I Bought a Vigilant II Today 12/19/15
- Hambden Bob
- Member
- Posts: 8531
- Joined: Mon. Jan. 04, 2010 10:54 am
- Location: Hambden Twp. Geauga County,Ohio
- Hot Air Coal Stoker Stove: Harman 1998 Magnum Stoker
- Hand Fed Coal Stove: Blower Model Coal Chubby 1982-Serial#0097
- Coal Size/Type: Rice-A-Roni ! / Nut
- Other Heating: Pro-Pain Forced Air
Good to know ! Stay with it,and keep stacking it all up for a successful first fire !
- Rich W.
- Member
- 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)
Here's how I start my fire in my Vigilant. I cover both sides of the grate with coal to restrict the air flow at each side. In the center of the grate I build my wood fire with chunks of hardwood. When I have good hot mature coals I sprinkle a little coal on top of the wood coals. I then add a few more chunks of wood to assure a strong draft through the center of the grates and sprinkle some more coal, again just in the center. Repeat until the coal fire is established in the center of the grate and don't worry about the sides. Close the doors and keep the damper and rear flap wide open between adding coal or wood. Only after achieving blue ladies and a deep coal bed do I close the damper and adjust the flap. This works for me every time; I hope it helps you. Don't forget to close the side fry pan hole to reduce secondary air.
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- Joined: Wed. Nov. 05, 2008 5:11 pm
- Location: Kent CT
- Hand Fed Coal Stove: V ermont Castings 2310, Franco Belge 262
- Baseburners & Antiques: Glenwood Modern Oak 114
- Coal Size/Type: nut and pea
You do have the cleanout cover plates in place? Without those covers the air will bypass the grates.johnfranciskeating wrote:It is so beautiful in that color!!! Congrats on your awesome find. I just got a used one 2 days ago. needs some work but so happy. you had mentioned in the beginning of your post that the previous owner said it was slow starting ect and you knew why. I seem to be having the same issue and I was hoping to see if you could tell me your hypothesis. I have recieved some awesome advice this morning from a member. cleaned it all out checked every inch but I have the ash pan wide open and the flap in the back wide open, and have the damper wide open. the wood portion of the fire sucks/drafts like a animal as soon as I add coal it crackles and spits begins to light then just dies out like there is now no draft grrrrrr 41 degrees here in nh and rainy should be ok ive burned in warmer temps with my Penn and my Morso. again congrats on your purchase and thanks for any advice you may have
john
- oliver power
- Member
- Posts: 2970
- Joined: Sun. Apr. 16, 2006 9:28 am
- Location: Near Dansville, NY
- Stoker Coal Boiler: KEYSTOKER Kaa-2
- Hand Fed Coal Stove: Hitzer 50-93 & 30-95, Vigilant (pre-2310), D.S. 1600 Circulator, Hitzer 254
Nice looking stove... Same color my vigilant was. Only mine was an older, pre-2310 model. Temps are dropping. Looks like you get to try it out.
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- Member
- Posts: 64
- Joined: Wed. Dec. 02, 2015 6:10 pm
- Location: Pittsburgh PA
- Hand Fed Coal Stove: Vigilant II
- Coal Size/Type: Anthracite; nut
Nortcan,nortcan wrote:Very nice stove looks just like new, is it? The beige VC coal burner are very rare but very nice.
Hope to see the blues in it soon...
What is the little tear drop shaped swivel vent on the left hand side of the stove for? Seems to me that it'd be on the exhaust side of the air flow.
- Rich W.
- Member
- 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)
That allows air to go OVER the fire. You want all air UNDER the fire, so keep this CLOSED.Rich W. wrote:Don't forget to close the side fry pan hole to reduce secondary air.
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- Member
- Posts: 64
- Joined: Wed. Dec. 02, 2015 6:10 pm
- Location: Pittsburgh PA
- Hand Fed Coal Stove: Vigilant II
- Coal Size/Type: Anthracite; nut
Thank you good sir.Rich W. wrote:That allows air to go OVER the fire. You want all air UNDER the fire, so keep this CLOSED.Rich W. wrote:Don't forget to close the side fry pan hole to reduce secondary air.
So what purpose does it serve? When burning wood?
- Rich W.
- Member
- 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)
Yes...I have a wood burning Resolute (with a Vigilant coal burner about to replace it) and I leave it open all the time. I've never played with it to determine its effect at different positions. But coal burners should keep it closed from what I've learned.