Ash Build up in My Vermont Coal Stove??

stonyloam · Post by **stonyloam** » Tue. Feb. 03, 2009 8:35 pm

Thanks Rewinder, I think I have some gasket material downstairs, have to see if my supply of furnace cement has hardened yet. I burn 35-50 pounds per day. I love my old vigilant, especially at night with the lights off. She may not be the easiest or the most efficient, but shore is the purdiest!!!

rewinder · Post by **rewinder** » Tue. Feb. 03, 2009 8:54 pm

Ya I've been burning a 40 lb bag through out january, same in my resolute vintage version. looking forward to temps of highs in the 40's and lows in the 20's so I can burn less. Used 2400 lbs total last month. Another 2 tons from middle of Oct til the end of the year.

This stove a lot less work to tend in more moderate temps.

Do you also pull the top baffle under the outlet in the off season and vac the S shaped flame path clean? That's when I knock loose the L shaped lower wood vent cover casting, and can get to every part of the vents behind the back plate.

I wonder how many caol kits were tossed out between the 80's and now, when folks just used it as a wood burner. would like to get a buy on another set of grates.

paul

stonyloam · Post by **stonyloam** » Tue. Feb. 03, 2009 9:21 pm

It is a pain, but every other year I pull it all apart, including the damper and that "L" plate and clean everything out. I duct tape a section of old garden hose to the end of my shop vac hose to clean behind the back plate. Put it all back together with fresh furnace cement.

Couple of other things while I am thinking about it:

I clean out behind the front grate first, because if I don't, sometimes when I shake some of the coal will fall out when I open the door.

I Keep an old cookie sheet under the stove and pull it out when I use the slicer to catch any stray embers.

Last thing, the slicer can get really really HOT, so be careful.

Stay warm!

Terry

rewinder · Post by **rewinder** » Tue. Feb. 03, 2009 9:59 pm

""I clean out behind the front grate first, because if I don't, sometimes when I shake some of the coal will fall out when I open the door."

Ya I know what you mean, If it looks like coals might fall I'll do that too , and I keep the doors alternately partially closed to prevent a loose coal from jumping off the ash ledge thing at the front. Good idea about the cookie sheet!!! going to get a pair!

Had to make a new slicer this year. I lost one and the pan when I put the vig in the barn a few years ago. making a pan was a pain.

what brand coal are you using?

rewinder · Post by **rewinder** » Tue. Feb. 03, 2009 10:01 pm

pete69, I just got small--LOL

stonyloam · Post by **stonyloam** » Tue. Feb. 03, 2009 10:56 pm

Reading 50# bags, At my age I liked the 40's better. High of 16, low of 8 tomorrow (near Rochester NY) going to go through a whole bag tomorrow.

Terry

stonyloam · Post by **stonyloam** » Thu. Feb. 05, 2009 10:40 am

Rewinder: Tried the door gaskets today. Just stuck them on temporarily because the door was pretty hot. You know, when you mentioned the door gasket it set off a little light. Seems I did try that years ago (there was even a little of the old cement remaining), and it did not make much difference, but that was before I knew enough to seal up the stove duhhhhhh. Looks like it will be a significant improvement. Thanks for reminding me.

Terry

rewinder · Post by **rewinder** » Thu. Feb. 05, 2009 12:06 pm

Terry, let us know how the extra gaskets work out.

Conductor · Post by **Conductor** » Thu. Feb. 05, 2009 5:56 pm

I have the vc vig the older one it works great. I burn nut in it but don't know what kind it is because the coal was in an old cellar I got it free mabey 3 ton or more.I fired up the stove in nov and is still going. Great heat im looking at a old vc resolute for sale. The lady said it is set up for coal.it looks like it is smaller than the vig. Dose the resolute burn and operate like the vig? it looks like a nice stove from the pic she had.any help would be great thanks

stonyloam · Post by **stonyloam** » Thu. Feb. 05, 2009 7:37 pm

Paul: The gasket works great, I think that there is a significant improvement. Unfortunately I made two changes at once, gasket and am burning Centralia rather than Reading. No matter I will keep the gasket in place from now on.

Conductor: Welcome to the club, I am sure that you will find answers to all of your Resolute questions here. BTW is it enamel or black?

Terry

rewinder · Post by **rewinder** » Thu. Feb. 05, 2009 10:08 pm

Hi conductor

VC made a coal kit add on too for the resolute. I have both running now. does it look like the one by name here------------>>>>>>

The resolute older coal kit version burns just as well as the vig, holds a few pounds less in the hopper, fire box is a bit smaller, and doesn't like nut coal as well as the Vig (due to the slightly narrower hopper throat)

Especially with the forementioned gasket on the doors mod, it reacts to getting a higher fire faster than the Vig does.

If you like the way the Vig cooks, you'll like the resolute too

Paul

Conductor · Post by **Conductor** » Fri. Feb. 06, 2009 4:06 pm

Thanks rewinder I called the lady back about the stove today and she sold it. thanks for the info I will keep looking. Thanks rick

stonyloam · Post by **stonyloam** » Fri. Feb. 06, 2009 10:08 pm

Paul: Been running with the new door gaskets for a couple of days now, and they are a great improvement. Blue ladies dancin in about 1/3 of the time after a refill.

Another "key" for the list. Thanks

Terry

rewinder · Post by **rewinder** » Fri. Feb. 06, 2009 10:36 pm

Terry--Glad it works good for you. Sometimes when I need a super fast recovery, I slide the weight on my baro to keep it closed for a while and it revs up even faster.

I posted on another thread that I got one of the first Vig's with the coal kit, and it had a narrow strip of cast iron bolted to the undrside of the front grate. this strip clamped a fiberglass gasket that protruded towards the door, and touched the door, crushing it some and effectivly doing the same thing as the "door mod". After 5 years or so, the gasket (which was clad in a stainless steel mesh) got destroyed from slicing I guess. The gasket wasn't available by then as the later stoves didn't have them, so I came up with the idea of gluing something on the doors. I had two stove dealers swear they never had such a gasket on the front grate, but the bolt on strip is still under my grate! My brother has the same stove bought at the same time, and his has it on it also.

Paul

Club53 · Post by **Club53** » Fri. Feb. 06, 2009 10:46 pm

After burning wood for years, I too think I'm coal retarded. I have an old Warm Morning stove in the cellar. It may nota be as efficient as a newer stove, but it should still be driving me out with the heat and yet I cannot get any heat to radiate off of it. I have a chimney with tremendous draft, installed a barometric and manual damper, burn good anthracite coal (blalock)in a mound and still can't get things going.

Any one else out there have similar problems with their stove?