Retro Fitting a Vermont Castings Vigilant

$400, ouch:
**Broken Link(s) Removed**

I'll check the back basement...
Just to verify the parts list...
I have most of the kit, sans poker and ash pan...
Along with the manual and install instructions...
New never used...
I'll get some pics later...

Hi all, I have been reading about people with the older Vermont Castings stoves and thought I would add my story. I too have an old 1979ish VC Resolute that I needed parts. My first stop was http://WWW.STOVEPARTSPLUS.COM I placed my order on line thru the web site they took my money and like 6 months no parts. So I sent the issue to the Better Business Bureau in Pittsburgh to try and get my money back. The BBB had no success and the company never responded to them. During my discussions with the BBB rep she told me there were about 80 complaints just like mine. So long story short I would NEVER recommend using STOVE PARTS PLUS. I did however find and extemely good business that had parts in stock and showed up like 3 days after I ordered them and when you call a person answers the phone who is very knowledgeable about the parts. Any one havin a hard time locating older parts should check them out. They are WOODMAN'S PARTS PLUS here is the link http://www.woodmanspartsplus.com/68/catalogs/Wood ... rence.html I am pretty sure this company has the moulds for the parts and are making them. I havent used the new parts I ordered yet so as far as quality not sure . The parts do look to be a quality oem part though . They have all the original moulded part numbers. The parts I got were the hopper lower throat halves. Good luck

Hello everyone, I have a Vigilant wood stove and I would like to change the oval flue collar to a round collar and I am wondering if this is possible and where I might be able to get a round collar. I noticed that on the newer stoves they have a 6" round collar and will this fit on my late 70s stove. thank you to anyone with info on this subject.

sparkum wrote:Hello everyone, I have a Vigilant wood stove and I would like to change the oval flue collar to a round collar and I am wondering if this is possible and where I might be able to get a round collar. I noticed that on the newer stoves they have a 6" round collar and will this fit on my late 70s stove. thank you to anyone with info on this subject.

I was reading up on the older stoves and they spoke about a "6" round option" that was available. One of the endearing burning modes for the old Vigilants was with both front doors open as a wood burning fireplace. The info I read stated that with the 6" round option, one could not burn it as a fireplace, only with the 8" pipe could this be done. That said, I occasionally burn my 2310 6" as a fireplace with the screen w/o any smoking problems. I do have very good draft. I don't know if this is important for your plans. I don't know if the 2310's six inch collar will fit on the older models. Anyway ... FYI

sparkum wrote:Hello everyone, I have a Vigilant wood stove and I would like to change the oval flue collar to a round collar

Just wondering why you might want to do this. Mine has an oval to round (8") adapter pipe that that came with the stove. It fits into the flue collar, and is only about 8" long. Switching out the flue collar (if possible at all) would likely be a very expensive proposition.

stonyloam wrote:

sparkum wrote:Hello everyone, I have a Vigilant wood stove and I would like to change the oval flue collar to a round collar

Just wondering why you might want to do this. Mine has an oval to round (8") adapter pipe that that came with the stove. It fits into the flue collar, and is only about 8" long. Switching out the flue collar (if possible at all) would likely be a very expensive proposition.

When I was first trying to find the oval to 8" round pipe I was finding prices in the neighborhood of like $50.00-$60.00, then had to add the extra cost of the 8" pipe or 8-6 adaptor. But when I went down to stove store that carries Vermont Castings and ask them for one, and ask about using 6" pipe for coal ONLY, the guy said hang on as he had the 6" flue adaptor in stock as it is the same as the newer stoves and cost $55.00 and then I didn't need to mess with 8" pipe. Below is the part number and description from my receipt.

025670065 - 6" Classic Flue Collar Encore (1580)

cntbill wrote:

stonyloam wrote: Just wondering why you might want to do this. Mine has an oval to round (8") adapter pipe that that came with the stove. It fits into the flue collar, and is only about 8" long. Switching out the flue collar (if possible at all) would likely be a very expensive proposition.

When I was first trying to find the oval to 8" round pipe I was finding prices in the neighborhood of like $50.00-$60.00, then had to add the extra cost of the 8" pipe or 8-6 adaptor. But when I went down to stove store that carries Vermont Castings and ask them for one, and ask about using 6" pipe for coal ONLY, the guy said hang on as he had the 6" flue adaptor in stock as it is the same as the newer stoves and cost $55.00 and then I didn't need to mess with 8" pipe. Below is the part number and description from my receipt.

025670065 - 6" Classic Flue Collar Encore (1580)

Thanks for the info, is your wood stove a vigilant? The companies that I have talked to about this told me I should not change the collar but because of the space I have in the room this is the better and cleanner way to plumb the chimney pipe. the oval to round adaptors and the 8-6 adaptors add about 18" of pipe that I do not have room for. I think the collar replacement is the way to go. Thanks again.

Sparkum:

Yes it is a Vigilant 1C with the coal kit installed. But remember once the flue is changed to 6" I am pretty sure to burn wood in it would not be feasible, and maybe dangerous. This is a stove I bought to experiment with using coal, so I have no intentions of using wood. When I asked about the 6" for coal only at the dealer, this is pretty much what he told me also.

I have an older Vigilant 1977 model stove question is someone stated to seal the inside with furnace cement
the parts fit really tight how do you seal using this?

i have the stove about 5 years always burned wood now want to give coal a try.. have a fire in but won't burn up
past 250 degrees not sure seems like its getting air around the fire

thanks for the help
Kevin

fireball33 wrote:I have an older Vigilant 1977 model stove question is someone stated to seal the inside with furnace cement
the parts fit really tight how do you seal using this?

i have the stove about 5 years always burned wood now want to give coal a try.. have a fire in but won't burn up
past 250 degrees not sure seems like its getting air around the fire

thanks for the help
Kevin

Welcome to the Forum Kevin!

I'm a bit new here my self and you will find some interesting information here.

Photo's, that's what some ask for, also do you have the coal kit?

Check this thread out (link below) might shed some more light, and do a search for user "rewinder" posts, as he has a couple of Vermont Castings stoves.

Vermont Castings Vigilant Coal Kit Install Manual

I do have the complete coal kit was with the stove
i installed it the other day but just won't burn hot enough to throw heat only around 200-250 degrees

not sure what's wrong but had to take out the air duct inside the stove that goes from the back left to front left
because I couldn't hook the grate shaker up -- the duct was in the way... looked on the link above at diagram
and its not shown in that one.. so figured its for burning wood

quote from another post--"It is critical that you seal it up really well with furnace cement, and add gaskets to seal between the doors and the front lip of the front cover (part 23)." --------- my question is this just a rope gasket on that little ledge of the door that almost touches the lip of the front cover

its definitely getting air around the fire somehow its seems to burn best when I shut the handle on left side to close
off chimney but not by much

any and all help is greatly appreciated
thanks

I have had my stove up to just a little over 500*. So yes heat is going up your chimney. Not sure if I should try to push it much further than that, but don't need to because one thing is for sure is at 450* keeps the house at 72*

Yes that "duct" needs to come out as it is only for burning wood.

The handle on the left should be pointing down, closing the internal damper, also on the left side on the outside, towards the bottom there is a round vent hole that should be closed, (it is only for wood) what's on mine looks like a frying pan and it is spring loaded.

All the coal kit parts that install against the stove body should be sealed with a bead of stove cement.

I sealed all of these parts in the photo below, which by the way is a photo I stole from here so I hope I don't get into trouble for reposting it...

Part #'s 15, 24, 18, 21, 25, and 26.

Where it shows the red on part 23 is where the rope gasket that you should put on the doors will seal against.

I glued a gasket to the front lip of part 23 in addition to th ones on the doors, so that it closes gasket-on-gasket. Another place to check is the "L" plate bolted to the fireback in the lower right under the insert, it has to be sealed really well. Get her sealed up tight and she will work fine for you. Good Luck.

thanks for the help to everyone who posted before and after me!!!!

i had the day off so I took the stove all apart and got new door seals and sealed all the joints around the places mentioned even had
enough rope to put extra seal where noted on door for front piece #23 so hope its better not knowing what to seal when I put it together
the first time I didn't seal anywhere now looking at it today as I took it back apart it made perfect sense to seal all around the inside

so thanks for the replies hope it burns good now was disappointed couldn't keep a fire going and if I did it barely threw any heat
good thing for the internet and good people

happy and warm again
Kevin