Noticed VC came out with a new Insert

[Mike508]

I searched the forums and could not find anything, but it looks like on the VC website they now have a new insert: The Montpelier 2. I have the older version (Montpelier) and have been very happy with it. Looks like VC made a few changes to get it to <2g/hr for the 2020 emissions standards. Changes are pretty minor as far as I can tell. They put a blanket over the baffle, downsized the firebox a bit (2.6 to 2.4 cubic feet), and changed the large, single piece refractory bricks, to standard replaceable fire bricks. They also moved the primary air adjustment lever, which to me indicates that they likely moved where this air enters the firebox.

Montpelier II Wood-Burning Insert

The Montpelier II wood insert highlights large, unobstructed views of the flames, turning your existing masonry fireplace into an efficient centerpiece.

www.vermontcastings.com

I know a lot of folks are VC haters due to their terrible experience with the catalytic stove line, but I can say that my insert, which is a simple secondary tube insert, is a joy. I heat our 1500 downstairs in sub zero temps and get long burn times (up to 10 hours when I pack the firebox). I suspect the new version will also be a good insert based on the very minor modifications that were made. Glad VC decided not to add a catalyst and instead just tweak the older version. I was disappointed to see that Jotul already went catalysts in their big stove (oslo 500). Seems like stove manufactures are using catalyst as a bandaid to make their stoves hit the 2020 standards instead of redesigning the stove from the ground up so that it can function to utilize that catalyst to generate heat like BK did. At least that is my take on it. I look at the new stoves getting catalyst just before 2020 mandates (Jotul, PE, Hearthstone, etc). It looks to me like they all took there stoves and just crammed in a catalyst near the exhaust port. Likely all the heat just goes up the stack and the heating numbers (BTU and burn time) that I have seen on the spec sheets all reflect it.

 

[begreen]

Thanks for the update. These sound like some good changes. Their cat stove is not terrible. It was the NC varieties that were the most troublesome.

 

[SculptureOfSound]

Dont be fooled because it looks similar to the original Montpelier. It is nothing alike!

I too own an original Montpelier and really enjoy it. The Montpelier ii is really the exact same firebox as the new Quadrafire Expedition II (the stats are all exactly the same and if you look at the EPA test results on the Quadrafire or VC website you will see the test lab submission is for both inserts since they are literally the same firebox, just the outside aesthetics are different. This is not surprising as HHT owns both Quad and VC.

If you compare them to the original Voyageur Grand by Quad, you'll see they are just a slightly modified version of that. It's not a Montpelier at all (no refractory bricks, no longer cast iron construction, etc.). It's not even a VC design...just a modified Quadrafire.

Worst of all is if you look at the new EPA but numbers, the range is like 24000-27000 btu per hour. The original was around 10000 btu on low. What this signifies to me is that there is basically NO air control. This is how they are getting it to burn cleaner as tube stoves burn cleaner when run medium high to high.

These single air rate stoves are a joke and further, I think quite dangerous. If I ran my current Monty on high all the time I would be overfiring and I only have 15' of stack....now image someone with a 30' chimney. Yikes!

 

[begreen]

Thanks SoS. I downloaded the lab tests and indeed the MontyII and Expedition are the same insert except for trim. The lack of air control means the only control for burn rate is the amount and type of fuel put in the stove. Sounds like there will be some new nuclear burn reports showing up soon.

 

[MattEffinCameron]

new to the forum and new to inserts (but not to wood heating)

I was looking at the VC Mii....what are the concerns with single rate stoves?

And what wood burning inserts do you recommend which are not single rate stoves? What do you mean by "nuclear burn" reports?

 

[begreen]

Single-burn rate means there is no user control for the air. There are some new stoves that have been designed this way. Both of these inserts have a startup air control on a timer to compensate. When this was written it was speculation about how the stove would burn. As it turns out, we haven't had a lot of reports of these inserts taking off uncontrollably. In actuality, we have not had a lot of reports on them at all. This could be a good thing if it means that most people are satisfied with them. Hard to tell. Most people come here with a problem. We have had reports on some other single burn rate units like the Nova that are favorable, so this is not always an issue.

There are inserts made by most stove manufacturers and most of them still have user air control.