Vc vigilant 1979

I purchased a Vc vigilant I've been burning it and playing with it for little over a week now .Have a few questions maybe I can get some help I can't seem to get the griddle temp over 350 no matter what I do . Any suggestions to make it burn hotter . I have waited till get good blue flames in unit then close damper built in on stove .

Happen after the new baro install?

You will get many ideas here to check, but for a start make sure (on the old model) to close the secondary air vent on the left side of the stove--that would reduce draft with coal. Also, depending on the weather, you may need to leave the damper open (in warmer weather) to keep a good draft (it is still efficient).

I have a Vigilant II model, but my manual says do not allow air to enter the flue without first passing through the firebox (to stoke the coals). I have not seen pictures of Vigilant ever using a baro in the flue. I don't know if the older ones say that.

If yours has cleanout covers (left, right, and back-right), make sure they are in place--if any are missing, they are letting air into the flue, bypassing the coal. Make sure (if you have a later model) that the plate for using bituminous coal has been removed when burning anthracite coal--if it has, there should be a warning label attached to the front of the ash door. If that plate is still there (no warning label), the anthracite coal is not getting enough air through the primary air tube--remove the plate. (If you are using bituminous coal, the plate must be in place.)

If you try opening the ash door for a few minutes, and the coal gets much hotter, then maybe when it is closed the fire is not getting enough air. (Don't just leave the ash door open though.) Or the draft is somehow being weakened.

If the primary air intake thermostat is working properly, you can see the flap open or close when you slide the control left and right.

Catfish mafia wrote: ↑

Fri. Dec. 21, 2018 7:50 am

I purchased a Vc vigilant I've been burning it and playing with it for little over a week now .Have a few questions maybe I can get some help I can't seem to get the griddle temp over 350 no matter what I do . Any suggestions to make it burn hotter . I have waited till get good blue flames in unit then close damper built in on stove .

If you have the hopper installed, it blocks heat to the griddle.

franco b wrote: ↑

Fri. Dec. 21, 2018 9:22 am

If you have the hopper installed, it blocks heat to the griddle.

What franco b CarlO said. Vigilants do not need a baro because of the thermostatic air control. If you have the hopper kit, the parts that feed the air to the coal bed have to be well sealed so air doesn't bypass the coal bed. All (99%) air has to come from under the grates The manual for every model of the Vigilant I've read, VC said they don't recommend a baro. That's because the thermostatic control regulates the flow of air through the coal bed by opening or closing in responce to the how hot the stove is.

Coal responds slowly and doesn't burn with a lot of flame. Most of the heat comes from the beautiful red glow of burning anthracite.

Try coverering your baro tightly with aluminum foil. Try setting the small rod that controls the air flap straight up and down - 12 o'clock. Leave it there, it'll take 2-3 hours to settle in. The thermostatic air control will take if from there. If after 6 hours or so, if it's too hot, move the rod to the right in small increments, say to 12:30. Wait and see. Too cool, move it to the left in the same small ammounts and wait. I rarely move mine, only when it gets around 20* warmer or colder outside.

Let us know how it works out.

VigIIPeaBurner wrote: ↑

Fri. Dec. 21, 2018 11:45 am

What franco b CarlO said. Vigilants do not need a baro because of the thermostatic air control. If you have the hopper kit, the parts that feed the air to the coal bed have to be well sealed so air doesn't bypass the coal bed. All (99%) air has to come from under the grates The manual for every model of the Vigilant I've read, VC said they don't recommend a baro. That's because the thermostatic control regulates the flow of air through the coal bed by opening or closing in responce to the how hot the stove is.

Coal responds slowly and doesn't burn with a lot of flame. Most of the heat comes from the beautiful red glow of burning anthracite.

Try coverering your baro tightly with aluminum foil. Try setting the small rod that controls the air flap straight up and down - 12 o'clock. Leave it there, it'll take 2-3 hours to settle in. The thermostatic air control will take if from there. If after 6 hours or so, if it's too hot, move the rod to the right in small increments, say to 12:30. Wait and see. Too cool, move it to the left in the same small ammounts and wait. I rarely move mine, only when it gets around 20* warmer or colder outside.

Let us know how it works out.

Thank you I will try that it warmed up to 60 today so I haven't played with it much today . the thermostat flap on the back does work .

Temperature jumped over 48 hours. Wednesday AM it was 18*, this AM 60* here too. I'm trying to regulate the windowstats to keep it an even 70 in here. The wife, well she's got other ideas about the indoor temperature

I had a VCII and they definately do not like a baro. Take out the Baro and you'll see an immediate boost

OK noticed some stuff just repaired that you all were talking about got rid of baro then noticed bottom right plate was loose and added the gasket to the door

Good testing weather too! Well, may be just for us coal burners

Let us know how the changes performed for you.

Well made a big difference getting rid of baro and other changes loaded it up went away for 3 hours had it up to 600 when got home everything set like had before would only get to 350-400 when damper was closed on stove and thermo on back wide open so know I gotta play with thermostat again to figure out lol

Good news!
Your thermostat might be a little different than mine (chimney, coal, draft, etc.). When I have the control rod set at ~11:30 my stove runs >600*F, at 12:00 = >500 and at ~1:00 you guessed it ... >400

VigIIPeaBurner wrote: ↑

Tue. Jan. 15, 2019 10:01 pm

Good news!
Your thermostat might be a little different than mine (chimney, coal, draft, etc.). When I have the control rod set at ~11:30 my stove runs >600*F, at 12:00 = >500 and at ~1:00 you guessed it ... >400

When I have it set at 12 my back flap is completely closed

Catfish mafia wrote: ↑

Tue. Jan. 15, 2019 10:22 pm

When I have it set at 12 my back flap is completely closed

Is it closed at 12 with a cold stove?

Might have to shorten the bead chain a bit.