Well, we've been burning with our VC Defiant Encore for about a month now. While it does have a steeper learning curve than other stoves we've used, overall we're very happy with it. I just replaced a warped and cracked lower fireback last week, and was relieved to find that the refractory box is in excellent shape--so it looks like that and a replacement andiron was all that was needed to get our $100 stove up and running......
One question I do have--this time of year in Oregon we can have nights in the 30's and then sunny days in the 50's-60's. On other stoves, when we wanted to put the fire out (either because it was warming up and we didn't need it or because we were leaving the house for a few days) all we did was close the damper knobs of the wood stove doors and/or shut the flue damper, and the fire would go out rather quickly. With the Encore, I'll open the bypass damper and shut down the primary air supply and close the flue damper, and it will still burn/smolder for several hours. I've checked for air leaks with a smoke pellet and incense and after replacing the ash tray door gasket everything seems to be pretty airtight--but I notice that even when fully shut the primary air flap still has about a 1/4" space where air can get in, and, in looking at the manual this seems to be normal.
So, I was thinking about buying a sheet of pliable magnetic material (like they use for signs on trucks, business card magnets, etc.) and cutting it to fit over the primary air intake vent so that when we wanted to shut down our Encore we could just place the magnet over the air intake and shut the flue damper which should shut down the fire........Any advice/opinions about this??
Thanks!
NP
One question I do have--this time of year in Oregon we can have nights in the 30's and then sunny days in the 50's-60's. On other stoves, when we wanted to put the fire out (either because it was warming up and we didn't need it or because we were leaving the house for a few days) all we did was close the damper knobs of the wood stove doors and/or shut the flue damper, and the fire would go out rather quickly. With the Encore, I'll open the bypass damper and shut down the primary air supply and close the flue damper, and it will still burn/smolder for several hours. I've checked for air leaks with a smoke pellet and incense and after replacing the ash tray door gasket everything seems to be pretty airtight--but I notice that even when fully shut the primary air flap still has about a 1/4" space where air can get in, and, in looking at the manual this seems to be normal.
So, I was thinking about buying a sheet of pliable magnetic material (like they use for signs on trucks, business card magnets, etc.) and cutting it to fit over the primary air intake vent so that when we wanted to shut down our Encore we could just place the magnet over the air intake and shut the flue damper which should shut down the fire........Any advice/opinions about this??
Thanks!
NP
