Calling All VC Vigilant Owners!!

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Quippabill
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Location: SWPa Airport
Other Heating: VC Encore 2n1

Post by Quippabill » Wed. Feb. 18, 2015 7:12 pm

I have been reading this board for over a year as I am going to be switching to coal. I have an old 3,200 sq foot farmhouse that has been added on to over the years. I don't have a good central location for a high clearance stove. I currently am burning a VC encore(wood) for the majority of my needs that I will be replacing. My question to all the vigilant owners is if you could do it again, would you still buy a VC or would you purchase a different model. I like the Chubby stove as well, but the looks of the VC better, and after my wife watched nortcan's videos, is not intimidated at all. Thanks!!

 
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michaelanthony
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Location: millinocket,me.
Hand Fed Coal Stove: Vigilant 2310, gold marc box stove
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Coal Size/Type: 'nut
Other Heating: Fujitsu mini split, FHA oil furnace

Post by michaelanthony » Wed. Feb. 18, 2015 7:26 pm

Quippabill wrote:I have been reading this board for over a year as I am going to be switching to coal. I have an old 3,200 sq foot farmhouse that has been added on to over the years. I don't have a good central location for a high clearance stove. I currently am burning a VC encore(wood) for the majority of my needs that I will be replacing. My question to all the vigilant owners is if you could do it again, would you still buy a VC or would you purchase a different model. I like the Chubby stove as well, but the looks of the VC better, and after my wife watched nortcan's videos, is not intimidated at all. Thanks!!
Welcome Quippabill, I love my Vigilant 2310, my home is only 1100 sq ft. and it does a great job and we love the look as well. It is only rated for 2,000 sq. ft. and I doubt it will be enough stove for a chopped up farm house. Do you have a boiler or hot air furnace in the home?

 
Quippabill
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Location: SWPa Airport
Other Heating: VC Encore 2n1

Post by Quippabill » Wed. Feb. 18, 2015 7:52 pm

I have a gas boiler in the basement(10x12) on the opposite corner from the wood/coal stove. I want to either put a nat gas small heater in down there, or another stove. It will heat the back corner through the floor. My wife doesn't want to rely on electricity in case of a power outage. If I run my wood stove now, the boiler won't come on until early morning, so I think the Vig will be the right size, without blasting us out of that part of the house.


 
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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. Feb. 18, 2015 8:03 pm

Where are you located Qp...are you looking for a used unit or new?...I see'em new $1900 plus and used $600 and up.

 
franco b
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Post by franco b » Wed. Feb. 18, 2015 8:05 pm

The worst of the winter is almost over so if you want a Vigilant perhaps you can find a used 2310 rather than pay for new.

Nortcan's video is of his stove which he modified and reduced the fire box, so is not typical.

I agree you could use a larger stove.

 
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VigIIPeaBurner
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Post by VigIIPeaBurner » Wed. Feb. 18, 2015 8:48 pm

My house is about the same size as yours but my stove is on the first floor. Plus, it's modern 16 yr old construction. You will need a bigger stove if you don't want to supplement with another fuel source. For me to go all coal with a hand fed, I'd need something that could burn another ton through the season. That's the coal BTU equivalent I use in fuel oil durning a "normal" winter which 2014-15 hasn't been. This year it might be 1.5 + tons moe in BTU equivalency.

I agree with franko b statements about norcan's stove. Highly modified. I rarely have to slice up through from below the grates. In fact, I haven't had to yet this season.


 
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nortcan
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Post by nortcan » Thu. Feb. 19, 2015 10:15 am

Hi Quippabill and Madame. Welcome to the best place to get coal infos.
The first year I used the Vigll, ll really didn't like it. But the problem was probaby **almost** coming from me. Burning wood in many Vermont Castings stoves made me a bad coal newbee. So I put my frustrations on modifications of all sort to arrive to a very good result... But maybe less modifs could get as good results if I had to get another Vll. These stove have many good options not found on new anthr stoves like:
Swing out ash pan and lid
Very long gases path, like found in the antique base burner to keep the heat Inside the house
Internal by-pass damper
Thermostat control.....
But I don't know if the stove is big enough for your house, maybe a secon one like a Chubby could be an option?
P/S the videos show one of many ways the stove can be use.

 
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blrman07
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Post by blrman07 » Thu. Feb. 19, 2015 10:37 am

What is the BTU rating of the wood stove your looking to replace. Over 3k of sq footage to heat is a lot to ask of any one stove no matter what the fuel. The VC2310 is a good stove. I don't have any modifications on it and I run the temperature at around 600-650 on the griddle top. That heats my 985 sq foot house to 72 F when it's zero or around. I almost have it at max to do that.

To answer your question....yes I would buy the same model again without thinking about it. But then again I have a small house.

You may want to consider a larger stove somewhere in the 90k+ range for better results in heating your big space.

 
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Rich W.
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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. » Thu. Feb. 19, 2015 3:45 pm

We have a late 1980's Vigilant multi-fuel (coal for us), and love it. Relatively small house (2400 sq ft or so), center chimney fireplace installation in a 15 x 30 (?) living room. Low teens and below and we hear the oil burner come on in the morning. Otherwise, we enjoy low 70s in the living room and 60s everywhere else. Every body should have one room (or more) where they can be as comfortable as they want without regret$. Easy to tend, 40# of nut coal per day in this weather, and pretty to look at. Yes, I would do it again. FWIW, I burn wood in a similar vintage Resolute in my shop, but if and when I retire and spend more time there, that will also be anthracite heat!

 
Quippabill
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Other Heating: VC Encore 2n1

Post by Quippabill » Thu. Feb. 19, 2015 5:01 pm

Thanks for all the replies. I live in SW Pa, so I don't typically have to worry about too much sub zero weather. My current stove is rated for 45,000 and the long term plan is a second stove on the far corner. I have a central chimney that has been plastered over that I will investigate when it's warmer. I think I' ll be making the right call with the Vigilant, and a second stove for the really cold temps. Thanks again and most importantly, thanks to all you guys for taking the time to run and post on this board. It is an incredible resource of knowledge and experience!!!!!

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