1302 in better condition w/firebricks, for free.
not sure which to hook up now.

My main concern is holding heat for 8-9 hrs (the cabin is WELL insulated and holds heat well) while i am at work so my dog doesn't freeze.

!

From the description, I'd stick with the older, non-cat Intrepid. The newer gen catalytic Intrepids are ok, but much higher maintenance and expensive parts are often required if it needs maintenance. If it's in the single digits outside, it will likely be cold when you get back from work. There is no way to have a small heater burn for hours on end. There isn't enough fuel capacity. But the dog has a fur coat. If the cabin is reasonably tight, it will be above freezing when you get home. Have plenty of dry, cut wood on hand. Don't mess with semi-damp wood.

Not only are the parts expensive, but VC drags ass on production and delivery. It is a 3-4 week wait on the cat assembly.

 

[Bigg_Redd]

Pacific Energy Vista

The End

 

[BrowningBAR]

Pacific Energy Vista

The End

Are you going to help them pay for it? A new vista seems to run $1400-$1800. The tax break is great, but they still need to fork over the money now for it.

 

[CTburning]

I'm surprised nobody mentioned the Englander line of stoves. The 13 model is $729 at Lowes and would be twice as much stove as you really need. It is new, and has a great following here. If you could find a 10% coupon, you would be looking at less than $700 or go over to NH and save on tax as well. Either way you're getting $200 bucks back for it at tax time as it qualifies for the credit.

 

[BrowningBAR]

I'm surprised nobody mentioned the Englander line of stoves. The 13 model is $729 at Lowes and would be twice as much stove as you really need. It is new, and has a great following here. If you could find a 10% coupon, you would be looking at less than $700 or go over to NH and save on tax as well. Either way you're getting $200 bucks back for it at tax time as it qualifies for the credit.

I actually provided a link to a Craigslist posting for a Englander earlier in the thread. It was listed at $550. They might be able to get the down by a hundred bucks.