VC Defiant Encore stove

[Gui272]

Hello,

I have a question about a stove. I'm looking at a VC Defiant Encore stove thats around a 1990 model year. It is a CAT stove.

Is their anything to look for. the current owner had the stove re-built 5 years ago and says it's working great. he's getting a new stove to take advantage of the tax credit so he says.

How good are these stoves and is their an advantag in getting something newer? i'm not very familiar with the CAT stoves. I always had a Fisher but i'v heard from many people that this stove would be much better.

I read some stuf about the "second burn" stoves like the Jotul. Is that comment just about having the cat re-burn the gasses again or is their something i'm missing.

Thanks,

Chris


PS: the current owner is lookign for 450.00 for the stove. Is that a fair price?

 

[stint]

$400-500 seems to be the popular asking price of the day for any of the older VC

Watch for:

1) Evidence of Over-firing; warps, cracks, ets
2) All doors get "dollar bill test"
3) The Cat is at least a couple hundred bucks to replace after every few years of *proper* use.
Burning painted/treated wood, excess paper, cardboard, etcc will immediately destroy $$$$
4) The secondary burn feature just eliminates need for Cat because it meets EPA
5) Vermont Castings is a far cry from the Consumer Friendly Quality Firm that I bought my original Defiant (non Cat) from in 1974.
Finances, Mergers, etc do not bode well in opinion of many for future

Personally, my opinion is that the Defiant was a great stove in its day. However after burning my Jotul 600 for 8 years, I would never go back, especially to a Cat model.

Good Luck; Hope this helps

 

[ct greenman]

I just picked up a vc vigilant 2 weeks ago its a 1977 it looks to be in great shape got it for 300. Lots of others said the old vc's are the best they were including the defiant in that group. I just talked to a new friend who loves his defiant go for it.

 

[Gui272]

thanks for the replys....i'm going to take a look at it friday...hopefully it's in as good of shape as the current owner says...

Does anyone know how big of a peice of wood it will accept? It's a defiant Encore either 2140 or 2190 model i'm assuming?

i know it's either front or top loading and it's the cast iron look but just curious about the opening. The current owner said it would take 24" peice acording to him. I thought that was a little big but maybe not. if thats the case, AWESOME!!!

thanks,

chris

 

[stint]

All Defiant Models accept 24 inch log

 

[Gui272]

All Defiant Models accept 24 inch log

well, i was asking because this one is a "Defiant Encore" model and now they have two models 1: Defiant and 2: Encore

The new Defiant takes the 24 but the Encore is only 20"


so, this Defiant Encore accepts a 24" peice of wood???

thanks,

Chris

 

[logbutcher]

Chris:
We've heated with wood stoves for too many years. Rebuilt myself too many stoves including pre-EPA and post EPA VC Encores. A VC Encore bought new in 2001 heats 24/7 a major part of our place (NO backup). I do all the needed work on the Encore to keep it up. Our other stove is a much simpler non-cat Jotul Oslo that heats 100% the other part of the house here in Downeast Maine.

A 1990 wood stove is 20 years old, MAY have been cared for. If you're not familiar with maintaining an older EPA cat stove, and willing to do the work yourself, don't even look at this Encore. It is a complex appliance, and fussy to maintain and expensive parts. Look up the schematic for the 1990 Encore. It's complex with many parts that can break, need fixing and replacing beside normal joint cement and gaskets and the cat. The catalyst assembly box is $$$$, with skill to replace it. Replacing a cat is normal easy maintenance: they last about 12,000 hours of real burn time.

NOTE: When operating right, the VC Encore is a fine heater. Without experience and attention, with all systems in perfect order it can be a killer. Recommend you look over posts here and at hearthnet for what people burn. Plenty of posting here and hearthnet about stove brands and models. Hearthnet also has a big section on stove reviews.

Finally, the VC Encore will take ONLY an 18" stick for full loading and serious heating. The top load is all most use.

Think about what you want the stove for: 100% wood heat, "up from" a central furnace set @ 65 F, or the occasional entertainment fire. Don't forget the fuel---GOT WOOD ? It's getting knd of late for next winter.

Good luck.

 

[Wood Doctor]

Is the Defiant a Stove or a Furnace?

No joke. Vermont Castings made the Defiant stove back in the late 1970's. It was a monster that devoured 24" logs and I bought one. Never regretted it, but I had to sell it with the house.

Believe it or not, that stove kicked out so much heat that many people and Vermont Castings called it a parlor furnace.:biggrinbounce2:

 

[BlueRidgeMark]

Chris:
It is a complex appliance, and fussy to maintain and expensive parts. Look up the schematic for the 1990 Encore. It's complex with many parts that can break, need fixing and replacing beside normal joint cement and gaskets and the cat. The catalyst assembly box is $$$$, with skill to replace it. Replacing a cat is normal easy maintenance: they last about 12,000 hours of real burn time.

NOTE: When operating right, the VC Encore is a fine heater. Without experience and attention, with all systems in perfect order it can be a killer.

:jawdrop:


Man! Sure makes me appreciate my old Fisher! It's basically a steel box with some firebrick on the floor and sides. I don't know what I could to do break it, other than dumping in some liquid oxygen while there's a fire going. I could burn the house down around it without hurting it, and the only maintenance required is wood in, ashes out. Now, if I want to keep it looking purtty, I do have to clean the outside now and then, but that's strictly cosmetic.

I would not have a stove asfussy as what you're describing! Life is too short!

 

[logbutcher]

:jawdrop:
Man! Sure makes me appreciate my old Fisher! It's basically a steel box with some firebrick on the floor and sides. I don't know what I could to do break it, other than dumping in some liquid oxygen while there's a fire going. I could burn the house down around it without hurting it, and the only maintenance required is wood in, ashes out. Now, if I want to keep it looking purtty, I do have to clean the outside now and then, but that's strictly cosmetic.
I would not have a stove asfussy as what you're describing! Life is too short!

:agree2: Mark is correct.......the pre-EPA stoves were simpler, durable, easy, efficient heaters. Those Fisher Bears ( Mama, Papa, Baby --real model names ) were well made steel and cast step stoves. We had two.

BUTT Mark:
1. The early VC EPA cat stoves were too well engineered, AND well made.
2. The EPA cat stoves burn cleaner, WHEN OPERATED CORRECTLY. Almost NO creosote on any of our flues.
3. My Woodpiles OCD over too many years discovered a saving of a minimum of 1/3 ( that's one third) of fuel used for the same heating BTU need.
4. The first VC Encore cat (~ 1989) burnt much more efficiently than the pre-EPA VC Vigilant or pre-EPA Morso. From loading 5x-8x per day down to 2-3 FOR THE SAME HEAT.
5. Now with an Encore cat and a Jotul non-cat Oslo heating similar spaces 24/7 and no backup heat, the Encore uses less wood, runs at needed output longer damped down (thermostatic primary air), and requires 1/2 the loading as the Oslo which we also love.

The VC cats are complex and fussy. Parts are $$$. When the 'real' Vermont Castings was sold to a Canadian group back in the mid-1990's, the QC went to hell. Same products, same crew, same plant. All for cutting corners and saving $$$$. When the Encore finally blows out, we'll consider a Woodstock cat, Jotul, Hearthstone, perhaps the Isle Royale. Maybe by that time I'll not be coming down for breakfast to load the stoves.

I love the cat. Woodstock (in N.H.) has shown that a small operation can provide fine products, super warranty, exceptional customer service.

JMNSHO

 

[Gypo Logger]

I just got a Defiant Ecore 2190 VC, but when I was unloading it I busted off two legs. Where is the best place to order 2 more legs?

 

[Sandhill Crane]

If you can not order direct from Vermont Casting try Grass Roots Energy, Inc., Wauconda, Illinois.
grassrootsenergy.com is the website, and email is [email protected]
or call Mark (owner) at 847-526-5888

 

[Wood Doctor]

Stint said, "Vermont Castings is a far cry from the Consumer Friendly Quality Firm that I bought my original Defiant (non Cat) from in 1974."
-----------------------------
Agreed. I bought my Defiant in 1976 . Whale of a stove, and I wish that I still owned it today. Never had a Cat and never needed one. Virtually impossible to over fire.