The amount of vastly different things we have to do to make our VC stoves run decent is mind blowing
How do I like my Vermont Castings Dauntless? An early on review.
- Thread starter GrumpyDad
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But is it really? The two biggest variables to this are draft and wood. And these are different for every single one of us
Yes really because no stove is out together to the same level of quality. There's zero quality control so everyone has pretty much their own situation to figure out with each stove and each unique install.
Woodsplitter67
Minister of Fire
EVERY manufacturer.. will have some defects on a product line.. there have been issues with ford.. dodge.. Samsung.. apple.. and on this site are people other then VC with stove issues.. ITS not just a VC issue.. sure would we like every unit to be perfect.. sure.. but thats not the real world for the people that are extremely disappointed in the stove.. sell it.. make your life easier
Woodsplitter67
Minister of Fire
my odds are looking pretty good.. I have 11 trucks and no issues.. I may start playing the lottery
Must be the tap your nose 3 times and spin counter clockwise thing you do before you use the truck or the stove
Weird thing happened this weekend.
I posted the stove for sale for my area at 1K mid week. Didn't mention the brand or anything else just it was a new wood burning stove installed in Sept 2022, and wood burning wasn't for me in the description among other details to move the stove.
I was taking a huge loss but oh well. I had 3 people come look at it and the moment they found out it was VC they all said "No Way, or Not a chance for that money, how about 500." Everybody was trying to underbid and 1K was stated as "firm" no negotiations.
I turned them all away. Except for 1 guy, he was like why you selling told him wood burning is not what I thought it would be. He laughed and looked at the stove. He didn't offer to buy the stove he offered to help me learn how to make a fire in it?!
What?! are you kidding! I did fell a little insulted, but I was like uh ok. He explained how the air flow works on the stove and how best to stack the wood and exactly explained as above! [Grumpy Dad]
He also mentioned how the air flu works and how to best get a good flow and keep the fire going well and make the wood last. I was a little surprised at his explanations. He also explained how I was probably getting dirty glass, which I was terribly.
I don't understand people in the least bit, I thought this guy wanted to buy the stove?! Instead he gave me a good explanation on this and said if at the end of the burning season I still couldn't get it to work the way I wanted he would come back and buy the stove.
So far since [Grumpy Dad] explanation I have had good luck but still had issues, now since this guy left there has been 0 issues starting, maintaining and keeping the glass relatively clean. How about that stuff!
I didn't have to post an update but thought it would be interesting. I might even do a video on what I learned to see if I can help anybody else. Not sure.
I posted the stove for sale for my area at 1K mid week. Didn't mention the brand or anything else just it was a new wood burning stove installed in Sept 2022, and wood burning wasn't for me in the description among other details to move the stove.
I was taking a huge loss but oh well. I had 3 people come look at it and the moment they found out it was VC they all said "No Way, or Not a chance for that money, how about 500." Everybody was trying to underbid and 1K was stated as "firm" no negotiations.
I turned them all away. Except for 1 guy, he was like why you selling told him wood burning is not what I thought it would be. He laughed and looked at the stove. He didn't offer to buy the stove he offered to help me learn how to make a fire in it?!
What?! are you kidding! I did fell a little insulted, but I was like uh ok. He explained how the air flow works on the stove and how best to stack the wood and exactly explained as above! [Grumpy Dad]
He also mentioned how the air flu works and how to best get a good flow and keep the fire going well and make the wood last. I was a little surprised at his explanations. He also explained how I was probably getting dirty glass, which I was terribly.
I don't understand people in the least bit, I thought this guy wanted to buy the stove?! Instead he gave me a good explanation on this and said if at the end of the burning season I still couldn't get it to work the way I wanted he would come back and buy the stove.
So far since [Grumpy Dad] explanation I have had good luck but still had issues, now since this guy left there has been 0 issues starting, maintaining and keeping the glass relatively clean. How about that stuff!
I didn't have to post an update but thought it would be interesting. I might even do a video on what I learned to see if I can help anybody else. Not sure.
Good to hear of the progress.
NO ONE wants me stove,...delisting it today. Not a single inquiry.
I realized I just repeated myself about how to operate best so Im removing that and just saying in addition to...
Also if you are loading and it's taking forever to catch - try using smaller pieces until you get that NICE bed of coals. If your load is catching super quickly you can probably go up in size which should improve burn times.
Yeah, I found a nice kindle size, and then the slightly larger pieces and then moving up to the regular logs.
The smaller pieces are fatt wood, the larger pieces I can Fatty wood ! lol. Yeah I had to play with the kindle sizes a little bit, but I think I got it now after this weekend. I wish somebody would class action them honestly. Make them fix their stuff.
Woodsplitter67
Minister of Fire
Sure you can post.. The object of the site is to pass on information to the people that are less experienced and or having issues. hopefully someone will take it and be better for it.. Im glad you have had better luck and its working out for you.
Regarding the beginning part of your post That doesn't surprise me on how people act.. most FB and craigslist people will try to rip you down.. The really sad part is when someone like yourself tries to sell there stove it becomes difficult because of brand bashing. I get that people get frustrated but the constant bashing will not help someone like you. There are some that have gone out of their way to bash a specific brand and even have posted that, this is there intention of doing so " so no other person buys this stove".. This is the benefit that you reap when things like this happen.
I believe this.. if your unhappy with a product or service don't buy it or use the service.. bashing a specific company or product doesn't help the situation at all. Others may be happy with the product or service that your unhappy about.. let the end user decide for themselves..
The fact is your stove is hard to run, that the setup needs to be on point, wood needs to be dry.. its not impossible.. you can do it..
Start a new thread about what your doing to help others
I think the two largest concerns are:
1. rapid build up of dangerous creosote from just one burn that gets away from you in the lower direction.
2. overheating rapidly , potentially lighting off said creosote from above.
Be careful on the creosote and inspect FREQUENTLY. I was cruising on Saturday with my stove recatching a new load, and let it go too long. Flue temps down lower were 250 but up higher 380 outside wall of a double wall pipe. Then I started to hear snapping up toward the ceiling box. I went outside and saw nothing in the dark, nothing glowing no red things popping out. Went back in , and the sound was still there as well as this smell of plastic burning that I get when I let my stove pipe get too hot. There was a label on there, but by now it's burned to oblivion and all that is left is the ink on the pipe. So Im not sure what that smell is coming from. No plastic nearby. I also inspected the flue on Friday and saw nothing, but that smell and popping sound has me thinking there was a burn off up high. So crazy.
Edit I should note, at this point my glass was glazed up - even with that very active fire. It's when the flames are much calmer and there is a decent glow at the bottom of the box, and the sides of the stove are really warming up my one wall, that things go clear and I get a nice steady heat without a ton of fiddling, which is where I like to head toward right before bed so that I wake up to clean - ish glass, and a nice amount of embers to relight with 3 medium splits.
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I did have only last question. What temp should the griddle be for optimum non creosote buildup. I have a double walled pipe so that always seems like the temps are way colder because the pipe is insulated. So now that I have a handle on the fire and getting it set right and me and the stove are in agreement now that I have learned a lot more.
Thank you!
Thank you!
Woodsplitter67
Minister of Fire
Did you purchase your catalyst and install it.. this will make a difference in the response
Do you have a stove top temp meter? Most of them list the best ranges. VC Manual states from 400-600...I think. Also noticed an IR gun is more reliable but the temp meter is a good ballpark quick glance estimator.
Flue probes seem like the way to go, but you couldnt use a firm rule unfortunately. 400 Degrees minimum, once flue gas leaves YOUR setup, could be at 200 and cause creosote. You'll have to monitor your burning habits when burning lower and checking how clean your upper flue is, then adjust burn habits and check again. Then you'll know the range you should be for flue gas temps.
STT, I can cruise at 475 but try not to go lower too much unless Im halfway or more through a burn. I do not place the thermometer on the griddle as it is capable of increasing and decreasing speed more quickly than the main body of the stove. Also keep in mind the STT is just a small tool in your awareness. The STT could read 575, but you could touch the sides of the stove no problem. That doesnt make sense then to use as a tool for anything then? Well not really, once the stove has been in operation awhile, it's a good thing to look at from time to time to see whats going on.
I do have a temp meter on the griddle, but I also have a IR gun that I like to use for best results. Ok good to know. Also when the burn has finished I figure if the walls of the stove are white it was a good burn. just a guess on that.
Woodsplitter67
Minister of Fire
Id put a thermometer in the middil back griddle and shoot for a 500 to 600 degree STT... It can easily get below 500 with no worries if your pretty much at the coaling stage.. I wouldn't worry to much about stove pipe temp to a degree.. if you burning hot, not cutting the air back much and not producing smoke stovepipe temp is not really relevant..
if you plan on burning during what they call shoulder season, like when it's not freezing out but you need something to keep the house to tolerable levels - you'll probably want the cat else you will have to burn hotter, getting the house to uncomfortable temps. You will still need to build up that great bed of coals and will get the stove top thermometer up to a fairly hot level at first, but the stove overall wont be putting out tons of heat yet during the first few phases of startup/coal building. Then it's a waiting game for 'operate cat' to be in the range if you buy the cat kit that comes with a probe. Then switch over to secondary and lower it as much as you'd like as long as you can keep it in that range. Yet another game to play
After all of your problems have you been inspecting your flue? Have you swept recently? Between what you say you get on your glass and the noise in your pipe I would not be burning until I swept or at the very least inspected.
Yes I inspect frequently. I dont have issues with the glass. It's clear as clear is going to be on this stove
