Say hello to my "new" VC CDC Seneca Model 2170!

[rwh63]

new to me, of course. been running a Seneca since winter of 1995/1996. i've rebuilt that stove twice since, and am approaching a third rebuild (mainly inner top and cat, but need to break the stove apart to replace the inner top). have been keeping my eye open for these hard to find stoves for a while, and finally found one local that looked real good. couldn't get the top bolts out to check to condition of the inner top components (damper, inner top, cat, refractory), but it was a really good price and appeared original and lightly burned, so bought it and will work on it and possibly plug it in for winter duty.

 

[fbelec]

that is the first seneca i've ever seen or heard of. since you been running one how and where?

 

[rwh63]

how and where? not sure all of the years they were produced (alongside its bigger sibling the sequoia). the main weak points are the inner top (thinner cast iron prone to eventual warping due to extreme heat produced by the cat, and eventual porcelain crumbling off (the paint job is thinner than the more premium VC stoves, but those chip also). good size firebox, being square. side and front loading, screen.

 

[rwh63]

Got the top off. Lightly used, cat and refractory and even original inner top in nice shape. The damper rod had seized due to low use; that probably kept the miles and damage low.

 

[SpaceBus]

Wow, very contemporary looking for a VC stove. Actually quite stylish.

 

[rwh63]

Yes, it has a Euro look.

 

[rwh63]

threaded damper handle frozen. i recall when i needs to replace mine, it have been replaced with a non-threaded rod and retaining clip; this is why, not more seized damper rods.

applying oil and heat, heat and oil. it has loosed slightly, which is encouraging. don't want to snap the inner top section.

 

[kennthom]

View attachment 284497

new to me, of course. been running a Seneca since winter of 1995/1996. i've rebuilt that stove twice since, and am approaching a third rebuild (mainly inner top and cat, but need to break the stove apart to replace the inner top). have been keeping my eye open for these hard to find stoves for a while, and finally found one local that looked real good. couldn't get the top bolts out to check to condition of the inner top components (damper, inner top, cat, refractory), but it was a really good price and appeared original and lightly burned, so bought it and will work on it and possibly plug it in for winter dut

I've got the red version of this.

 

[rwh63]

I've got the red version of this.

View attachment 291814

nice. let me know if you are going to let it go someday.

 

[clancey]

You really sound like you know your stove mechanics and that's a nice looking stove..good job...clancey

 

[Oli_FoS]

Sorry to dig up an old thread, just going about fitting on of these to our house and can't find much information other than the manual Dutchwest which goes into a lot of detail which largely doesn't relate to our property as we have stone walls.

I am currently knocking out the old fireplace to put in a lintel and widen it and then brick the sides up. Does anyone know how much room you need either side of one of these? It'll be a rectangular bricked hole with the flue above. The stove pipe will go through a metal plate and attach to a new flexible chimney liner.

Ours is going into the wall itself. I gather you need a bit of space to the left for the side door. I was looking at the photo of the lovely enamelled red unit that has brick either side and it looks closer than I expected!

Any photos of ones installed would be appreciated!

Our second hand stove is in the garage waiting a treatment of the metal with some stove black and a clean and service of all the moving parts.

 

[begreen]

It depends on the stove. Clearances are to combustibles. If the stove is in a full masonry enclosure with at least 8" thick walls like a fireplace, then the clearance requirements are not applicable. That said, one wants to be able to access the controls without getting burned and if there is a side door, then it needs to be able to swing fully open for loading. Note that some stoves are thermostatically controlled. They don't do as well in this type of enclosure because the trapped heat throws off the thermostat operation which is based on room temperature.

 

[Oli_FoS]

Thanks that does make a lot of sense. Just curious how much room others have gone with for this model?

 

[rwh63]

This may help

 

[begreen]

Thanks that does make a lot of sense. Just curious how much room others have gone with for this model?

It's not a common model. We haven't had many posts on it in the past 16 yrs.

 

[rwh63]

first snow flakes of the year today. due to personal reasons, had to delay getting the woodstove ready. thought i would use the old Seneca, but the inner top was too warped, and the cat had crumbled. fortunately, i had its twin on the porch, in very nice shape. original inner top in great shape except for two small cracks near the damper tabs (not unusual). the cat looked original and in great shape. decided to swap some of the old stove external parts that had suffered porcelain deterioration since '96, so as to preserve the best ones.

installed some new gaskets, did two conditioning fires, and now with a moderate amount of wood burning, the cat thermometer reads 1150! i think it is running great.

will plan to tear down and rebuild the old stove next summer.

 

[Kevin Weis]

Sounds and looks like it's running well, congrats!

 

[fbelec]

just out of curiosity where is the arrow or what temperature is in the photo

 

[Kevin Weis]

just out of curiosity where is the arrow or what temperature is in the photo

That shiny spot next to the 1150 mark.

 

[fbelec]

mine would have been glowing at that point

 

[rwh63]

just out of curiosity where is the arrow or what temperature is in the photo

Right, just about at the 130 clock face point.

 

[trailmaker]

Thanks for sharing your experience with this stove. It's great timing because I have just removed the top from an old Seneca (red version). Can you tell me how to remove the baffle? I need to get it out of the way so I can replace the gasket. Thanks.

 

[rwh63]

Thanks for sharing your experience with this stove. It's great timing because I have just removed the top from an old Seneca (red version). Can you tell me how to remove the baffle? I need to get it out of the way so I can replace the gasket. Thanks.

the catalyst gasket?

 

[trailmaker]

I think the proper term is "bypass gate", or "damper". I pulled out the old gasket but I think I need to remove the whole assembly to get the new gasket in. It's the part that has the metal control rod running across the top.

 

[rwh63]

the hard way is to remove the two side tabs holding down the bypass gate (damper). you can then elevate the assembly. you could put small blocks under it so you can work on the gasket channel.

the better way, if possible, is to remove the handle rod that goes into the gate control rod. that allows the whole assembly to be removed. unfortunately, you may have the original handle rod that screws in, and it may be frozen in place. if you do remove the threaded rod, order a replacement that is held in by c-clip.