VC Resolute Acclaim

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f14tomcat5

New Member
Mar 17, 2015
11
West Seneca, NY
I am brand new to the forum and have been doing some research for the past few weeks on an older (circa '89-'92) Resolute Acclaim wood stove that came in a house I purchased a few years ago. The previous owners did not use the stove often, and I only average 6-8 fires a year in the stove. The arches in the back of the stove are warped and need to be replaces along with the combustion package, as it appears to be disintegrating. I also noticed that burn times are nowhere near the spec'd time and the right side panel seems to be separating from the stove which I'm assuming is letting air leak into the stove.

I am new to the wood stove world, but do have strong mechanical ability. I am not sure if it is worth purchasing all new parts and gaskets and completely pulling the stove apart, of if I should just replace the stove. I have noticed from the posts on this forum that VC stoves have some problems and that older models are difficult to get parts for, and they are often expensive.

Does anyone have a rebuild manual for a resolute acclaim, I think it is a model 0041, single door, side hinge, bottom shaker grate?

Also, any recommendations for repair vs. replacement ?
 
I would not bother unless you like frequent rebuilding practice. This stove was the first to give VC a bad name. The parts are expensive and typically only last 3-5 yrs.
 
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Ditch VC for a new stove and never look back. Make an outdoor wood stove/fire pit out of it and enjoy it while it burns out the rest of its life. That way you don't risk it burning down your home.:ZZZ
 
I'm with Calentarse. I was in a similar situation. This big-ass farmhouse I bought came with a resolute acclaim 0041. In the midst of extensive renovations, I stuffed a liner down a different chimney and hooked it up. (an adventure that included climbing around on an Ice covered roof. Could be construed as nutty, but burning through 200 gallons of oil in less than 2 weeks provided some courage.)

We had a torrid, intense and, ultimately short love affair. It was so-so at first, as was my wood supply. By the time I got the kitchen gutted out and rebuilt, winter was over and I had some time to spend with the acclaim. That was how I found the Hearth. I lurked and read all the threads about VCs. I downloaded the manual, learned about the guts of the stove, and found some vendors. Like Tomcat, My Acclaim need arches, and a combustion package. Also an upper fire back. And gaskets. After the sticker shock wore off, I bought and installed the parts in time for the next winter. with better wood and some new guts, the stove certainly burned much better. When all conditions were favorable, Man, that Resolute was awesome. It threw out plenty of heat, left us some coals to restart with in the morning, and just looked right in the space.

Unfortunately, more often than not, one condition or another was not right, or maybe I neglected to sacrifice a goat or something, and the stove would become erratic. Sometimes I could barely keep it from over firing. Sometimes it just wouldn't get up to temp to engage the secondary combustion. Many times there were back puffs. A slow motion explosion inside the stove, the griddle jumps up an inch or so, and a cloud of smoke is birthed. It was just so damn finicky.

At the end of that season I gave it the stink eye again, and found a bunch more problems. Crack in right side panel. Chunks of missing cement. My one season old fire back beginning to warp. Combustion package showing a lot of wear. So, I started looking for threads here about complete tear downs and rebuilds of the Resolutes, and I was girding my loins to take that on when BAM! it hit me that I have too much to do without rebuilding stoves. Out to the barn it went. It sits there still, 4 years later, wrapped up in a drop cloth/burial shroud. It was a gorgeous stove, and I wish things could have worked out between us, but I'm happier now. And warmer.

Wanna buy a gently used Resolute?
 
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'92 was not a good year for Vermont Castings. Ditch it.
 
I am brand new to the forum and have been doing some research for the past few weeks on an older (circa '89-'92) Resolute Acclaim wood stove that came in a house I purchased a few years ago. The previous owners did not use the stove often, and I only average 6-8 fires a year in the stove. The arches in the back of the stove are warped and need to be replaces along with the combustion package, as it appears to be disintegrating. I also noticed that burn times are nowhere near the spec'd time and the right side panel seems to be separating from the stove which I'm assuming is letting air leak into the stove.

I am new to the wood stove world, but do have strong mechanical ability. I am not sure if it is worth purchasing all new parts and gaskets and completely pulling the stove apart, of if I should just replace the stove. I have noticed from the posts on this forum that VC stoves have some problems and that older models are difficult to get parts for, and they are often expensive.

Does anyone have a rebuild manual for a resolute acclaim, I think it is a model 0041, single door, side hinge, bottom shaker grate?

Also, any recommendations for repair vs. replacement ?



Yr old forum at this point, on a Generation 1 Resolute, but valuable info can be found.... Now 2016, just bought a house that has a 2490 Resolute Acclaim (Gen 2) in need of a complete rebuild. Stove has clearly been abused...damper and back looked like someone set off an m80 inside, definitely been over fired due to damper issue, they obviously rarely ashed it out, so the damper is shot and exploded, warped, wouldnt open but would close with the damper rod, combustion chamber disintegrated, all the handles missing, rear grate warped from being submerged in coals for extended times, both andirons in rough shape.

$450 in parts from stove parts unlimited to fix a $2250 stove to "new" condition including a brand new $225 combustion chamber. Tedious yes. Difficult, not really. Worth it, yeah I think so.

Had it done in 2 days, not including the 10 days waiting on the parts. Day 1 tear it down to the base, gently and with lots of pb blaster as to not break bolts, then painstakingly chip out all the old cement from each part. Set it all aside while you wait on what you need to arrive.

A side note to the wise....replace every bolt, washer, nut you remove with a new one. 5-8 yrs from now you'll be glad you did, cuz you'll be back doing this again if you do it right the first time and like the results (and the savings....stoves are damn expensive, and wood aint cheap anymore)

Day 2, after attaching any new parts, for example a complete upper back and damper assembly ($133) and armed with a container of Rutland stove cement and some pop sickle sticks or putty knife, do one panel at a time. Rear to base, left side to base and rear, right side to base and rear, front to base and both sides. Put a moving elastic (a massive rubber band, inch wide and several feet in diameter) around the 4 pieces twice to hold it all together. Cement Top to all 4 vertical panels and tighten the 4 rods. You can now remove the rubber band. Add the Ramps, ash pan base and 2 screws, brick to rear and sides. Install the rear and front grates, the two andirons, ash pan, and the front door. . All that's left is the side dress up panels and rear flue pipe outlet panel, griddle and back plate. Add those and recheck all your bolts for tightness.

Hook it up to the flue and build a small fire to cure. You need to do this small fire 2-3 times before you really crank 'er up.

Enjoy for many more years.
 
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Keep us posted on how long this rebuild stands up to 24/7 burning. Average is 3 yrs., but maybe this rebuild will do better with a new combustion package?
 
I'm with Calentarse. I was in a similar situation. This big-ass farmhouse I bought came with a resolute acclaim 0041. In the midst of extensive renovations, I stuffed a liner down a different chimney and hooked it up. (an adventure that included climbing around on an Ice covered roof. Could be construed as nutty, but burning through 200 gallons of oil in less than 2 weeks provided some courage.)

We had a torrid, intense and, ultimately short love affair. It was so-so at first, as was my wood supply. By the time I got the kitchen gutted out and rebuilt, winter was over and I had some time to spend with the acclaim. That was how I found the Hearth. I lurked and read all the threads about VCs. I downloaded the manual, learned about the guts of the stove, and found some vendors. Like Tomcat, My Acclaim need arches, and a combustion package. Also an upper fire back. And gaskets. After the sticker shock wore off, I bought and installed the parts in time for the next winter. with better wood and some new guts, the stove certainly burned much better. When all conditions were favorable, Man, that Resolute was awesome. It threw out plenty of heat, left us some coals to restart with in the morning, and just looked right in the space.

Unfortunately, more often than not, one condition or another was not right, or maybe I neglected to sacrifice a goat or something, and the stove would become erratic. Sometimes I could barely keep it from over firing. Sometimes it just wouldn't get up to temp to engage the secondary combustion. Many times there were back puffs. A slow motion explosion inside the stove, the griddle jumps up an inch or so, and a cloud of smoke is birthed. It was just so damn finicky.

At the end of that season I gave it the stink eye again, and found a bunch more problems. Crack in right side panel. Chunks of missing cement. My one season old fire back beginning to warp. Combustion package showing a lot of wear. So, I started looking for threads here about complete tear downs and rebuilds of the Resolutes, and I was girding my loins to take that on when BAM! it hit me that I have too much to do without rebuilding stoves. Out to the barn it went. It sits there still, 4 years later, wrapped up in a drop cloth/burial shroud. It was a gorgeous stove, and I wish things could have worked out between us, but I'm happier now. And warmer.

Wanna buy a gently used Resolute?

Wow, this was a far more interesting and funny read than it should have been. You must be a writer. Good stuff!
 
All true! Some Acclaim manuals suggest however that they can be run in a "high output" heat range of like 650-750 degrees on the stove top. Don't you believe it! Keep temp.s moderate with these guys for max. longevity!!
 
$450 in parts and two days of work.

Good luck I hope it holds up. I think you will realize that you threw good money after bad, trying to repair a POS Vermont Castings.
 
I guess I feel like in 30 years of repairing V.C. stoves that it's fair to say the Acclaim IS a good stove. Its physical size, architechture, top load feature and great efficiency when run properly, all make it so. Unfortunately it DOES become expensive to maintain IF one burns more than say 2-3 cords of wood annually. It's really a different story from the 1st generation V.C. stoves, but tere are many happy Acclaim owners out there! When I have the talk with customers about the expense of a repair, it seems about half throw in the towel and go stove shopping, the other half say something like, "But I LOVE my Acclaim", and we go ahead anyway. Same with Encores too. Some just love 'em.
 
Wow, this was a far more interesting and funny read than it should have been. You must be a writer. Good stuff!

Thanks, glad you got a chuckle. Not a writer, just having a little fun.


That resolute is still in the barn. Three years now, maybe four. Posts like KCinNH's make me say 'hmmm... ' but its doubtful that I will ever give it the love that it needs. On then other hand, sending it to the scrapper seems...unjust.
 
Sell it with full disclosure for a reasonable price.
 
Keep us posted on how long this rebuild stands up to 24/7 burning. Average is 3 yrs., but maybe this rebuild will do better with a new combustion package?

Going into yr 3, all good so far after 6 cord, 24/7 firing in yr 1 and 2 from early Oct thru mid April burn seasons. I expect at least 2 or more years as she shows no sign of failing. Have a nice early season fire going now... i did spring for a new front grate and a new rear brick kit, but those were still orig. So far I say a careful rebuild has been worth it.
 
Going into yr 3, all good so far after 6 cord, 24/7 firing in yr 1 and 2 from early Oct thru mid April burn seasons. I expect at least 2 or more years as she shows no sign of failing. Have a nice early season fire going now... i did spring for a new front grate and a new rear brick kit, but those were still orig. So far I say a careful rebuild has been worth it.
Very good. Glad to hear that it is doing better.