vermont castings defiant help

[pepp]

my father in law has a 2007 vc defiant and always has creosite build up on the door glass
i'am not familiar with the vc i have regency i3100 and very happy with it very little or no creosite build up on the glass my mother in law asked me if i clean all the time i said no she was very surprised
whats the proper way to burn with the vc he always burn the stove hot 500 -600
2 year old red oak very dry no ss liner or out side air
any info would be great thanks for any help great site always learning and laughing here

 

[savageactor7]

HUH, that's hot enough to keep the glass relatively clean...I'm stumped.

 

[schortie]

We have the same stove and have regular problems with build up on the "glass". I have found that if we keep the logs away from the front of the stove (the glass), it stays clean. Yet when we load it up, the glass usually gets pretty crummy. With a really hot, damper-open fire - 700+ - the heat cleans it off.

 

[webbie]

Is his the cat or the non-cat?
Either way, that stove works differently than the Regency and other such stoves. Keep in mind that the flue gases exit the stove in the rear of the firebox, therefore not beating against the door and front in the way that many simple non-cat stoves do. The result is that the front stays relatively cool which = a greater possibility of condensation. Some of this should burn off or flake when the stove is really hot...and mostly embers.

Technique will have something to do with it. Running the stove pretty wide open when new wood is loaded may help...since that is when most smoke and creosote is formed.

 

[pepp]

non cat stove

 

[CTBurner]

I had same problem with encore vc nc and when i adjusted the door a little tighhter glass now stays clean, could be a small air leak in doors.

 

[atkinsh]

I've got a question about my 1975 VC Defiant. I've been using it for three years now, and when I purchased it it had a hairline crack running vertically in the middle of the fireback. Just within the last month, that crack has grown and expanded. There is now about 1/4 inch separation between the two pieces. The stove is now running terribly. When I move the damper handle vertically, it seems as if it is suffocating. I've looked into replacing this part, and it seems as if the one-piece fireback is no longer available. I've been told that I can replace it with the new 2-piece part, but that that will also involve replacing the left side of the stove and the baffles inside. I was wondering if anyone had any advice for me that would prevent me from having to go to these lengths. Would it be possible to weld the fireback and then repair the screen and cement behind it? Any other solutions? I'm getting desperate and it's getting cold in here!

 

[johnv]

I have the same problem. Did you get replies on how to "fix" this problem?

 

[atkinsh]

I have talked to a local VC dealer and they seem to be a little unsure. It seems as though the 1-piece can be replaced with the 2-piece kit. However, they are still telling me that I need to replace the left side and door as well. I haven't decided what to do yet. There is also the option of trying to fill the crack with furnace cement as a temporary solution, which is what I think I'll try, just to get through the winter. I was advised to try taking the fireback out, throughly cleaning out the air passageways, and trying to mend it on both sides before replacing it. The furnace cement is also what needs to be placed between the back of the stove and the fireback. At least mine does...it's breaking up. Hope this helps!

 

[peakbagger]

I did the conversion from a one piece to a two piece fireback about 10 years ago. It was not a cheap fix, I could have bought a used Defiant with the upgrade for about what I paid, but this stove was local. It worked well until this winter, when I noticed that the lower section of the fireback has a crack in it. I will get one on order if VC is still selling them.

The conversion kit was very extensive, basically you take the entire stove apart and start from scratch. You end up with a spare door and door frame plus some air tubes. The kit was very complete and the instructions were excellent. When you are done you bascially have a new stove (great time to use a wire brush and repaint the thing). It took me most of a weekend during the summer when I could clean and paint the parts outside.

 

[atkinsh]

Thank you so much for your advice. I think that's probably what I'll end up doing, but now is not really the best time. I figured I'd try to make due and patch it with furnace cement until this summer and then do the rebuild. Nice to know that the instructions are complete. I considered getting a new stove, but the Defiant seems like such a good-running and solid stove (except for this flaw). It would be much more expensive to replace it. Nice to hear that you were happy with your decision, and the part you need is still available!

 

[johnv]

I too have a cracked 1 piece fireback in my Defiant stove, and the cost of a rebuild is not in the budget. Has anybody heard of fabricating a steel plate, in the shape of the 1 piece fireback, as an alternative? It sound to me to be allot cheaper in the long run. I just don't know how the different metals will react with each other.

 

[peakbagger]

I looked at theoption of building one but its a pretty complex casting as it has half a secondary air channel cast in the back of it. It probably could be done but would take more time and welding skill than I had at the time. I thought the two piece was a permanent fix so I went with it.