Vigilant® II Coal Stove Model #2310 Homeowner’s Installation and Operating Instructions For Use in North America 0898 Vigilant Cover 8/6/01 djt Safety Notice: If this appliance is not properly installed, operated and maintained, a house fire may result. To reduce the risk of fire, follow the installation instructions. Failure to follow instructions may result in property damage, bodily injury or even death.
Vermont Castings Vigilant® Welcome Congratulations on your choice of a Vermont Castings Vigilant II Coal Stove. With this purchase, you have made a commitment to make the hearth a place of warmth, beauty and comfort in your home. At Vermont Castings, we share that joy and appreciation for the hearth, and we show it in all our cast-iron stoves and fireplaces.
Vermont Castings Vigilant® Specifications Vigilant II Coal Stove Model #2310 Coal type................................. Anthracite or bituminous Coal size........................................................ Pea or nut Maximum heat output........................... 50,000 Btu’s/hr* Maximum area heated................................... 2,000sq.ft. Fuel Capacity.......................................... 45 lbs. (20 kg) Fuel Loading..............................................................
Vermont Castings Vigilant® Installation Codes and Listings Conforming to local building codes will be an important part of your planning. Local authorities make the final decision on whether or not an installation will be approved. They need to know that your installation is safe and meets local codes. The metal label permanently attached to every Vermont Castings stove indicates that the stove has been tested to current UL and ULC standards, and gives the name of the testing laboratory.
Vermont Castings Vigilant® Weak draft situations are characterized by smoking and odor problems in the house, low heat output, and difficulty maintaining a fire, especially at low thermostat settings. The reverse situation, overdraft, is rare, but can be recognized by short burn time, poor response when trying to slow down the fire, or by any part of the stove glowing red. A more common cause of overdraft is inadequate maintenance, such as worn gasket allowing uncontrolled air to enter the stove.
Vermont Castings Vigilant® J. Loose or broken clean-out door; repair or replace. B Existing masonry chimneys, especially older ones, may have two or more openings through the chimney walls to the same flue. The openings were used to connect stoves in different rooms to the chimney. The unused openings must be sealed with masonry to the thickness of the chimney wall. Unused openings sealed with pie plates or wallpaper are a hazard.
Vermont Castings Vigilant® Clearances Your stove and chimney connector will radiate energy in all directions when in operation. An important part of planning a safe installation is to be sure combustible materials near your stove do not overheat due to inadequate clearance. Clearance is the distance between your stove (or chimney connector) and nearby walls, ceiling, and floors, as well as other combustible materials.
Vermont Castings Vigilant® If the Vigilant is installed in a corner (corner installation) and no shields are used, the corners of the stove must be at least 16” (410 mm) from nearby walls. (Fig. 6) For rear-exiting stoves, both rear and side clearances are determined by the heat from the stove (provided that the connector does not pass near a combustible surface).
Vermont Castings Vigilant® Protected Walls A properly constructed wall shield may be used to change an unprotected wall to a protected wall, allowing the clearances given in the right half of the Clearance Chart. Prefabricated Chimney Wall shields should be constructed of 24 gauge or heavier sheetmetal, 1/2” noncombustible insulation board, or common brick laid on flat (3¹⁄₂" side down). Shields must be spaced out from the combustible wall or ceiling 1" on noncombustible spacers.
Vermont Castings Vigilant® Vigilant II Clearance Chart Stove Clearance Unprotected Surfaces Stove Installed Parallel to Wall Side Protected Surfaces Stove in Corner Rear Corners Stove Installed Parallel to Wall Side Stove in Corner Rear Corners Single-wall connector No heat shields 18” (457 mm) 20” (508 mm) 16” (406 mm) 7” (178 mm) 13” (330 mm) 9” (229 mm) Single-wall connector Top exit Rear and chimney connector heat shields 1 18” (457 mm) 13” (330 mm) 16” (406 mm) 7” (178 mm) 11” (
Vermont Castings Vigilant® floor protector must meet the same requirements as for standard legs. Floor Protection Freestanding Installations A tremendous amount of heat radiates from the bottom plate of a Vigilant Coal Stove, and the floor beneath requires special protection. A Vigilant Coal Stove Bottom Heat Shield (be sure to install the included shield insert when the shorter 7M\, (197 mm) legs are used) provides heat protection. A floor protector provides spark and ember protection.
Vermont Castings Vigilant® An unprotected mantel must have a minimum clearance of 36”, measured from the stove’s top plate; with a ventilated shield the clearance may safely be reduced to 18”. Unprotected top trim must be a minimum of 36” from the stove’s top surface; with a ventilated trim shield the clearance may be safely reduced to 18”.
Vermont Castings Vigilant® Horizontal runs of chimney connectors should slope upward 1/4” per foot going from the stove toward the chimney. The recommended maximum length of a horizontal run is 3 feet. The total length of chimney connector should be no longer than 8 feet to prevent the cooling of flue gases. In cathedral ceiling installations, a prefabricated chimney should be brought down to within 8 feet of the stove.
Vermont Castings Vigilant® Securing the Connector to a Masonry Chimney Securing the Connector to a Prefabricated Chimney Follow the installation instructions of the chimney manufacturer exactly as you install the chimney. The manufacturer of the chimney will supply the accessories to support the chimney, either from the roof of the house or at the ceiling of the room where the stove is installed. Again, your dealer can supply a variety of specialty pieces to simplify the installation.
Vermont Castings Vigilant® connector enters the chimney. Follow all the guidelines for installing a chimney connector into a freestanding masonry chimney, and watch these additional points: Thimble Sleeve Flex Connector Mantel Shield Fireplace Adapter Mantel VIGILANT VIGILANT Damper - closed and locked Bottom Heat Shield Bottom Heat Shield ST696 ST695 Fig. 20 In this installation the chimney connector is attached to the chimney above the fireplace.
Vermont Castings Vigilant® Operation The Vigilant Controls Fuel High quality fuel gives best results The Thermostat Lever Adjust the thermostat lever to control the heat level. Move the thermostat lever to the left to make the fire burn hotter. Move it to the right for less heat. The thermostat regulates the heat level when the stove is operating by controlling the amount of combustion air entering the stove.
Vermont Castings Vigilant® 3. Continue building up the fire until there is a thick bed of hot embers on the grates. IMPORTANT: Don’t hurry this part of the burn. Inadequate preheating of the chimney system is the most common cause of poor coal stove performance. NOTE: The cast iron plates in your Vigilant will “season” as they heat and cool over a period of time. The thermal shock of very rapid temperature changes can cause the cast iron to crack. NEVER build a roaring fire in a cold stove. 4.
Vermont Castings Vigilant® Reloading the Stove Remove Ash Regularly Put on a small layer of fresh coal and allow it to catch before clearing the grates of ash. Once the new coal is ignited, shake the grates with full, steady strokes of the shaker handle. Stop shaking when red coals cover the ashpan or when you feel resistance. Using the slicer, clear ash from between the bars of the front grill. Also, clear ash from along the sides and the back of the grate area.
Vermont Castings Vigilant® Maintenance The fire must be out and the stove no longer hot before you work on the stove. We suggest you wear gloves and safety goggles when working on your stove. Cleaning Cast Iron An occasional dusting with a dry rag is usually all that is necessary to keep your Vigilant looking new. From time to time, you may wish to go over the cast iron surface with a damp cloth; do this while the stove is cool, and make sure no water remains on the stove surface.
Vermont Castings Vigilant® • Select the appropriate gasket. Your Vermont Cast- • • • ings Authorized Dealer carries a complete line of gaskets. Cut to the recommended length plus a 1” - 2” excess. Place an unbroken 1/8” bead of gasket cement in the channel or groove. Starting at one end, press the gasket into the channel. Where ends of the gasket meet, insure a good joint before trimming any excess. Do not overlap or leave ragged edges.
Vermont Castings Vigilant® Because access to the areas behind the side plates and lower fireback is possible through the three cleanout access covers, it usually will not be necessary to remove any other interior parts. Contact your local Vermont Castings Authorized Dealer for instructions if it is necessary to remove the remaining interior parts.
Vermont Castings Vigilant® The Chimney System For safety, good stove performance, and to protect your chimney and chimney connector, inspect your chimney and chimney connector on a regular schedule. Clean the system if necessary. Failure to keep the chimney and connector system clean can result in a serious chimney fire. KT448 Fig. 28 Hold the bar in place as you bend the new lever into position. Adjust the Chain Length 1. Make the initial chain adjustment when the stove is cold.
Vermont Castings Vigilant® The Maintenance Guidelines given below will help you develop a schedule that works for you. Once you have developed a maintenance schedule, stick to it. Daily: • Ashes should be removed before the ashes reach the top of the ashpan. Check at least once a day. A build up of ashes under the grates will not only restrict the supply of air going to the fire, but may contribute to overheating the grates, causing them to warp.
Vermont Castings Vigilant® 2 1 52 48 3 4 51 47 51 54 9 53 15 10 11 56 13 55 14 5 12 21 6 7 17 20 45 29 8 44 46 16 18 19 22 58 49 23 50 35 26 39 25 41 32 28 40 31 42 27 24 38 15 29 30 62 33 61 30 37 36 34 43 57 59 0898 MHSC reserves the right to make changes in design, materials, specifications, prices and discontinue colors and products at any time, without notice. Item Description Part Number 5. Right End 1304262 6. Front Grille 1305029 7. Fettle 1305047 0898 8.
Vermont Castings Vigilant® Vigilant Coal II Item Description Part Number Model 2310 (continued) Item Description Part Number 13. 14. 15. 16. 17. 18. 19. 20. 21. 22. 23. 24. 25. 26. 27. 28. 29. 30. 31. 32. 33. 34. 35. 36.
Vermont Castings Vigilant® 26 2000898
Vermont Castings Vigilant® Limited Three Year Warranty MHSC warrants that this Vigilant II Coal Stove will be free of defects in material and workmanship for a period of three years from the date you receive it, except that the thermostat assembly, coal grates, handles, glass door panels, cement, and gasketing shall be warranted for one year as described below. MHSC will repair or replace, at its option, any part found to be defective upon inspection by a Vermont Castings Authorized Dealer.
MHSC 149 Cleveland Drive • Paris, Kentucky 40361 www.mhsc.
