As a newer VC Defiant owner, yeah it's impossible to control. It's a combination of leaky stove design and that stupid thermostatic control that doesn't work worth a crap. I'm either at "oh crap I need to turn this down but I already have cat on and temp as low as it goes" or ...wait no that's always where I am. I'm almost always running 600F-799F with no control over it. 6hr burn is normal with a stuffed firebox, 7hrs if I'm damn lucky. I got an 8hr burn once by putting in unsplit medium sized logs in mixed with regular splits, not worth the extra hr. All this on a rated 14hr+ stove :'D. Oh and the dealers/intallers don't have a clue how to operate them either.
vermont castings .kinda sad
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Fod01
Feeling the Heat
This IS a sad thread. I'm on 14 years with my Montpelier, original except for the blower. Different animal, I know.
Still, I had hopes that the company would turn around. Its shocking to read about the issues you folks are experiencing.
Good luck.
Still, I had hopes that the company would turn around. Its shocking to read about the issues you folks are experiencing.
Good luck.
well, assuming you arent going to fight to get your stove returned - unless you are...
You have some work to do. You should absolutely have control over your burn. Whether it stays running where you left it, well that's a unicorn.
If you cant control the blaze in the box, a key damper may be in order. Or you might need to crawl behind your stove and make sure the little door is shutting when you shut down the air. As long as you allowed for the min clearance, and it's not half inside a chimney, you can crawl down and look inside the main air intake and notice the little flap.
It is sad, it made me sad..literally, sad.
Then angry
then bitter
then angry again...
It's a great conversation piece though, as we have plenty of guests (near a resort so of course people like to visit 'us')
Guest: "Hey that's nice..!"
ME: "Wanna buy it!"
Guest: "Why whats wrong with it"
(3 hours later..)
kennyp2339
Minister of Fire
Ashhole
Member
- Feb 15, 2006
- 19
I had a 2000 Resolute Acclaim. Burned very well but the enamel finish flaked off. In 2019 I replaced it with a Encore Flexburn with a catalytic combuster. I was not getting good performance from it until I joined this forum, read about othet people's successes and how they did it. I added two Auburn digital thermometers and now I have a stove that performs nicely. I think the initial problems I had were my own doing. Wish I had know about the digital thermometers at the beginning. Anyway, I think mine is a great little stove and it does what I ask of it now.
Woodsplitter67
Minister of Fire
I completely agree with this.. My first year was a slight struggle.. The worst part was the bimetal thermometer.. It took to long to see if the cat got engaged and if it didnt you needef to run through the process of lighting it off again. The digital probe makes it so much easier and you can see what the stove is doing in real time.. I wish that VC would take some steps forward .. I believe that lopi fire x has a prob for their stove.. I wish VC would stop selling stove with out the catalyst.. Really for new stove operators this shouldn't be an option. There are a number of people in my area with the same stove I have.. None have had any issues. Although none are running there stove as primary heat like myself.. 3 of my friends are running roughly 2 cords a season in their stove..
Being a new owner of a VC Dauntless and new to wood stoves I totally agree, they should not be selling these stoves without the cat. If I am not mistaken the bigger VC's come with the cat. Dauntless is the only one with the option. Even the Intrepid the cat is included.
And dealers should learn a bit more on what they are selling. The salesperson who sold me the stove is a great guy, but he told me initially that the cat just changes efficiency. It obviously does way more than that!!
And for the record I am mostly pleased with our VC Dauntless. User error has created all my issues with the stove. But, thanks to you good folks we are getting along!
Commission based sales is a tough gig. They may not know everything about the stoves.
They also have to make the call between selling that stove to someone who might not be prepared for it and paying for the new roof on their house. It's not an easy choice if the roof is already leaking.
They also have to make the call between selling that stove to someone who might not be prepared for it and paying for the new roof on their house. It's not an easy choice if the roof is already leaking.
Woodsplitter67
Minister of Fire
I found the shopping experience to be less than ideal.
The shop sold many different stoves blaze king, lopi, Vermont Castings, hearthstone. The lady was knowledgeable and burned herself, she owned a lopi.
I felt more comfortable doing the homework myself after talking to them and other shops as well, none were breathtakingly helpful and all were verry vague.
My original stove was a VC Defiant with a 6" stovepipe.. That would been a terrible set up it would have been
to large of a stove with not enough draft .. after doing the research myself I I went with a smaller stove with a larger stovepipe..
Knowing what I know now.. it was the smart move making the change.. It pushed back my install and I was disappointed.. but looking back im glad I showed patience and waited for the correct stove
I went to 4 different shops selling every brand imaginable.. it was terrible.. I left more confused then before I walked in.. If I asked the same question to all.. I got 4 different answers.. I spent hours on research and going to friends who had different stove.. some burn tube, soapstone, downdraft.. I learned on my own
The shop sold many different stoves blaze king, lopi, Vermont Castings, hearthstone. The lady was knowledgeable and burned herself, she owned a lopi.
I felt more comfortable doing the homework myself after talking to them and other shops as well, none were breathtakingly helpful and all were verry vague.
My original stove was a VC Defiant with a 6" stovepipe.. That would been a terrible set up it would have been
to large of a stove with not enough draft .. after doing the research myself I I went with a smaller stove with a larger stovepipe..
Knowing what I know now.. it was the smart move making the change.. It pushed back my install and I was disappointed.. but looking back im glad I showed patience and waited for the correct stove
I went to 4 different shops selling every brand imaginable.. it was terrible.. I left more confused then before I walked in.. If I asked the same question to all.. I got 4 different answers.. I spent hours on research and going to friends who had different stove.. some burn tube, soapstone, downdraft.. I learned on my own
It's all the top load design causing the challenges honestly. I dont see many trying to duplicate. Had I know that going in I would have picked another stove. I would never attempt to operate a VC without extremely well seasoned wood and a draft test.
It's a nice stove. Im not a big fan of my stove pipe though, it looks oversized for the tiny stove in the corner. But whatever. The stove itself looks cool. When I have a nice big orange glow in there or flames coming over the front logs that look like it's on a gas burner, I feel good about it..at that moment.
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