One thing you would change about your current stove.

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So far, so good. I would like a better place to put a thermometer for accurate top temp but the more experience I get with it, the less it becomes an issue.

......Perhaps I could trade it in on a wife powered, self loading model; one without the choke out what's left of the fire and smoke out the neighbors option ;-)
 
HI Guys,

Here are my changes:

I have a Quadrafire Isle Royale. It is near perfect, exept:
1) I would like the primary air control to be a rotating lever, similar to what the Jotul Castine has. The Isle has a slider and it is harder to regulate and control.
2) I would like the grates to be larger, so more ash falls into the ash pan (which has to be bigger also). Right now, the grates have 4 inches of firebrick on the left, right and back side and lots of ashes collect there. Plus no grate = no air = no burn in those areas.
3) I wish the top was larger so I could put my steamer on there AND be able to open the top to load wood.

Carpniels
 
See another vote for self loading! I might be on to something here...
 
Let's see for the F3CB (Tribute isn't installed yet) - hmmm, a lower profile baffle to make more room for wood, air adjustment that doesn't burn my fingers, larger ash box, tool free ash box opening, get rid of set screws that hold the lid down. Oh the newer stoves have the tool free ashbox now - dang...and the pretty nickel accents too...
 
Strange to see so many people wanting a bigger stove. I actually wish mine was a bit smaller so I could burn it harder/hotter and not get run out of the house with heat. I was actually considering making my firebox a bit smaller. But that actually gives me an idea....

The first thing I would like to change is to build a better baffle for the top. I would like to build one that captures more heat from the fire to get the secondary air hotter and one that would create more turbulence as the air is injected for a better burn...I have the stainless, just need to weld it together.

Second thing is to build the firebox a little smaller...maybe adding a second layer of firebrick, but add it in such a way that it is easily removable. I could burn the smaller firebox hot through the mild months, then spend 5 minutes to remove the layer of firebrick so i could stoke larger loads of wood in the bitter cold months.

Corey
 
I have a FirepPlace Xtradinaire Elite 33 insert. I wouldn't call the fans loud but it would be nice if they were silent. Marks on the air damper would be nice too and a built in thermometer.
 
I actually wish mine was a bit smaller so I could burn it harder/hotter and not get run out of the house with heat.
Click to expand...

Corey, I know what your talking about,
Much like BB's old summit , its now 82 in the living room, the wife opens up the doors, its 20 something outside, I scratch my head and think, I'm trying to save heat, money, etc, the fricken doors are open, we blow ourselves out of the LR, yup I feel your pain there !
 
For me, it would probably be to move the gap that's right under the glass (Hearthstone Clydesdale). When you have ash against the glass (say a log or bark fell against the glass during a burn) and you open the door, it has a good chance to fall out and goes strategically into a gap where the blowers fasten to the insert. Those ashes get sucked in that gap and *poof* out the blower channels on top at 220 CFM.
 
Monolithic Heater: Nothing, except I wish I had one much sooner.

Harman TLC 2000: I wish that ugly thing was more purdy.

Aye,
Marty

Grandma used to say, "A wise man know the difference between what he can change and what he cannot."
 
As much as I try, I really can't think of any 1 thing I would change. I did my homework here (hearthnet) doing research fitting the correct size stove for my house and needs and the Castine met all my needs and expectations. I am glad that I have the "older" 2 door model.
 
1. Make it into something EPAII certified
2. Make the firebox not so deep (wide) but bigger front / back and side / side so that I could get more splits in for a long burn.

Gooserider
 
For real? I'd love to have the ash pan like the Summit stand alone guys have, on my Summit insert. Would raise the height a bit, but in my hearth there is room. Would be a nice option.

Just dreaming? Wish my Summit could burn all day on a single split, cure all manner of diseases and promote world peace....oh wait...it does! :p
 
Willhound said:
For real? I'd love to have the ash pan like the Summit stand alone guys have, on my Summit insert. Would raise the height a bit, but in my hearth there is room. Would be a nice option.

Just dreaming? Wish my Summit could burn all day on a single split, cure all manner of diseases and promote world peace....oh wait...it does! :p
Click to expand...
Whats under the Summit insert ? Blowers ? How much room is under it now ? Maybe start a new thread on this Willhound. The fabricating mind is rolling..............

cozy heat for my feet said:
The first thing I would like to change is to build a better baffle for the top. I would like to build one that captures more heat from the fire to get the secondary air hotter and one that would create more turbulence as the air is injected for a better burn...I have the stainless, just need to weld it together.
Corey
Click to expand...

You could built the secondary burn chamber like the Pacific Energy stove , that should be easy enough , how are you running secondary air into the stove now ? <New thread with your thoughts >
 
I wish mine came in blue enamel-other than that, perfect.
It heats the whole house to a comfortable to me 70 degrees, burns oak for about 6 hours, and does more than I expected it to do.
I serously bought this stove with the idea that if I didn't like it, i would rip it out and get a "better" stove, $448 full price.-10% employee discount.
I am very satisfied with it, not bad for a cheapie stove from Lowes.
 
First off, Mountainstoveguy I think the Mansfield looks just as good as the heritage. I should have bought a mansfield rather than the heritage. But hey, I guess I am biased to Hearthstone. Two things I would change and just because of my schedule and time availability:

1) EBT: would really love that extended burn time

2) I guess automated air control (non-electric of course) with some type of manual bypass. IE. Where the "thermistor" would cut the air down as low as possible for extended 2nd burn and then crack it back up when the wood reaches the charcoal stage.

Pipe dream stage: Making the stove our of those high tech, heat retentive ceramics. But the ceramics look just as good as the soapstone. So the stove could act more as a masonry heater. And include the above two in the stove. Like I said, pipe dream when you figure what something like that would cost.
 
MountainStoveGuy said:
i wish mine was as purdy as the heratige.
Click to expand...

Isn't that nearly identical to the heritage, except being about 1/3 "deeper"? I haven't seen one in person, but I probably would have gone to the mansfield if there was a rear vent option.
 
jimkelt said:
Love my P68. There are two adjustments I would make, and would still like to see...

Programmable temp setting. I know that it is not straight forward because it's a thermister not a simple thermostat but at least one or two temp settings have got to be possible. I keep asking...maybe???
Click to expand...

Same here. I'd love to have a programmable thermostat for my P68. I, myself, don't mind coming back to a colder house, but would prefer to get the temp up before my mother brings my daughter home from daycare.

I'd also would suggest a remote thermostat. Would like to be able to have the thermostat upstairs to maintain a temp where the bedrooms are rather than where the room sensor is placed.
 
Roospike said:
Willhound said:
For real? I'd love to have the ash pan like the Summit stand alone guys have, on my Summit insert. Would raise the height a bit, but in my hearth there is room. Would be a nice option.

Just dreaming? Wish my Summit could burn all day on a single split, cure all manner of diseases and promote world peace....oh wait...it does! :p
Click to expand...
Whats under the Summit insert ? Blowers ? How much room is under it now ? Maybe start a new thread on this Willhound. The fabricating mind is rolling..............

Hey Roo
Sorry, been away on business for a bit. From the bottom of the lip on the front ash catcher to my hearth is about 3 or 3.5 inches. Under that of course is the main air control lever. Fan is on the side, so no issue there. I think it is likely just a height/clearance issue. I think most people have a tough time shoehorning a Summit into their fireplace as it is, although in my case, I could have easily handled another 4 to 6 inches in height.
Click to expand...
 
On a freestanding stove: from the bottom of the stove to the bottom of the ash pan is 5 1/4"
So if one had an extra 5 1/2" extra the ash pan system would fit under the insert.

I would think all it would take is the ash pan ash clean out system and some 5 1/2" legs or supports for it to work.

* ( Pictures showing the ash pan system - X shows ash trap door system )
 

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Pellet stove here:

1. Glass that stays cleaner.
2. Wider opening for dumping in the pellets.
3. Hopper designed steeper so that pellets slide in better, and with no obstruction on the side of the hopper that catches pellets.
4. A remote control that would not only be a thermostat but would also allow me to control everything that I can on the control panel on the stove--e.g., turn the stove on and off, as well as increase or decrease the power setting.

But as a first time pellet stove owner, I can say that functionally it has done everything I hoped for. The downstairs is warmer and I'm saving money.
 
I would:
1. I'd like a little bit larger fire box for longer burn - but it's not bad.
2. I'd like a more precise air regulator. It's very sloppy - there's too much play. It could look like it's 1/2 open or 1/4 open by how much back and forth play is allowed on the slider. Is that clear?
3. I'd like for the full open air setting to permit more air than it does. I think I've heard this from other ppl about the Jotul too. A fire is NOT going to get going well without the side door being cracked for a period of time - which means that you have to be right there to babysit it.


Other than that? I like it.

If I had it to do over again, and I was going to be putting it in the basement again (which I wouldn't do if I knew then what I know now...) I'd get a Hearthstone Mansfield.
 
Countryside Magnum here. I wish the thing had better control over the draft induction. Its a pita to keep it running on low for any length of time.
I wish the stirrer arm would just pop off and the burn pot pop right out rather than the allen heads needing loosening to slide the collar.
I wish the glass would stay just a little clean
I wish the ash pan was deeper, larger whatever to go more than 2 days without dumping
I wish there was a switch to manually shut off the heat blower so opening the door doesn't blow corn dust all over the place to settle on my ceiling. I bought a switch just havent hooked it up yet.
There, now that thats all off my chest I feel so much better........................................................................
 
I would like a stronger blower and a way to get more air. Mine is a bottom burner and when you burn the bigger pieces, you constantly have to move the pieces and rake the stove to clear the air holes in the bottom plate. It wouldn't be so bad if it was in the living room, but it is in the basement and I'm up and down the steps a hundred times on a cold night.
 
On some Jotuls it would be nice to have a better provision for startup air. They tend to be stingy which leads to the owner opening the ashpan door to get more air to the fire. On the Jotul F400, I'd like to see them go back to double door and to consider front andirons to stop logs rolling into the glass. On all stoves I would like to see thermostatic dampers like on the VC models.
 
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