Vermont Casting Vigilant II Side Air Port

So I think I have a dumb question. On my VC Vigilant II there is a side port on the left side, looks like a frying pan. When we moved the screw fell out and I haven't replaced it, would that make the stove to burn hotter without having that frying pan thing on? thank everyone

If it's the port I'm thinking of, it is over the fire air, used for wood burning, or dampening coal fire. My stove was an older Vigilant, prior to the Vigilant-II.

RIArmySGT wrote:So I think I have a dumb question. On my VC Vigilant II there is a side port on the left side, looks like a frying pan. When we moved the screw fell out and I haven't replaced it, would that make the stove to burn hotter without having that frying pan thing on? thank everyone

There's another long well read thread where I posted my explanation of the secondary air inlet point on page 9. I doubt that it worked well for it's intended purpose when it was first designed into the stove but it did serve a purpose.

• Vigilant II is just humming along!!!

That air inlet lets air into the stove's heat exchanger area. I have never figured out what its supposed to do, but if its left open room air enters it and goes up the chimney thus weakening your draft which may or may not cause a problem.

carlherrnstein wrote:That air inlet lets air into the stove's heat exchanger area. I have never figured out what its supposed to do, but if its left open room air enters it and goes up the chimney thus weakening your draft which may or may not cause a problem.

carlherrnstein - Considering that(IIRC) you burn mainly Bituminous coal, I often wondered if you found that secondary air, formerly secondary combustion air, inlet of any help in burning off the bit volatiles. From your above post, I guess not and it truly is vestigial!

Right answers guys, that small damper if useless at the place it's located. Impossible to ignite anything there
Better to cover it to avoid by-passing the coal bed.