VC Vigilant-repair or replace-DIY or hire out-"winter is coming"

[kategirlflyhigh]

Tossing this out because I'm tired of chasing my own 'woodstove tail'.

I purchased my stove used in 1994, it has moved 4 times with me ...(growing less attractive every move!) but still a worthy little piece of equipment. This stove has been our only source of heat for 6 years now.

Over the past three winters I have had what seems like an endless stream of disfunction-

- both the front handle and side dampener handle have broken,

-several times over the years I have taken apart, cleaned and reassembled the door lock mech but last winter it never did seem to go back together properly, making the opening and closing a real source of frustration.

-I can't get the replacement gaskets properly installed to save my rear end..they fry after about the second week of burn (after reading another thread here i realize now that i may have been putting in the wrong size for

All of that 'air gap' takes away most of the control that I have over my burn.

I just want a good 6 to 8 hour burn

I have a small 2 story cottage , open first floor plan, finished attic second floor @ 1800 sq feet


I have been diligently looking for used stoves that fit my needs and my budget but now i wonder if I should just fix the stove that I already have...I think that by the time i buy all of the replacement parts and maybe pay someone to dismantle and reassemble I would be paying close to what I would pay for a used stove.

I could DIY all of this but I have to say that there are times when due to limited available time and uncertainty of taking on tasks that are not my 'profession' the DIY can turn into a real cluster!

Vigilant people? Save the old girl?

 

[Simonkenton]

Get rid of that lemon and get something that is not a Vermont Castings.

 

[kategirlflyhigh]

Thanks for the 'cut and dry'. I have been looking. Everyone keeps giving me new lists of stove makers that I should check out.

Everyone has their favorites. ... of course Price and proximity for a used stove are also playing into what i can get my hands on

 

[stovelark]

HI Kate- How old is this VC?? It could be coming up to its end of life. Parts and getting someone to service it could be frustrating. Lots of good stoves out there, are you wanting to stay with cast iron stove?? If so, Jotul, Quadrafire, Hearthstone, Enviro, Pacific Energy and others have great choices. A good steel stove offers lots of heating value- (Quadrafire, Enviro, Pac Energy, Englander, Lopi) some good examples. It'll prob be difficult to get a chimney or stove shop to rebuild a stove with the season coming upon us. These stoves mentioned offer a good value if one is found used as well. Good luck in your search..

 

[begreen]

The Vigilant was an excellent stove for its day, back when VC made nice stoves. But it has seen about 36 yrs of service more or less. My advice would be to invest in a new stove for the next 36 yrs..

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G890A using Tapatalk

 

[kategirlflyhigh]

thanks...Trust me this ole girl has seen some road...and yes, it is quite possible that she needs to go to someone with the time and patience to rebuild and re-purpose.

I will keep searching on line. Most of the names/stoves that you've listed have been suggested by other folks...the list has grown quite a bit ...and then there is the whole ' drive a few hours to check out the used stove' lemon risk =) Such is the plight of the tight budget =)

Would love to know of any on line sales resources other than craigslist.

 

[kategirlflyhigh]

The Vigilant was an excellent stove for its day, back when VC made nice stoves. But it has seen about 36 yrs of service more or less. My advice would be to invest in a new stove for the next 36 yrs..

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G890A using Tapatalk

For the $500.00 that i spent in 1994 on this stove I have gotten WAY more than my moneys worth. I can't even post a picture because she got so beat up on the last move (glad to get her back but she was hauled in a pick up with NO tie downs or padding...the enamel took one heck of a beating ...I did actually shed a tear or two over that).

 

[edyit]

englander makes some nice affordable stoves

 

[SolarBrian]

Get rid of that lemon and get something that is not a Vermont Castings.

Is a >22 year old stove really considered a lemon?

 

[Simonkenton]

No it isn't a lemon, I made a mistake, that stove was made before 1994 and was probably made back when VC made good stoves.

 

[begreen]

The Vigilant is one of the original 4 stoves that made VC famous. It has excellent castings and beautiful lines. But at some point the old stove will be showing its age. If it is in repairable condition and no body cracks you might get $3-400 for it as we are in peak season now.

If you are replacing, what kind of budget would you be looking at? There are good basic budget stoves for under $1000, that will perform well. If you want something with a more classic look you will be in the $2500 range and more if enameled. Fortunately in this price range there are a lot of nice choices.

 

[firefighterjake]

I would say that stove owes you very little . . . but that said if you use it for your main source of heat it may truly be time for an update. Many reputable stove lines have been mentioned.

If price is a main concern . . . Englander, Regency and Napoleons come highly recommended.

If you think you may like to try the longer burns that come with cat stoves . . . Blaze Kings and Woodstock (a plus with this brand is the beauty of soapstone) are often mentioned.

If you would like the classic look of the cast iron . . . I think Jotuls look pretty close to the Vermont Castings, but there are several other good brands as well.

 

[DUMF]

Great advice in some posts.
This appliance has done the job for you. Just think of the cost/year.
Technically, cast iron warps, deforms after all that heating, maybe even from over burns.
After all this time ( and before you ) gasketing will not fit correctly in the original "flat" grooves; so you're
Sisiphising ( Google It ) any maintenance or repairs.
Take the experienced advice here and look at good used or new if you can, stoves like you would for a used car.
Yes, the Vigilant was, was a high quality classic for its time, now long past.

 

[JA600L]

A new stove is of course a great option. However, not everybody wants to spend the money on a new stove. As a mechanic I have found that what most people think is worn out may simply need some small repairs. Instead of being overwhelmed, take small steps.

Make a list off all of the problems that you think it has.
Take some pictures of the problems and post them here.
This forum exists to help people such as yourself figure out problems and get it resolved. It may be that the stove is damaged beyond repair, or it just needs a few basic repairs. Even if you do sell it you want to do right by the new owner and get more money out of it.

 

[kategirlflyhigh]

Thanks all...some really great counsel in the posts above. responding to all rather than individually...

1. I will cont. looking for a new stove....thank you for all of the suggestions

2. Yes , it needs to be under $1000 so really used might be my only option

3. I don't care if it's pretty, don't need enamel or anything 'froofy'

4. Yes, a longer burn/larger fire box is a priority. While our home is small, the first story is under-insulated ( I did the attic restoration
myself and if anything that is over insulated!), I have windows that need to be replaced etc etc...I would love to be closer to a temperature all winter that doesn't make my girls and I feel quite so pioneer-ish..it looses it's romance after a bit!

5. Our space is better suited to a stove that is deeper than it is wide so I have been searching for that model type.

6. I have a maintenance list for the VC so that I can cont. using it until I find a suitable replacement.

and YES, I will come to you guys for help getting those small tasks done...to avoid frustration and the muttered expletives that sometimes come with those projects!!

 

[begreen]

In the large $1000 or less category focus on Englander and Drolet stoves. The Englander brand is also sold as Summer's Heat and TimberRidge in big box stores. Or you can get a refurbished model here:
http://www.amfmenergy.com/50tnc30----epa-certified-noncatalytic-wood-stove--2250302201.html
http://www.amfmenergy.com/50lasmheupto.html

 

[Woody Stover]

I have a maintenance list for the VC so that I can cont. using it until I find a suitable replacement.

Can you post the list? (pics would sure help.) Are the "broken handles" just missing the ceramic...is the handle intact? I just replace the ceramic with wood:

This looks like it might be the right gasket kit, with correct sizes and densities for your stove. Installing them correctly isn't too hard if you know a couple tricks. If you have the manual or look at some stove manuals online, they explain it pretty well. http://www.woodmanspartsplus.com/170390/products/Vermont-Castings-Gasket-Kit.html
But if you can swing it, buy a new stove (or used in good shape.) You will be rewarded with less wood used, longer overnight burns, and your neighbors will thank you for burning cleaner.

 

[kategirlflyhigh]

long over due update but there wasn't much to report until now....after months of poking around on various different 'for sale' sites and having a couple of 'almost purchases' a friend of mine realized that there was a 2006 jotul F118 sitting in his neighbors garage. The owner had visions of turning his garage into workshop and had been holding onto this stove for about 5 years. He was convinced to sell (at least this is the story that i got) and I was able to get the stove for $500.

I am now in the throws of getting the interior stove pipe connected...and not a minute too soon as our first real cold front came through last night and it's time for some heat!

I just posted about some challenges that i am having with the stove pipe to chimney connection ..

The saga continues!

 

[begreen]

Check the secondary rack at the top of the firebox to make sure that it is correctly in position and not warped. When loading be careful to not bump into the secondary rack. I seem to recall that @Fort Wisers had an F118CB. He may be able to provide some more tips.

 

[kategirlflyhigh]

Check the secondary rack at the top of the firebox to make sure that it is correctly in position and not warped. When loading be careful to not bump into the secondary rack. I seem to recall that @Fort Wisers had an F118CB. He may be able to provide some more tips.

Thanks, This counsel matches that of others here.....and i am on a mission to have everyone in our household properly educated about using this woodstove to best effect.

I have been cautioned/counseled on these items so far:

-check top baffle carefully to make sure that it is proper position

-use caution when feeding the stove so that the burn pipes above are not damaged

-monitor your burn temps with a top thermometer (which i have always been horrible about)

-be sure to rake coals from back to front before rebuilding your fire.

i have the complete manual that includes insturction for use ...and we will be reading it thoroughly

 

[Fort Wisers]

Hello @kategirlflyhigh.
@begreen is correct, we used to own a Jotul F118CB Black Bear.

Gorgeous looking stove. Half the reason we bought it was for the casting details on the side panels.

However, I do believe this stove may leave you short on the desired burn times you're wishing for.

The firebox is very tiny due to the secondary burn tube / baffle config.
We found the stove more temperamental then we were used to in terms of loading, which wood species burned best, and sensitivity to fuel moisture content.
That being said, there's a few things you can do that may help your cause:
Cut your wood long (the firebox is quite deep) and try a variety of wood species to see what works best for you. Also, be very sure the wood is well seasoned (like 2 years minimum depending on variety) as we found this stove's heat output was really affected by fuel moisture content. This is good practice with any stove but we found this stove's heat out more drastically affected by moisture content.
If you find the heat output is really lacking while burning your fuel wood, go to a hardware store, buy a 2x4 and cut it up, load your stove with this and see how it affects heat output. If it helps drastically, then your fuel wood is still not seasoned well enough.

I'm also not sure this stove is well suited to heat 1800 sqft, especially since a portion is not insulated.
Your next step might be to work on maximising insulation. That being said, I don't know what the heating season is like down there.
We were using ours in a small cabin in Central Quebec where a stretch of -30 was normal with some night often dipping to the -40 range. The cabin was about 20' x 24' with moderate insulation.

I'll be perfectly honest, it took us a bit to get used to this stove but after some trial and error (which we were't used to based on other stoves we own or have owned) it eventually worked out decent. The stove is still in the cabin we installed it in and the people who bought the cabin from us a few years ago seem happy with it as they go up in the winter snowmobiling fairly regularly.

I hope we have not rained on your parade, I'm just giving our findings.
We truly hope you have good luck with this stove as it is a real looker.
You'll also find the heating plate on top works very well to quickly boil up a kettle of water.

Keep this thread alive and let us all know how it works out.

 

[kategirlflyhigh]

Thanks.....for the first time in probably forever the entire household is fully committed to operating the woodstove by the book...
before we did the first burn last night everyone had to read the manual (retentive I know but if we want to get optimal function I think it's the only way).
I also included all of the suggestions from this crew in the education process....i have never used a thermometer and am doing so now.
The draft control/air flow on this stove seems far easier to manage than on the VC and we will be far more diligent in the quality of the wood that we are using.

I may be over shooting our sq. footage a bit...and yes, the insulation factor on the first floor is important...I am actually getting ready to reapply for a fantastic local energy efficiency grant sponsored by our utility collective that may help us to get the dirt basement/ceiling fully insulated and that is going to make a HUGE difference in our temps.

but until then....i have high hopes for at least as much heat as we got from the VC (with the erratic burn control over past two winters due to poor condition of stove this is not really a high expectation).

i'm sure that there are many lessons to come.
Here's to a fairly mild winter! (or tons of snow!)