VC Encore too big?

[Lac a Webber]

Hi everyone.
I am looking to upgrade my 25 year old steel stove (Haughs Cabot Elite S273E) with a fire box of about 1.6 cuft. in my cottage.

It has been fine for my purposes:

• Winter weekend use in Quebec.
• Hard burn for 2-4 hrs to bring temp up from just above freezing to room temp (I keep the place at 5C /40F)
• Slow burn after that to maintain temp. by closing air all the way (ie 1 log an hour, load it up at bed, restart fire in the morning b/c temp has dropped below 60F)

I cracked the glass closing the door on wood sticking out and we are thinking that it is time to replace the stove instead of repair.
We are set on Vermont Castings, mainly because my wife loves the look and the 'traditional' doors.

I am hoping that the VC Encore with it's 2.3 cuft fire box will give me:

• As much or more heat while increasing the temp from freezing to room temp (as long as I do not exceed recommended temp)
• Longer slow burns with less loading of wood (also hoping the temp would not drop so much at night)

Is this stove too much bigger than my old steel stove?
I have not mentioned square footage, insulation, electric heat etc because I really just want to increase cottage temp as fast (or faster) as the old stove and then slow it down and get longer burns.

Is it a lot more complicated to run?
I have read the manual plus many posts on this site and it seems easy enough ... really just adding a damper (to engage cat) and keep an eye on max temp?

picture of old stove for size reference (about same outside dimensions as the VC Encore, smaller fire box though)

 

[Lac a Webber]

I should also say that we can get either a:

• brand new VC Encore-cat-c

or

• 9 year old VC Encore Non-Catalytic (never been used, still in packaging)

Would I find much of a difference in these 2 units?
Similar heat output?
Much longer burn times in the CAT?

 

[Todd]

The new Encore would have a better more durable refractory package than the older model but they both can be more finicky to operate and also don’t have the best durability record. I agree with your wife they are a great looking stove. The cat will give you a good overnight burn but dont expect a quick rise in house temp. A good steel non cat stove would probably be better if you want something to run hot for a few hours to bring that cottage up to temp.

 

[Diabel]

Welcome to the forum neighbour!
Stay away from the 9yr old non cat model. These Encores sure are pretty to look at! They are complicated stoves (downdraft) with many moving parts that are either gasketed or cemented. If I knew what I know now about these stoves I would never buy one. Three yrs ago I needed a second stove for my house on the lake, it was not VC.
I came to this forum because of my troubles with the VC. After many seasons of tinkering with it and many discussions here I have it dialed in fine. It works.

 

[RandyBoBandy]

I am in the same boat as diabel. I have two VC stoves. Both are beautiful stoves, however, finicky and hard to run in the hands of a beginner ( a VC beginner not a woodstove beginner). If you are looking for an easy to run, set it and forget it stove VC is not the brand. What other brands are local to you?

 

[begreen]

That was a good heater. I'd replace it with another more modern steel stove from Regency, Napoleon, etc. If wife appeal is important, look at the PE Alderlea T5 which is a steel stove in a castiron tux, same for the Jotul F45. In pure cast iron also look at the Hearthstone Shelburne.

 

[Diabel]

That was a big heater. I'd replace it with another more modern steel stove from Regency, Napoleon, etc. If wife appeal is important, look at the PE Alderlea T6 which is a steel stove in a castiron tux, same for the Jotul F55. In pure cast iron also look at the Hearthstone Manchester.

I would lean non-cat as well in this “need heat now” situation. I like the look of T6!

 

[begreen]

I erred and edited my post. The S273 was their medium-sized heater. That would make ~2 cu ft stoves a better match. Both the T5 and the F45 will also allow N/S loading which will mean full loads without worrying about a log rolling up against the glass.

 

[Lac a Webber]

A good steel non cat stove would probably be better if you want something to run hot for a few hours to bring that cottage up to temp.

It sounds like a steel stove would give me more instant heat I am used to but really how long are we talking, an extra 30 minutes before it starts to radiate heat? The upside would be the lingering heat it would give off at night.

 

[Lac a Webber]

If wife appeal is important, look at the PE Alderlea T5 which is a steel stove in a castiron tux, same for the Jotul F45. In pure cast iron also look at the Hearthstone Shelburne.

So far I have not been able to find a wood stove that has the look of a VC stove specifically the 'traditional' doors my wife likes (deal breaker for her, and I have to admit I like the look as well but as the I am worried about changing to something more complicated). It seems all the other companies have moved away from the doors with detail on the glass. The Jotul F 500 V3 has those doors but it is even bigger than the VC encore which I was worried might cook me out of the cottage compared to my old stove. The Hearthstone lineup looks like they might have it but so far I have not found a dealer in my city ;(

 

[Todd]

The Encore and F500 are pretty much the same size.

 

[RandyBoBandy]

I don’t think any stove is going to be more complicated than the Encore.

 

[Diabel]

No doubt vc stoves have a beautiful classic look. If you decide on the encore please read and re-read the “VC dedicated” thread here. Make sure to get a good flue probe meter and cat meter (ideally auber t100). That way you will know what is going on in that firebox and cat chamber.

Btw as mentioned before have a look at the T5.

 

[Diabel]

Also, how long is the pipe in total?

Top loaders need good draft in order to avoid smoke spillage while loading.

 

[Lac a Webber]

Btw as mentioned before have a look at the T5.

T5 is a beautiful stove in my opinion but no fancy doors

 

[Lac a Webber]

Also, how long is the pipe in total?

Top loaders need good draft in order to avoid smoke spillage while loading.

Pipe is 20' of interior double wall so draft has always been good. There is another 6 feet of pipe below what is in the picture

 

[Diabel]

With that pipe you should have no issue with smoke spillage while loading.

 

[Lac a Webber]

The Encore and F500 are pretty much the same size.

Encore says 4800 max btu and F500 says 70000 max output ... or is that not really a big difference. The higher btu make me think I can heat the place up faster once it is going, but I worry about "small fire in a big box" once the place is warm??? Plus I am thinking that even the Encore might be bigger/more heat than my old steel stove???

 

[Lac a Webber]

Am I worried about size too much?? Also kind of sheepish that it has come down to what the doors look like ...

 

[Todd]

Encore says 4800 max btu and F500 says 70000 max output ... or is that not really a big difference. The higher btu make me think I can heat the place up faster once it is going, but I worry about "small fire in a big box" once the place is warm??? Plus I am thinking that even the Encore might be bigger/more heat than my old steel stove???

Both stoves have a 2.4 cu ft firebox so they should both produce similar BTU outputs. Manufacture numbers differ due to different testing methods and marketing.

 

[Diabel]

Isn’t the F500 problematic? Or is it a different Jotul stove

 

[Lac a Webber]

The F500 Jotul is actually very nice. I like the top load idea of the Encore but understand that the downdraft can lead to difficulties and maybe the fire is 'nicer' to look at when there is reburn going on at the top of the stove???

 

[Lac a Webber]

Isn’t the F500 problematic? Or is it a different Jotul stove

Hmm, had not heard that, I will research it. More problematic than the Encore??

 

[Diabel]

Not sure which Jotul stove is the problematic one. Apparently, it has issues with the cat failing prematurely. Might not be the 500

 

[gthomas785]

The Encore has a great turn down, even loaded fully after the first hour I can get mine down to around 300-350F. To me it sounds like it would be a good size for the space you have. Just run it mostly open until the space warms up, then turn it down.
Edit: I am talking about the 2040-CAT-C.