Where do I begin... Originally when I decided to put a wood stove in our home and began looking friends of ours bought a coal stove to replace there wood stove and were going to give us there old VC Defiant (which had warping and cracks and needed some work, but free is free) I began researching and finding out as much as I could about it, but the crack and warping lingered in my head and as a firefighter and 911 dispatcher safety is a huge thing for me. I decided to look elsewhere...hello craigslist!
With a price range of $200 (haha) I began looking. Found a nice VC Defiant Encore (newer model, ceramic coated, mint condition) for $150 like an hour after he posted it. I, stupidly, for once decided to wait and talk to the wife instead of just call and finally called a day later and he had sold it that morning. Thinking $150 was a mistake, I asked him and he said "Yea, I guess thats kinda low huh? My phone has been blowing up..." Beat myself up about losing that for a few days. Everything else I found either needed to much work or was "junk"
Enter VC Vigilant. Found one about 45 min from me, seller believed it was a "Franklin type" but from the pictures I believed it was a VC Vigilant and was terrified I would get up there and it would be a Scandia or something, but I def did my homework on different features and what not, basically confirming it was a VC. It said is need door glass on one side, she estimated $90 but I already found it online for $40-ish. So the best part about everything is it was $50, I didn't wait to talk to the wife lol I talked to the lady and we went to check it out. I had to remove it from the fireplace (pictured) the entire 4ft section of pipe and back were entirely filled with creosote. I started to inspect it; missing glass, ceramic handles broken, NO Warping, NO Cracks, 2 Piece Fireback, Thermostat intact, needs painted and new seals. I couldn't believe it.
I also want to let everyone know that, atleast in my model Vigilant, you can basically get 75% of the internals out without completely taking it apart. I was able to (in order of removal) remove the smoke shelf, tab & screw at top right of upper fireback, damper handle (but not damper yet), upper fireback (lift up then out of groove), then damper, and the ash fettle, and griddle. See pictures below and check out all the access I now have to clean. Some stuff takes some wiggling and moving but without too much difficulty in about a half hour I did it and I did it all without removing the reversible oval pipe connector.
I have read just about every article on VC Vigilant on this website and have learned a great deal of info from all of you (greatly appreciated). I did have one question, on the outside of the stove where the sides and front and back all come together at the seams it appears some of the cement has fallen out, would it be beneficial for me to put some putty into the seams and grooves (without take the entire stove apart)?
Again thanks for all your help and if you have any questions let me know! Sorry for the lengthy post I'm just really excited and believe I been bit by the wood stove bug
-Jarrett
With a price range of $200 (haha) I began looking. Found a nice VC Defiant Encore (newer model, ceramic coated, mint condition) for $150 like an hour after he posted it. I, stupidly, for once decided to wait and talk to the wife instead of just call and finally called a day later and he had sold it that morning. Thinking $150 was a mistake, I asked him and he said "Yea, I guess thats kinda low huh? My phone has been blowing up..." Beat myself up about losing that for a few days. Everything else I found either needed to much work or was "junk"
Enter VC Vigilant. Found one about 45 min from me, seller believed it was a "Franklin type" but from the pictures I believed it was a VC Vigilant and was terrified I would get up there and it would be a Scandia or something, but I def did my homework on different features and what not, basically confirming it was a VC. It said is need door glass on one side, she estimated $90 but I already found it online for $40-ish. So the best part about everything is it was $50, I didn't wait to talk to the wife lol I talked to the lady and we went to check it out. I had to remove it from the fireplace (pictured) the entire 4ft section of pipe and back were entirely filled with creosote. I started to inspect it; missing glass, ceramic handles broken, NO Warping, NO Cracks, 2 Piece Fireback, Thermostat intact, needs painted and new seals. I couldn't believe it.
I also want to let everyone know that, atleast in my model Vigilant, you can basically get 75% of the internals out without completely taking it apart. I was able to (in order of removal) remove the smoke shelf, tab & screw at top right of upper fireback, damper handle (but not damper yet), upper fireback (lift up then out of groove), then damper, and the ash fettle, and griddle. See pictures below and check out all the access I now have to clean. Some stuff takes some wiggling and moving but without too much difficulty in about a half hour I did it and I did it all without removing the reversible oval pipe connector.
I have read just about every article on VC Vigilant on this website and have learned a great deal of info from all of you (greatly appreciated). I did have one question, on the outside of the stove where the sides and front and back all come together at the seams it appears some of the cement has fallen out, would it be beneficial for me to put some putty into the seams and grooves (without take the entire stove apart)?
Again thanks for all your help and if you have any questions let me know! Sorry for the lengthy post I'm just really excited and believe I been bit by the wood stove bug
-Jarrett
