trophyhunter
ArboristSite Guru
Looking at a new stove that's a hold over from last year, are the new Resolute Acclaims worth the coin (this is the non cat version with reburn bypass).
Late model VC Resolute Acclaim Non Cat Stove anyone own one how does it perform?
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We love our VC, but it is the Defiant catalytic. We have two, one for an out building. Can not speak about the Resolute Acclaim.
You burn wood in Alabama, or that's where your from?
You burn wood in Alabama, or that's where your from?
trophyhunter
ArboristSite Guru
Were putting this in our home up North, I know the Resolute is discontinued as of this year now but it's one of the few medium size fireboxes we have found in stock locally most of the stoves available are box store junk and I don't want to mess with those.
I like the fact it top loads and has the reburn bypass damper to allow a wide open path from the firebox to the smoke exit collar for cold starts and refueling, read some negatives but can't find anything on late model production stoves from owners. I see lots of opinions from non owners searching for information but I'm really interested in hearing from people who own and use them.
I like the fact it top loads and has the reburn bypass damper to allow a wide open path from the firebox to the smoke exit collar for cold starts and refueling, read some negatives but can't find anything on late model production stoves from owners. I see lots of opinions from non owners searching for information but I'm really interested in hearing from people who own and use them.
If it is a discontinued model I might take a good look around and compare brands and models again. Price is usually not at the very top of the decision making list for me, especially a long term purchase. VC has redesigned and improved the inside of many of their stoves, including the Defiant, one of their very first stoves. This purchase should last you ten to twenty years, and the price difference to a new model can not be all that much. We have had a VC last over twenty years. We had one last five, because we over heated it bad on start ups and warped it. Operator error. (Light the stove and start dinner, and forget to close down the bypass.) That is the difference between a cast iron stove and steel stove, steel being more forgiving. Besides being a great stove, they are beautiful as well. Once we used a top load it was hard to imagine using anything else. Because the company has been bought and sold in the past (employee owned) a dealer told me his dealing with them has been less than smooth in the past, compared to some of his other suppliers. They are no longer employee owned. The redesigning tells me someone is putting money in the company to do it right, where being employee owned funding may not have been available to do that. So you may hear that. That VC was good and went down hill.
You are also right in trying to find a good wood stove shop. The ones locally have one by one closed. We drove three hours to our neighbors brothers shop north of Chicago, and we are in S.W. Michigan. Worth the trip. (grassrootsenergy.com) He had two dozen stoves on the floor. Most models of each brand he carried. Then in another section, a lot of fireplace inserts. Lots more gas stoves out there now too. (Just got done raining, blue sky breaking, I don't think I'll get hit by lightning for saying 'gas wood stove') Was nice to see what the options are.
You are also right in trying to find a good wood stove shop. The ones locally have one by one closed. We drove three hours to our neighbors brothers shop north of Chicago, and we are in S.W. Michigan. Worth the trip. (grassrootsenergy.com) He had two dozen stoves on the floor. Most models of each brand he carried. Then in another section, a lot of fireplace inserts. Lots more gas stoves out there now too. (Just got done raining, blue sky breaking, I don't think I'll get hit by lightning for saying 'gas wood stove') Was nice to see what the options are.
trophyhunter
ArboristSite Guru
Thanks Sandhill, all good points and I'm just to the South of you an hour or so and stove dealers are an endangered species around here anymore most of them left only have old inventory in stock a fair bit of the time. All the box stores have their fall inventory fresh on the shelves but it's all crap for the most part.
We may hit the road over the coming weekend and go visit some other shops after making some phone calls this week to see what they have for current inventory our local VC dealer has leftovers but no new product on the floor.
We may hit the road over the coming weekend and go visit some other shops after making some phone calls this week to see what they have for current inventory our local VC dealer has leftovers but no new product on the floor.
sunfish
Fish Head
We had a Resolute Acclaim from 1998 to 2008. It worked fine for a couple years then started having problems. PITA!
I would never buy another!
Replaced it with a Jotul and never looked back. Bought another Jotul for my son and fixin to get another for the shop.
I would never buy another!
Replaced it with a Jotul and never looked back. Bought another Jotul for my son and fixin to get another for the shop.
trophyhunter
ArboristSite Guru
I wish we had a Jotul dealer close by, what model are you buying next time Sunfish?
On Edit: The Jotul F3 CB looks like a good unit, anyone bought one recently? I'm trying to find one on a dealers floor within driving distance to go after this weekend I called VC and didn't get a warm fuzzy for parts support down the road on the Resolute Acclaim the local dealer has left over.
On Edit: The Jotul F3 CB looks like a good unit, anyone bought one recently? I'm trying to find one on a dealers floor within driving distance to go after this weekend I called VC and didn't get a warm fuzzy for parts support down the road on the Resolute Acclaim the local dealer has left over.
If your that close check our grass roots energy. Grass roots may be grassroots. Owners name is Mark. He is also a mason, his father was a mason. Worth the drive, lots of knowledge and choices. Wacconda, Il. (Spelling?) north of Chicago. They do installs. Meaning not salesman, just well rounded on all aspects, pro and con per stove. It has to fit the install situation you have. For us that ruled out a few because we have a ninety bend 2' above the stove. Some stoves need 6' straight to draw right.
Good luck
Good luck
sunfish
Fish Head
We have a F118 CB in our house, son has a 602. I'm wanting a F3 CB for the house & move the F118 CB to the shop.
We inherited an Acclaim that was put into service in the early 90's. I believe the stove itself was purchased in 91 based on all the information I could gather from it.
Beautiful stove despite the fact it was severely abused by its previous owner. I ended up doing roughly a 90% rebuild on it. The only thing I didnt do was break the stove down entirely and replace ALL the gaskets. But everything else was done. It performed VERY well as a heater, and it ran 24/7 for approx 5 months of the year. Our house is 2600sqft and the stove did a fine job keeping the entire house at or above 70 degrees.
The down side... to many consumables. My first rebuild ran me about $750. 2 years in and I was looking at another $500. No thanks. Here are a couple threads on my trials and tribulations..
http://www.arboristsite.com/community/threads/this-is-the-last-time.298878/
http://www.arboristsite.com/community/threads/talk-me-out-of-a-vermont-castings-stove.287529/
I do not know if the design has changed. If it hasn't, I would pass. The main consumable, the combustor/refractory is $200 + and I only got 2 years out of one. With the new stove and the secondary combustion, as long I don't let the stove cool to much between loads, I don't have to touch the main air supply. No bypass damper, no fuss.
Beautiful stove despite the fact it was severely abused by its previous owner. I ended up doing roughly a 90% rebuild on it. The only thing I didnt do was break the stove down entirely and replace ALL the gaskets. But everything else was done. It performed VERY well as a heater, and it ran 24/7 for approx 5 months of the year. Our house is 2600sqft and the stove did a fine job keeping the entire house at or above 70 degrees.
The down side... to many consumables. My first rebuild ran me about $750. 2 years in and I was looking at another $500. No thanks. Here are a couple threads on my trials and tribulations..
http://www.arboristsite.com/community/threads/this-is-the-last-time.298878/
http://www.arboristsite.com/community/threads/talk-me-out-of-a-vermont-castings-stove.287529/
I do not know if the design has changed. If it hasn't, I would pass. The main consumable, the combustor/refractory is $200 + and I only got 2 years out of one. With the new stove and the secondary combustion, as long I don't let the stove cool to much between loads, I don't have to touch the main air supply. No bypass damper, no fuss.
trophyhunter
ArboristSite Guru
Appreciate the replies on the VC made stoves guys!
After talking to the factory CS rep that was all it took to cross them off the list for good regarding the Resolute, they NEVER had any issues with them and don't make parts anymore (guy had no idea about the old rebuild kits etc. for prior models) but no problem if there's an issue with a new one they'll take care of it. ~I wasn't buying it, not even a little bit.
I looked at a black cast F3 CB Jotul after driving a couple hours today to get to dealers before closing time and immediately saw that was exactly what I was looking for what a fantastic design much to my liking in addition to the typical downdraft glass door airwash supply and control the current F3 CB also has a slot in the front cast grate that aligns itself with yet another manual air inlet opening and control at the bottom of the door below the glass to feed air directly at and under the coal bed and a fresh load of fuel to help it along without having to leave the door ajar until temps come up as is typical of most of these EPA reburn style stoves.
And then I saw the sold tag on it's really expensive twin (the black plain cast is bad enough at a few bucks shy of 2K), they had another F3 CB in Brown Majolica that was spoken for and I'd never seen a stove I liked appearance wise half as well as I did in that brown / burgundy porcelain finish. Several inquiries later, I found another one in stock at a dealer farther down the road yet so we did some haggling on the phone and the sales rep took some pics of it and sent them to me and we made a deal over the phone and I'll be making the trip tomorrow at some point in the afternoon to get it picked up.
Here's the new stove were picking up tomorrow, I'll post more pics when it's home and installed.
After talking to the factory CS rep that was all it took to cross them off the list for good regarding the Resolute, they NEVER had any issues with them and don't make parts anymore (guy had no idea about the old rebuild kits etc. for prior models) but no problem if there's an issue with a new one they'll take care of it. ~I wasn't buying it, not even a little bit.
I looked at a black cast F3 CB Jotul after driving a couple hours today to get to dealers before closing time and immediately saw that was exactly what I was looking for what a fantastic design much to my liking in addition to the typical downdraft glass door airwash supply and control the current F3 CB also has a slot in the front cast grate that aligns itself with yet another manual air inlet opening and control at the bottom of the door below the glass to feed air directly at and under the coal bed and a fresh load of fuel to help it along without having to leave the door ajar until temps come up as is typical of most of these EPA reburn style stoves.
And then I saw the sold tag on it's really expensive twin (the black plain cast is bad enough at a few bucks shy of 2K), they had another F3 CB in Brown Majolica that was spoken for and I'd never seen a stove I liked appearance wise half as well as I did in that brown / burgundy porcelain finish. Several inquiries later, I found another one in stock at a dealer farther down the road yet so we did some haggling on the phone and the sales rep took some pics of it and sent them to me and we made a deal over the phone and I'll be making the trip tomorrow at some point in the afternoon to get it picked up.
Here's the new stove were picking up tomorrow, I'll post more pics when it's home and installed.
I have a Jotuf F3 CB. Remember that is is a fairly low output wood stove and resist the temptation to over fire it. 42k btu I believe.
It's a great little stove. I have mine sitting unused in front of one of our fireplaces and we heat totally with a Jotul Firelight F600 CB. Bought the F3 CB in 1995 and used it for about ten years in another house and plan one day to hook it back up here. The Olso is a real nice stove, too.
It's a great little stove. I have mine sitting unused in front of one of our fireplaces and we heat totally with a Jotul Firelight F600 CB. Bought the F3 CB in 1995 and used it for about ten years in another house and plan one day to hook it back up here. The Olso is a real nice stove, too.
Good choice. We have a Rockland sitting in the old fireplace and absolutely love it. Would have gotten a Jotul stove to replace the VC, but it just wouldn't have fit the bill.
sunfish
Fish Head
Congrats! F3 CB in Brown Majolica is a beauty! & will likely be the next stove we get.
trophyhunter
ArboristSite Guru
Thanks Sunfish! I'm excited to go after this today it really is a looker I need to try and resist the urge to top vent this stove. The brown majolica is shipped with the rear knock out removed and the vent collar installed for rear vent use.
As I understand it these can also be vented out the top or either side you just hammer out the knock out in the skin cover and switch the cover plate and pipe collars around as needed, it's a much cleaner look with the porcelain top not having the stove pipe in the middle of it this will connect to an insulated wall pass through that draws well and I think there's enough depth on the hearth to leave it as is and put a 90* elbow out the back and go up with it like they have on the display pics they sent me.
sunfish
Fish Head
Yes, I'd keep the pipe out the back if possible.
You can also use a T instead of a 90 and use has a clean out at the bottom of the T.
You can also use a T instead of a 90 and use has a clean out at the bottom of the T.
Very disappointing to hear that about VC customer service rep. You made a good choice then. You can't go wrong with a Jotul.
With the enamel stoves don't leave it sit in the garage, or unheated space where moisture can get into the cast. Get it inside even if you don't install immediately.
Beautiful stove... Your going to enjoy that one a long time.
With the enamel stoves don't leave it sit in the garage, or unheated space where moisture can get into the cast. Get it inside even if you don't install immediately.
Beautiful stove... Your going to enjoy that one a long time.
Remember too that cast stoves like a small fire or two when starting the season to drive out moisture it may have absorbed over the summer.
trophyhunter
ArboristSite Guru
It came right in onto the hearth from the trailer when I got home with it, no way it was spending the night outside it's too pretty to let moisture molest it and it's raining here today.
I had the old stove out and everything apart waiting for it. The pipe isn't quite done, it's all close to final fit here only about an inch different from the old one for adjustment and I'm going to pull it down and paint it tomorrow and get it all buttoned up I ended up top venting it as it sat too far forward with the rear vent option and a 90* on the backside.
Man, this little stove was HEAVY to move around! Can't wait to put a few small fires in it to heat cycle it, were very happy with the appearance big improvement for the living room and hearth.
