High Vally 2500 or Blaze King Princess??

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LakeMurraySC

New Member
May 9, 2013
15
Gilbert SC USA
I am looking for a wood stove with a 6" flue being that my clay liner is 7"x11" and not a full 7" at that. I plan on putting a 30 foot - 6" ss liner and pour in insulation in myself. A High Vally rep. said a 6" flue adapter and a 6"chiminy instead of a 8" liner would work fine. Both the High Vally 2500 and Blaze King Princess seem like great choices , hard to decide. Also dont heasitate to recomend another stove. The High Vally 2500 weighs more, 565lbs, 130lbs over the Princess at 435lbs. also the 2500 has a 3.5 cu foot firebox n the Princesses firebox is 2.85cu/foot. On the other hand the Blaze King Princess is more efficient and has a burn time far longer than the High Vally. My house is 1900sf open layout. Any suggestions or recomadations ??
 
Why would you need to pour in insulation as opposed to just wrapping the SS liner?
 
Yeah just getting a six inch liner in that flue is gonna be an adventure. They are 6 1/4" outside diameter and any mortar joint scrap makes it a pain. Why I ended up going with 5.5" liners in mine.
 
Yeah just getting a six inch liner in that flue is gonna be an adventure. They are 6 1/4" outside diameter and any mortar joint scrap makes it a pain. Why I ended up going with 5.5" liners in mine.
Im considering a 5.5 ss liner, i wont to buy a nose or cone puller and like 3 foot of 6" liner and do a test run. Any-1 ever used the pour insulation??
 
Measure a paint can. It will probably do for the test to lower it down. Large coffee cans are usually 6 1/4" too.

I would give the liner a try without insulation first to see how it does if the chimney is in great shape. You could always pour it later. Mine are both not insulated and they draft like vacuum cleaners and don't collect gunk.
 
Measure a paint can. It will probably do for the test to lower it down. Large coffee cans are usually 6 1/4" too.

I would give the liner a try without insulation first to see how it does if the chimney is in great shape. You could always pour it later. Mine are both not insulated and they draft like vacuum cleaners and don't collect gunk.
I like the paint can idea, im painting a new shed and looking at an empty can right now. It is a inside chiminy and 1st floor so the chiminy is a 30-35 feet run.
 
Empty paint can is 6.75 inches, ill find some round objects from 5.5- 6+ inches and do test runs and maybe knoch out the morter joints at the same time. A friend has a snake or scope camers for construction and ill get a better look but i have seen a few that i know will be in the way. i would hate to rip a brand new 35 foot ss liner.
 
If your chimney is 25' plus, I would recommend installing a 5.5" liner. It will give you that extra 1/2" that can make all the difference in the world.
 
If your chimney is 25' plus, I would recommend installing a 5.5" liner. It will give you that extra 1/2" that can make all the difference in the world.
it looks like i will have to use a 5.5"ss liner anyway if those morter joints are in the way. that might knock the High Vally 2500 out of the game being it calls for a 8'liner and was going down to a 6" liner.
 
Yeah you don't want to neck one down that much.
 
It seems like a firebox somewhere over 3+ cubic feet calls for a jump from a 6" to a 8' flue.
Only in cat stoves. Plenty of non-cats with big boxes and 6" flues.

Get the blaze king. There's a reason that High Valley is an obscure name and BKs are like kleenex.
 
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A High Vally rep. said a 6" flue adapter and a 6"chiminy instead of a 8" liner would work fine.

So I'd think that should count for something if that's how you'd want to go. Though I'd be inclined to want to make sure it has the approval of someone with technical expertise in the co. and it probably would be a good idea to get it in writing in case there were draft issues related to the 6" liner down the line. If you want to go with the High Valley.

Also, I don't see it mentioned in this thread but it is possible to break out the clay tiles when you're doing an insulated liner if there is a clearance problem. And there is a drill attachment that will break them up. Haven't done it myself but apparently it's not that big an issue, though I recall seeing figures quoted like five hundred dollars additional in the installation cost to do it.
 
Also, I don't see it mentioned in this thread but it is possible to break out the clay tiles when you're doing an insulated liner if there is a clearance problem. And there is a drill attachment that will break them up. Haven't done it myself but apparently it's not that big an issue,

Big issue with the topper on that chimney.
 
Is this the same guy with the fancy chimney?
 
I would go with the BK, High Valley is a nice stove but if you can afford the extra $$ to get the BK it is worth it. The bimetallic coil on the BK makes life much easier when it works. The High Valley is simular to my stove, you have to set the incoming air yourself and sometimes you just don't have time to fool with it, the automation of that on the BK is priceless.

As to the Reduction from 8" to 6", as long as you have a tall chimney it is perfectly fine, mine has an 8" exhaust and the manufacturer makes an 8" to 6" adapter, works as it should on 25 ft of 6" insulated pipe.
 
So I'd think that should count for something if that's how you'd want to go. Though I'd be inclined to want to make sure it has the approval of someone with technical expertise in the co. and it probably would be a good idea to get it in writing in case there were draft issues related to the 6" liner down the line. If you want to go with the High Valley.

Also, I don't see it mentioned in this thread but it is possible to break out the clay tiles when you're doing an insulated liner if there is a clearance problem. And there is a drill attachment that will break them up. Haven't done it myself but apparently it's not that big an issue, though I recall seeing figures quoted like five hundred dollars additional in the installation cost to do it.
Good idea to get in writing being that the 2500 model calles for a 8" flue and they said a 6" flue would work, i might send a letter to High Vally and hopefully get a written responce. I considered breaking out the tile and might have to as a last option but i like the idea of having a 6" ss liner inside a clay liner in case of a chiminy fire. Seems the pour insulation should work fine, i wonder how messy it is pouring it down a tight chiminy. Seems poured insulation would creat a safer chiminy being that it consumes all the space around the ss liner. The liner might be a bit beat-up getting it down the chiminy.
 
Just a heads up, I was going to buy the 2500, I could never get Stoll to put it in writing that reducing to 6" is OK, only verbal.

That is why I went with Appalachian, they have it in writing and even manufacturer a reducer for their stoves.

Give servicesales.com a call (in your neck of the woods) and ask for Matt, they run specials on the High Valleys and Appalachian's during this time of year.
 
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Just a heads up, I was going to buy the 2500, I could never get Stoll to put it in writing that reducing to 6" is OK, only verbal.

That is why I went with Appalachian, they have it in writing and even manufacturer a reducer for their stoves.
Thats good to know, thxx. I have heard good things about the Appalachian. The chiminy distance is 30-35 feet so i should get a good draft. I do have two 45* angles to deal with and thats where i sespect the most morter blocking the path for the liner. My ole highschool buddy has a scope or snake camera and sopose to bring it here soon. Im gonna check out Appalachian right now, thxx.
 
Agreed, if your clay liner is in good shape (no cracks), I wouldn't consider breaking it out like that. Only mentioned it because it's an option (if you hadn't been reading other messages about liners -- Especially the thread about the guy with the failed liner. That has to give you pause about the overall durability of these SS liners.* So at least if something like that ever happened or you ever want to pull out the stove/insert, you can easily return it to a working fireplace (if you add back a damper)).

Never did the poured in insulation myself, but it is also supposedly fairly easily removable (if you ever want or need to) without damaging the original clay liner.

Can see why you'd consider the High Valley. If I'd have been aware of nice looking bay front cat inserts like that (and the Appalachian), might have gone that way instead of the Summit. The only thing that would concern me about them is that the glass in the side windows would probably get dirty and might be more difficult to keep clean than on the door.

*And since the particular brand of liner hasn't been named, it sort of indicts them all.
 
Anyway, Mellow, you don't seem all that happy with your Appalachian. Might have been better to go with the Blaze King? Something for LMSC to keep in mind. Though cost and looks (if the Chinook or Sirocco won't work) are factors.
 
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