Just wondering if the Pacific energy summit would be too big of a stove for a 2000sq ft house. It rates up to 3500. Anyone here own one of the these and would you recommend this stove or should I stick with the Quad I was also looking at.
Pacific energy summit
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Rhone
Minister of Fire
- Nov 21, 2005
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Okay, saw from your other post you live in Northern NY. It will probably by perfectly sized. I did a lot of research online before purchasing my insert and the PE Summit is probably the best out there. The Summit has a lot of features and design tricks that, unless you used or saw another type you wouldn't appreciate. So, I told my wife the Summit is what we need, want to come with me to the store? She does and checks it out, she looks at the window and that was the end of that. We weren't getting it, window too small. We ended up leaving with the Hearthstone Clydesdale which has a huge view, huge. I think you'll be happy with whatever you get, but the PE Summit has many features I wished mine did.
It has a newer secondary burn that's covered in a sheet of stainless. What good is that, well the older design like mine, are often tubes with holes in them and above that is a 1/2" or so piece of insulation. It's possible for me to put a piece of wood in there with a stick sticking up and break the piece of insulation but that's rare. I don't know anyone that's done it or needed that piece of insulation replaced from doing that but, possible. The insulation is about 3" above the bottoms of my secondary air tubes so it's a decent distance from the wood. The PE Summit you're free to jam as much wood in there as possible, its baffle is protected by a sheet of stainless, no chance to wreck it.
Next, during a chimney cleaning the task I have to remove 6 bolts, remove I think it's 8 pieces of soapstone, loosen 2 more bolts, slide the baffle out, protect that piece of insulation so it doesn't break during the cleaning, and then clean the chimney. Afterward, do the reverse. The Summit, if I recall it's 2 pins and out it comes. Some older inserts, not only do you need to remove al the firebrick on the sides you also have to remove each individual air tube. Yikes! This isn't a big issue, it only applies once a year because that's how often I clean my chimney and probably adds 20 minutes but one of those things that shows PE's good design.
Mine has channels that run around the bottom, loop up the sides, over the top, and out the front. The Summit Insert has a full, floating firebox. That's superior because it's more surface area.
The Summit has EBT. I really don't understand why but, although they advertise it extends burn times I can't see how when it opens additional air. My theory behind it's true purpose (and maybe I'll be killed), it keeps the window clean because when it does kick in, it's usually about the phase of the fire that helps clean the glass giving it extra cleaning ability. Which brings me to the next point.
Loading units front/back is problematic for dirty glass. Mine, loading front/back covers my glass in no time, besides it's obvious my unit is designed for side/side loading anyhow. The PE Summit can load front/back and is probably one of the cleanest glass units out there. That's amazing to garnish that title for a front/back loading unit (it can also be loaded side/side). Also, means less work on your part cleaning the glass and, if you haven't cleaned the glass of any stove/insert it does not want to come off and a lot of work.
The Summit I think is the only insert that can use outside combustion air without any modifications to your house using the clean-out of your fireplace or it can use internal air. That's pretty clever and the only one I know of that can do it.
The one thing it falls short is the size of the viewing window which, isn't small it's tiny. That was enough for my wife to say nope. I wouldn't think twice if your goal is strictly heating your house. The PE Summit is probably head of its class. If you're giving thought to the Hearthstone Clydesdale let me know and I'll tell you about it but, it's a different experience because it's soapstone. Soapstone units are slow to heat/cool so very different experience which can be a good/bad thing depending on what your expectations.
Okay, saw from your other post you live in Northern NY. It will probably by perfectly sized. I did a lot of research online before purchasing my insert and the PE Summit is probably the best out there. The Summit has a lot of features and design tricks that, unless you used or saw another type you wouldn't appreciate. So, I told my wife the Summit is what we need, want to come with me to the store? She does and checks it out, she looks at the window and that was the end of that. We weren't getting it, window too small. We ended up leaving with the Hearthstone Clydesdale which has a huge view, huge. I think you'll be happy with whatever you get, but the PE Summit has many features I wished mine did.
It has a newer secondary burn that's covered in a sheet of stainless. What good is that, well the older design like mine, are often tubes with holes in them and above that is a 1/2" or so piece of insulation. It's possible for me to put a piece of wood in there with a stick sticking up and break the piece of insulation but that's rare. I don't know anyone that's done it or needed that piece of insulation replaced from doing that but, possible. The insulation is about 3" above the bottoms of my secondary air tubes so it's a decent distance from the wood. The PE Summit you're free to jam as much wood in there as possible, its baffle is protected by a sheet of stainless, no chance to wreck it.
Next, during a chimney cleaning the task I have to remove 6 bolts, remove I think it's 8 pieces of soapstone, loosen 2 more bolts, slide the baffle out, protect that piece of insulation so it doesn't break during the cleaning, and then clean the chimney. Afterward, do the reverse. The Summit, if I recall it's 2 pins and out it comes. Some older inserts, not only do you need to remove al the firebrick on the sides you also have to remove each individual air tube. Yikes! This isn't a big issue, it only applies once a year because that's how often I clean my chimney and probably adds 20 minutes but one of those things that shows PE's good design.
Mine has channels that run around the bottom, loop up the sides, over the top, and out the front. The Summit Insert has a full, floating firebox. That's superior because it's more surface area.
The Summit has EBT. I really don't understand why but, although they advertise it extends burn times I can't see how when it opens additional air. My theory behind it's true purpose (and maybe I'll be killed), it keeps the window clean because when it does kick in, it's usually about the phase of the fire that helps clean the glass giving it extra cleaning ability. Which brings me to the next point.
Loading units front/back is problematic for dirty glass. Mine, loading front/back covers my glass in no time, besides it's obvious my unit is designed for side/side loading anyhow. The PE Summit can load front/back and is probably one of the cleanest glass units out there. That's amazing to garnish that title for a front/back loading unit (it can also be loaded side/side). Also, means less work on your part cleaning the glass and, if you haven't cleaned the glass of any stove/insert it does not want to come off and a lot of work.
The Summit I think is the only insert that can use outside combustion air without any modifications to your house using the clean-out of your fireplace or it can use internal air. That's pretty clever and the only one I know of that can do it.
The one thing it falls short is the size of the viewing window which, isn't small it's tiny. That was enough for my wife to say nope. I wouldn't think twice if your goal is strictly heating your house. The PE Summit is probably head of its class. If you're giving thought to the Hearthstone Clydesdale let me know and I'll tell you about it but, it's a different experience because it's soapstone. Soapstone units are slow to heat/cool so very different experience which can be a good/bad thing depending on what your expectations.
Roospike
New Member
Well I wouldnt say the Pacific Energy Summits window is "tiny" ------> Pacific
Summit &
Summit Classic
Flat Window:
17" W
9" T
153 sq. in. We could go all day about the P.E.Summit. I think you will get an over load of information is you do a Search at the top of the page. A few pic's here: http://i9.photobucket.com/albums/a97/Roospike/FOURM/P.jpg http://i9.photobucket.com/albums/a97/Roospike/FOURM/PIC00005.jpg Here is the link to my install picture page. https://www.hearth.com/econtent/index.php/forums/viewthread/93/
Summit &
Summit Classic
Flat Window:
17" W
9" T
153 sq. in. We could go all day about the P.E.Summit. I think you will get an over load of information is you do a Search at the top of the page. A few pic's here: http://i9.photobucket.com/albums/a97/Roospike/FOURM/P.jpg http://i9.photobucket.com/albums/a97/Roospike/FOURM/PIC00005.jpg Here is the link to my install picture page. https://www.hearth.com/econtent/index.php/forums/viewthread/93/
Roospike
New Member
The Secondary burn chamber is totally built of stainless steel and is one floating box at the top of the fire box. http://i9.photobucket.com/albums/a97/Roospike/FOURM/P8250408.jpg http://i9.photobucket.com/albums/a97/Roospike/FOURM/P8250410.jpg http://i9.photobucket.com/albums/a97/Roospike/FOURM/P8250411.jpg Thread link: https://www.hearth.com/econtent/index.php/forums/viewthread/2874/
The secondary burn chamber is held with 1 pin/key as seen in the top back opf the fire box
A link to how the EBT( Extended Burn Technology) works: http://chimneysweeponline.com/hoebt.htm
The Pacific Energy Summit will heat your house fine and is not over sized. My home is 1800 sq and we heat with 100% wood and dont have a problem with too large of wood stove.JimAnctil said:
Although they don't have EBT, all the PE inserts have the same type of baffle assembly - one pin and out it comes. The fact that you are unlikely to mess up the baffle insulation with a branch is a big plus. I did a lot of research before buying our Vista, since the area we want to heat is only 1050 sq. ft. Used it a while in the early spring and it put out more heat than we needed and the glass stayed very clean, though that is probably a function of good, dry wood. My other choice was a Regency I1100, but the Vista had a nicer look.
Roospike
New Member
Both the Pacific Energy "SUMMIT" model of free standing AND insert have the EBT. The Vista is a very good model too and the 1050 sq. ft PAJerry has is a good choice for the Vista size stove. I would say the Summit would fit into a home 1200sf - 2500 sf .( even tho its rated up to 3000 sf. ) You would have to have a very open style home to heat with any stove that heated 3000 sf. I would think you would be pushing it to heat a home over 2500 sf with 1 wood stove.PAJerry said:
I ended up buying a Quadrafire 5100 today. Looks like a really nice stove and from what I have researched the Quads seem to be a really reliable unit. If anybody has any good or bad reviews or problems I need to look for in the upcoming heating season with this unit , your insight would be helpful. Thanks Jim
MountainStoveGuy
Minister of Fire
Good unit, the only thing that can go wrong with the stove is the chimney. Thats a huge insert. you will be impressed. Congrats.
Willhound
Feeling the Heat
The Quad is good (from what I've read anyway, no one sells them here).
Oh well guys, thought we had another Summit in the cult....er...I mean Forum.
I guess he didn't read the part about the Summit curing all manner of diseases, your kids acne, your dog's mange and bringing an end to world strife %-P
Jes kiddin. Enjoy your Quad.
I haven't checked the insert this year, but my cousin just bought a Summit freestanding unit (yep, hot red porcelain) and it was around $2100 CDN.
Oh well guys, thought we had another Summit in the cult....er...I mean Forum.
I guess he didn't read the part about the Summit curing all manner of diseases, your kids acne, your dog's mange and bringing an end to world strife %-P
Jes kiddin. Enjoy your Quad.
I haven't checked the insert this year, but my cousin just bought a Summit freestanding unit (yep, hot red porcelain) and it was around $2100 CDN.
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