Regency 3100 Performance

  • Active since 1995, Hearth.com is THE place on the internet for free information and advice about wood stoves, pellet stoves and other energy saving equipment.

    We strive to provide opinions, articles, discussions and history related to Hearth Products and in a more general sense, energy issues.

    We promote the EFFICIENT, RESPONSIBLE, CLEAN and SAFE use of all fuels, whether renewable or fossil.
Status
Not open for further replies.

Jim Mazak

New Member
Feb 25, 2014
1
Michigan
I have an I3100 stove insert and 6" stainless liner that was professionally installed by a Regency dealer. I have had it for years, but have had issue with the unit from the beginning. This post is in part a review for possible buyers and a request for help if you have suggestions. Pulling out the unit for another brand is only a little funny.

The insert has never lived up to the specs listed below. My home is 1300 sq ft and the unit will barely heat the 10x20 ft room it is in. Even with the fire filling the box, blower output was warm. With the door open it was extremely hot, but not with the door closed.

I could never get the fire to last over night, even with a full box of hardwood The box was full of ash and the blower thermostat was shutting off after about 6 hours, so no heat output after that. I also checked to make sure the sensor was contacting the metal of the stove, but I cannot move it's location due to wiring.

I have had 2 chimney liner fires, each time somehow filling my home with a strange smoke. The Fire Dept nor I ever determined where the smoke came from. Maybe the liner was oiled or the insulation caused it. Without a well sealing air intake and no upper damper, I could never stop the burn to put the chimney fires out without spraying the fire with water. I think the chimney fires were caused by keeping the burn very low to try and get 10 hours of burn time (well seasoned wood).

The unit also puts a lot of smoke into the house. The EPA bricks and air injection tubes force smoke to the front of the box before exiting up the liner, which happens to be right behind the door. So open the door and smoke rolls in. They could have routed the exhaust toward the back of the box, like most other wood stoves.

As for the glass staying clear due to the EPA air injection tubes blowing fire toward the door, good luck. Again with the smoke. I tried everything.

I cannot see any way of getting 10 hrs or 3000 sq ft. The unit has been nothing but a fire hazard and needs attention. I have not used it for the last some years as I cannot take the risk. I tried using the BBB of Canada to get Fireplace Products International (Regency) to address my issues, but their reply was; wrong fuel, too cold a home, operator error, etc. As long as the unit had no damage, it was not their issue.

Any thoughts other than warning others not to buy a Regency?

Maximum BTU 75,000
Burn Time up to 10 hrs
Room Size 3000 sq. ft.
 
Describe your install, please.
Block off plate?
Chimney Height?
Moisture Content of wood? "Well-seasoned" doesn't amount to much...
Snap disk on the blower in contact with the stove body?
Primary Combustion Air control working?
Not pointing to any one thing in particular, but I burned this unit for a LOT of years
& my home was NEVER warmer...
 
Sounds like wet wood. Is the wood cut, split, stacked and seasoned a full two years? If you are buying seasoned hardwood from a seller, there is no telling how long seasoned means. Get a moisture meter and start checking your wood as dry wood means everything on modern stoves.
 
  • Like
Reactions: macattack_ga
Jim, you are likely right that heating 3,000sf with your stove would be a stretch but the good news is you don't even need to heat half that much.

I think it's doable but you need to realize your insert is part of a system and likely not the weak link. For instance, there's a couple things in your post that suggest your wood is not "well seasoned". I suspect you are lacking a block off plate and maybe some other problems that are within your control.

Stick around, answer a few questions, take some sound advice and you will likely begin to deep a whole different opinion of your stove.
 
My friend has the 3100 and he heats his whole 2500 sq ft house with it. I have the smaller 2400 and heat my 1700 sq ft house with it. The 3100 in a 1300 sq ft house should be driving you out of the house. It would certainly get the 10x20 room up in the 80's. My first guess would also be wet wood.
 
  • Like
Reactions: macattack_ga
I have the Regency F2400 wood stove (not insert, but smaller fire box) and it heats my 1500 sq ft home easily burning nothing but pine.
I'm guessing you have wet wood too, possibly coupled with draft problems based on the issues you are having with "strange smoke" filling your home.
 
Is there a full stainless liner on this insert? Was the chimney completely cleaned before the liner was put in including the smoke shelf? If not the strange smell could be old creosote set to smoldering by the chimney fire.

Is this an exterior chimney? How tall is it?
 
I'm happy with my I3100. It's a great supplement to my natural gas heat in the winter. I also tried to heat the house exclusively with wood, I have about 3300sq ft. It just isn't gonna happen with one stove. If I installed another stove, I could heat exclusively with wood. My chimney also is extremely high, about 35ft. I get an incredible draft that decreases my burn times.
 
I have an I3100 and it heats my 1800 sqft main floor easily. Our LR can get up to 90F if we let it. I have no trouble loading up in the evening and having a really good coal bed to get things going in the morning.

Do you have your baffles in place correctly? pushed back and outwards?
Can you describe your burn cycle from load to next re-load.
As others have said, how long has your wood been cut/split and stacked. What wood are you using? Oak will take much longer to season.
Has the stove ever worked for you?
Have you ever had it re-inspected to ensure there's no issues?
 
OP appears to be a one-time poster. Haven't seen him back.
 
OP appears to be a one-time poster. Haven't seen him back.

Yeah, BG, & I don't think he even knows what he has.
The number he cites for the BTU is what the I2400 is rated for not the I3100.
I think he just was looking for someone to agree with his feelingst that Regency
products are a complete POS & he didn't get any bites...
 
Actually he has the numbers for the I3100 correct, the I2400 is rated at 75K btus, 8 hours and 2000 sqft.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.