I am looking at purchasing an old VC Defiant for a good price locally. It looks like it should fit in the fireplace and protrude out of the raised hearth maybe a foot or so (I have over 18" of space on the hearth). I am looking at installing the stove but maybe or may not be moving next summer, so I did not want to run a liner if at all possible and take the stove with me. With my regular fireplace, getting a draft was never an issue and fires burned hot and fast (if not too fast). Is it possible to run the 7 inch stove pipe or flex pipe above the damper and vent it from there? And I have seen people on here use the micore board to somewhat seal the damper area and run the vent pipe through the center, is this "to code"?
Looking at VC Defiant....rear vent?
- Thread starter sr73087
- Start date
-
Active since 1995, Hearth.com is THE place on the internet for free information and advice about wood stoves, pellet stoves and other energy saving equipment.
We strive to provide opinions, articles, discussions and history related to Hearth Products and in a more general sense, energy issues.
We promote the EFFICIENT, RESPONSIBLE, CLEAN and SAFE use of all fuels, whether renewable or fossil.
Check that the top-loading lid will still work if the stove is partially in the fireplace or is the plan for side-loading?
A direct connect may work with a proper blockoff plate if there is a clay liner in good shape, but this will most likely lead to a very dirty chimney due to rapid cooling flue gases. Then the problem is cleaning. Brushing is going to allow the debris to fall around the liner stub and that can be both messy, but also combustible as it accumulates with repeated chimney cleaning. A full stainless liner is definitely preferable.
A direct connect may work with a proper blockoff plate if there is a clay liner in good shape, but this will most likely lead to a very dirty chimney due to rapid cooling flue gases. Then the problem is cleaning. Brushing is going to allow the debris to fall around the liner stub and that can be both messy, but also combustible as it accumulates with repeated chimney cleaning. A full stainless liner is definitely preferable.
I was wondering about that. Do you know when they added the top-loading feature to the Defiant? It's been decades since I looked at one. The Defiant is listed in the legacy manual as having top, side and front loading, so I went by that.
So the original Defiant 1 was made from '75 thru like '81, then the D 2 until like '85. These had front and side load only, Then just during the last year or 2 of production they introduced the Defiant 3, which also had the top load feature. The griddle was the same one used on Vigilant and eventually the Defiant Encore, and really represented a huge improvement. It's asier to load , and holds more wood as well. Defiant 3's aren't rare exactly, but there are far more of the 1's and 2's in the world.
So I am looking at a few different stoves now but will likely only be at this location this winter and next spring. How much does a direct connection usually run vs doing a full linear? Assuming I was doing the work?
Similar threads
