Hello new here and need some guidance

[384sqft]

Hello,

I was given a Vigilant 1977 today looks nearly new was only used a year or so back around 1980. The man had a stroke and had to switch to gas heat. The plan is to install it in our 384sqft cabin. Due to the way the cabin is built we can't go through the roof with the chimney so plan on taking it out the wall. I'm new at this stuff I grew up with wood heat and have built my share of fires but this isn't my fathers Ashley.

I've been reading some on the forum and everyone talks about it heating thier 1600sqft plus homes. How big/small a fire will I need to build to heat the cabin? I don't have the $$$ to buy a new stove now but I hope to in the future. I have a chainsaw and access to nearly 60 acres of trees though.

Any pointers/advice would be appreciated.

Thanks

Lily

 

[branchburner]

That should be a great stove for a cabin. I'd go with shorter/hotter fires. Just don't run it too cool (with too little air), and keep a close eye on your pipe for creosote buildup.

 

[Backwoods Savage]

Lily, when you go through the wall, be sure to have a minimum of 1/4" rise per foot of horizontal pipe. To be sure, we are closer to 1/2" rise per foot on ours. In our cold climate, an exterior SS chimney is not supposed to work all that great (according to some) but we have no problem with draft at all.

When the chimney goes up, we have a tee rather than an elbow. This allows us to clean the chimney from the ground. It also allows us to just take the bottom cap off to check the chimney. Works like a charm.

You no doubt will want to build small fires rather than big ones. Save the big fire for the coldest part of winter and even then with your sq. footage you may not want to fire up that stove to its maximum or you'll have the doors and windows open to cool off.

It will take some time to figure out exactly what is the right amount of wood to put in the stove. Lots of factors involved; what type of wood; how dry is the wood; what is the outdoor temperature, etc. Remember, all you are doing is raising the indoor temperature to whatever level is your comfort level. If that is 75, then if the outdoor temperature is 40, you only have to raise the temperature 35 degrees. If the outdoor temperature is zero, then you have to raise it 75 degrees. That is a big difference.

Good luck.

 

[384sqft]

Thanks Dennis!

That all sounds like very good advice I am a little nervous about the size of the stove/fire vs the size of the cabin. Guess I'll just have to be carefull. Someone somewhere told me that if we treat it like a fireplace the stove will burn hotter but the heat will go out the chimney....I know that is a waist of heat but if it will keep the chimney cleaner we may just do that through the day when we are home and close it up at night.

We will be burning mostly Oak and Hickory a little bit of Ash and other odd woods.... We have Whild Cherry, Walnut, Poplar, and a few other trees that came down during the Feb ice storm.

Lily

 

[begreen]

Sorry, I think this would be silly overkill in a small cabin in Arkansas. The stove is a pretty serious heater and it sounds like it would have to be run damper open or kindling fire only unless the cabin has no glass in the windows. My brother uses one as a whole house heater in upper NY. It's a great old stove and if it has only a year on it, it has some good value. But I'd want something a bit smaller for an under 400 sq ft cabin in a milder climate.

 

[Backwoods Savage]

I agree BeGreen, however, sometimes one has to make do with what they have or freeze. It sounds like this family has been through a lot and just want to get through the winter.

I'd think one could build small fires in the stove and heat the cabin. Fortunately this has benefits in that not much wood will be needed. Hopefully Lily can learn how to build the proper fire so as not to roast her and the family.


Lily, I'd be hesitant on the oak and hickory for this year. Ash should be good but you might want to mix in some other wood. We like to mix soft maple with ash but you may not have any there. Popple might be good for you if you can find some dead trees. That would give a quick fire but not a long fire which should be ideal for what you need. Just don't roast yourself.

 

[384sqft]

Thanks Guys!

Your right Dennis this is going to be our only way to keep from freezing this winter. Looks like we may just have to fire it up only when we absolutly have too. My wood options are limited! We are surrounded by Hickory with Oak mixed in. As far as I can see there are only 4 Ash trees on the property and they are coming down because they were hit hard during the ice storm. This year I think I'll just try and glean what I can of the down and damaged trees from the ice storm. Try and clean up as much of the woods around the cabin as possible. The Forest Service fella was out the other day (He is a friend of my fathers) They are really worried about fires next year. With all the tree damage if we end up with a hot dry summer (which is the norm here) all it will take is a stupid idiot with a match or a lightning strike and this whole area would burn! We are really getting tired of this getting kicked in the gut every year so I'm going to try and head that possible disaster off. It's no fun being homeless.

Thanks Again....

 

[Backwoods Savage]

A happy home is a warm home! You'll do fine Lily. Just don't be afraid to come back and ask more questions.

 

[fredarm]

Your idea of using it as a fireplace during the day (do you have the screen?) is a good one and close it up at night or when you go out. I forget if the Vigilant has a side draft option the way the old Defiants did. If it does, burn it on updraft with small fires during the day and only run it side draft at night when you want a longer burn. Try to burn the previously dead stuff that came down first, then the wood that died when it came down in the storm. It's a learning process, but it sounds like you have some previous wood stove experience with the Ashley. The good new is, you have plenty of heating capacity for your cabin and it sounds like plenty of wood available, so there's no reason to be cold this winter. If you build too big a fire--open a window, no big deal. I hope things improve for you! Dennis is right--don't be afraid to come back with any questions you have.

 

[384sqft]

Thanks again guys!

And since you said I could.... I got another question....

OK I'm going to use 8" black stovepipe from the stove to the wall/window and then one of those triple walled insulated chimney pipes to go through to the outside but once it's out there is it Ok to go back to the black stove pipe? My father is telling me that is how he would do it for this set up... It would sure be cheaper than using that insulated chimney all the way and that said the T section wouldn't be insulated.... I figure if I got a 3' section of the insulated chimney to go through the wall then it would place the pipe a little over 2' from the house and we could brace it so that it stays that far away.

Thanks

Lily