Vigilant Stove Help

I haven't posted in a while but members of this forum made me a coal convert. Right now I have a Chubby Coal stove that I love.
Here is my problem. I am moving and the house that I am buying has a Vigilant Coal Stove. When I opened the door, I observed "1977" stamped on the firebrick (can't tell the model #). The previous owners utilized this stove as a wood burning stove. Is there a way to convert this stove to a coal burning one? I know that some members on this site have Vigilant coal burning stoves. Thanks for your help in advance.

Is there air control down low? Are there shaker grates? Is there an ash pan?

The latest model of the coal vigilant is easily identified by having the ash door and pan underneath and between the legs of the stove.

The earliest model Vigilant had a coal kit that could be installed. These come up frequently on Ebay and craigslist. Many users have had disappointing results with the kit while others have done well with it.

Put Vigilant stove in the search box in the upper right on this page and you will find a lot to read.

dont ever believe or think that any Vig. is going to preform for coal as your Chubby does currently (its never going to happen). Im sorry for being so point blank but I have experience with both of these stoves and its as simple as that.
I'll try to bite my tongue here and not get into the target market vigilant's were made for...nuf said

The Vigilant properly set up would be a comparable anthracite heater to your Chubbie. There are members on this forum that heat exclusively with the older Vigilant coal units up in the New England states. Search the forum for member Rewinder's posts. Don't let other peoples' negative comments dissuade you from looking for a coal insert for your Vigilant. Experience means a lot but it does not always develop accurate and thorough knowledge because it's tempered by ability.

To burn coal the Vigilant model you have, you will need the coal kit franco b mentioned. I believe they were rated at 45,000 BTU with the coal insert. The trick is to properly seal them when it's installed to keep the combustion air from bypassing the firebed. Rewinder posts some good suggestions on this matter. All Vigilants have a thermostatically controlled air inlet, you don't have to touch it once you set it for your desired stovetop temperature. No pipe or barometric damper is required because of the internal bypass system. Some members do use a baro with them with good results but it depends on your chimney's draft. The combination of the thermostatic air inlet and the internal bypass system team up to perform as a damping system to extract the heat from the exhaust and control the rate of combustion simultaneously. I haven't used the old model, my Vigilant is a series "II"(2), model 2310 and is redesigned on the inside from the early models that are distinguished by the fireback with 1977 cast into it. It's designed as a coal stove (bit or anthracite), not a wood or coal burner like yours. The 2310 burns wood fine, just not to current EPA standards. The 2310 has firebrick lining the firebox and will hold nearly 50 lbs of coal and easily burns at 700* for 14-16 hrs. Mine heats my 3,100^2ft house for most of the winter.

Finding the antique coal burning fireplace insert is proving fruitless there for I am considering a second hand vigilant 2310 due to folks satisfaction and ability to dial it down nice and slow, it would be back up or a little extra punch for the real frigid temps and shoulder months. A chubby jr. is also on my short list,but I like the looks of the vigilant 2310 real classic lines, reminds me of a '70 454 chevelle.

michaelanthony wrote:Finding the antique coal burning fireplace insert is proving fruitless there for I am considering a second hand vigilant 2310 due to folks satisfaction and ability to dial it down nice and slow, it would be back up or a little extra punch for the real frigid temps and shoulder months. A chubby jr. is also on my short list,but I like the looks of the vigilant 2310 real classic lines, reminds me of a '70 454 chevelle.

yes the Vig has some beautiful classic square lines and corners (kinda reminds of some very beautiful and functional woodstoves ).

dcrane wrote: yes the Vig has some beautiful classic square lines and corners (kinda reminds of some very beautiful and functional woodstoves ).

Yup, sure looks good in those clasic Federal lines ... as good as those woodstoves that some coal burners get rare parts from too

Shure, the Vig stoves are nice stoves If V.C. would have been more ""serious"" about this stove, the Vig could be the best New ant stoves available now. Not many new stoves have the long gases path like a sort of base burner to keep the heat inside of the house not in the chimney, large windows to see the fire, the unique slide out ash pan with sliding lid, internal damper, front or top loading doors... Usually, the Vig doesn't need a baro or a MPD to have a steady burn.

nortcan wrote:Shure, the Vig stoves are nice stoves If V.C. would have been more ""serious"" about this stove, the Vig could be the best New ant stoves available now. Not many new stoves have the long gases path like a sort of base burner to keep the heat inside of the house not in the chimney, large windows to see the fire, the unique slide out ash pan with sliding lid, internal damper, front or top loading doors... Usually, the Vig doesn't need a baro or a MPD to have a steady burn.

ohhh gosh...we cant forget the "roll top desk" ashpan for those with an unsteady hand (most rip that ridiculous thing off btw)

dcrane wrote: ohhh gosh...we cant forget the "roll top desk" ashpan for those with an unsteady hand (most rip that ridiculous thing off btw)

A cover is a good accessory for those with the skill to use it. The current model comes with a solid slide on cover that mates to the ashpan's rolled edge. Once on, it's a one hand operation and you don't have to worry about keeping the load anywhere near level. It's a great design.

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VigIIPeaBurner wrote:

dcrane wrote: ohhh gosh...we cant forget the "roll top desk" ashpan for those with an unsteady hand (most rip that ridiculous thing off btw)

A cover is a good accessory for those with the skill to use it. The current model comes with a solid slide on cover that mates to the ashpan's rolled edge. Once on, it's a one hand operation and you don't have to worry about keeping the load anywhere near level. It's a great design.

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as I said...its fantastic for those who have trouble holding a pan level... I wonder why Glenwood never though of that (I know they did not want to increase the price of their stoves by $152.00 for "fluff", but rather put that money into the quality and design of a good coal burner instead). But in all seriousness I do agree it can be a nice feature for some folks

Very helpful if you need to open door/s to go for the ash pan dumpting, that device always let you one hand free to open a door..., good for everybody. When an intelligent person try that stable configuration correctly, he will love it. Plus like VigPB just said, the load is in a safe and at a level position.

Might be a nice feature for a windy day too! It's not always possible to stay 'upwind ' from the open ash pan, with a lid on it, it would not be likely to get an 'eyefull' of gritty ash..

Greg L

I like it cause it leaves one hand free to close the ash pan door and to open and close the front door on your way out to the driveway. Also ashs don't blow out of the ash pan and on the wifes couch when you open the front door. As far as dumping the ashs there is no way to stay upwind of it you always get some on you.