Might Buy a Vermont Castings Vigilant Coal Stove.

Oldpaddy...where is that stove? If you don't buy it maybe I'll buy it for my shop. I have a Vermont Castings Resolute (wood) stove in my shop, but when I start working less I plan to play out there more!

Rich W. wrote:Oldpaddy...where is that stove? If you don't buy it maybe I'll buy it for my shop. I have a Vermont Castings Resolute (wood) stove in my shop, but when I start working less I plan to play out there more!

The $650 Multifuel vigilant?
It's in Truro Mass. About 2.5 hours from you.

That's an easy winter road trip. I sent you a PM. Rich W.

Rich W, is the Multifuel's internal configuration identical to the Model 2310? I would guess it is, having the same cleanout ports, grate style, and bit/anthracite plate on the inside air inlet - like in my pictures in my previous post in this thread. I've never had the opportunity to take a gander at a Multifuel.

One thing, if oldpaddy needs more than 50,000 btu/hr, he'll be needing a bigger stove. Oldpaddy, did you post a BTU/hr? Maybe you could please tell us how much coal you'd burn on a normal and a cold winter's day, that would give us a hint.

Yes, the clean outs and the air inlet look identical. However, the multi-fuel grates are shallower than those in your post. In other words, the 2310 grate pieces appear to hang lower than those in the multi-fuel, which is consistent with the 2310 ash pan being beneath the stove, rather than in the stove (behind the doors). Is this clear as mud?

Got it! Thank you sir

VigIIPeaBurner wrote:Rich W, is the Multifuel's internal configuration identical to the Model 2310? I would guess it is, having the same cleanout ports, grate style, and bit/anthracite plate on the inside air inlet - like in my pictures in my previous post in this thread. I've never had the opportunity to take a gander at a Multifuel.

One thing, if oldpaddy needs more than 50,000 btu/hr, he'll be needing a bigger stove. Oldpaddy, did you post a BTU/hr? Maybe you could please tell us how much coal you'd burn on a normal and a cold winter's day, that would give us a hint.

Thanks, it looks like I'm moving on from this stove. I made an offer and never heard back from my friend. I'll be looking at a chubby Sr later today.

During a normal winter I burn less than 2 tons of nut coal. The past 2 winters I burned upwards of 3 tons. That's approx October through May/June, and about 60-80lbs a day during the coldest stretches.

[quote="oldpaddy]

Thanks, it looks like I'm moving on from this stove. I made an offer and never heard back from my friend. I'll be looking at a chubby Sr later today.

During a normal winter I burn less than 2 tons of nut coal. The past 2 winters I burned upwards of 3 tons. That's approx October through May/June, and about 60-80lbs a day during the coldest stretches.[/quote]

In that case, the Vigilant II would serve you well if you can find a more reasonably priced unit. I would think it would be more efficient at transferring heat than a Chubby due to its much longer flame path.

VigIIPeaBurner wrote:[

The biggest thing that made me nervous about the vigilant was the amount of parts it has inside. One thing I've found with coal stoves, are the the less parts the better. If I have to overfire it when it's single digits outside, I don't want to have to replace hard to find parts every other season. The beautiful thing about the temp coal is the simplicity of it. The chubby doesn't appear to have too many parts inside and the parts are easily accessible.

oldpaddy wrote: The biggest thing that made me nervous about the vigilant was the amount of parts it has inside. One thing I've found with coal stoves, are the the less parts the better. If I have to overfire it when it's single digits outside, I don't want to have to replace hard to find parts every other season. The beautiful thing about the temp coal is the simplicity of it. The chubby doesn't appear to have too many parts inside and the parts are easily accessible.

I disagree with some of your "less part the better" statement. I agree if you differentiate between less moving parts vs. stationary parts. Vigilant II owner understand the purpose and robustness of those parts. The internal parts are the components of the firebox that forms the inside of the side and back heat exchange path. If you had chosen a Vigilant II, you probably won't have had to "overfire" this stove to heat your house from your winter coal use of 60-80# l you posted. I've burned 80+ lbs per day and never reached overburn temperatures (>700ºF).

The Vigilant II doesn't need a barometric damper to keep the heat in the stove long enough to heat the house and not shoot up the chimney. The internal damper combined with the thermostatic air inlet regulates the flow out of the heat exchange chamber. Heat stays in the heat exchange chamber and radiated in the house, not up the chimney. A baro slows the amount of exhaust going up the chimney at the cost of pulling heated room air out of the house. A baro is needed on a stove that doesn't have large heat exchange surface area to firebox ratio. That's what the old baseburners excelled at. That room room air consumed by the baro has to be replace from some other inlet (leaky window etc.).

The front grill is the weakest part in the Vigilant II if it is not properly seasoned. I'm in my 15 or 16th (???) season with my 2310 and on my second year on my 3th replacement front grill. I also like top loaders where you can pour the coal in from the top. Any coal dust gets sucked up the chimney and doesn't have a chance to puff into the house as you shovel one scoop after another after another ...

Sorry to be long winded on a dead post. I'm sure you'll enjoy the Chubby. It's a quality coal burner. The Chubby's round firebox is a much better design when it comes to shaking ash out. Shaking down isn't one of the Vigilant's best attributes. One has to take design shortcomings into account after you've made your stove choice. We learn to make it work and work with it! HAPPY HEATING!

When the baro opens from wind gusts such as we are having here today,there is no more heat lost than if no baro & no thermostatic damper to cut the primary air. When the wind blows air is going to get pulled up the stack from somewhere,it might as well be the room temp air rather than pulling it thru the hot coal bed. CLARIFICATION....This applies to stoves without the thermostatic damper,the thermostatic damper seems to be able to do the entire job on it's own,without additional equipment in the stack.This post is not intended to fan the flames from the long burning issue of mpd vs baro.Just my observation of various stoves that different folks use & the results from their use.Someday I hope to be so lucky as to have a stove equipped with the thermostatic damper,but until then I will rely on my baro to do the automatic regulating of my stove's draft on windy days. I still am mystified over this idea that shoveling coal into the loading door brings ash dust out ? I shovel new coal on top of old coal still in the firepot,i never have my bed of coals burnt down to ashes b4 reloading.But,i have never loaded coal into the Vigilant either.

windyhill4.2 wrote:When the baro opens from wind gusts such as we are having here today,there is no more heat lost than if no baro & no thermostatic damper to cut the primary air. When the wind blows air is going to get pulled up the stack from somewhere,it might as well be the room temp air rather than pulling it thru the hot coal bed. CLARIFICATION....This applies to stoves without the thermostatic damper,the thermostatic damper seems to be able to do the entire job on it's own,without additional equipment in the stack.This post is not intended to fan the flames from the long burning issue of mpd vs baro.Just my observation of various stoves that different folks use & the results from their use.Someday I hope to be so lucky as to have a stove equipped with the thermostatic damper,but until then I will rely on my baro to do the automatic regulating of my stove's draft on windy days. I still am mystified over this idea that shoveling coal into the loading door brings ash dust out ? I shovel new coal on top of old coal still in the firepot,i never have my bed of coals burnt down to ashes b4 reloading.But,i have never loaded coal into the Vigilant either.

Also, not trying to derail this thread, but just some food for thought, the manufacturer of the Surdiac, and the installers both recommend a baro on their stoves, (which use a thermostatic damper), and it was beneficial in my previous application. (Just sayin.)

joeq wrote:

windyhill4.2 wrote:When the baro opens from wind gusts such as we are having here today,there is no more heat lost than if no baro & no thermostatic damper to cut the primary air. When the wind blows air is going to get pulled up the stack from somewhere,it might as well be the room temp air rather than pulling it thru the hot coal bed. CLARIFICATION....This applies to stoves without the thermostatic damper,the thermostatic damper seems to be able to do the entire job on it's own,without additional equipment in the stack.This post is not intended to fan the flames from the long burning issue of mpd vs baro.Just my observation of various stoves that different folks use & the results from their use.Someday I hope to be so lucky as to have a stove equipped with the thermostatic damper,but until then I will rely on my baro to do the automatic regulating of my stove's draft on windy days. I still am mystified over this idea that shoveling coal into the loading door brings ash dust out ? I shovel new coal on top of old coal still in the firepot,i never have my bed of coals burnt down to ashes b4 reloading.But,i have never loaded coal into the Vigilant either.

Also, not trying to derail this thread, but just some food for thought, the manufacturer of the Surdiac, and the installers both recommend a baro on their stoves, (which use a thermostatic damper), and it was beneficial in my previous application. (Just sayin.)

Yes, agreed you'd prolly need a baro with a stove equipped with only thermostatic air control. However, the Vigilant IIs have an internal damper that not only restricts the exhaust exit size (as in an MPD) but redirects the gasses in two different directions along both sides and the back. The combined effect is quite effective and my draft is quite high most of the time.

Loading coal into a Vigilant II is quite easy. Just open the top loader and dump your hod's contents on top of the fire. Here's a view of the "throat" of the firebox:

VPB,is that pic looking down thru the top lid of the stove ? Is this design(both thermo damper & internal damper unique to this stove ? Seems most folks who have this stove are very pleased with it.

The Surdiac has basically the same layout, but doesn't have that internal bypass, that looks handy if you need direct draft.