VC 0041

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Alewynn57

New Member
Sep 10, 2019
5
Centerview MO.
I was just givin a 0041 resolute acclaim. looks to have been used sparingly. My question is there are no refractory plates on the sides or back. the stove was built in 1995. no shaker grates. wedges hold the fireback in. was this stove supposed to have side or back refractory bricks?
 
The 0041 Resolute Acclaim originally had no fire bricks in it. There should be a refractory combustion package in the back that the air is diverted through when you close the damper to increase the efficiency, but the inside of the primary combustion area was plate steel. If you search around these forums a bit you will find lots of threads of people with that stove (I have one too) that have had tons of problems with the side plates cracking - look right around the head of the bolt that sticks through. VC made a rebuild kit that added fire bricks to address the plate cracking issue - this essentially turned the 0041 into a 2490. It was a pretty expensive upgrade and the parts are long since discontinued, although some distributors still have one or two left for a premium price.

If there are no cracks, you can control the draft, and it runs fine I would still run it, but if the side plates are cracked, the cost of the upgrade with the firebrick kit is likely not worth it.
 
The 0041 Resolute Acclaim originally had no fire bricks in it. There should be a refractory combustion package in the back that the air is diverted through when you close the damper to increase the efficiency, but the inside of the primary combustion area was plate steel. If you search around these forums a bit you will find lots of threads of people with that stove (I have one too) that have had tons of problems with the side plates cracking - look right around the head of the bolt that sticks through. VC made a rebuild kit that added fire bricks to address the plate cracking issue - this essentially turned the 0041 into a 2490. It was a pretty expensive upgrade and the parts are long since discontinued, although some distributors still have one or two left for a premium price.

If there are no cracks, you can control the draft, and it runs fine I would still run it, but if the side plates are cracked, the cost of the upgrade with the firebrick kit is likely not worth it.
Is this material plate steel that cracks? Can it then be welded? Thanks.
 
Is this material plate steel that cracks? Can it then be welded? Thanks.

It is plate steel. My stove was already upgraded to the 2490 variant when I got it, so I've never had my hands on the original 0041 parts, but my understanding is that the crack is a symptom of the stove plates warping and not the problem in itself.

So yes it technically should be possible to repair the crack, but I think you're likely to have other issues that you can't fix by welding.
 
Other issues meaning if I repair these plates something else will fail, or plates will fail again. From what I have seen so far, the fix kit may not be readily available any longer?
 
Other issues meaning if I repair these plates something else will fail, or plates will fail again. From what I have seen so far, the fix kit may not be readily available any longer?

The side plates are likely warped. So besides the air leak path through the cracks. You will likely have leaks at all of the edges. Its likely that if it has cracks it has overfired in its past (either as a cause or symptom of the cracks). If its been overfired, the refractory package in the back, which is the fused silica secondary combustion area, is likely destroyed and that's $450 on Woodmans Parts Plus (attached image of destroyed refractory).

I'm definitely not an expert on this - maybe some of the other users (maybe @defiant3) will have a second opinion on it
 

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The side plates are likely warped. So besides the air leak path through the cracks. You will likely have leaks at all of the edges. Its likely that if it has cracks it has overfired in its past (either as a cause or symptom of the cracks). If its been overfired, the refractory package in the back, which is the fused silica secondary combustion area, is likely destroyed and that's $450 on Woodmans Parts Plus (attached image of destroyed refractory).

I'm definitely not an expert on this - maybe some of the other users (maybe @defiant3) will have a second opinion on it
Wow, that one is gone! Mine was worn out and damaged. But not nearly as bad as this one. I sourced it for $135. Just dont want to keep sinking money into this project if it wont be useable or safe. I only want a fire for the ambiance. Not for heating purposes.

Thanks.
 
JR815, I was gifted an 0041 and just completed a rebuild on it. So I feel I have some useful first hand info:
If it's in good condition, I think its a perfect stove for your described usage. I`m using mine similarly, mostly evenings and weekends vs being a full time heater. After the rebuild, mine heats up quickly, burns a long time with dry hardwood, emits heat well, and is responsive and easily controllable. Mine was overheated by previous owners, and I had to replace the combustion package. There was a little bit of warpage but no cracks. I fully disassembled the stove, resealed, and added a few pieces of gasket and cement to seal it. It works and looks like new. It`s a great stove if you`re willing to rebuild it, and monitor/tune it while burning. Beautiful and a pleasure for my personal uses.. Not a great stove for 24 hr, pack it full and forget about it, heating, IMHO.
Good luck!
 
MDH good job on the rebuild, must be lucky to have one with decent core sides! Most are at least warped, often cracked, are NOT plate steel, and should never be welded. 0041's as a general rule are unlikely to be successfully repaired and should simply be enjoyed while they last, then lovingly and with great ceremony, retired.