During the summer we had several bats (15 in all) take up residents in our Vermont Casting Resolute Stove. I was forced to completely dismantle the stove. It has run for about 20 yrs with no real problems. After removing all the baffles and dampers, completing a through cleaning I put everything back together. There seems to be no sealant or mastic on any of the parts, just metal to metal. I checked things twice to make sure everything was installed correctly. We are now experiencing draft problems. My question is; Has anyone taken this type stove apart before. What my I have done wrong or is it possible that the stove is now acting like new and needs to be broken in again. Any help would be greatly appreciated.
Repairing a Vermont Casting Resolute Stove
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All the seams on these stoves should be sealed with a refractory cement. That's how the stove was assembled at the factory.
I have the same stove if it's an old stove with no ash drawer cleanout. Mine has the double doors and all the inside is cast iron.
It sounds like you took just the insides appart. I did the same except I could not get the center section out. How did you do that?
Is your problem during vertical burning or horizontal?
To my knowledge the inside does not have cement. Mine was used for about a year before I got it and found NO cement on those inside peices. I actually asked the same question about the cement and could not get a straight answer from anyone. I would make sure you don't have any leaks like from the outside. Definatly check all the bolts you touched. I replaced all of mine with stainless steel.
Good luck.
-Mike
It sounds like you took just the insides appart. I did the same except I could not get the center section out. How did you do that?
Is your problem during vertical burning or horizontal?
To my knowledge the inside does not have cement. Mine was used for about a year before I got it and found NO cement on those inside peices. I actually asked the same question about the cement and could not get a straight answer from anyone. I would make sure you don't have any leaks like from the outside. Definatly check all the bolts you touched. I replaced all of mine with stainless steel.
Good luck.
-Mike
Welcome to the Forum Ebrown. Just to make sure we are all on the same page, how far did you disassemble the stove? Just the internal parts or did you take the whole stove apart? That is, did you leave the outer castings bolted in place/together or take them off?
Yeah, I shouldn't have jumped to conclusions without knowing what Brotherbart asked first!
Give us an update please.
Give us an update please.
I always thought the old Resolutes had a gothic look with that spiderweb window. It would look right at home in the Adam's Family mansion.
Now bats in burnbox, oh my! Sounds like the perfect story for a Halloween night. :vampire:
Now bats in burnbox, oh my! Sounds like the perfect story for a Halloween night. :vampire:
I suspect he took out the internal parts and did not touch the outerbox frame. As mike said. I also suspect the damper gasket the flue collar and probally all gaskets were replaced.
It is now acting as an air tight stove and demands attention concerning draft. Before most gaskets leaked and getting a fire going was easy. You wil now have to relearn how that stove opperates just as with a new stove it will act entirely different. Actually the way it should. It will not burn as hot, but you should get longer controled burns using less wood. In the end more controled heat
It is now acting as an air tight stove and demands attention concerning draft. Before most gaskets leaked and getting a fire going was easy. You wil now have to relearn how that stove opperates just as with a new stove it will act entirely different. Actually the way it should. It will not burn as hot, but you should get longer controled burns using less wood. In the end more controled heat
But read up on Elks VC rebuilds. You might want to do the light leak test on that stove given its age. It could be that there are outer seam leaks that need attention too, even if you didn't touch them.
BeGreen good point .The original poster has not responded to the extent of his rebuilding efforts. We are all guessing here
Sorry for getting back so late, thanks for all the information. I did not take the frame apart just the inter-damper and baffles. It is the old cast stove with two double doors. The center section was very difficult to remove. After removing a couple of bolts and prying it free from all the cresoid you have to get it in just the right position and it can be pulled from the stove.
A couple of things i forgot to mention, the door gasket and flue gasket had been replace recently so they were in good shape. Mike, I do not know what you mean by vertical or horzintal burn could you please explain
Ebrown31 said:
Those terms are what the owners manual uses. You can actually get this from Vermont Casting's website. If you don't have it or want it check it out. Vertical is when the damper is open, flames go straight up. Horizontal is with the damper closed and the flame go through the baffles. Ya know, the opening on the right side, inside the stove, where the flames travel to the center section where the secondary burn happens via that little 1 inch round opening (outside of stove) on the left side that lets in fresh air.
-Mike
Well Mike, funny you should mention that 1" round opening on the left side. It appears that after cleaning everything up we closed that secondary vent and when you burn wood, that needs to be open. We had a fire last night and it worked just fine. We will keep an I on it over the next few days when it gets cold and i will let every know what the out come is. Master of Fire, I will read up on that light leak test and give it a try. Thanks again for all the information.
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