Ughhh! F100 or PE Vista or 17vl? This may be the 'depth' of me!

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bmowell

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Nov 9, 2012
13
I need a small, freestanding, non-cat wood stove but I have a BIG...err...I mean small(?)...umm...make that shallow(?) problem!

Been reading the forums for the last several weeks. Critical details (#8 is the real troublemaker):

0) Me, obviously

1) 900 square foot home - well insulated, but I do not mind leaving the windows open because I love fresh air
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2) Our small Kitchen / Living area is 'L' shaped and 'horse-shoes' into a long hallway with three small bedrooms at the opposite end

3) I plan on burning 24/7 despite the need for more frequent ash removal, chimney cleaning, potential insanity, etc.

4) I'll be installing a 14-15' flue with double insulated stove pipe

5) Our climate during the winters in southwest Missouri rarely gets down to zero, with maybe a full couple of months of temperatures in the low to mid-teens during the worst winters.

As a side note, I've asked God to make it warmer here. Shortly after I started, the scientific community began griping about climate change. Personally, I think that it may be working as our winters HAVE been increasingly mild (any logic issues that result from the potential of people along coastal areas praying for the opposite effect, or the fact that I still need a stove, should be completely disregarded).

6) I want to stay under $1500...I mean like for the cost of the stove...and not my physical person. As I'm sure blankets are warmer than paper...or are they?

7) As close to satisfying the impossible dream of burning overnight as can be expected from a small stove (which won't burn overnight anyway), the perfect, seasoned wood (that I don't have), my growing and eventually superior skills as a 'burnsmith' (that don't yet exist), and the alignment of all things astrological, religious and political (none of which will ever occur).

...and FINALLY here is the REAL issue

8) It doesn't matter how vastly wide or proudly tall the stove is, but the entire depth that I have to work with (including building rear wall protection and the depth of stove itself (minus the front ash lip)) can not exceed 24" from the existing rear wall! This stove can not be installed in an existing alcove, a corner, or anywhere else. Unfortunately, I have only but one bright, shining place to put it...and no other.

The only three models that I've run across that seem to fit this space and meet all of my criteria above are the three listed in the title.

Are there others hidden deep with Hearth.com gentlemen? Or have I covered it?
 
The Jotul 602 turned side ways would work too.
 
The Jotul 602 turned side ways would work too.

Well...Burning the fat from a gutted seal on a large paver stone might work, too! But my wife doesn't like the way either option looks to our neighbors and guests. :-(

I LOVE the 602, though.
 
Well...Burning the fat from a gutted seal on a large paver stone might work, too! But my wife doesn't like the way either option looks to our neighbors and guests. :-(

I LOVE the 602, though.

I need to talk to your wife.

Welcome to the forums ;)
 
As a former F100 owner, I'm going to say that it's a beast of a stove for it's size. We lived in a slightly smaller, but horribly insulated, house in an area not known for easy winters. It was our only source of heat, and given it's small firebox, it does need some attention. Substantive overnight burns might be a bit difficult to achieve, unless you sleep only six or seven hours per night. With that said, the stove does heat up quickly and given the size of your home, I think you might find it to be on the *chilly* side for not much longer than it would take you to brew your morning coffee. I can't speak for the other brands, but if Jotul is an option, take it.
 
As a former F100 owner, I'm going to say that it's a beast of a stove for it's size. We lived in a slightly smaller, but horribly insulated, house in an area not known for easy winters. It was our only source of heat, and given it's small firebox, it does need some attention. Substantive overnight burns might be a bit difficult to achieve, unless you sleep only six or seven hours per night. With that said, the stove does heat up quickly and given the size of your home, I think you might find it to be on the *chilly* side for not much longer than it would take you to brew your morning coffee. I can't speak for the other brands, but if Jotul is an option, take it.

Does anyone have any idea how many cubic feet the firebox is on the Jotul F100? I know it's small, but I can't seem to find the info on their website or in the manual.
 
So am I correct in assuming that these are the only stoves that would fit? :)
 
The F100 is a 1.1 CuFt box I believe as is the 17vl. I believe the Vista is a shade bigger at 1.4.

I have the 17 and it has very tight clearances and would definitely be the stove to buy on a budget. It's also one of the shallowest stoves you'll find. What I would caution you on is the idea of burning overnight. I'm a relatively new woodburner on my first season with my 17, but I think the absolute best burn times you can expect out of these stoves is about 4+ hrs with more realistic times of between 3-4 hrs with the best wood. You'll have hot coals well past that to rekindle a fire, but not useful heat.

Best of luck!
 
The F100 is a 1.1 CuFt box I believe as is the 17vl. I believe the Vista is a shade bigger at 1.4.

I have the 17 and it has very tight clearances and would definitely be the stove to buy on a budget. It's also one of the shallowest stoves you'll find. What I would caution you on is the idea of burning overnight. I'm a relatively new woodburner on my first season with my 17, but I think the absolute best burn times you can expect out of these stoves is about 4+ hrs with more realistic times of between 3-4 hrs with the best wood. You'll have hot coals well past that to rekindle a fire, but not useful heat.

Best of luck!

Does anyone know whether or not the burn time on the slightly larger 1.4 firebox of the Vista would give a little longer burn time than the 1.1 box of the F100?

Man, what I wouldn't give to have a few more inches to be able to fit a Pacific Energy True North in here!
 
Does anyone know whether or not the burn time on the slightly larger 1.4 firebox of the Vista would give a little longer burn time than the 1.1 box of the F100?

Man, what I wouldn't give to have a few more inches to be able to fit a Pacific Energy True North in here!
It should give you a longer burn time, type "vista burn time" into the search box and you'll probably get a hit with someone with real life experience.
 
Correct me if I'm wrong, but if there was a way that I could squeeze out one more inch of depth beyond my 24" limit wouldn't I be able to fit a Country Hearth 2000?

The depth dimension is 20.5" without the blower (even with the blower it measures the rear clearance from the back of the stove) and the required clearance from combustibles is 14" with double insulated pipe. Wouldn't 14" translate to 4.62" from the nearest combustible wall with the proper heat shielding in between the combustible wall and the stove?

Wouldn't that place the front of the stove 25.12" from the nearest combustible wall?
 
Just how much room will there be in front of the stove for access/egress etc? This sounds like a very tight situation.

You might check out what Morso has to offer. Not sure if they have something that might fit your situation better.
 
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