I wonder, wonder, wonder . . .

What BB said.

Welcome to the madness, the addiction, the saving a chit load of money

there are two classes of people that care about those details... 1) folks who are having trouble and need to figure out what's going on; 2) the stove nerds (like me). Oh, and one can belong to both classes. The answer to your question is no, it does not have to be complicated. Dry wood burned in cycles is the key to EPA stoves. Each stove/installation will have nuances based on draft and such that will become second nature to you without really even trying. It doesn't take long to know your setup well and at that point it becomes very simple. You will know if something is out of kilter, like a plugged chimney cap or a failing gasket. If you're a do-it-yourselfer, you'll sweep your chimney at least once per season and you will replace gaskets periodically. And if it turns out you do want 2 thermometers on the stove, one or more in the flue, an IR thermometer to double-check your readings, a k-type thermocouple to double-check your IR device, gadgets to measure and record temperature at regular intervals and enter them into a database for you so you can review and ponder the minutiae of your burns, well then knock yourself out

jillybeansisme said:

Reading all these different threads has me wondering (I'm so new I don't have a stove or place to put it yet) . . . and I'd appreciate your input. The trees on my lot will be felled in the next 6 weeks and then c/s/s to start aging for 2016 and 2017. The trees are all Douglas fir and oak. Then the house will be built. It's a one story over the garage plus a loft. At this point I am planning to get a PE Super 27 and it will go in the corner of the living room, which is about as central as it can get, and have a straight chimney pipe up through the 10' ceiling and 8' attic plus of course ceiling joists, roof, and above the peak. The chimney pipe will be enclosed in a chase on the roof.

I see all the thread about measuring the temperature here, there, everywhere, baffle this, damper that, door open, door closed, etc. Does it really have to be all that complicated? In a pit outside, I simply make a fire. When I had a wood fireplace 30 years ago, I simply made a fire.

Can't I just open the flue, open the door, and simply make a fire (using seasoned wood, of course)? Does it really have to be so stinkin' complicated?

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Jellybean of course it has to be complicated, why do you think people spend hours on this site learning and reading . Once you get your stove you will be engrossed in how to make it burn better, longer , no smoke ,glass clean, ashes minimal,etc. it is an obsession and a healthy one. You will love it!

If you want to burn safe and efficiently there is a bit of a twist to getting things right. Like anything else, there's a learning curve. But if I can learn (pffft), ANYBODY can learn.

Welcome to the forums! Good call on getting ahead of the wood situation.

Andrew

Start out small and simple, the smallest stove that will take a 16" split and non cat. I began with a tiny irish version of a jotul 602, I then moved up to a coal burner then a VC intrepid cat followed by a hearthstone then back to where it all began with a fireplace. This fall we installed a small jotul and liner in a fireplace with a poor chimney could not be happier. For a beginner the easier the setup the more you will enjoy and stick with it, Good luck.

I agree with all the replies, but do urge you to get a stove with a cat / combustor system. They really do keep your chimney MUCH cleaner...and a clean chimney is a safe one. They're not an excuse to burn green wood or not pay attention to whats going on, but anything to keep your chimney cleaner is well worth it in my opinion. Personally, after running a cat stove the past 12 years or so...I'd never use a non cat stove. Again, my opinion only.

BG is right. I have a dirtier chimney w/ my BKK than I did with my other stoves.

MJFlores said:

I agree with all the replies, but do urge you to get a stove with a cat / combustor system. They really do keep your chimney MUCH cleaner...and a clean chimney is a safe one. They're not an excuse to burn green wood or not pay attention to whats going on, but anything to keep your chimney cleaner is well worth it in my opinion. Personally, after running a cat stove the past 12 years or so...I'd never use a non cat stove. Again, my opinion only.

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I like my cat stove but I don't really think your statement is accurate.
I think a clean flue has more to do with how good your wood is and burning habits more then the type of stove.
Cat stoves can clog a cap pretty easy when its really cold out due to lower stack temps then a tube stove especial when the wood is sub par.

jillybeansisme said:

Does it really have to be all that complicated?

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No

jillybeansisme said:

Can't I just open the flue, open the door, and simply make a fire (using seasoned wood, of course)?

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Yes

jillybeansisme said:

Does it really have to be so stinkin' complicated?

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No


Edit: 50% of the "complications" you read about here are a result of burning green wood. The other half come from the unreasonable expectations new burners get from reading threads here at Hearth.com.

begreen said:

I think your initial choice is fine. The Super 27 is a very flexible and forgiving burner. It's simple to operate, has a square firebox for multiple loading options, and provides excellent burn times.

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^ this ^

MJFlores said:

but do urge you to get a stove with a cat / combustor system. They really do keep your chimney MUCH cleaner...and a clean chimney is a safe one.

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Rilly? Cat stoves are safer now? C'mon.

The cat burns the smoke off, preventing creosote from forming in your flu. Yes, a cat will result in lower flu temps, again because it's reburning smoke as fuel giving off more heat inside the home. You would never want 300 degree flu temps without a cat, thats asking for trouble but if the smoke is enver making it to your flu because it's getting burned at the combustor, then all is good.

MJFlores said:

The cat burns the smoke off, preventing creosote from forming in your flu.

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You mean like the baffle in my Spectrum Classic and the OP's prospective Super 27?

Correct...but I said a clean chimney is a safer chimney. I hope nobody is attempting to argue that. We all strive to keep the chimney as clean as possible. I clean chimney has no fuel deposit in it for a chimney fire. This should go without saying.

A clean chimney is, indeed, safer than a dirty chimney, but your extrapolation that because your chimney is cleaner with your cat stove in your set up so it must be true in all cases is simply wrong. And your implication that non-cats are inherently less safe is erroneous and a disservice to the OP and to any other newb looking for accurate information.

jillybeansisme said:

Can't I just open the flue, open the door, and simply make a fire (using seasoned wood, of course)?

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Sure you can. When you get right down to it, that's basically all any of us does. Just don't forget to shut the door before you walk away from that lit stove. Rick