Advice / Review need: Regency CI2600 fireplace insert risky & costly?

Good morning.
This AM upstairs temp was 67F at 6:15. Downstairs on the far end of the house was 62 which is where the heat is set. After clearing off the snow from my wife's car, the furnace kicked on for the lower level.
Checked the stove and the auto fan was off. Room was still warm and there was a healthy bed of coals. Raked the bed, made a little trench and loaded up the stove with probably 6-7 good size pieces. No kindling. Closed the door, made a cup of coffee and ten mins later fire was roaring. 2mins later fan turned on and I turned down the air to about 1/4 out. It is pumping out great heat. If I was working today I would have to allow myself I'm guessing an extra ten mins to establish a great fire and go.
Suffice to say I am much happier with this stove.

Jonny006 said:

Good morning.
This AM upstairs temp was 67F at 6:15. Downstairs on the far end of the house was 62 which is where the heat is set. After clearing off the snow from my wife's car, the furnace kicked on for the lower level.
Checked the stove and the auto fan was off. Room was still warm and there was a healthy bed of coals. Raked the bed, made a little trench and loaded up the stove with probably 6-7 good size pieces. No kindling. Closed the door, made a cup of coffee and ten mins later fire was roaring. 2mins later fan turned on and I turned down the air to about 1/4 out. It is pumping out great heat. If I was working today I would have to allow myself I'm guessing an extra ten mins to establish a great fire and go.
Suffice to say I am much happier with this stove.

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Now my husband really wants to send it back. How was it yesterday and overnight? Is it heating up the house better than the ci2600? The 2600 just seems to take the chill out of the air, but not really heat up the house. Grated I do have an open floor plan and high ceilings, but I expected more from it.

Cinders said:

Now my husband really wants to send it back. How was it yesterday and overnight? Is it heating up the house better than the ci2600? The 2600 just seems to take the chill out of the air, but not really heat up the house. Grated I do have an open floor plan and high ceilings, but I expected more from it.

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I'm sorry to hear that your also not get good burn times. I just can't understand why some have great burn times and heat and some have such a bad time with this stove.

This am the upstairs was a warm 67 and downstairs was still holding at 62. Furnace was not on. Loaded up stove, turned it down and good to go. I was home all day with a sick kid so I could monitor the stove. It seems to burn solidly for @6hrs before its just coals. But even then it will kick off heat for another 2 or so. Downstairs was 66-68 all day and upstairs was 68. I don't know how well it will work when the temps really sink into the teens but as low as the 20's it's working quite well.
I'm still getting a feel for it so if my results change or improve I will let y'all know.
Cinders to answer your question, the 2600 never heated as well as this stove has been doing.

Jonny how is your stove doing with colder temps?

Just an update about what's going on with the CI2600. The suggested changes were made fore the insert. Turns out the knockout plates were already out. They installed the new restrictor plate, replaced the door gasket, fixed a broken screw in the door which is why the door wasn't level, adjusted the washers in the door and checked the thermostat location to make sure it was ok. After all that, there is still no change to the function of this unit. Still getting on average 3 to 4 hour burn time before having to reload. And this is even with the flue chocked down. So this unit is being pulled out. Now to figure out what else to get. I have a large area to heat up with high ceilings. Any recommendations would be greatly appreciated. Not going with another Regency brand.

Cinders said:

Just an update about what's going on with the CI2600. The suggested changes were made fore the insert. Turns out the knockout plates were already out. They installed the new restrictor plate, replaced the door gasket, fixed a broken screw in the door which is why the door wasn't level, adjusted the washers in the door and checked the thermostat location to make sure it was ok. After all that, there is still no change to the function of this unit. Still getting on average 3 to 4 hour burn time before having to reload. And this is even with the flue chocked down. So this unit is being pulled out. Now to figure out what else to get. I have a large area to heat up with high ceilings. Any recommendations would be greatly appreciated. Not going with another Regency brand.

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I suggest a new thread in which you can tell us more about the size of your home, dimensions of fireplace, insulation levels, layout, etc.

going to check in next week with my dealer to see if they heard anything from their regency rep. if they havent heard from him i'm going to tell them to come get this stove. im sick of it eating so much wood just to keep it going. going to tell my dealer that i want the vermont castings defiant.

I've had the regency 2600 for about a month now and have read this thread before and during the time I have hade this stove.....disappointing to say the least.....get about 4 hrs of heat....have top blocked and fabricated a bottom block the trap heat and push it back I to room....my home is roughly 2700 square feet but this thing barely heats the 9 ft ceiling living room!!

Mynameisbrian said:

I've had the regency 2600 for about a month now and have read this thread before and during the time I have hade this stove.....disappointing to say the least.....get about 4 hrs of heat....have top blocked and fabricated a bottom block the trap heat and push it back I to room....my home is roughly 2700 square feet but this thing barely heats the 9 ft ceiling living room!!

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It's a real shame and such a disappointment for such an expensive investment. Regency has been to my home, recommended changes and they were implemented. Now still not working and they claim there s nothing wrong with it and are not cooperating with my dealer to take it back or even exchange for a different model. Luckily my dealer is working with us and is swapping it out for the Pacific Energy Summit. Hoping we have better luck with the new one. I think Regency is being bombarded with complaints and doesn't want to take them back. If they do for one they'll have to do for everyone.

Is there somebody out there that can please explain to me why one stove can deliver exactly what regency said it can do and the other doesn't even give 1/2 of what regency said?

Wolves1 said:

Is there somebody out there that can please explain to me why one stove can deliver exactly what regency said it can do and the other doesn't even give 1/2 of what regency said?

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That's what I'd like to know too. The wood was good, we loaded it properly, followed instructions to a T. :/

Cinders said:

That's what I'd like to know too. The wood was good, we loaded it properly, followed instructions to a T. :/

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There has to be a reason, I'm thinking it has to do with the bypass plate not closing all the way.

I have taking mine out to make sure the damper closing and it is functioning properly

Mynameisbrian said:

I have taking mine out to make sure the damper closing and it is functioning properly

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Can it be an issue with the cat?

Mynameisbrian said:

I have taking mine out to make sure the damper closing and it is functioning properly

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Did you say your not getting heat?

I am getting heat....but doesn't last very long....only about 4 hours until it's not reasonable to have the fan operating!

Wolves1,

How much insulation was used in your chimney?

The insulation was put in about 12 years ago when I had my old insert installed they just stuffed some insulation around the liner, not sure how much. It's funny you ask I was just playing with the idea of putting some roxul insulation around the insert, around the sides top and back. Always looking to improve. I was about to start a new forum to ask to see what people think.

Wolves - if you do let me know the link, i'm interested in doing the same.

I just post let's see what they think.

Cinders said:

Now my husband really wants to send it back. How was it yesterday and overnight? Is it heating up the house better than the ci2600? The 2600 just seems to take the chill out of the air, but not really heat up the house. Grated I do have an open floor plan and high ceilings, but I expected more from it.

Click to expand...

I have had the CI2600 for 4 months and this fireplace does not work at all like they say. I have the factory come out and say it was working perfectly. They said the wood was the problem I paid for season oak made no change in burn time. What I did find out is that regency is has false advertising. They said the burn time is that the temperature in the fire box after 14 hours has a temp of 70. Not that it will heat your house for 14 hours or 10. They told me that it will only heat your house for 5 to 8 hours with perfect wood. Sadly there is nothing anyone can do about this but if you would like to talk with someone here is a number you can call. They will be very unhappy you have this number. Please let them know that James Schram said have a nice day.
Joe Giannandrea
Director, Technical Services

Regency Fireplace Products ... 30 Years of Quality!
6988 Venture Street, Delta, BC Canada V4G 1H4
Phone: 604-946-5155
Fax: 604-952-6629
E-mail: [email protected]
Website: http://www.regency-fire.com

Thank you schramj...I have already sent many emails back-and-forth with Joe. After explain to him my situation, he just gave me the runaround on the emails. He finally said I had to get my dealer involved so that is what I am doing. He would not give me his number though or call me and talk on the phone. I just told him thank you and moved on, before I said something I would regret. I even went as far as copying this thread from all the complaints, and sent it to him in an email. I also sent him photos from my stove. He was not helpful whatsoever, and maybe repeat the same information in a different manner just to get my point across.

Hey guys-
Wolves, the new stove is working very well in the colder temps. Honestly, can't be in the room when its cranking and that is with the damper shut! Need to figure out a way of moving the heat out of the room. I have a Thruwall fan in the old closed up door way wall and had it pushing cold air in. Reversed it last night and it seems to work marginally better. I will probably start a new thread on this.
I just read some of the other posts in regards to the 2600 and I feel for you. This stove is a massive disappointment. I don't understand how a few are getting good results and the others are not. Very frustrating. I am curious to know how many others are having issues who don't post on forums!
All I can say is that at least my dealer stepped up and made it right. Although given the option I would have chosen a different brand replacement.

We have been loading are the stove the exact same for 2 months. The cat temp usually rises to 1250-1350 then lowers. The past few days it has been 2000! Right now it's been there for 30 min and fan has not kicked on either, had to turn it on manual. Any thou h ts? I'm thinking a problem with the temp gauge. And except for the cat, I think, nothing is glowing cherry red. Everytime our dealer has been out to fix something, something else gets screwed up.....not sure if u can see the frayed wires on my pic. , they did that last time they were here and chose not to respond back to me about that. Thoughts?