VC Dauntless, problems with smoke

  • 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.
  • Super Cedar firestarters 30% discount Use code Hearth2024 Click here
I didn’t get the cat “performance package “ yet. I will end up getting it at some point, but it’s been pretty efficient so far without it. I had a fire last night…first overnight burn with it and I only had it half filled and woke up with plenty of hot coals to start up again about 7 hours later. The probe will go on the left hand side straight down below the damper handle. I believe it comes with a clip to hold it in place. I emailed VC and they sent me a good diagram that I will attach…it looks pretty easy to install…

View attachment 284294
Thank you. That's very helpful information. I've never had a stove with a cat before so it will be a learning curve. But it's nice to know it runs pretty well without it. At what temperature (stovetop or flue?) are you closing the bypass and how much/quickly are you closing the air down once it's closed?
 
Thank you. That's very helpful information. I've never had a stove with a cat before so it will be a learning curve. But it's nice to know it runs pretty well without it. At what temperature (stovetop or flue?) are you closing the bypass and how much/quickly are you closing the air down once it's closed?
No problem! Yes it’s a learning curve for me as well…I usually close the bypass at 500 degrees and I have a stovetop thermometer. Depending on how cold it is and it hasn’t been really cold in Richmond VA yet…so I usually dial back the air to keep it around 450-500 right away. I leave the front door cracked though for about 15-20 minutes though when I first start it to get it going quickly.
 
Hello! New to this forum. We installed a new Vermont Castings Dauntless in November. We have been having an issue with smoke coming into our house when we are loading the stove and cannot figure it out. Any insight would be helpful! We had it professionally installed and the dealer has been to our house to service it, telling us that there was no issue. (There obviously is.)

Getting the stove going is hard/takes almost an hour, but we have mostly figured that out. We are coming off an old, larger model, so have had to get used to using much more small wood and kindling. The manual calls for 4# to start each fire and that is about right. Once the fire is established and we want to add wood from the top, no matter what we do, smoke comes into our house. The dealer told us to hold the lid at an angle for a minute before opening fully, to reorient the smoke, which doesn't work. This isn't exactly all the time, but most, even today after it's been running for several days straight, when I was adding logs, it let smoke into our house. Honestly, we can't figure out what is different/next steps!

Other things to know-->
  • Wood is dry, mix of hard + softwoods
  • All dampers are open
  • Flexburn, no cat
  • Chimney was new in 2005, is clean + clear
  • Ash removal regularly
  • Weekly inspection/clearing of the air holes in the back, as we burn it so much
Otherwise, the Dauntless has been great. So pretty, efficient, runs for days. But, this has been exasperating. Thanks for any thoughts!
Same problem! Next to impossible to load the stove without getting smoke in the house🤬
 
When I got my Encore I thought the same, went about 2 days before I installed the cat and I haven't gone back. $200 every 3 years or so is nothing for the performance boost you get from the catalyst.
kinda they same way I look at it. I see some people having hemorrhoids because they have to replace the cat after 10 years
 
Could all of these smoke in the house issues simply be a design flaw?? Seems to me that opening the top of a woodstove defies logic...... smoke and heat RISE.
Negative pressure, user error, and draft issues are more likely the culprit. VC stoves have been top-loading since the late 1970s. The top-loading works well as long as one opens the bypass and waits a few seconds before opening the lid. Logic is not being defied. The flue draft creates a vacuum in the firebox. When the top is opened, air is pulled into the stove. If draft is very weak due to factors like warm outdoor temps, a compromised flue (dirty, too many 90º turns, too short, neg. pressure environment, etc.) then yes, smoke can spill.
 
Could all of these smoke in the house issues simply be a design flaw?? It seems to me that opening the top of a woodstove defies logic...... Smoke and heat RISE.
The stove pipe or chimney draft is what drives the stove.. Any stove.. Opening up a top loading stove does not change the draft of the stove pipe or chimney.. it still drafts up the pipe.. Smoke spillage out of a top or front loading stove is a sign of week draft.. A friend of mine has a lopi fore x, which did the same thing .. Smoke spilling out.. My advice to him was to open the damper before reload to reestablish draft prior to reloading.. Once he practiced this, it stopped altogether
 
^^That.
It's not the smoke pushing up the pipe - indeed that would result in a problem for a top loader.
It's the pipe sucking up gases and smoke. Opening up the stove more (temporarily) will just allow more gases (in this case room air) to be sucked into the stove and up the pipe.
 
Begreen, I’m using it as a hearth stove. I have a masonry chimney but it’s fully lined with a stainless steel liner and insulated. It’s got a good draft and I’ve been using a wood insert but have been wanting another free standing stove for a while. I really like the look of VC but have been leery of getting one because of the negative reviews in recent years. Hopefully they have done a better job with the internals…we’ll see. I’ll try to put a link in to the YouTube video I put up doing a mini review of the stove. Feel free to give me any pointers as this is my first VC stove.

To view this content we will need your consent to set third party cookies.
For more detailed information, see our cookies page.

Are you happy with your decision? Has the quality held up?
 
Are you happy with your decision? Has the quality held up?
I am happy with it overall and I feel like it's held up well so far. I got great burn times with it and it throws heat out well. My 2 main issues with it are that the ashpan could be bigger and it seems to create more creosote than my old tube burner when dampered down for a long slow burn. I'm planning on using it with a catalytic combustor this upcoming season and I hope that that will help some with the creosote.
 
I am happy with it overall and I feel like it's held up well so far. I got great burn times with it and it throws heat out well. My 2 main issues with it are that the ashpan could be bigger and it seems to create more creasote than my old tube burner when dampered down for a long slow burn. I'm planning on using it with a catalytic combustor this upcoming season and I hope that that will help some with the creasote.

If your burning the stove without the cat you will notice the stove operates better with the cat in. You will get more heat with the stove dialed down because the cat is using the smoke as fuel. your creosote will be alot less because no to very little smoke will be going up the chimney. your burn will be more consistent because the cat will keep the chimney heated and up to temperature. I start the season without the cat in because its just a fire here and there. After the cool down and I start burning on a regular basis I put the cat back in.. Once were in winter its pretty much in cat mode all the time..
 
If your burning the stove without the cat you will notice the stove operates better with the cat in. You will get more heat with the stove dialed down because the cat is using the smoke as fuel. your creosote will be alot less because no to very little smoke will be going up the chimney. your burn will be more consistent because the cat will keep the chimney heated and up to temperature. I start the season without the cat in because its just a fire here and there. After the cool down and I start burning on a regular basis I put the cat back in.. Once were in winter its pretty much in cat mode all the time..
Awesome!...that's exactly what I'm hoping for. I'd give the thing 5 stars if the cat reduces the creosote.
 
If your burning the stove without the cat you will notice the stove operates better with the cat in. You will get more heat with the stove dialed down because the cat is using the smoke as fuel. your creosote will be alot less because no to very little smoke will be going up the chimney. your burn will be more consistent because the cat will keep the chimney heated and up to temperature. I start the season without the cat in because its just a fire here and there. After the cool down and I start burning on a regular basis I put the cat back in.. Once were in winter its pretty much in cat mode all the time..
does any one know where to buy the cat kit for the dauntless via online? My dealer is over an hour away.
 
I am happy with it overall and I feel like it's held up well so far. I got great burn times with it and it throws heat out well. My 2 main issues with it are that the ashpan could be bigger and it seems to create more creasote than my old tube burner when dampered down for a long slow burn. I'm planning on using it with a catalytic combustor this upcoming season and I hope that that will help some with the creasote.
Thank you so much for responding. The reviews have been quite mixed and it's difficult to find people with newer models to see how they feel about them. What type of burn times were you able to accomplish?
 
  • Like
Reactions: Jmorg
does any one know where to buy the cat kit for the dauntless via online? My dealer is over an hour away.
The only site that I found was way overpriced. Your dealer should be able to order it for you and have it drop shipped to your house. Might cost a little more for shipping but not too bad.
 
  • Like
Reactions: GrumpyDad
Thank you so much for responding. The reviews have been quite mixed and it's difficult to find people with newer models to see how they feel about them. What type of burn times were you able to accomplish?
Yes the reviews do seem mixed, but I’ve really enjoyed it so far. I was able to get about 11 hour burn times…well able to get the fire going again easily with good coals after 11 hours. I’ll post my 1st year review here in case you want to see it in action…
To view this content we will need your consent to set third party cookies.
For more detailed information, see our cookies page.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Todd and JerseyRobb
Yes the reviews do seem mixed, but I’ve really enjoyed it so far. I was able to get about 11 hour burn times…well able to get the fire going again easily with good coals after 11 hours. I’ll post my 1st year review here in case you want to see it in action…
To view this content we will need your consent to set third party cookies.
For more detailed information, see our cookies page.

Oh, that's YOUR review? haha. I watched that over the weekend. Did you end up buying the catalytic combustion system?
 
Oh, that's YOUR review? haha. I watched that over the weekend. Did you end up buying the catalytic combustion system?
Hahaha, yes that’s me. Sorry, not trying to self promote here but the stove is really the only reason I started the channel. I could hardly find any real world info on this stove so I figured why not make my own reviews and maybe that’ll be a help to others. I haven’t gotten the cat yet but hopefully by mid October. Might post a video on installation of the cat and the temp probe, but we’ll see…
 
  • Like
Reactions: JerseyRobb
@Jmorg
I just saw your vid. Why is the flame so active? Is the air wide open during the vid?
 
  • Like
Reactions: Jmorg
I think I had just gotten the fire going so yes I believe the bypass was open and the air was wide open.
👍
 
Hahaha, yes that’s me. Sorry, not trying to self promote here but the stove is really the only reason I started the channel. I could hardly find any real world info on this stove so I figured why not make my own reviews and maybe that’ll be a help to others. I haven’t gotten the cat yet but hopefully by mid October. Might post a video on installation of the cat and the temp probe, but we’ll see…
well isnt that what youtube was supposed to be? Not that I have anything against these kids making a bazillion dollars talking excited about opening a box to a new toy, those are interesting as well!
Im glad you did the review. I personally, do not have anything to go against with experience aside from using a fireplace. So I dont know. I do hang out with people that have stoves/inserts, and they dont walk around pissing and moaning about them, or even mentioning them. They just chuck some wood in occasionally and continue the conversation.

I would like to do something at some point, with lessons learned etc, probably plugging this website because it has been extremely helpful to me, even from a 'you can do this' confidence builder to do the install work.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Jmorg