Cozy grate ?

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johnnywarm

Minister of Fire
Sep 12, 2007
1,244
Connecticut
Has anybody used one?its the kind that you build a fire on and it blows out hot air. it is used with the glass front.

John
 
Yep.. decades ago and it was junk.
 
my folks had one growing up. worked well, I mean you STILL have a ton of heat going up the flue, but much better than an open fire by itself.
 
Jim Walsh said:
Yep.. decades ago and it was junk.


I had to correct the spelling. Jim what didnt you like about it?
 
I should probably clarify as well, I'm not sure what the brand my folks had was. It was tubular steel grate that air blew throgh and blew into the room
 
Jfigliuolo said:
my folks had one growing up. worked well, I mean you STILL have a ton of heat going up the flue, but much better than an open fire by itself.


Thank you. What persentage do you think they work at--30%??
 
johnnywarm said:
Jfigliuolo said:
my folks had one growing up. worked well, I mean you STILL have a ton of heat going up the flue, but much better than an open fire by itself.


Thank you. What persentage do you think they work at--30%??

I couldn't even begin to guess. If all I had was an open fire place, and no other options I would get one like they had w/o question. For the simple fact that it greatly increases the heat output from an open fire. That being said, it is a FAR cry from my wood stove, both in wood usage and heat produced. I would NOT use it for a dedicated heat source.
 
johnnywarm said:
Jim Walsh said:
Yep.. decades ago and it was junk.


Jim what didnt you like about it?

Had a tendency to blow ash and smoke into the room, got some heat from it on initial startup but little after that. The grate system was mesh (like you would use on a mortar face job) and held too much ash, and the unit was noisy.
 
Sounds nothing like what my folks had. There's was tubular grate maybe 7-8 tubes. Air was pushed through them, heated and sent into the room. The bad news is a quick Net search turned up nothing like what they have. Pretty sure the bought it in the 70's. Still works though, although they never use it as they spend the winter in FL
 
I sent a PM about this, but just so those interested can read....
I used a tube heater for a few years, (not Cozy Grate brand), and now I use an insert. The advantage of the tube heater is that you will enjoy your fire up close. It will spit sparks to scare the dogs, and always be available to poke at the coals and toast marshmallows. However, even using that tube heater with doors, it still did not produce good heat. It is very dependent on the blower. The plain glass, not ceramic glass, doors block radiant heat, so you'll burn with them open a lot. The most noticable thing is that with the insert, an armload of wood warms the room. With the tube heater, it had to burn for a few hours. Lets say about 4 times the wood. If you don't burn often, it is pretty nice, but from personal experience, our family has no regets about switching to the insert.
If you've already made up your mind and are just shopping different brands, I think there are 2 popular ones out there, plus a custom made one. The one I mention in the PM is no longer made, but the company is still in business making high end fireplace doors.
Hope this helps a little.....
 
Yes.. mine hade the "U" shaped tubes... but the grate that held the wood/coals became an insulator with ash buildup.
 
It was called a "Heatalator". Wow I'm dating myself, I had 1 of them things back in the 70's.
:roll:
 
bmwbj said:
It was called a "Heatalator". Wow I'm dating myself, I had 1 of them things back in the 70's.
:roll:

B I N G O... yep.. what he said!!!... about 1976 for me before I bought a Yukon and a Bear!
 
I want to thank everybody for steering me in the right direction. I know now to start looking for a wood burning insert. I have a pellet stove in the cellar but want to burn wood in the den.

Thanks again. I do remember a heatalator in my best friends fireplace in the early 70's. its what you said and that memory that made me go for the insert.

john
 
Thermorite still makes something similar to what you guys are describing. I've pulled ALOT of them out. All kinds some relied solely on convection, others has blowers attached, some were integrated into glass doors other just sat in the open fireplace and blew through the firescreen. None were horribly effective.
 
This is what i WAS looking for.

John
 

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Shane said:
That's the one made my Thermo-Rite correct?


I have no idea. they call it"cozy grate"
 
Wow I’m dating myself, I had 1 of them things back in the 70’s.

I used to date myself back in high school. ;)

When I rented a house that had an open fireplace, I made a device with some pipes and 90 degree connectors. It went into the fireplace, along the back, then out again. I hooked a hair dryer on it to drive the air through.

Smelled bad when I first ran it. Amazing that I'm still alive.
 
WarmGuy said:
Wow I’m dating myself, I had 1 of them things back in the 70’s.

I used to date myself back in high school. ;)

When I rented a house that had an open fireplace, I made a device with some pipes and 90 degree connectors. It went into the fireplace, along the back, then out again. I hooked a hair dryer on it to drive the air through.

Smelled bad when I first ran it. Amazing that I'm still alive.





LOLOLOLOL
 
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