Does anyone have pro's or con's about this unit ? I have approx. 2500 sq. ft.
thanks for any input
thanks for any input
bis Trdition 4 cu ft fire box
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Seems like a real big firebox. Hope you have a big wood pile! Might consider the Tradition CE, which is a shrink.
I have a BIS Nova with a 2 cu ft firebox, and that seems like plenty for me. We have an 1800 sq ft house, and its heats most of our house.
I have a BIS Nova with a 2 cu ft firebox, and that seems like plenty for me. We have an 1800 sq ft house, and its heats most of our house.
the_dude
Feeling the Heat
With 2500 sq ft, I wouldn't be afraid of getting the Tradition. Just because you have 4 cu ft of firebox, doesn't mean you always have to use it. But if you need it and don't have it, your are SOL. Depending on how open your 2500 sq ft is, 4 cu ft might be just what the Dr. ordered.
My only concern with that big of a firebox is getting efficient secondary combustion.
For those tubes to work correctly, the firebox needs to stay relatively hot. Bigger firebox needs a bigger load to keep it up to temperature. I'd be concerned that with just a couple splits in there, it would not maintain adequate firebox temp for thorough combustion.
But if you plan to keep it loaded, and can use the resulting heat, then 4 cu ft will certainly crank out some BTU's.
We find with our BIS Nova that 1-2 splits burning is enough to keep the room in the low 70's. Any more than that and we're burning more wood than we need to...
For those tubes to work correctly, the firebox needs to stay relatively hot. Bigger firebox needs a bigger load to keep it up to temperature. I'd be concerned that with just a couple splits in there, it would not maintain adequate firebox temp for thorough combustion.
But if you plan to keep it loaded, and can use the resulting heat, then 4 cu ft will certainly crank out some BTU's.
We find with our BIS Nova that 1-2 splits burning is enough to keep the room in the low 70's. Any more than that and we're burning more wood than we need to...
wldm09
New Member
Does anyone have pro's or con's about this unit ? I have approx. 2500 sq. ft.
thanks for any input
**************
We installed a BIS Tradition in the summer of 2008 and could not be happier with it. We are heating a 3000 SF house and routinely have it 75 degrees here in Northern WI. I would recommend this fireplace to anyone. It is worth the price!
thanks for any input
**************
We installed a BIS Tradition in the summer of 2008 and could not be happier with it. We are heating a 3000 SF house and routinely have it 75 degrees here in Northern WI. I would recommend this fireplace to anyone. It is worth the price!
My recommendation would be to get the catalytic BIS Panorama (the same unit is sold by Lennox as the Villa Vista). This unit will ouput more heat for each pound of wood burned than the BIS tradition. Thus also means that you get longer burn times as compared to he Tradition (assuming you initially load each unit with the same amount of wood).
Catalytic is the way to go for efficient whole house heat.
Later,
heatxchanger
Catalytic is the way to go for efficient whole house heat.
Later,
heatxchanger
savageactor7
Minister of Fire
I am looking at the Panarama to install this summer into my house. I was looking at the Traditional but decided to go with the Panarama due to the fact that it has a cat. Everyone that I talk to seems to think it is worth it to spend the extra money.
wldm09
New Member
My local dealer won't sell any catalytic designs anymore because every 2-3 years you need to spend ~$300 to replace the converter. This is why I went with a non-cat. My fireplace is pretty darn efficient.
The cat should last longer than that unless your burning 24 hours a day for 250 days out of the year. Used properly they should last for about 12000 hours of operation time. The Panarama is 9% more efficient than the Tradition. Using less wood to produce the same amount of heat is worth $300 every six years or so to me. To each their own I suppose they are both nice fireplaces.
wldm09
New Member
Yes, 5 months = 150 days * 24 hours = 3,600 hours. 12,000 / 3,600 hours = 3.3 years. Up here in Northern Wisconsin, that's how long they last so no one buys them.
wldm09
New Member
How may cords of wood do you burn a year? I am guessing that you cut and split it yourself and the wood that you cut and split is free?
Woodsman, what is the best way that you have found to get rid of you ashes? That fireplace doesn't have a ash box does it? I like the looks of the tradition but I really like the ash box and the cat on the Panarama. Dimensionally the Tradition CE would fit and look better in my house. I guess that I am torn between the two. Do you have the Tradition CE or the Tradition? Do you have any of the vent kits hooked up? Sorry for hijacking this thread.
wldm09
New Member
Jeepster,
This year we burned 5 full cords. About 25% was properly seasoned so I can't count this year as indicative of the future. For this coming winter, my intent is to have 6 full cords of properly seasoned wood. I currently have 2 full cords cut and split and stacked plus another full cord waiting to be split and stacked. I purchase permits to cut in the local forest. $25 for 30 days. Its not hard to pull two full cords out in a single day with two men. So while not free, its virtually free.
I pull the ashes out once a week with a scoop and a 2.5 gallon bucket. It works out to 1.5 buckets (or so) each time. I take the ashes and put them on the snow in the forest.
I have a BIS Tradition and am thoroughly pleased with it.. I have the vents hooked up for the basement, but have not gotten it working yet. I need to re-attach the basement tubing to the fireplace. Hope that helps.
btw, I love Jeeps, do you have one? Also, I am from Holland, MI but I currently live in Wausau, WI, which is about due west of Traverse City. My parents still live in Holland and are constantly commenting on how cold it is up in Wausau.
This year we burned 5 full cords. About 25% was properly seasoned so I can't count this year as indicative of the future. For this coming winter, my intent is to have 6 full cords of properly seasoned wood. I currently have 2 full cords cut and split and stacked plus another full cord waiting to be split and stacked. I purchase permits to cut in the local forest. $25 for 30 days. Its not hard to pull two full cords out in a single day with two men. So while not free, its virtually free.
I pull the ashes out once a week with a scoop and a 2.5 gallon bucket. It works out to 1.5 buckets (or so) each time. I take the ashes and put them on the snow in the forest.
I have a BIS Tradition and am thoroughly pleased with it.. I have the vents hooked up for the basement, but have not gotten it working yet. I need to re-attach the basement tubing to the fireplace. Hope that helps.
btw, I love Jeeps, do you have one? Also, I am from Holland, MI but I currently live in Wausau, WI, which is about due west of Traverse City. My parents still live in Holland and are constantly commenting on how cold it is up in Wausau.
wldm09
New Member
wldm09
New Member
I have several friends from college that live in Holland/Zeeland. We have a cottage in Cadillac and some friends in Travers that I ride sleds with. I am about a hour and a half South of there. I have a few jeeps one CJ-7 completely re done, glass body, spooled 9" Strange Ford, Dana 30, 4.56 gears, 8 point cage, soon to be 407 on juice, 904 with transbrake Silverlake toy. I also have a 86 Wagoneer , 17 inches of lift 40" Swampers, Ford 1 ton axles, 727, fuel injected 360, rock-mud toy. I would have thought that you would have gone through more wood than that, it's nice that you can get the wood permit to cut on state land. We use to do that in Cadillac for the cottage.
Fireplace looks nice, can't wait to get mine done.
Fireplace looks nice, can't wait to get mine done.
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