New Mt. Vernon AE -Wrong Decision?

  • Active since 1995, Hearth.com is THE place on the internet for free information and advice about wood stoves, pellet stoves and other energy saving equipment.

    We strive to provide opinions, articles, discussions and history related to Hearth Products and in a more general sense, energy issues.

    We promote the EFFICIENT, RESPONSIBLE, CLEAN and SAFE use of all fuels, whether renewable or fossil.
Status
Not open for further replies.

VA Bugler

Member
Sep 19, 2013
12
Virginia
New member here,

I really appreciate all the very informative information. Just wish maybe i had found this forum before I ordered the Mt. Vernon AE. From the info read: Earlier versions had ignitor issues and control boards issues.
I am wondering if anyone that has recently purchased can confirm the issues are resolved.

I really could care less for all the bells & whistles like auto clean. But, My wife loves the looks of the Mahogany. I want a reliable model that if properly maintained will last for years.

They don't install until the 27th. I may be able to switch to the Enviro M55 if others recommend.

Any feedback would be much appreciated.
 
We have 2 mt. Vernon's and absolutely adorn them. We've replaced 1 igniter in 7 years and its a very simple task. We would buy another my. Vernon tomorrow if need be.
 
This is great news! I am going to locate the thermostat in the adjoining room to minimize the restarts.

Thanks!
 
  • Like
Reactions: herdfan2003
Welcome to the pellet world,

Do some pellet hunting to help pass the waiting game. Gotta get an idea whats available near you. Pick up a few of each to see which pellet you like,

Don't forget the pic's once you get it rolling.
 
Hi VA- don't despair, a good stove you have there. We sell both at the store, but the M55 does probably outsell the MV. The issues that plagued the MV years ago have been resolved, its a quiet, fantastic heating machine. But so is the M55. Good luck with it.
 
  • Like
Reactions: smoke show
I have a 2008 model and have had no issues but ignitor. also only burn pellets.
 
Last edited by a moderator:
No, not the wrong decision at all. I haven't had any issues with mine other than a minor one that was taken care of under warranty, no questions asked. The M55 was a choice for me as well from the dealer I purchased from. It was not an easy decision for me but the tie breaker was the difference in cost for igniters. $235 for the M55 vs $68 for the Mt Vernon. Since this is an item that wears out no matter the stove brand, this cost difference pushed me over the edge.
 
No issues with mine, though mine is only a year old. My father in-law has had this for over 4 years now and he bought the floor model that was hooked up and demoed to customers. Still all original parts, except for the thermocouple that was replaced under warranty.
 
Bought a Mt Vernon 2 years ago and love it - only issues have been 2 pellet jams that I cleared in seconds with a coat hanger
 
New member here,

I really appreciate all the very informative information. Just wish maybe i had found this forum before I ordered the Mt. Vernon AE. From the info read: Earlier versions had ignitor issues and control boards issues.
I am wondering if anyone that has recently purchased can confirm the issues are resolved.

I really could care less for all the bells & whistles like auto clean. But, My wife loves the looks of the Mahogany. I want a reliable model that if properly maintained will last for years.

They don't install until the 27th. I may be able to switch to the Enviro M55 if others recommend.

Any feedback would be much appreciated.
We bought a MV AE at the end of 2010. Had some problems with the thermostats (replaced two) but this third one near the beginning of last season seems to have done the trick, using a different firmware. We just switched dealers for cleaning / service because our former dealer seems to be more interested in sales than service, and the new dealer updated the firmware again just two weeks ago. He said it was just a minor update that might help with some things, but that might not even apply to us.

We also replaced an ignitor in the middle of last season (did that myself) and have heard from two dealers in our area that this is fairly normal if you use the stove constantly, as we do.

The only real problem I've had with this unit is that it's a bit loud when running on high. We have it in our family room (it looks like a piece of art, and let' face it, it's priced that way, too!). But most of the time it's not a problem even when we are watching TV. I think an adjustment of the temp differential, and possibly a switch to manual mode to prevent it from cycling so much, might be an experiment I'l try this year.

We like pellets in general so much that I just picked up an old Whitfield Quest insert (close to 20 years old) for a basement office fireplace. Much cleaner and easier than wood, and much cheaper than the heat pump. We like the lower carbon footprint, too. My only advice would be to keep it clean, do regular maintenance, and by high quality pellets. An have a carbon monoxide detector in the room, just in case.
 
In February of this year I purchased an Accentra insert. I initially chose that brand because of the slide out feature for ease of cleaning and I liked the pellet feed setup.

After experimenting with the stove for a couple weeks, I decided that on the mid to high setting runs the blower motor was too noisy. I called the dealer and he said that he had several complaints about the same problem. For the $200 difference in the listed price, he offered to exchange the Accentra for a Mt. Vernon. I agreed to the offer and the exchange/install happened 2 days later.

I have not experienced any problems in the short time that I have had the Mt. Vernon. It has awesome heat output, its very quite and it looks great. It has exceeded my expectations and in my opinion it's well worth the investment.
 

Attachments

  • photo(26).JPG
    photo(26).JPG
    57.3 KB · Views: 205
  • Like
Reactions: smoke show
They are a nice stove,seems like I got a couple here somewhere too.
 
I bought mine in 2009 and I've had a lot of things replaced. I still have some glitches with, like I'll wake up to a cold house because of some error. It seems to have a mind of its own. I wouldn't buy another.

It heats well when it's working right. Good luck with yours.
 
This is great news! I am going to locate the thermostat in the adjoining room to minimize the restarts.

Thanks!

The amount of restarts is normally figured by the type and amount of fuel used. In other words you are given different fuels, sometimes a choice of high or regular altitude and how high you have to run the thermostat to be comfortable. The time between dumps is predetermined by your selections . If it is very cold you will naturally burn more pellets and thus it will dump more often.
If I remember right you can buy a cable to connect to a 12 volt battery and it will run 6 hours before dumping using a 12 volt battery for power.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.