Where Is The Fresh Air Inlet On A VC Defiant - NC?

[Jeff Childers]

I am about to buy a VC Defiant non-catalytic stove for a new house. I want to install a fresh air inlet near the stove but I don't know where the inlet is located on the stove. Can someone tell me where the inlet is and maybe a little information on how to best place the inlet pipe in the exterior wall next to the stove or in the floor under the stove? The stove will sit on a concrete base that is a few inches higher than the finished floor in the room.

Thanks a bunch!
Jeff

 

[dtabor]

I know one other person at least on here that will chime in with the same info, but take it from a Defiant NC owner, new this year, DONT do it. Look around for another brand and people here can point you in the right direction as to which one. The VC NC are nothing but trouble unless your setup is absolutely 100% perfect. Do a search and you will find HUNDREDS of posts of problems with the VC NC stoves.

 

[kevin fitzsimmons]

I don't wont to dampen your enthusiasm for a new stover, but the vc nc s are a finicky beast. Perhaps the folks here with bad stories are the few for which the vc nc are preforming poorly, but i doubt it. I would echo the above comment and take a good hard look at the threads dedicated to the everburn technology. My vote would be to go with a cat or a traditional baffle type secondary burn. I have a pacific energy and love it. I bought the pe after selling g a vc nc .

 

[swestall]

I will be a bit more direct:

DON'T BUY THE VC NON-CAT UNLESS YOU HAVE THE MONEY TO REPLACE IT WHEN YOU FIND IT DOESN'T WORK WITHOUT CONSTANT ATTENTION! The Everburn mechanism requires almost perfect conditions to function as designed.

Take a look at Pacific Energy Aldera, Quadra Fire Royale, Hearthstone in Cast and Soapstone and Jotul.
By the time you are done with that you will know. AND, make sure to learn about the secondary burn mechanisms on the stoves above.

 

[Jeff Childers]

Ouch! You guys are pretty direct!

I guess I'm not locked in yet to that particular stove, but I need to stay in the family. Here's the situation. I belong to a buying club and VC and DutchWest brands are carried at a VERY attractive price. Are there other stoves in these families that don't have the troubles of the Defiant?

Jeff

 

[swestall]

HI Jeff, If you want or have to get a VC then get the CAT stove. It works just fine. The dealers may not acknowledge the problems, but that means nothing when you are trying to live with a stove that takes all your time up.
Having said that, I think you owe it to yourself to go and look at the other stoves discussed. Once you do this you will know the difference. It will only cost you gas to go look...
Even though you are getting a deal, its no deal if you end up with a lemon that you have to get rid of and buy something else to replace it.

 

[kevin fitzsimmons]

I am not sure of the particulars of you "buying club", but even at a crazy good price, it still won't burn any better. Craig posted a podcast interview this morning with John Gulland. His take is that all bypass stoves are inherently problematic. Do some looking at what other brands you can buy, then as around, or look at the ratings on the forum