Advice on Buying Used Encore Defiant, First Stove

[Catfish Hunter]

Hi Everyone, I'm looking at buying my first woodstove - it's an Encore Defiant comes with all the chimney pieces they had installed, stove pipe etc... It can be seen on Craigslist here:

http://minneapolis.craigslist.org/hnp/app/5629939882.html

He's asking $1500, looks like it's in good shape. I'm going to see it on Saturday and possibly bring it home. Any advice on what to look for and also is that a good deal?

(I've been cutting wood on my farm for about three years and am excited to get burning!!)
Thanks!

 

[DUMF]

Just say "no".
Many many experienced owners' problems posted here and elsewhere online.
There are other better choices: Woodstock, Blaze King, PE, Jotul, etc....

 

[begreen]

Not the worst deal if the description is honest. The Encore Defiant is a cat stove and has a better track record than the downdraft models. This is a complex stove so over the long term it will be more costly to maintain. That said it is a good looker and enamel adds to its value. In addition to looking for cracks, leaks and improperly operating controls like the bypass, examine the refractory assembly for signs of degradation and the cat for deterioration. Not sure how much value the stove pipe adds for your installation. Maybe offer $1200?

 

[defiant3]

Probably not the best bet. Encores are far more complicate than most woodstoves, so require more maintenance. They can be very expensive to take care of if you intend to run it as a full time heater. If not, then burning a cord or 2 each season it will likely provide good service, but I might suggest finding someone knowledgeable to look it over first. Lots of expensive stuff in there to go wrong! Also, it will be good to know whether there's a service person available when you need it.

 

[DUMF]

Not a good choice for your "first wood stove".
When all systems on the VC cat stoves are 100% stable, it CAN be an excellent heater.
But, and this is important, you need to be able and willing to fuss and maintain an Encore.
If it is for more than entertainment heating, it's better to look at more reliable wood stoves...as said, that
do not demand extensive and constant costly maintenance. The slightest air leak from all the gaskets and cast
plates will defeat the proper operation of VC cats like the Encore. If the air controls both primary and secondary
are not completely operational, cat VCs can be dangerous....can be. For example, a chunk of furnace cement falling
from a joint can keep the primary air flap in an open position. And that's just one major possible problem.
Look at the recommended wood stoves for your "first" one.

The good: it is a pretty appliance.

 

[begreen]

For a first stove you might consider getting something that is less pretty, but easier to use and cheaper. Regardless, if the stove does not have fully seasoned wood to burn you will end up with a disappointing experience. Try to find 16" split, seasoned wood now if you don't already have a good stash.

How large an area would you be heating. Is there a safe and properly sized flue already in place or will you be starting out from scratch?

 

[Catfish Hunter]

Thanks for the advice everyone!

 

[Catfish Hunter]

How large an area would you be heating. Is there a safe and properly sized flue already in place or will you be starting out from scratch?

I am heating about 1200 sqft and starting out from scratch on the flue.
I have a good stash of wood that has been split and stacked for a couple years.

 

[begreen]

For a first stove you should be ok with a stove in the 1.8-2.0 cu ft range. The Englander 13-NC is a nice starter stove with a good reputation. Note that it needs a well insulated hearth. This is not an issue if the floor is cement slab. The Drolet Blackcomb is worth checking out as is the True North TN20.

One thing to be aware of, the flue system may end up costing as much or more than the stove. For most modern stoves you will need at least 16 ft of flue if straight up through the ceiling and more if out the wall and then up.

 

[Catfish Hunter]

For a first stove you should be ok with a stove in the 1.8-2.0 cu ft range. The Englander 13-NC is a nice starter stove with a good reputation. Note that it needs a well insulated hearth. This is not an issue if the floor is cement slab. The Drolet Blackcomb is work checking out as is the True North TN20.

One thing to be aware of, the flue system may end up costing as much or more than the stove. For most modern stoves you will need at least 16 ft of flue if straight up through the ceiling and more if out the wall and then up.

The Englander 13-NC is on the way, bought it new for much less than the used stove above, thank you for the advice. I am putting it on tile laid on cement slab. I was planning on double wall stove pipe since the flue will travel through two stories, a floor and a roof, probably ending up around the 20 ft range roughly.

 

[edyit]

nice choice on the stove, just keep in mind that you'll have to switch to class A pipe from where you go through the first ceiling on up, I don't think you can run double wall through multiple floors.

 

[begreen]

That is correct, stove pipe is used only up to the ceiling support box. Then it must transition to class a chimney pipe. What's confusing is that there is both double-wall stove pipe and double-wall chimney pipe. Their construction is entirely different, but the naming is sometimes the same. As the chimney pipe goes through the first floor it must be chased.



Good choice on the Englander. It's hard to beat that stove for value. The only caveat is its high hearth insulation requirement, but that's a non-issue if installed on tiled slab. Good that you have a stash of dry wood already. You might start accumulating more for 2018 and beyond. Modern stoves need dry wood to perform well.

 

[Catfish Hunter]

Ok that picture shows exactly what I'm looking to do. I will make sure to use class A chimney from the ceiling on up.

I am definitely looking forward to cutting wood for 2018 this fall-thanks for the advice!

 

[Catfish Hunter]

It's here!! Once I get it installed I'll post another pic and then maybe again when it's keeping us warm on those cold nights...

 

[Catfish Hunter]

That is correct, stove pipe is used only up to the ceiling support box. Then it must transition to class a chimney pipe. What's confusing is that there is both double-wall stove pipe and double-wall chimney pipe. Their construction is entirely different, but the naming is sometimes the same. As the chimney pipe goes through the first floor it must be chased.

View attachment 182071

Good choice on the Englander. It's hard to beat that stove for value. The only caveat is its high hearth insulation requirement, but that's a non-issue if installed on tiled slab. Good that you have a stash of dry wood already. You might start accumulating more for 2018 and beyond. Modern stoves need dry wood to perform well.

I installed the Englander in the house for this year and it works great. Thank you for the excellent help and advice!!

 

[Easy Livin’ 3000]

I installed the Englander in the house for this year and it works great. Thank you for the excellent help and advice!!

View attachment 218869

What took you so long???

Congrats on the install, and thanks for following up.

How about a some pics of the setup and an action shot or two of the stove?

 

[Catfish Hunter]

What took you so long???

Congrats on the install, and thanks for following up.

How about a some pics of the setup and an action shot or two of the stove?

I was using the stove last year in a little cabin and then now put a Drolet in there instead to get this one in the house.

Here's the set up and the stove in action. It's not finished yet, we are in the process of remodeling an old farm house so it has a rustic look right now...

 

[SuperJ]

91F! Holy Smokes you like it hot in there.

EDIT: I just noticed your thermostat is on the wall behind the stove, it's going to get a double whammy of serious radiant and convective heat. So it may not be indicative of actual average space temperature.

 

[Easy Livin’ 3000]

I was using the stove last year in a little cabin and then now put a Drolet in there instead to get this one in the house.

Here's the set up and the stove in action. It's not finished yet, we are in the process of remodeling an old farm house so it has a rustic look right now...View attachment 218880 View attachment 218881

Which Drolet, and why'd you go with the Englander in the house and Drolet in the cabin?

 

[Catfish Hunter]

91F! Holy Smokes you like it hot in there.

EDIT: I just noticed your thermostat is on the wall behind the stove, it's going to get a double whammy of serious radiant and convective heat. So it may not be indicative of actual average space temperature.

It's not but it does get pretty hot


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Catfish Hunter]

Which Drolet, and why'd you go with the Englander in the house and Drolet in the cabin?

Droplet spark is pretty small. It's ok for the small space.

The englander seems to heat nice so we put it in the house


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk