19
Vermont Castings Vigilant
®
2000898
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.
If your stove’s paint needs retouching, allow the stove to
cool completely. Brush any areas needing attention with
a wire brush, and make sure the entire stove is clean and
dry. Remove the griddle and set it aside. Touch up the
stove with Vermont Castings High Temperature Stove
Paint. Apply the paint sparingly. Two light coats are better
than one heavy one.
Cleaning porcelain enamel
Use a dry rag or soft brush as necessary. Do not use water
or other liquids on your stove. Fingerprints usually can be
buffed off porcelain enamel with a dry, soft rag. If marks
remain, allow the stove to cool completely, then buff with
a slightly damp, soft rag. Dry completely before starting
a fire to avoid streaking. Never use abrasives or harsh
chemical cleaners on the porcelain finish.
If you must remove spills or stains from porcelain surfaces,
make sure the fire is out and the stove is completely cold
before cleaning. Use ONLY a kitchen appliance cleaner
and polish especially formulated for enamel surfaces.
Apply cleaner sparingly with a soft rag, and buff away ALL
traces of the cleaner.
adjusting The Door latch
The front doors should be securely closed when the handle
is pointing down. If the doors are loose when closed, adjust
the latch by loosening the small locking nut, extending the
striker screw one turn, and re-tightening the small locking
nut. Keep making adjustments slowly until the setting is
right. The handle should resist slightly as it is turned to the
closed position, and the doors should pull in slightly.
Check the air Inlet Shutter
The air inlet shutter must open and close freely. If it doesn’t,
check to be sure the shutter or shutter pin is not bent.
Be sure the gaskets are in good condition
The gaskets used in the assembly of your Vigilant Coal
Stove play an important part in ensuring consistent, reliable
performance. Inspection of the gaskets and replacement
when necessary is an important part of routine maintenance.
Gasketing is used to guarantee that the incoming air and
ST531
Door Pawl
11/00
Pawl
SmallLocking Nut
Large
Locking Nut
Set Screw
Handle Stub
Striker Screw
ST531
Fig. 24
Turn the door latch striker screw in or out to tighten or
loosen the door latch.
outgoing combustion gases flow through the stove along
the proper pathways. All the gaskets in your Vigilant are
fiberglass, secured with Vermont Castings High Tempera-
ture Stove Gasket Cement.
Light colored streaks on the inside of the stove near the
door or griddle openings may indicate air leaks due to worn
or damaged gasketing. You may also check for leaks by
shining a strong light along gasketed seams to see if light
leaks through. While minor leaks may be repaired by build-
ing up the gasketing in just the area of the leak, it is usually
better to replace the gasketing in the door or griddle.
Anytime you remove or replace parts is a good time to
examine the exposed gasketing. Replace any gasket
which appears frayed or worn. Pay particular attention to
any point where a continuous gasket meets itself. Follow
this procedure to replace worn gaskets:
•
Remove the old gasketing.
•
Clean the gasket channel or groove with a wire brush.
Remove stubborn deposits of cement with a cold chisel
if necessary.
•
Clean all parts to be gasketed. Place on a level clean
surface.
•
Select the appropriate gasket. Your Vermont Castings
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.
