Glad to hear folks not missing an ashpan. On my old VC Encore the pan was so small I had to empty every single day. I'll definitely look into a rake too. Thanks for the suggestion. For those of you using PH for primary heat source how much wood do you expect to go through this season? Certainly every set up has different variables but I'm curious to see if I'll be burning less wood over the course of a season with PH versus Vermont Castings. For the past 6 years I've averaged about 15 face cord - mixed hard woods. Last year was light. One year I went throught over 18.
Woodstock Progress Hybrid - Flue setup versus user experience
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To give you an idea about wood:
Fireview: Firebox 2.3 cu ft PH: Firebox 2.7 cu ft (17% larger)
Max EPA BTU 42,000+ Max EPA BTU 72,000+ (73% more heat)
Max Cordwood 55,000 max Cordwood 80,000 (45% more heat)
My guess if you were burning five cords before would be somewhere around 3 cords for the same amount of heat....Even compared to the very efficient Fireview, the PH is amazingly efficient.
Flamestead
Feeling the Heat
No regrets here, although I've been getting bored with these small fires in this nice big firebox. I did get the ash pan. Aside from cookstoves, it is the first stove I've run with one, and we've been quite happy with it.
We put about 4 cord (128-style) through it the second half of 2011-2012 season. We did not burn less than previously, but the previous stove was a pre-EPA and we sent a lot of heat up the chimney plus burned some oil as well.
We put about 4 cord (128-style) through it the second half of 2011-2012 season. We did not burn less than previously, but the previous stove was a pre-EPA and we sent a lot of heat up the chimney plus burned some oil as well.
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9 Fireplaces!!
Are they all working, or closed off? Rumford? With fireplaces, how much wood do you burn? How big is your home? When was it built? 9 fireplaces makes me think a long time ago....
Did you burn any oil once you got the PH, or did it heat the whole home? When did you get delivery on your stove? Cords hardwood? Surprised at 4 cords for half a season, especailly yhe mild winter we had last year. How hot did you burn the PH last year?
Yup, I was going to throw out an educated guess at 3 to 4 cords. It will definitely be more efficient than the VC. 3 (full) hardwood cords is what I'm thinking I'll probably burn in a normal year. Last year, I went through just over a cord from the end of December when I got the stove on through spring. But, it was a mild winter. Your house is bigger than mine but definitely sounds to be better insulated.
GLAD to see this figure for your usage. I reported using 1 1/2 cord for the same time, and was not only doubted but also ridiculed.
jeffesonm
Minister of Fire
Flamestead
Feeling the Heat
We took delivery of the PH near the end of January. We might have burned a little oil after we got the PH, but not much.
The bulk of the heating was done by mid-April, but there were the inevitable fires on through well into May. This was 4 cord of primarily Red Maple, cut 18" for a different stove, CSS for 20 mo by the time we had the PH. Due to the wet Fall in 2011 and only partial covering in the woodyard before it was moved into the woodshed, it could have been drier, but not bad.
We ran the stove 24-7, and were generally in the 500-550 stovetop temp range. Only a couple of times up to 650, as I'm still getting my sea legs with this. Previous stove was a smoke-dragon, run 24-7, eating 7 to 8 cord per season, and our gauge of adequate heat from it was the flue temp up at 850 (we sent a lot of heat up the flue). PH flue temp runs right at or below 400 most of the time, based on the Condor probe.
House was built in 1790's, walls are less than a 2x4 thickness, have blown-in insulation. Two-story, two central chimneys, 4 square rooms per floor plus central hall (roughly 3,500 sq ft for the two floors), one fireplace per room, so 8 fireplaces in the living area. Haven't tried using any (have insulation in the flue, cover on the top. PH is running on a liner in the kitchen chimney - I could almost fit up that flue. Attic is marginally insulated (next project). We've replace almost all the windows and wrapped the outside in Tyvec and re-sided. Basement is a walk-out, with the exposed side uninsulated brick (another project). Nineth fireplace is a summer kitchen in the basement.
We were comfortable but not too warm when running the PH. Clearly more insulation is in order. Current dream is either a Montpelier insert or Fireview in the diagonally opposite room from the PH to be burned occasionally. This winter's wood is a final year of 18". I'm quite interested to see how our burning habits change once we get into the full-length wood next season.
jeffesonm: No such think as a stupid question
Backpuffing is caused by an explosion in the firebox. Gases build up with no flame present, and eventually the gases ignite, sometimes violently. Some have reported the stove jumping! It's caused by inadequate air flow (poor draft, not enough air entry). The explosion usually just results in a "puff" of smoke that gets forced from the air inlet damper.
I think the confusion was that people thought you heated your very large house all winter on that much wood. I don't think what we burned is shocking or unreasonable at all. 1 to 1.5 cords for just over half of a very mild winter should equal around 3 to 3.5 cords for an entire normal winter. Lot's of people heat their house with that.
Is is amazing your were able to push 4 cords throught the PH in 2.5 months! From what you're reporting, it sounds like you're actually going to burn way more wood with the PH than you did with your smoke dragon! Less oil though.
I'm baffled by this. I was thinking you meant face cord, but "128 style" must mean 8x4X4. How in the heck you pushed 4 cord in 1/2 a season thru that stove, I cannot imagine.
Flamestead
Feeling the Heat
Yes, these were full-strength cords. We didn't spend much time in cat-only mode. A stovetop under 400 in the winter was a sign that more wood was in order. We did shift from the bedroom above the stove to a different room (I like a cool bedroom), and we did spend some time trying to move heat horizontally, so we definitely had more heat than with the past stove. But it was generally in the low 70s in the room with the stove (on the opposite side of the room). I'm anxious to see what an R-60 attic insulation will do, but have some electrical and infiltration work to do before I bury everything up there.
HollowHill
Minister of Fire
Just like we, old house dwellers, can not imagine keeping a house temp in the 70s with a 350 stove top temp
Having lived in old houses most of my life, I never experience 70s temps in the house unless its summer or I'm in the stove room. I'm thrilled to keep the house around 65 - 67. And, for some reason, that temp is warmer when provided by a wood stove than oil radiant heat.Yeah, well that 1 1/2 cords was pretty much what I used for the season. Got my PH 12/21. We were so mild that i picked about 200 pounds of tomatoes in the middle of November from very healthy plants, because they were calling for frost that night. Had flowers in bloom until late November. Hadn't cleaned my chimney since Spring 2010, was planning to do it when I got the PH, which I expected earlier than I received it. Since I hadn't cleaned the chimney (waited for new install, when I had t disconnect the chimney anyway), I didn't use the Fireview muchm, since it wasn't really cold. Only had a few fires, light fires, before getting the PH.
We were extraordinarily mild last year. We tend to be about 4 degrees warmer than the surrounding towns. For instance, we have not had any frost yet. But towns 10 miles South of us and 15 miles NE of us, and the highway 10 miles N of us have all had frost...several weeks ago. Their trees have turned, mine have not.
It's pouring out again. We need the rain so I won't complain...however.....
Unfortunately I have some wood uncovered in the wheelbarrow...it will be swimming. Raining too hard to go out and turn the thing over.....
It poured riday til Noon, cleared, threatened aain around 1, then cleared and got warm. Was still 71 at sunset.
WarmInIowa
Member
Flue: Exterior, 6" double wall insulated Security chimney pipe - without a chase, 27' length, 1.5' horizontal out the back of stove, (1) 30 degree bend
Stove: I have smoke spillage on reload, from back of stove and also the door, also still have occastional smoke smell, no cat or screen issues
I have had wind related issues in the past and have had a 6" vacu stack also installed at the top. It helps, but have also learned to not start fires in 30 mph winds.
My stove replaced a Fireview that did not have as much smoke spillage issues. I think I have draft issues and will be starting a separate thread to see what suggestions others have. This stove heats my house much better, but due to the exit path through the stove to get more heat (efficiency) you have to have a good draft.
Stove: I have smoke spillage on reload, from back of stove and also the door, also still have occastional smoke smell, no cat or screen issues
I have had wind related issues in the past and have had a 6" vacu stack also installed at the top. It helps, but have also learned to not start fires in 30 mph winds.
My stove replaced a Fireview that did not have as much smoke spillage issues. I think I have draft issues and will be starting a separate thread to see what suggestions others have. This stove heats my house much better, but due to the exit path through the stove to get more heat (efficiency) you have to have a good draft.
Warminlowa:
Your flue setup seems like it should be terrific: tall and insulated.
I'm curious about the smoke spillage out the back on reload. Does it only happen when there is a roaring fire already going, or does it happen merely when reloading on hot coals? I had spillage from the intake damper, but so far only in warm (50+) outdoor temps with the door open and a strong fire. Shutting the air damper stopped the smoke.
I agree, due to the smoke exit path in bypass mode, and due to the higher efficiency (low flue temps), spillage is a bigger problem.
Your flue setup seems like it should be terrific: tall and insulated.
I'm curious about the smoke spillage out the back on reload. Does it only happen when there is a roaring fire already going, or does it happen merely when reloading on hot coals? I had spillage from the intake damper, but so far only in warm (50+) outdoor temps with the door open and a strong fire. Shutting the air damper stopped the smoke.
I agree, due to the smoke exit path in bypass mode, and due to the higher efficiency (low flue temps), spillage is a bigger problem.
WarmInIowa
Member
I get spillage out the back on reload. It is the opposite end of the stove from the loading door. I can't tell if it is coming from the bottom or top since I'm on the opposite side of the stove. I just see it coming up over the rear corner. I alway have the air damper open during a reload and the cat bypassed. Isn't this correct? Should I be closing the air damper (handle horizontal rather than up)? I just completed my new post, so lets take the discussion there so we don't muddy up this topic. See here:
https://www.hearth.com/talk/threads...draft-for-progress-hybrid-installation.91475/
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