VC Resolute III

[chzuck]

My Resolute III has several seasons of use in and I am well pleased with the stove. I have tried to use the cross burn feature with no success. I just do not have enough draft as my chimney height is at the minimum. One other drawback is that it is upstairs in our living room that faces south. I get a fair amount of solar heating via a large bow window in that room. Often I will fire the stove in the morning and just let it burn out and relight at evening time. On days when the outside temp is in the low 40's I will cut my wood in half and use that. Less volume of wood equals a little less heat. I regret that I did not buy one of these stoves years ago. I can burn this stove much hotter than my previous stove and as a result I have greatly reduced creosote formation.

 

[rwh63]

love the resolute! any pics?

 

[begreen]

I had this stove when it first came out and also loved it. It served us well.

Are you able to run the stove with the bypass closed? If not, a tremendous amount of heat if going right up the flue and the stove will be very inefficient.

 

[chzuck]

I cannot. Not enough draft due to minimum height chimney.

 

[chzuck]

love the resolute! any pics?

 

[Saintjay]

Hi,
I am a new member. I recently received a Resolute III (I think) from my sister. I am trying to find someone who is familiar with these stoves. I was hoping to find a manual, but some basic info would help.
I figured out how to operate the automatic damper to regulate the burn. I am able to shut the flue and maintain burn. I have questions about temperature, thermometers, chimney probes, etc. It is piped with Selkirk Superpro stainless steel double wall pipe.

I would appreciate any info you could give me, contacts, or a direction where to look.
Thank you,
John

 

[chzuck]

Hi,
I am a new member. I recently received a Resolute III (I think) from my sister. I am trying to find someone who is familiar with these stoves. I was hoping to find a manual, but some basic info would help.
I figured out how to operate the automatic damper to regulate the burn. I am able to shut the flue and maintain burn. I have questions about temperature, thermometers, chimney probes, etc. It is piped with Selkirk Superpro stainless steel double wall pipe.

I would appreciate any info you could give me, contacts, or a direction where to look.
Thank you,
John

There is a nice write up on here as to how to fire the stove. I have had mine for maybe 5 years and I love it. I have a manual that covers the stove and can try and find the link or just post it here. Maybe you have specific questions that I could try and answer.

 

[Saintjay]

There is a nice write up on here as to how to fire the stove. I have had mine for maybe 5 years and I love it. I have a manual that covers the stove and can try and find the link or just post it here. Maybe you have specific questions that I could try and answer.

I could not find the write up. Could you PDF the manual to me? That would be great. I didn't understand what people were talking about with the bypass, etc. I have been getting it up to about 300-400 and then I close the flue. It seems to burn well. The chain to the damper lever came off, so I am not sure how that is supposed to work. I reattached the coil to the lever well enough that I can raise and lower the damper flap, but I don't know what that coil was supposed to do. My only issue is remembering to open the flue before I lift the top to load more wood. I have also seen shelves that seem to attach to the sides and wondered where I could get them.

Thanks for answering me. I don't get a chance to check email often.
John

 

[chzuck]

Writeup: https://www.hearth.com/talk/wiki/operate-an-older-vc-resolute/

 

[Saintjay]

Chuck,
Thank you so much. I now know that my thermostat coil has broken off the lever arm. I can open and close my air intake, but it does not self regulate. I have great draft and it burns well, I just have to monitor it frequently.

John

 

[Easy Livin’ 3000]

My Resolute III has several seasons of use in and I am well pleased with the stove. I have tried to use the cross burn feature with no success. I just do not have enough draft as my chimney height is at the minimum. One other drawback is that it is upstairs in our living room that faces south. I get a fair amount of solar heating via a large bow window in that room. Often I will fire the stove in the morning and just let it burn out and relight at evening time. On days when the outside temp is in the low 40's I will cut my wood in half and use that. Less volume of wood equals a little less heat. I regret that I did not buy one of these stoves years ago. I can burn this stove much hotter than my previous stove and as a result I have greatly reduced creosote formation.

Loved my Resolute III for 30 yrs. Wonderful stove.

Top loading, thermostatic control, great looks and quality, and functional downdraft control, all made for one great experience.

Food for thought- if you increase your chimney height so that the downdraft (damper down) mode works, you'll get way more efficiency out of your burns, in other words, more heat per log, and way longer burn times.

I don't know how much effort and expense it would be to add some height to your chimney, but I'm quite certain it's far less effort than you are expending each year in extra wood cutting, splitting, reloading, etc, if you burn at least 2 cords a year. Plus the downdraft mode burns the smoke, so you get a much friendlier fire for yourself, your neighbors, your planet.

Also, leaving the damper up (not me, a careless relative) was what finally destroyed my beautiful little stove, as it gets too hot, and the fireback starts to melt.

Please raise that chimney! You won't regret it.