Fix or buy new - Defiant Encore 2140

[Jimxj2000]

Well the stove we have been using for 4 winters now is finally to the point it need some major work.

It is a VC Defiant Encore 2140 - cat, not sure of the year - it came with house 4 years ago.

We use the stove as 24/7 heat. Oil heat only comes on upstairs on cold days. We plan on heating with wood for the foreseeable future.

A couple days ago a second tab on the damper door broke, now the door will not close and seal. Best way to fix this is to replace the whole damper assembly - ~$125. Also, from inspection, lots of the refractory is falling apart. I think is interfering with the air flow, so efficiency is down. New Refractory is ~$325, add in gaskets, bolts, etc we are looking at ~$600 in parts to get the stove up and going again. The secondary air control probably needs replacing too. Probably some more small stuff once I get into it.

From what work I have done I know all the bolts will be stuck. I do have the stove manual, and there still seem to be replacement parts around. Over the summer I should be able to get it running like new. Or will I spend months looking for air leaks? Knowing that it will need parts again in 3-5 years, and I might not be able to find them later.

So, should I sink the money and time into the VC? We do like the stove, it makes plenty of heat. We are used to using it and think it works great. Looks good - wife would never go for a sheet metal stove.

If we replace it, we would go with something similar, probably cat again - maybe soapstone, maybe another cast iron stove.

As anyone done a full re-build on a similar stove? Does a dealer do this? How much would it cost?

Thanks.

 

[begreen]

Would I invest in a stove that is going to require a rebuild every 5 years to the tune of ~$600, no. But if you really like the stove because indeed it's a nice looker, then kudos for keeping it alive. Personally, I'd get a low maintenance stove like the Alderlea and sell the current stove.

 

[daveswoodhauler]

+1
$600 worth of parts every 5 years or so, I think its time for a new stove.
I understand your dilemma though.....good luck

 

[SolarAndWood]

I went through both of my DEs running 24/7 in 2 seasons. I went to a bigger steel stove with only one door seal and couldn't be happier. I was dead set against another cat but am happy I got over that.

 

[grommal]

For what it's worth, we scrapped an old VC Defiant Encore cat last year, after 23 years of use. Wife used to run it, too, and was skeptical of stoves without the top loading feature that she found convenient. We now have a Jotul Oslo, and couldn't be happier with it. Beautiful cast iron stove. Easy to load, through the side door especially. Easier to operate than the Encore, with only one lever. Much less to go wrong over time (no fragile cast refractory, no cat, no cable running through the stove wall, almost no moving parts for that matter). Slightly longer burn times because of the larger firebox. Also a little more heat output when it's really cranking. Wife likes it even more than she ever did the old stove.

 

[Fsappo]

Buy a new non cat stove that heats the same as the Encore. You can find something in the $1500-$2000 range pretty easily this time of the year. If you havent used your tax credit yet, you can get a 30% federal rebate on your purchase. You'll have a stove (if you buy a good quality one from a retail shop) that you shouldnt have to do any major work on for 10-20 years that will also be easier to operate and maintain.