I came home today to find the right refractory panel buried in the red-hot ash of my woodstove, with the insulation exposed. Can anybody tell me what to do? This stove has only been in use for one year - I bought it new (october 06.) I put a call in to the retailer service team but since it is Saturday evening and getting later, I'm losing hope that I'll hear from them. Very low temperatures on the horizon and a snowstorm predicted. Can anyone help?
encore woodstove loose refractory panel
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Other than turning on your backup heat, and letting the stove cool down, I'd say there isn't much I'd advise doing... Possibly some careful exploration once things cool down to remove the ashes, and determine just what failed, but I don't see how you could have that part fall off the way the stove is put together, unless it was either drastically over-fired, or seriously put together wrong.
You have a three year warranty as long as the stove hasn't been over-fired. This certainly sounds like a major issue, and if you haven't heard from the dealer by Monday, I'd be on his doorstep Tuesday morning. Given that there is a warranty still in effect, I would avoid doing anything drastic that would mess up your chances of warranty coverage.
If you can post any pictures, that might help us figure out likely failure modes. (We also have reason to think that some VC people read the forums though they don't post...)
Keep us posted - there may be other connections that we can work, such as getting you connected to a distributor if your dealer isn't helpful.
Gooserider
You have a three year warranty as long as the stove hasn't been over-fired. This certainly sounds like a major issue, and if you haven't heard from the dealer by Monday, I'd be on his doorstep Tuesday morning. Given that there is a warranty still in effect, I would avoid doing anything drastic that would mess up your chances of warranty coverage.
If you can post any pictures, that might help us figure out likely failure modes. (We also have reason to think that some VC people read the forums though they don't post...)
Keep us posted - there may be other connections that we can work, such as getting you connected to a distributor if your dealer isn't helpful.
Gooserider
Gooserider,
Thanks for your response. I just talked to the dealer. They can't get here until the 12th of December . It looks like I've lost the back clip (toward the rear of the stove) and the top clip is bent up out of shape. I have no idea how this happened. I don't think I overfired the stove, but if so, would this have happened as a result? The fiberboard insulation behind the panel looks charred a bit (no surprise since it was exposed for however long the panel was off. I just don't know how that clip could have fallen off in the first place, and the top clip bent out of shape. The dealer, by the way, said this would not be covered by the warranty. (Not feeling too good about the retailer at this point.) Any more advice would be helpful. I don't have a camera here with me, but if I get my hands on one, I'll send some photos.
LA44
Thanks for your response. I just talked to the dealer. They can't get here until the 12th of December . It looks like I've lost the back clip (toward the rear of the stove) and the top clip is bent up out of shape. I have no idea how this happened. I don't think I overfired the stove, but if so, would this have happened as a result? The fiberboard insulation behind the panel looks charred a bit (no surprise since it was exposed for however long the panel was off. I just don't know how that clip could have fallen off in the first place, and the top clip bent out of shape. The dealer, by the way, said this would not be covered by the warranty. (Not feeling too good about the retailer at this point.) Any more advice would be helpful. I don't have a camera here with me, but if I get my hands on one, I'll send some photos.
LA44
I'm assuming this must be an Encore Non-Cat? looking at the manuals for both the cat and non-cat, it looks like the only one what you describe makes sense for is the non-cat... Trouble is I own the cat model, so I don't have any real hands on with the non-cat model. I can't even find those clips you mention in the parts diagram in the manual, so I can't even begin to guess how they would have failed.
I would try calling VC, and tell them you have a dealer that is not being responsive, and doesn't want to cover something under warranty that you feel should be - I've found two phone numbers for VC, 800-668-5323, and 905-670-7777. There may be a better number on the VC website.
You might also try calling the VC distributer that I think covers your area - BAC Sales 518-828-6363 and see if they can help you.
Gooserider
I would try calling VC, and tell them you have a dealer that is not being responsive, and doesn't want to cover something under warranty that you feel should be - I've found two phone numbers for VC, 800-668-5323, and 905-670-7777. There may be a better number on the VC website.
You might also try calling the VC distributer that I think covers your area - BAC Sales 518-828-6363 and see if they can help you.
Gooserider
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