Please help ... trying to decide what wood insert to get

So you have a 30' x 40' finished basement with a fireplace, correct? What size is your fireplace? That will dictate a lot.

The are harder to find but the new Appalachain inserts look really nice. I have also seen one of the Harmon stoves that sticks out of the hearth a bit and I really liked the look of that.

David

iceman said:

recppd said:

So you have a 30' x 40' finished basement with a fireplace, correct? What size is your fireplace? That will dictate a lot.

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I am not home now but i know for a fact it is 48" wide maybe 30-31"high

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The interior dimensions of the opening of your fireplace are 48" X 30"? That's one heck of a fireplace How deep is it? The first consideration is if you can get an insert and suround panel that will cover that hole. If not, then I'd suggest a large freestanding stove to set in front of the fireplace. The Hearthstones and Vermont castings are among the nicest looking, but there are others.

I know for a fact that if your fireplace is as large as you say, that the Osburn 2200 surround panels will not cover that.

That is a very large room. One thing to consider is how even the temp is and how fast the room will heat up. If running 24/7, then less of a concern, but if you want fast heat, You should look at a steel stove with a blower (insert or freestanding). If 24/7, a radiant stove will keep things toasty, but you probably won't feel the at the far side of the room as fast as you might with a convection stove and blower. In this case I believe the blower is very key.

I believe the Hearthstone Clydesdale and the PE Summit are two of the bigger inserts out there - and I don't think either would fill that hole. You may have to consider some extra masonry work or a freestanding stove.

-Dan

Osburn does make a 32" x 50" faceplate for the 2200 and 2400 insert.

I have a Jotul Kennebec insert with the extra wide surround. Measures 47 5/8" x 34" overall. Remember, you want heat, not an oven...

BrotherBart said:

The Kodiak 1700 has a 33" X 46" surround available and kicks upwards of 74,000 BTUs.

That ought to heat the guests up nicely.

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Me like my Kodiak! Me like my low gas bills, me like my overnight burns. Me like that it fit my POS Heatilator prefab fireplace like a glove.

Nice unit, reasonably priced, large firebox, built like a tank, nice construction, fitment and welding, secondary burn is a piece of cake. Blower is variable and can be very quite as well as really kicks when cranked on high. Nice cast aluminum bower motor (squirrel cage blower). It is set up to make installation a breeze. The flu collar can be installed from the inside of the firebox, so tight fits are not a problem.

The negatives are it's plain jane look, and dealer network. They have allot of corn and pellet dealers, but not as many that carry the wood burning inserts. KD

iceman said:

Freak these guys (PE, OSBURN and etc) web sites sucks!! geez you would think at the price of these things they have better sites!

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------> ? <--------

What information are you looking for that isnt there on the web sites?

iceman said:

Just more info... better pictures the pe site was very vague i guess ... just something that makes you wanna buy something that would make you believe one might be better ... you if you have the equal products but you say "i like that store better and believe the cs is better so lets go there"

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Did you go to the "Product Manual" and the "Brochure" next to each model of stove on the Pacific Energy site?
Lots of information on the product and a lot of detail.

no / yes ?

I think that the general consensus on the Forum is that most, if not all, of the manufacturers are a little optimistic on their BTU claims. In a perfect lab setting with perfect wood, and somebody fiddling with the fire to get perfect output, perhaps 100,000 BTU, in the PE example that you used. (Actuallly, I think they claim 97,000 if memory serves me correctly)

Generally, I think that most units will perform at 60 to 80% of the factory claim in real world conditions, maybe more. This is using average wood and a set it and forget it damper setting.

I can tell you that my Summit heats my entire 1800 sq. ft. house at -40 no problem at all. Gas furnace absolutely does not kick in as long as the insert is lit. Saved over $800 on my gas bill last winter with less than perfect wood and didn't start burning until mid-December.

iceman said:

Roospike said:

iceman said:

Just more info... better pictures the pe site was very vague i guess ... just something that makes you wanna buy something that would make you believe one might be better ... you if you have the equal products but you say "i like that store better and believe the cs is better so lets go there"

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Did you go to the "Product Manual" and the "Brochure" next to each model of stove on the Pacific Energy site?
Lots of information on the product and a lot of detail.

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yes i did
one question for you though.... does the pe really put out 100,000 btus???? I see other stoves that are bigger and just as expensive but don't come close (well 60 -80000 btus)
Is that a gimmick?

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Its going to be rated at a higher BTU for a big reason of how the stove is made. The body is all 1/4" steel and the top is 3/8" thick steel.
Read the thread "Wood Stove Design & Heat Transfer"
https://www.hearth.com/econtent/index.php/forums/viewthread/4202/