I moved up north this summer and left the land of pellet stoves behind. The place I bought has a Defiant Encore stove. I’ve been trying to figure out what model it is. I suspect it is a 0028, but I’m not 100% sure. The previous owner said he replaced all the gaskets and did a ‘rebuild’ when he acquired the stove second hand, albeit it a long time ago, but he didn’t use the stove much as they spent most winters down south. I had a small fire in it this past weekend and everything seemed to behave itself. I threw in a few splits of birch that I found in the garage. No signs of trying to go nuclear when I closed the primary air down. What I’ve found in my searches (and maybe incorrectly read or misinterpreted by me) is that some Encores were catalytic stoves and some weren’t. I figure I can put that question to bed if someone can help me identify what model this really is. Pics of the stove in question and the ID plate on the back is attached. Any tips and tricks or known things to beware of that I should know about?
On the top, where the temp probe is - does that whole piece of steel lift up? If it does, then if it is a cat stove, the cat itself would be right under where that probe is.
Yep, the top opens right up. I’d never used a top loader before. I got less smoke coming out when putting in another couple splits than I did with the insert I had at my old place. Sounds like it would be wise to check to see if there is actually a cat installed. When I had the first fire in it, I waited until the stove top temp hit about 550, then flipped the lever on the left which closes the damper (and probably engages the cat). STT hung right around 550-600, probe on the stove pipe hung out between 250-300. The insert at the old place had one primary air adjustment and that was it. I’ve got some learning to do.
It’s a top loader. The cat is more toward the back of the stove. There should be two wedges that hold in the back plate of the stove box. Remove the cast plate and there is refractory material with air passages. The stuff gets very brittle over time. The cat is recessed within the refractory, I think you will need to remove one piece and then the cat will slide out. The back plate of the firebox can be a PIA to put back in. Vacuum the hell out of the edges where it sits. Any debris and it doesn’t sit back fully. They are a down draft stove and can get picky about draft and back puffing. My old Encore back puffed till I gave it more air. The glass won’t stay clean with an overnight burn. Do you have the screen for the front? I would come home from work and take the doors off and put the screen in. Open fire experience. With good seasoned wood I could get 10 hours or so on burn time. FYI: be careful loading a top loader naked. You tend to stand too close to the stove when you place the firewood inside.
Yes, left side lever engages the cat, you can look in the stove when you flip the lever. The main flue is blocked and the smoke and gasses are routed through the little hood/ vent on the back of the firebox wall. I hope that makes sense. The main opening is at the top of the back wall, when you open the top lid the smoke gets sucked out through the flue opening. When the cat is engaged, the main flue is blocked and it enters the smaller opening midway down the back wall. In cat mode the gasses pass through the cat then down and back up the sides. The right side of the stove should have the air control lever. It’s bi-metal, thermostatically controlled I think.
My sister and BIL still have a VC Encore in red. When the stove heats up the color changes from medium red to a deep dark red. I’m not sure if all red VC stoves do that or not.
