Vermont Castings vigilant II burning bit

Berlin · Post by **Berlin** » Sun. Jan. 10, 2021 3:48 pm

I picked up a vigilant ii for $100 barely used. Replaced all gaskets on the doors and installed it in my guesthouse. Works very well with ohio lump / egg bit coal. I did not have the restrictor plate so I fabricated one. The shaker grates although not the best, seem to work just fine with this coal. Been playing with it for about a week to see how it does, no problem holding a fire overnight. Thought this might be iseful information if someone comes across one.

Ultralume · Post by **Ultralume** » Tue. Jan. 19, 2021 9:51 pm

Good information. I have a Vigilant 2310. I like to experiment with bituminous coal, however I have not been able to find lump bit coal. My experience is that the smaller pieces of bit coal clump up and form big pieces of coke that burn glowing like anthracite. Is that what larger pieces of bituminous do as well?

fig · Post by **fig** » Tue. Jan. 19, 2021 9:54 pm

Wow nice find. Looks great. Glad the bit is working.

Berlin · Post by **Berlin** » Wed. Jan. 20, 2021 3:08 pm

Ultralume wrote: ↑
Tue. Jan. 19, 2021 9:51 pm
Good information. I have a Vigilant 2310. I like to experiment with bituminous coal, however I have not been able to find lump bit coal. My experience is that the smaller pieces of bit coal clump up and form big pieces of coke that burn glowing like anthracite. Is that what larger pieces of bituminous do as well?

Larger sizes are less likely to do that, however, whether it "clumps together" or not is mostly a function of the coke button of the particular coal being used. Many bit coals do not have this tendency much or at all.

I will mention if you burn bit coal and want to run it with the bypass closed much of the time, you will have to let it burn to a bed of glowing coals open the bypass, open the ash door and close the bypass for 30 seconds or so. This seems to burn / blow out any soot buildup in the secondary heat exchanger.

Bubbalowe · Post by **Bubbalowe** » Mon. Feb. 01, 2021 2:18 pm

Interested in how bituminus coal works in these. Whenever I worked for a coal company in the mid 80's the owner gave his workers pickup loads of coal for personal use. Since coal is dead here in western PA with no sign of coming back I buy anthracite by the bag. While I love anthracite and being odor free and smokeless I always wonder what could of been with bituminus still around.

freetown fred · Post by **freetown fred** » Mon. Feb. 01, 2021 2:42 pm

Odors & smoke B--nature of the beast!!

oros35 · Post by **oros35** » Tue. Feb. 02, 2021 11:41 am

Bubbalowe wrote: ↑
Mon. Feb. 01, 2021 2:18 pm
Since coal is dead here in western PA with no sign of coming back I buy anthracite by the bag. While I love anthracite and being odor free and smokeless I always wonder what could of been with bituminus still around.

It's still around. Just got to look a little harder.

bksaun · Post by **bksaun** » Wed. Feb. 03, 2021 7:21 am

Ive got one of those stoves in my outbuilding I save as a back up, original owner said he only got to burn it once with bit, he admitted he didn’t know what he was doing and smoked up the house and his wife threw a big fit. People have no patience and cant read direction I guess. So I basically bought it brand new, cheap.

Ultralume · Post by **Ultralume** » Fri. Feb. 05, 2021 7:52 pm

The only bit coal that I can get in The Hudson Valley region where I live is what appears to be small nut, pea and rice coal mixture similar to smithing coal. I found that by making 1-2 pound “bricks” of bit coal.... a few scoops of bit in small paper sandwich bags, I can add them to the stove without smoking or blackening up of the glass. It burns off the volatiles slowly and eventually clumps up into nice glowing bricks that burn like anthracite.

Bubbalowe · Post by **Bubbalowe** » Sat. Feb. 06, 2021 10:11 am

oros35 wrote: ↑
Tue. Feb. 02, 2021 11:41 am
It's still around. Just got to look a little harder.

There are no local coal mines around which is the source I was lamenting about. Used to be able to get run of mine coal for much less than anthracite and was curious if burning bit is worth the extra trouble to save money. I am very happy with the Vigilant II burning anthracite at 1 bag a day rate, probably no better option at this time, just wondering about bit burning is all.

freetown fred · Post by **freetown fred** » Tue. Apr. 06, 2021 7:42 am

Hey B---what the hell is a lamenting--something that happens to women when pregnant??????????

Bubbalowe wrote: ↑
Sat. Feb. 06, 2021 10:11 am
There are no local coal mines around which is the source I was lamenting about. Used to be able to get run of mine coal for much less than anthracite and was curious if burning bit is worth the extra trouble to save money. I am very happy with the Vigilant II burning anthracite at 1 bag a day rate, probably no better option at this time, just wondering about bit burning is all.

Hambden Bob · Post by **Hambden Bob** » Tue. Apr. 06, 2021 11:31 am

Fred... Fred... You are driving a golf kart with these guys onboard-straight to Hell with that one!!
Now,back to this here topic! Yes,Bit has changed as far as access locally goes. I've been gratefully spoiled by the more expensive NEPA Anthracite,so it hasn't hurt me. Big Daddy Berlin has done alot of work in Bit. Oros and bk have been in on it too. Stay in tandem with these three "Bituminous Bubba's" and work to develop Your Sources,then Work to develop Your Stockpile!

fig · Post by **fig** » Tue. Apr. 20, 2021 6:13 pm

FWIW I have easier access to bit but I’ve been burning hard coal the last two seasons. It’s just so much easier and the savings, for me, is negligible. Bit burns so much faster that I end up burning twice as much so it’s only slightly less then bagged hard coal and much more work. Six, 1/2 dozen or the other.

Vermont Castings vigilant II burning bit

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