VC Vigilant Overnight Burn?

[vanhoesenj]

Hi all -

Just curious if anyone has any thoughts on my current situation, I have 3 cord of seasoned wood and 3 cord of semi-seasoned (I am ashamed I don't have 3-4 year old seasoned wood, eventually). Anyways, I usually burn the "greener" stuff at night when I can tend to it and keep it hot enough to prevent any creosote build up, works fine. I then throw in the seasoned stuff for the overnight burn, heat the stove up to around 550-600 and then close the damper. When I wake up the next morning (usually 6-7 hours) I still have plenty of coals, but there is definitely more creosote build up and I've come down at 3 or 4 am to find the stove smoldering at 250-300 degrees. Is the extra creosote and the much cooler temperatures normal? I usually leave the thermostat and secondary air intake wide open overnight and I still have coals (unless it's wicked cold).

Any thoughts? Is it just that I'm not burning 3-4 year seasoned wood or is there something else I can do to minimize creosote and increase the overnight burn temps?

Thank so much!!

cheers
J~

 

[vanhoesenj]

Bump...

 

[seaken]

Hi all -

Just curious if anyone has any thoughts on my current situation, I have 3 cord of seasoned wood and 3 cord of semi-seasoned (I am ashamed I don't have 3-4 year old seasoned wood, eventually). Anyways, I usually burn the "greener" stuff at night when I can tend to it and keep it hot enough to prevent any creosote build up, works fine. I then throw in the seasoned stuff for the overnight burn, heat the stove up to around 550-600 and then close the damper. When I wake up the next morning (usually 6-7 hours) I still have plenty of coals, but there is definitely more creosote build up and I've come down at 3 or 4 am to find the stove smoldering at 250-300 degrees. Is the extra creosote and the much cooler temperatures normal? I usually leave the thermostat and secondary air intake wide open overnight and I still have coals (unless it's wicked cold).

Any thoughts? Is it just that I'm not burning 3-4 year seasoned wood or is there something else I can do to minimize creosote and increase the overnight burn temps?

Thank so much!!

cheers
J~

Hello, and welcome.

No, unfortunately there is nothing more you can do. That stove is not capable of BOTH an overnight burn and low creosote at the same time. The only way to minimize creosote in that design is to burn hot. When you burn hot you get a much shorter burn time. A hot fire and long burn time will not mix in that stove. The overnight burn is more of a smolder, as you have noticed. The reason for creosote build up is that the particles that form creosote cannot be burned up inside that stove at a low temperature. The Vigilant was a great stove, one of the best of it's time. However, it cannot compare to the modern clean burning stoves, which are capable of a clean burn even at the lower overnight burn temps.

 

[vanhoesenj]

Hello, and welcome.

No, unfortunately there is nothing more you can do. That stove is not capable of BOTH an overnight burn and low creosote at the same time.

THanks Sean, just wanted to know if I was doing anything wrong. I grew up with woodstoves, I just never paid attention to the overnight burn/creosote issue. The stove is working great and when I burn it hot I can hear the creosote falling back down the pipe, so I'm not too worried, just curious.

Thanks for the reply.

cheers
J~