I have the opportunity to buy a Fisher XL. Having researched this site and others I'm inclined to go ahead and purchase it. Overall the stove is in decent shape, although it needs a little attention The firebrick on the floor of the stove seem to be okay. The brick around the sides all need replaced, as does the angle holding the brick. The doorpins have a slight amount of play, if the doors don't seal I may drill the hinges and install oversized pins. Other then that, a little rust cleanup and new paint will do wonders. I do have a few questions I hope to get answers to. 1.) My research has lead me to believe the XL is somewhat harder to find than some other models. Is this correct? And are they as desireable and/or efficiant as the other fireplace models? 2.) I have read some posts that indicate these had two rows of firebrick on the sides. This one only has one, with no "t" shaped retainer to indicate it ever had two. Is this correct? 3.) Did these have the smoke baffle below the flue output installed originally? The peices of angle welded to the side of the stove look rather cobbled (the welds) like added by a novice, or they may have been repaired. 4.) This stove hase a 10" flue opening. Was there a reducing collar supplied with these originally or were these all operated with 10" stovepipe? In my opinion, 10" pipe is a.) Hard to find. b.) Expensive. c.) A lot of heat going up the chimney. I don't plan to operate this as a fireplace, which, I believe, is the reason for the large flue. My current chimney setup pulls like a Hoover, so I don't think I'd have any draft issues going with a smaller stovepipe. I have read most of the Fisher threads here and couldn't find a lot of info on the XL. One last question, my house is app.2300 sq ft (basement and upstairs combined.0 I think a Grandma or Grandpa would be better suited for me, but this available close by. will this stove be just to oversized to consider for my applicqation?
Fisher XL Questions
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1) Yes, they are harder to find, production started in 1978 with a limited customer base needing such a large stove. The "Sun" door was a part of the solar business they were getting into. The common Fir Tree doors were also used. Both are rare, and I've only seen rear vented "Sun" models.
2 & 3) The second row of bricks started in Mama and Papa Bears in July 1977 giving them the Roman Numeral II designation. Many fabricators stuck with the angle iron brick clips with only one course of brick. There have not been enough XL's to surface to make a determination on how many were made with or without the second course. My new in box XL has this second course, rear vent, Sun doors. Other Sun door types found have had this second course. Below is the inside of an XL from eBay, Utah a couple months ago that shows one course and a baffle. This is a Fir Tree door stove. Sun doors, so far have not had the baffle, and have had the second brick course.
The second brick course does not effect Mama and Papa when not present, and their sides are larger and more susceptible to warping. So I wouldn't be too concerned.
4) You're correct on all accounts; Reduction is not allowed technically by codes, but many do and will work. Baffled Grandma and Grandpa were the III model and did not use a damper. Before the baffle existed, in the first owners manual a baffle was recommended. So I would guess a damper should be used without a smoke shelf baffle, and not necessary when the stove has a baffle. Personally, I use one either way.
The absolute best way to heat your area with a Fisher, is a Papa Bear with 6 inch liner. Nothing like the advantage of 30" wood, small pipe and a huge cooking surface. The only disadvantage is not being able to view the fire. (which you need a screen for as well)
With your current 8 inch chimney, a Grandpa is the correct size for the home.
If you're a Tim Allen kind of guy, you're going to love your new XL !
If this is a Sun door, it should have a stainless tag on the left rear leg with serial number and state initials where it was made.
Notice the factory baffles normally have the notched corners. This is an indication of factory or not.
I'm close to finding out the model designation between door models given in prints and ads.
Here is the oldest ad I have found for the model in Feb. 1978.
http://news.google.com/newspapers?i...AAAIBAJ&pg=5472,3966402&dq=fisher+stove&hl=en
1) Yes, they are harder to find, production started in 1978 with a limited customer base needing such a large stove. The "Sun" door was a part of the solar business they were getting into. The common Fir Tree doors were also used. Both are rare, and I've only seen rear vented "Sun" models.
2 & 3) The second row of bricks started in Mama and Papa Bears in July 1977 giving them the Roman Numeral II designation. Many fabricators stuck with the angle iron brick clips with only one course of brick. There have not been enough XL's to surface to make a determination on how many were made with or without the second course. My new in box XL has this second course, rear vent, Sun doors. Other Sun door types found have had this second course. Below is the inside of an XL from eBay, Utah a couple months ago that shows one course and a baffle. This is a Fir Tree door stove. Sun doors, so far have not had the baffle, and have had the second brick course.
The second brick course does not effect Mama and Papa when not present, and their sides are larger and more susceptible to warping. So I wouldn't be too concerned.
4) You're correct on all accounts; Reduction is not allowed technically by codes, but many do and will work. Baffled Grandma and Grandpa were the III model and did not use a damper. Before the baffle existed, in the first owners manual a baffle was recommended. So I would guess a damper should be used without a smoke shelf baffle, and not necessary when the stove has a baffle. Personally, I use one either way.
The absolute best way to heat your area with a Fisher, is a Papa Bear with 6 inch liner. Nothing like the advantage of 30" wood, small pipe and a huge cooking surface. The only disadvantage is not being able to view the fire. (which you need a screen for as well)
With your current 8 inch chimney, a Grandpa is the correct size for the home.
If you're a Tim Allen kind of guy, you're going to love your new XL !
If this is a Sun door, it should have a stainless tag on the left rear leg with serial number and state initials where it was made.
Notice the factory baffles normally have the notched corners. This is an indication of factory or not.
I'm close to finding out the model designation between door models given in prints and ads.
Here is the oldest ad I have found for the model in Feb. 1978.
http://news.google.com/newspapers?i...AAAIBAJ&pg=5472,3966402&dq=fisher+stove&hl=en
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Thanks for the welcome and the info, Coaly. Here are some pictures of the stove. I'll try to get better ones when I move the stove
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What intrigues me about the XL is how far ahead of it's time it was. It's like it had another engineer or designer when all the Fishers being made at that time had flat top doors, block letters across the top of the door, and angle iron corner legs. The "pre 1980 look". Many old style boxes with angle iron corners exist with the new arched doors during the '79 -'80 transition. So in Feb. '78 it would make sense that the new XL model would have had angle iron corners, and flat top doors, just being made larger than a Grandpa. But that wasn't the case. Along comes this totally different beast. Box, legs, and round top doors. I'm thinking the Sun doors were part of this total redesign. They would have been the first arched top doors on a Fisher. This was the first with bent corners instead of welded corners having angle iron corner legs. So the "Sun" XL existed 2 years before the changes were made to the rest of the stoves in 1980 ! The arched doors with trees and baffle started in the 1980 stoves. I notice the ad I posted states the Sun style came with a damper. Verifying the older XL with the Sun didn't have a baffle.
I found the first use of the arched door with trees in an ad dated Dec. '79 on an Insert when all other stoves shown in the ad were still the old style door. http://news.google.com/newspapers?i...AAAIBAJ&pg=1605,1850748&dq=fisher+stove&hl=en
May be able to date yours if your doors have some markings inside like the GM and GP. Camfan on the forum, mentioned in a phone conversation that he saw a set of prints labeled I believe 300XL (?) dated before prints showing XL only. That may be the door difference.
I found the first use of the arched door with trees in an ad dated Dec. '79 on an Insert when all other stoves shown in the ad were still the old style door. http://news.google.com/newspapers?i...AAAIBAJ&pg=1605,1850748&dq=fisher+stove&hl=en
May be able to date yours if your doors have some markings inside like the GM and GP. Camfan on the forum, mentioned in a phone conversation that he saw a set of prints labeled I believe 300XL (?) dated before prints showing XL only. That may be the door difference.
I just bought a Fisher XL with a sun door with a tag on the bottom right back leg ( Ser # 2208 ) also on the bottom steel plate welded letters " BT ". Could you tell me what Information you might have on this stove ? I do not notice the state it was made in because of a bad welding job putting on the tag . When I install the stove in shop in Wyoming, can I reduce down to a 8" rear discharge and install a damper ?
As far as I know, they were all from Salt Lake City, Utah.
Normally the welder initialed the stove bottom for warranty purposes at some fabricators.
Most XL's have a stainless serial number tag and start with UT .....
They work fine with an 8 inch flue and damper. Technically it's against code to reduce any flue smaller than the stove outlet. The Fisher double doors were made with larger outlets to allow open door burning with a screen in place called "fireplace mode". Once going, you close damper slowly until smoke starts to roll in at top of door opening, then open damper slightly to let smoke up, yet retain as much heat as possible. The damper also becomes the only control to slow the fire during open burning with screen in place.
Here's a thread of brochures that includes one for the brass XL;
https://www.hearth.com/talk/threads/fisher-brochures.100409/
Never saw an owners manual for one yet, and don't know if one existed.
Did yours come with a screen?? They were normally a stainless frame with stainless screen wire. I ask because there are so many styles, very few are the same.
Yours is an early one. Chrome balls or brass?
Normally the welder initialed the stove bottom for warranty purposes at some fabricators.
Most XL's have a stainless serial number tag and start with UT .....
They work fine with an 8 inch flue and damper. Technically it's against code to reduce any flue smaller than the stove outlet. The Fisher double doors were made with larger outlets to allow open door burning with a screen in place called "fireplace mode". Once going, you close damper slowly until smoke starts to roll in at top of door opening, then open damper slightly to let smoke up, yet retain as much heat as possible. The damper also becomes the only control to slow the fire during open burning with screen in place.
Here's a thread of brochures that includes one for the brass XL;
https://www.hearth.com/talk/threads/fisher-brochures.100409/
Never saw an owners manual for one yet, and don't know if one existed.
Did yours come with a screen?? They were normally a stainless frame with stainless screen wire. I ask because there are so many styles, very few are the same.
Yours is an early one. Chrome balls or brass?
Yes it did but painted black, there is no baffle inside also and it has chrome balls at the feet. I guess I have to make a reducer 10"X8" , because I can't find one.
http://www.sandhillwholesale.com/ga....html?osCsid=4d55cccf49c7434912a73242e44e33dc
You may have to hand crimp the 10 inch end to fit.
You may have to hand crimp the 10 inch end to fit.
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