Vigilant 1.0 Back in Service

 
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Smart_Ash
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Joined: Wed. Jan. 14, 2015 6:20 pm
Location: Apalachin, NY
Hand Fed Coal Stove: Vigilant 1.0 Hitzer 50-93

Post by Smart_Ash » Wed. Jan. 21, 2015 8:19 pm

I ran out of seasoned wood early this winter. Then I started thinking about the Vigilant that I had sitting in my garage. So I read every post I could find on that stove at least ten times. I started to think I could make it work. I took it apart and vacuumed out all the passages. I replaced all the gaskets and cemented up all joints. I added the gaskets to the doors for a better seal against the ash pan. I took out my dark blue enamel finished Jotul Oslo and brought the Vigilant in. Wife did not like the look of the new stove at first. The vigilant has the ivory enamel finish. Took her a while but now she likes it. After reading about how fussy this stove could be I was not expecting anything great. After getting the coal going I was really surprised. I can't believe how long the stove will hold a temperature for. It will hang at 550-600 for 12 hours. Way less work than wood. I wonder why I ever bought a wood stove in the first place.

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KingCoal
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Posts: 4837
Joined: Wed. Apr. 03, 2013 1:24 pm
Location: Elkhart county, IN.
Hand Fed Coal Stove: 1 comforter stove works all iron coal box stove, seventies.
Baseburners & Antiques: 2014 DTS C17 Base Burner, GW #6, GW 113 formerly Sir Williams, maybe others at Pauliewog’s I’ve forgotten about
Coal Size/Type: Nut Anth.
Other Heating: none

Post by KingCoal » Wed. Jan. 21, 2015 8:29 pm

i ask myself the "why did I " questions alot too. :oops:

BUT, you made a good choice this time and it's paying off in satisfaction and comfort.

Congrat's and start looking for a hobby, you are going to have a good supply of new found extra time on your hands. :)

 
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Lightning
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Posts: 14658
Joined: Wed. Nov. 16, 2011 9:51 am
Location: Olean, NY
Stoker Coal Boiler: Modified AA 130
Coal Size/Type: Pea Size - Anthracite

Post by Lightning » Wed. Jan. 21, 2015 8:32 pm

Wow! That's a beautiful site! And so, the coal takes another one. :)

I think yer gonna love the change. I commend your effort for doing your homework and doing the important stuff to insure your success.

 
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michaelanthony
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Posts: 4550
Joined: Sat. Nov. 22, 2008 10:42 pm
Location: millinocket,me.
Hand Fed Coal Stove: Vigilant 2310, gold marc box stove
Hand Fed Coal Furnace: Gold Marc Independence
Baseburners & Antiques: Home Sparkle 12
Coal Size/Type: 'nut
Other Heating: Fujitsu mini split, FHA oil furnace

Post by michaelanthony » Wed. Jan. 21, 2015 8:36 pm

Welcome Smart_Ash, you have one of the nicest hand fired coal stoves there is and yes I am biased :) I would try to name them but fear of leaving some out I won't. They work even better right side up! I know I'm a smart as& :P

There are some great threads like you said and one that covers many subjects: Vigilant II Is Just Humming Along!!!
VigilIIPeaburner has some informative videos for the warmer weather also.

Feel free to jump in we some very smart, funny, and talented folks here and the best part is they make themselves available 24/7.
Mike.

 
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Smart_Ash
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Posts: 25
Joined: Wed. Jan. 14, 2015 6:20 pm
Location: Apalachin, NY
Hand Fed Coal Stove: Vigilant 1.0 Hitzer 50-93

Post by Smart_Ash » Wed. Jan. 21, 2015 9:01 pm

Thanks for the welcome! I guess that is a top down fire! How do I fix my pictures?

 
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Rich W.
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Posts: 335
Joined: Tue. Nov. 26, 2013 10:29 pm
Location: Newport County, Rhode Island
Hand Fed Coal Stove: Vermont Castings Vigilant Multi-Fuel (coal for me); Vermont Castings Vigilant 2310 in the shop
Coal Size/Type: Nut
Other Heating: System 2000 Oil Burner; VC Resolute Woodstove (sold) Jotul 8 Woodstove (sold)

Post by Rich W. » Wed. Jan. 21, 2015 9:26 pm

Nice fire! Looks like you got it! I'm just year 2 with my vigilant multi-fuel (coal for me) and I ask that why question too! 20 years burning wood in a VC Resolute and a Jotul 8 because I didn't know better. You found the best accessory you could have...this forum of good folks! Welcome, and enjoy your stove. Oh...and please tell us how it came to be hanging around out of service.

 
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Photog200
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Posts: 2063
Joined: Tue. Feb. 05, 2013 7:11 pm
Location: Fulton, NY
Baseburners & Antiques: Colonial Clarion cook stove, Kineo #15 base burner & 2 Geneva Oak Andes #517's
Coal Size/Type: Blaschak Chestnut
Other Heating: Electric Baseboard

Post by Photog200 » Wed. Jan. 21, 2015 9:48 pm

This should be better for your photos...the coal almost fell out. :D

Randy

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joeq
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Joined: Sat. Feb. 11, 2012 11:53 am
Location: Northern CT
Hand Fed Coal Stove: G111, Southard Robertson

Post by joeq » Wed. Jan. 21, 2015 11:04 pm

Nice touch Randy. (The blood was going to my head)
Another welcome smart one, and glad to see another convert. you can't realize how fortunate you are to have a stove to hold those temps for that long, (until you don't have one). Consider yourself "lucky "and smart".

 
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SWPaDon
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Posts: 9857
Joined: Sun. Nov. 24, 2013 12:05 pm
Location: Southwest Pa.
Hand Fed Coal Furnace: Clayton 1600M
Coal Size/Type: Bituminous
Other Heating: Oil furnace

Post by SWPaDon » Wed. Jan. 21, 2015 11:07 pm

Smart_Ash wrote:Thanks for the welcome! I guess that is a top down fire! How do I fix my pictures?
This may help with the pictures: Sideways Pictures From Cell Phones

Welcome to the forum, always glad to see a new coal burner.

 
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Smart_Ash
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Posts: 25
Joined: Wed. Jan. 14, 2015 6:20 pm
Location: Apalachin, NY
Hand Fed Coal Stove: Vigilant 1.0 Hitzer 50-93

Post by Smart_Ash » Thu. Jan. 22, 2015 8:54 pm

I came across this stove about six years ago. Found it when I was talking to a friend about putting a stove in my garage. That was before I knew the horrors of having a solid fuel burning appliance in a garage! So they say... My friend gave it to me and said I could probably burn wood in it. I remember thinking why would anyone want to burn coal when wood is free? Ha! I never hooked it up in the garage. So now it's inside just humming along.

 
ddahlgren
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Location: Mystic CT
Hand Fed Coal Stove: Crane 404
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Post by ddahlgren » Sun. Jan. 25, 2015 3:39 am

I never got the whole free wood thing unless you need chainsaw axe splitter tractor or truck for maintenance around the house / farm and a couple of strong kids to do the work there is nothing free unless your time is worthless. I bet the wife thinks the coal stove is getting pretty good looking with a constant 550-600 all day!

 
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joeq
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Posts: 5739
Joined: Sat. Feb. 11, 2012 11:53 am
Location: Northern CT
Hand Fed Coal Stove: G111, Southard Robertson

Post by joeq » Sun. Jan. 25, 2015 9:58 am

ddahlgren wrote: I bet the wife thinks the coal stove is getting pretty good looking with a constant 550-600 all day!
Unfortunately it's in the garage. Pretty soon, your wife will either be spending "lots" of time, helping you in the garage, or be mandating you put the stove in the house. (Like my wife did.) :)

 
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Smart_Ash
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Posts: 25
Joined: Wed. Jan. 14, 2015 6:20 pm
Location: Apalachin, NY
Hand Fed Coal Stove: Vigilant 1.0 Hitzer 50-93

Post by Smart_Ash » Mon. Jan. 26, 2015 4:22 pm

The stove is in the house now. It was out in the garage not being used. I like this little stove but it is a lot of work. First I poke the front gates. Then I shake with handle. Finally I slice down between grates from up top. Then maybe shake a little again. Would be nice to have a separate door for ash pan. I see that this stove is rated at 50k btu. I have been running this pretty hard and it does a good job. Is there any other stoves that look as good as the vigilant in the 100k BTU range? The bigger stoves all seem to be big black box looking things with no style. I like the Hitzer 50-93. Hopper and thermostat look to be nice features. As far as looks go it's got nothing on the Vigilant.

 
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Rich W.
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Posts: 335
Joined: Tue. Nov. 26, 2013 10:29 pm
Location: Newport County, Rhode Island
Hand Fed Coal Stove: Vermont Castings Vigilant Multi-Fuel (coal for me); Vermont Castings Vigilant 2310 in the shop
Coal Size/Type: Nut
Other Heating: System 2000 Oil Burner; VC Resolute Woodstove (sold) Jotul 8 Woodstove (sold)

Post by Rich W. » Mon. Jan. 26, 2015 5:10 pm

My multi fuel has doors like yours, but my procedure is much easier than what you describe, and I get excellent results. Inasmuch as we will have a snow day tomorrow, I will have time to detail it if you would like me to.

 
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VigIIPeaBurner
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Joined: Fri. Jan. 11, 2008 10:49 am
Location: Pequest River Valley, Warren Co NJ
Hot Air Coal Stoker Furnace: Keystoker Koker(down)
Hand Fed Coal Stove: Vermont Casting Vigilant II 2310
Other Heating: #2 Oil Furnace

Post by VigIIPeaBurner » Mon. Jan. 26, 2015 6:49 pm

Smart_Ash wrote:The stove is in the house now. It was out in the garage not being used. I like this little stove but it is a lot of work. First I poke the front gates. Then I shake with handle. Finally I slice down between grates from up top. Then maybe shake a little again. Would be nice to have a separate door for ash pan. I see that this stove is rated at 50k btu. I have been running this pretty hard and it does a good job. Is there any other stoves that look as good as the vigilant in the 100k BTU range? The bigger stoves all seem to be big black box looking things with no style. I like the Hitzer 50-93. Hopper and thermostat look to be nice features. As far as looks go it's got nothing on the Vigilant.
Nothing like a larger Vigilant 2310 I'm familiar with. I could also use the extra BTU output. Not planning on giving the Vig II up but if I was allowed to change stoves ( :oops: :roll: ), I'd go with a Keystoker HFH 70/90 pictured about 2/3 of the way down this link. Thermostatic control, SS hopper fed, and a decent appearance for a steel stove. 2 friends have them and are very pleased with them.


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