Long burn times with VC Defiant

[emory]

Got my older VC Defiant up and running and totally love the amount of heat it is putting out. Only thing I haven't mastered with this stove is the long burn times your supposed to be able to get out of it.

Right now I am going to bed, loading it up with wood (3-4 pieces) and setting the air control lever so that the stove surface temp is around 400 degrees.

When I wake up the next morning, not so much as a spark left in there.

Any tips from seasoned Defiant or Vigilant owners?

 

[BrotherBart]

"Right now I am going to bed, loading it up with wood (3-4 pieces) and setting the air control lever..."


Load it BEFORE you go to bed?

Sorry, the devil made me do that. :red:

 

[webbie]

Is that a full load? Most stoves need to have a full load for a decent overnight burn. Also keep these hints in mind:
1. Pick out your densest and straightest wood so you can get more lbs in for overnight burns
2. Make certain the stove is burned down (no 1/2 loads) in there when loading for overnight.
3. Run the stove wide open for 20 minutes or so after loading big load for the night
4. Try raking the embers to one end of the stove before loading for the night.....I think the right end (facing stove) in your case, this will allow wood to burn through from one end to the other.

Unfortunately, such a stove is likely to stink up the valley pretty good on overnight burns.....make certain you check your chimney every couple weeks.

 

[swestall]

Which Defiant? There is the original, the Encore, the CAT and the Non CAT.

 

[emory]

Which Defiant? There is the original, the Encore, the CAT and the Non CAT.

Defiant I, IA, II or III

 

[mayhem]

The old Defiant we had in my mom's house (I assume a I or IA, but really have no idea...no glass doors, purchased in the early 80's) used to run overnight easily...8-10 hour burn times were very realistic. Load it to the gills when you go to bed, shut the air down and enjoy a bed of coals in the morning.

 

[emory]

Elk, I know you have a lot of experience with the VC stoves, any tips on running these things correctly?

 

[JimWalshin845]

Got my older VC Defiant up and running and totally love the amount of heat it is putting out. Only thing I haven't mastered with this stove is the long burn times your supposed to be able to get out of it.

Right now I am going to bed, loading it up with wood (3-4 pieces) and setting the air control lever so that the stove surface temp is around 400 degrees.

When I wake up the next morning, not so much as a spark left in there.

Any tips from seasoned Defiant or Vigilant owners?

Is this the stove you are talking about?

We get good 6-7 hour overnite burns and coals for another hour or so by doing the following:

Make sure stove is hot before loading it.
We put in very large splits or crooks and load it to the max.
Burn the stove with the side door open an inch or two for about 15 minutes.
Close the air control almost totally down.
Say goodnite Gracie.

 

[emory]

Yup, that is the same stove. I wasn't sure how far down to turn the air control. Since the temps need to be above a certain point to get a secondary burn.

 

[JimWalshin845]

4. Try raking the embers to one end of the stove before loading for the night.....I think the right end (facing stove) in your case, this will allow wood to burn through from one end to the other.

Unfortunately, such a stove is likely to stink up the valley pretty good on overnight burns.....make certain you check your chimney every couple weeks.

Oh Knowledgeable One Kanobee,

Two fold question here:

Since the primary and secondary air intakes are on the left side of the stove (yep there are two), won't it burn better and more efficiently from left to right?

I believe I read in the VC manual NOT to disturb the coals. What are the benefits of disturbing them?

-Jim & Kathy-

 

[JimWalshin845]

Yup, that is the same stove. I wasn't sure how far down to turn the air control. Since the temps need to be above a certain point to get a secondary burn.

Remember that flue runs make a difference. So it may be the same stove but how far to keep the air control open will be a trial and error situation. I also keep the secondary air intake open all the time. The 'Smoke Dragon' beast does need air ya know!

 

[emory]

I guess the better question would be at what temperature is your stove during overnight burns? The original manual states that normal operating temps are from 350-600 degrees. I find that with the thermostat set to around 400-450 I will wake up with nothing but ash.

 

[JimWalshin845]

I guess the better question would be at what temperature is your stove during overnight burns?

You'd have to ask the tooth fairy that question.