Resolute Acclaim Combustor

[Oldhippie]

I am thinking of purchasing and installing a new combustor on my 1988 vintage VC Resolute Acclaim. last season it seemed not to be getting up to temp near the end of the season here in North Central Mass and I am blaming it on needing a couple replacement gaskets and although this stove is new to me, it was 20+ years old when I got it. Hasn't had a lot of use, but still..

Is anyone able to give me a good recommendation on where to get one? Or even better, do you have one hanging around you'd like to sell?

Not looking for free, but hoping not to pay $300. I know Google is my friend. Thought I'd try here first.

I'd be looking forward to the start of a new burning season, 'cept I'm going in for rotator cuff surgery tomorrow on my right arm, and won't be using that arm for any stove work for at least the next few months. Yuck.

 

[geoxman]

what size is in the acclaim?

 

[Ashful]

Check Condar. They make reasonably priced replacement cat's for many stoves.

 

[BrowningBAR]

I am thinking of purchasing and installing a new combustor on my 1988 vintage VC Resolute Acclaim. last season it seemed not to be getting up to temp near the end of the season here in North Central Mass and I am blaming it on needing a couple replacement gaskets and although this stove is new to me, it was 20+ years old when I got it. Hasn't had a lot of use, but still..

Is anyone able to give me a good recommendation on where to get one? Or even better, do you have one hanging around you'd like to sell?

Not looking for free, but hoping not to pay $300. I know Google is my friend. Thought I'd try here first.

I'd be looking forward to the start of a new burning season, 'cept I'm going in for rotator cuff surgery tomorrow on my right arm, and won't be using that arm for any stove work for at least the next few months. Yuck.

You can get a new combustor for $210. Not a cheap, but less than the the $300 you mentioned.
http://www.blackswanhome.com/product/combustion-package-refractory-resolute-acclaim

 

[BrowningBAR]

Check Condar. They make reasonably priced replacement cat's for many stoves.

The OP is referring to the Combustor Package. The Acclaim was never a cat stove. The combustor looks like this:

 

[Ashful]

Ah... I hear a Vermont Castings model name and "combustor", and I just automatically assume catalytic.

You can buy the refractory board from McMaster-Carr, and make your own, but it's not exactly a bargain there, either.

 

[Oldhippie]

Thanks guys, I'll look into the Condar. I did see that good price from Blackswan, so that may be my best bet.

I'm not sure I even need one, but won't know till I take it apart and get in there and look, and by then I'll want to have one. If I don't need it now I'm sure I will sometime down the road.

 

[Oldhippie]

what size is in the acclaim?

I didn't know there were two sizes? I believe mine is the large size for the Acclaim. It's a model 0041 if that helps.

 

[BrowningBAR]

The Acclaim has a 1.7 cu ft firebox.

 

[BrowningBAR]

Thanks guys, I'll look into the Condar. I did see that good price from Blackswan, so that may be my best bet.

I'm not sure I even need one, but won't know till I take it apart and get in there and look, and by then I'll want to have one. If I don't need it now I'm sure I will sometime down the road.

If you find refractory assemblies cheaper please post it here.

 

[jdinspector]

$210 is a pretty good deal. I had that stove for quite a while and replaced 2 or 3 of the combustors. Someone on this forum made one of them himself and had a review of it after a year or so. As I recall, he had pretty good luck with his homemade combustor. I'll look around for that thread.

Good luck with your new combustor. I think you'll be pleased with how much better the stove burns with a new box in it.

 

[jdinspector]

Old Hippie, the thread that I recalled is here https://www.hearth.com/talk/threads/home-made-refractory-package-for-resolute.38285/#post-499053. The OP on that thread reported about 2 years of running it with no serious damage.

Good luck

 

[Oldhippie]

Old Hippie, the thread that I recalled is here https://www.hearth.com/talk/threads/home-made-refractory-package-for-resolute.38285/#post-499053. The OP on that thread reported about 2 years of running it with no serious damage.

Good luck

thanks, i just had rotator cuff surgery.. and on my dominant arm/hand... so apoligize for short reply...its going to be a challenging winter

 

[Woody Stover]

thanks, i just had rotator cuff surgery.. and on my dominant arm/hand...its going to be a challenging winter

Don't over-do it...hope you have a rapid recovery!

 

[Oldhippie]

yh

Don't over-do it...hope you have a rapid recovery!

thanks... one day into it... they went in to fix 2 tears and found a third... i got a good friend that will help with the wood, and wife can help some too.. vicadin will help but i feel like a truck hit me this morning.

 

[BrowningBAR]

yh

thanks... one day into it... they went in to fix 2 tears and found a third... i got a good friend that will help with the wood, and wife can help some too.. vicadin will help but i feel like a truck hit me this morning.

Well, I hope this doesn't take too much velocity off your fastball. In a contract year, you really need to keep that WHIP down and your strikeout rate high.

Seriously, though, enjoy the Vicodin and I hope the recovery is quick.

 

[Oldhippie]

Well, my chimney guy (a local fire fighter who also has this side business) came over today and we tackled the Acclaim combustor install. When we finally got to the combustor it was quite deteriorated.

Talk about a jig saw puzzle. But we finally got it in. Getting the thing back together was even more challenging. I got the stove used, but Iknew it had been over fired a few times. The cover plates that hide the combustor, for instance, were quite warped.. but we were able to take that panel, plus the 3 small front plates out as a unit. But with some warpage and shape change with a lot of the parts, getting it all to fit up again was difficult. 5 hour job end-to-end.

I'm sure I'll get better heat out of it. The combustor was more than 50% not there. Like my chimney guy said, "I enjoyed doing it, better than just cleaning the chimney and most people never even want to get a new cat when I tell them they need one."

PS the chimney cleaning was more or less a go-through-the-motions exercise as there was little creosote from last year, but I like having it all inspected and knowing I'm going into the season with a clean bill of health.

 

[raybonz]

Good luck with the stove and your recovery Steve!

Ray

 

[Oldhippie]

Good luck with the stove and your recovery Steve!

Ray

Thanks Ray, things are going very well on the recovery side as well. The shoulder is out of pain. I can use my arm to do lots of things I haven't been able to do in a while.. like tuck my shirt-tail into the back of my pants, or reach up to the top shelf.

I have "Tina the Physical Therapist" twice a week. (I think she plays halfback for the New England Patriots on Sundays)

By real burn time I'll have no problem at all moving wood around. I just can't go skiing this winter which I will really miss. But.. if my biggest issue is I can't go play in the snow, then I don't have anything to whine about.

Thanks for mentioning it Ray.