I have a 20 year old Vermont Castings LP stove. It’s our primary heat source. Was about $3000. It weighs in at about 350lbs. Has worked great.
Well, the valve for the thing went out.
I have been trying to find a new one for it for weeks. On EVERY avenue I take, it says the valve has been discontinued. I look at the manufacturer of the valve. (Honeywell) everything. It’s gone.
Well I did find what may be a used one for $800. Ummm… No.
Vermont Castings says the part has been discontinued.
It’s a 20 year old CAST IRON LP gas stove. The only things that wear out on these are things like valves.
I now have a 350lb… end table. Great. Just Great.
We are still shoveling snow where I live, and are now counting on the sun and electric heat. At least spring is on the way.
Vermont Castings was bought out shortly after you bought your stove and have gone to shit. That said, I would bet good money that a plumber or a fireplace expert could make another brand’s valve work. One LP valve is very much like another. You could probably drop an entire control assembly from Heatnglo in there and it would be just fine.
Yeah, I’m an amature plumber myself. I was going to install the valve. Been there done that. Moved my entire mechanical room a few years ago. And installed this stove.
I’ve gone to the local fireplace store, they where no help. I doubt any one licensed is gonna jury rig a new valve. Liability is too high.
I would like the right one anyway. Little weird when you have LP coming into your living room making fire. Not dying is sort of important.
Didn’t know that VC was bought out. But they sure have gone to shit. The used to be the go to place for gas or wood.
You might be right about the liability… Any luck on Ebay? Sounds like you may be down to the choice of using someone else’s valve or buying a new unit. As long as the thermocouple is good, the risk of death is pretty low IMHO. More of a risk from a garden variety leak. As you are probably aware, they are designed to fail closed. We replaced our 2001 VC wood burner with a Jotul which we were FAR more satisfied with.
Dumb question but has the part been superceded? An HVAC supply place or Honeywell may have a replacement number. That sucks about VC going to shit, it was going to be my next grille. I may just end up replacing the burner assembleis on my Napoleon.