Advice on old Defiant

[michiganheat]

I have recently purchased a Defiant 1975. Serial number ends in 83, so I'm assuming it was built in 1983 and is a Defiant II. There are no cracks and all parts appear to be there and to move freely. This is one owner and sat in their barn unused for the last 20 years. I only have $145 into it so far (and an hour's drive), so I'm ready to invest more where it makes sense. This will not be a daily burner, more for backup as I do have an outdoor wood boiler.

I know I should replace gaskets on the doors and the top opening. Is there anything else I should plan on doing before firing it up?

I need to reduce down to 6" pipe. I know that's not ideal. It's a long Class A chimney though. Will this part work (or something similar?) I want to do double wall stove pipe to my chimney. https://blazingembers.com/duravent-oval-to-round-stove-adapter-6dvl-orad-for-vermont-castings/

I appreciate any advice. I did search for answers but there is so much info on the Defiant out there and I just want to know where to start and what basic first steps are before firing it up.

Thanks!

 

[peakbagger]

My standard Defiant advice. IMO Disassemble the stove and reseal it. Go to this link and download the VC instructions. https://www.hearth.com/talk/threads/defiant-rebuild-manual.157128/
Click on the actual download as the WIKI seems to have lost the link.
I assume you have two a piece back version but the instructions for forming the secondary air "tube" are in there.

It takes about 8 hours total with a 4 -1/2 inch angle grinder and wire cup brush and some scrapers to clean out the old refractory. If you want to repaint it you may need to take an overnight break for the paint to dry. If it's got serious rust its best sandblasted. You may need to replace some of the stay rods and some of the shiny balls that are on either end may need to be replaced with SS acorn nuts from a hardware stove as the threaded rod may be snapped inside. While re- assembling make sure you form and seal the secondary air tube which is formed of two channels facing each other, one channel is on the back of the lower fireback and the other is on the rear casting. You will need some window screening to act as the "T" reinforcement of the upper seam. Do not skip the step of using a stick inside this channel to smooth it out.

Odds are while you are disassembling you will find plenty of fly ash in the hidden rear smoke chamber and you can figure out how to get to in when you reassembling the stove. It needs to be vacuumed out on occasion through the cook plate and the baffle to get at the hidden flap on top of this chamber when used as full time stove. Arguably allowing this hidden chamber to fill up with ash will lead to the fireback warping.

If the secondary air channel is plugged or leaking into the hidden smoke chamber, the stove will never run efficiently. Arguably it is also a contributor to warped fire back. It will smoke big time if you repaint it with the proper high temp paint for a couple of burns. You either set it up in the driveway with temporary stack and run a couple of burns or you smoke out the house a couple of times. No matter what you do it will smoke indoors as an outdoor burn will not have enough draft but it will help reduce the amount of smoke.

 

[michiganheat]

My standard Defiant advice. IMO Disassemble the stove and reseal it. Go to this link and download the VC instructions. https://www.hearth.com/talk/threads/defiant-rebuild-manual.157128/
Clin on the actual download as the WIKI seems to have lost the link.
I assume you have two a piece back version but the instructions for forming the secondary air "tube" are in there.

It takes about 8 hours total with a 4 -1/2 inch angle grinder and wire cup brush and some scrapers to clean out the old refractory. If you want to repaint it you may need to take an overnight break for the paint to dry. If it's got serious rust its best sandblasted. You may need to replace some of the stay rods and some of the shiny balls that are on either end may need to be replaced with SS acorn nuts from a hardware stove as the threaded rod may be snapped inside. While re- assembling make sure you form and seal the secondary air tube which is formed of two channels facing each other, one channel is on the back of the lower fireback and the other is on the rear casting. You will need some window screening to act as the "T" reinforcement of the upper seam. Do not skip the step of using a stick inside this channel to smooth it out.

Odds are while you are disassembling you will find plenty of fly ash in the hidden rear smoke chamber and you can figure out how to get to in when you reassembling the stove. It needs to be vacuumed out on occasion through the cook plate and the baffle to get at the hidden flap on top of this chamber when used as full time stove. Arguably allowing this hidden chamber to fill up with ash will lead to the fireback warping.

If the secondary air channel is plugged or leaking into the hidden smoke chamber, the stove will never run efficiently. Arguably it is also a contributor to warped fire back. It will smoke big time if you repaint it with the proper high temp paint for a couple of burns. You either set it up in the driveway with temporary stack and run a couple of burns or you smoke out the house a couple of times. No matter what you do it will smoke indoors as an outdoor burn will not have enough draft but it will help reduce the amount of smoke.

Thank you! I had followed that wiki link and couldn't find the manual you linked. I'll check it out!

 

[begreen]

I put the link back in the Wiki. Here is a link to it:

Defiant Rebuild Manual

 

[Tgomes]

Well I hope you are wrong about at least some of this lol. I do have all the pieces. I ordered a new thermostat.

I’ve heard a lot of people use these still as long as they are nice to them. We have a two story clay lined masonry chimney. We installed a stainless liner that is sealed to the top of the clay liner. A 6 inch tube seems to be all that would really fit down there.

 

[peakbagger]

Worse case is do a good job rebuilding it and if you dont have enough stack draft you will know quickly. The market for used stoves is going to be great this fall and winter so someone else will buy it as a Defiant without warped back is in demand.