Upgrading Encore 2N1 for a Blaze King?

[Calentarse]

I have a 2010 VC Encore 2N1. It's been a love hate relationship. Some of you will recall some of my woes. The top load is just wonderful but Jesus learning the downdraft model has been a nightmare. It's like having a raging child in the house; always needing babysitting...I've been through access cover after access cover (because the brick just breaks), soaring temps with draft completely closed (nothing on stove leaking) and now there's a small crack in the casting on the back of the stove. Gonna be a $1000 rebuild if I don't just slap some chimney cement on there and call it quits.

Should I try to sell locally (and feel horrible about myself)? I have a 1250 sq. Ft rancher and live in the Mid-Atlantic. I've always thought the stove was overkill for my house because it just can't be operated for long periods of time at low temperatures. We typically have winter nights in the 20s and days in the 40s. Our lowest temps are single digits rarely. Help, please.

 

[webby3650]

That's stinks you've had so much trouble. It's an all too familiar story with VC!
If you switch to a BK you won't know what to do with your spare time!

 

[begreen]

Man I am so sorry to hear this. It's terrible on a 4 yr old stove. VC won't warranty the repair? What does your dealer say?

You would do fine with a BK or Woodstock stove. Choose your style. Loading frequency will be reduced so that top loading is irrelevant. You won't miss it.

 

[Calentarse]

Man I am so sorry to hear this. It's terrible on a 4 yr old stove. VC won't warranty the repair? What does your dealer say?

You would do fine with a BK or Woodstock stove. Choose your style. Loading frequency will be reduced so that top loading is irrelevant. You won't miss it.

My dealer was 50 minutes away before they went out of business. Now the nearest one is 90 minutes and they want $150 for a service call.

Haven't called VC regarding crack. The warranty on that is only 3 years and even if they did labor would be astronomical for a stove that's failed me all along.

 

[begreen]

That totally sux. Get a BK or Woodstock and be happy.

 

[webby3650]

So, you have a BK dealer nearby?

 

[Grisu]

VC should change its name. "Made in Vermont" is supposed to be a sign of quality and workmanship.

Take a look at the BK Ashford 20 that is just coming out. When you like the design of the Encore you may like the Ashford, too: (broken link removed to http://www.blazeking.com/EN/wood-ashford20.html)

 

[Calentarse]

VC should change its name. "Made in Vermont" is supposed to be a sign of quality and workmanship.

Take a look at the BK Ashford 20 that is just coming out. When you like the design of the Encore you may like the Ashford, too: (broken link removed to http://www.blazeking.com/EN/wood-ashford20.html)

LOVE Vermont. My brother went to school in Northfield and I travel to the EPIC Stowe every year to ski. Soo jealous and wished I lived there. Any Assistant Principal jobs available around up there

I had such high hopes for the VC. Loved all its features on paper but lack of dealer and manufacturer support was that stove's demise. Around here you see these $2500 stoves outside set up as woodstove fire pits.

Regarding the BK Ashford. How low of a temp would it run on a load of oak and hickory (predominately what I burn) with occasional soft maple and cherry? Can I open it, fill it, then shut it down and leave? The VC would backpuff like WHOA if I did that with her...Haven't been to the local "dealer" yet so I don't yet know pricing. Do you?

 

[Calentarse]

So, you have a BK dealer nearby?

Evidently there's a new place locally that can get whatever...? People around here often are highly misinformed. I'm going tomorrow in the pm so we'll see.

 

[mellow]

Not any BK dealers per say around here, just people that can order them. No one has them on the floor that I have found. Just be prepared for sticker shock from the local dealers, you might be better off to pick up one from the other side of the bridge or further north.

I would also look hard at the Woodstock Fireview as it gets good reviews on here as well, if you don't have the budget for a BK or Woodstock you can find some cheaper catalytic stoves like Appalachian, I get 10-12 hours out of mine, it just wont look as good as the Woodstock.

 

[TX-L]

Regarding the BK Ashford. How low of a temp would it run on a load of oak and hickory (predominately what I burn) with occasional soft maple and cherry? Can I open it, fill it, then shut it down and leave? The VC would backpuff like WHOA if I did that with her...

You can run it as low as you want, as long as the catalyst stays in the active zone. I burn oak, hickory, beech, hard maple. Mine (King) will run with a stovetop of 300 or a little less maybe, with the catalyst still in the active zone. And yes, you can fill it, shut it down, and leave for a WHOLE DAY with no worries (assuming your chimney is good). It's very "controllable" and will do what you want it to. Get one and you will never look back.

 

[Calentarse]

Man I am so sorry to hear this. It's terrible on a 4 yr old stove. VC won't warranty the repair? What does your dealer say?

You would do fine with a BK or Woodstock stove. Choose your style. Loading frequency will be reduced so that top loading is irrelevant. You won't miss it.

Should I have reason to believe that they would provide replacements part and labor? The warranty is manual is for 3 years for casting...

 

[begreen]

Only they can answer that question.

 

[Heatsource]

we just replaced a VC encore for the bk ashford for one of our long time chimney sweep customers.
same basic deal, stove burned out of control for 2 years and needed 1000$ worth of parts.
sad when vc's from the late 70's are still in great shape, and new ones are falling apart in a few years...

 

[webby3650]

we just replaced a VC encore for the bk ashford for one of our long time chimney sweep customers.
same basic deal, stove burned out of control for 2 years and needed 1000$ worth of parts.
sad when vc's from the late 70's are still in great shape, and new ones are falling apart in a few years...

I've got a 26 year old Defiant Encore in my test lab right now that's in great shape! We too have lots of trouble out of the newer ones. Its so bad that we don't even display VC anymore.

 

[Charles1981]

Definitely call VC about repairs ect ect, but i would be getting a new stove for sure if I had those problems. Definitely sounds like something was wrong with the stove to start with though for it to overheat so severely.

I have the exact same stove and have been burning 2 years. Does really great for my 2000sqft house. I can't believe the stove casting cracked...that is some serious overheating. Got me all worried about my stove.... But I haven't had those issues....yet.

 

[Calentarse]

Definitely call VC about repairs ect ect, but i would be getting a new stove for sure if I had those problems. Definitely sounds like something was wrong with the stove to start with though for it to overheat so severely.

I have the exact same stove and have been burning 2 years. Does really great for my 2000sqft house. I can't believe the stove casting cracked...that is some serious overheating. Got me all worried about my stove.... But I haven't had those issues....yet.

Who knows how long mine has been cracked. I only recently took the heat shield off to inspect back there and found this 3 inch crack low in the back. It has never been technically "overfired" because although I complain about it being hot, it has never gone over 750 on the griddle for long and none of the stove parts have ever glowed red. It's just too hot for my house and the only way to limit the heat output is to put less wood in and of course, if I do that, I can't have it burn through the night. I can imagine it's nice for you being in Michigan and having a much larger space to heat. I imagine you're always keeping the stove hot for your colder climate and larger house which is where it's happy. My dealer led me to believe this stove could be operated for long periods and low temps and that simply isn't the case!

 

[mellow]

Which dealer are you going to tonight?

 

[Calentarse]

Which dealer are you going to tonight?

There's a new one in Berlin next to the new Tractor Supply, Fireplace Supply. Evidently he can order lots of different things.

 

[mellow]

Interesting they don't come up on BK's site as a dealer, must just be buying through a disturber. Check your PM when you get a chance.

 

[Highbeam]

You can run it as low as you want, as long as the catalyst stays in the active zone. I burn oak, hickory, beech, hard maple. Mine (King) will run with a stovetop of 300 or a little less maybe, with the catalyst still in the active zone. And yes, you can fill it, shut it down, and leave for a WHOLE DAY with no worries (assuming your chimney is good). It's very "controllable" and will do what you want it to. Get one and you will never look back.

I have the smaller princess in my 1700 SF which is more like what the OP will be looking for given his 6" flue and the smaller home. It's an awesome stove. I don't regret it a bit.

I can't quite keep the stove top down to 300 though. I measure right over the cat, on the stove top, and as I recall the low burn is more like 400 in that one spot but it's not like a non-cat where the whole stove top and stove get to be 400 it's just that one spot. The cat is the heat source.

It took a long time for me to be convinced to try out a real cat stove and for full time home heating I am a total believer. Long burn times are the ultimate measure of a stoves practical application as a home heater. The BK and even the smaller woodstocks (all cat like fireview or keystone) are excellent for full time heat in a smaller home like the OP has.

 

[Calentarse]

Interesting they don't come up on BK's site as a dealer, must just be buying through a disturber. Check your PM when you get a chance.

They come up but in their old location which was Selbyville, DE.

 

[Calentarse]

I have the smaller princess in my 1700 SF which is more like what the OP will be looking for given his 6" flue and the smaller home. It's an awesome stove. I don't regret it a bit.

I can't quite keep the stove top down to 300 though. I measure right over the cat, on the stove top, and as I recall the low burn is more like 400 in that one spot but it's not like a non-cat where the whole stove top and stove get to be 400 it's just that one spot. The cat is the heat source.

It took a long time for me to be convinced to try out a real cat stove and for full time home heating I am a total believer. Long burn times are the ultimate measure of a stoves practical application as a home heater. The BK and even the smaller woodstocks (all cat like fireview or keystone) are excellent for full time heat in a smaller home like the OP has.

Thanks for your reply. Couple questions for my application. Can I spray paint it biscuit? Can I hook up to 6 inch single wall pipe? Is princess too big for my home? I understand it isn't 400 degrees all around the stove but operating at that temp all the time sounds like too much heat. What happens when it isn't getting enough air and it goes into non-active range? Does the fire simply just go out?

 

[begreen]

Long burn time is one metric for stove satisfaction, but not the only one. As long as someone is home loading the stove every 8-10 hrs is no big deal. Low maintenance, clean glass, good looks, good fire view, easy service, etc. are also important considerations. It depends on the application and the home. That said, if everyone can get the performance that webby is getting out of his Ashford 30 it does appear that BK has come up with a winner in that combo.

 

[mellow]

Can I spray paint it biscuit?

Stove Bright has a color pretty close called Sand. You will want to use a paint that is rated for high temps.