Lopi Freedom

Deron said:

Any Lopi Freedom owners care to comment on their stove?

I think that's the one I'm going with whenever I can get a liner that is.

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I don't have one but everything I have heard about them is GREAT. I think somebody on here has a Freedom Bay, which is the same insert with the bay windows. I like the inserts that stick out a bit, the Freedom is one of those.

On my older freedom bay the side windows weren't windows at all, the firebox is still square but the face looks like it is a bay window. I replaced it with a heritage. The freedom is a large stove and you can really load it up.

I was a newbie last year with a freedom bay, man I love it. Learned a hard lesson on good wood, but thanks to the great guys on here this year I'm rocking on 10 hour burns easily. My house is a 2300 sqft colonial and first floor is typically 75 and 2nd floor 65. So I cut two powered floor vents into the ceiling to hopefully get the 2nd floor warmer this winter. Personally sleeping at 65 or colder is ideal for me, girls complain though. So will see how this winter goes.

jcjohnston said:

Personally sleeping at 65 or colder is ideal for me, girls complain though. So will see how this winter goes.

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Two words: Down Comforters!

I put in a used freedom bay (circa 2004) a month or so ago- I got it because I found it used for a good price. No complaints at all- seems like it's well built- burns clean and long. Like Highbeam said the "bay windows" aren't windows at all- they just radiate the heat a little but mostly are cosmetic. There are a lot of Lopi stoves in my area and people seem to be really happy with them.

Deron said:

Just curious, why did you replace it?

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My masonry chimney was removed due to cracks and with it went the insert. I learned that I don't like the blowers making noise, I learned that Lopis have a noisy and hard to use air control, and I learned that the air bypass slider can be super squeaky to use too. I sold the old Lopi for 500$ to a happy buyer. I felt good about the sale as it was a good heater.

Nice big window and a large firebox.

The blowers can get loud , but they move alot of air. Yes you will need them. I took mine off this year to clean and reinstalled with a socket vs. Screwdriver and they are better. The primary air is sticky, try a little graphite. I work with 2 guys who run the same stove. Under their recommendation, i tapped the outer shell to screw the boot connection on. Worked great! It is very well built and forgiving. Oh, i dry my hat on top of a copper pot on top of the stove. Have roasted coffee beans. Keep my coffee hot. You'll see.

woodzilla said:

The blowers can get loud , but they move alot of air. Yes you will need them. I took mine off this year to clean and reinstalled with a socket vs. Screwdriver and they are better. The primary air is sticky, try a little graphite. I work with 2 guys who run the same stove. Under their recommendation, i tapped the outer shell to screw the boot connection on. Worked great! It is very well built and forgiving. Oh, i dry my hat on top of a copper pot on top of the stove. Have roasted coffee beans. Keep my coffee hot. You'll see.

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No kidding! I've got the same insert and was compelled to tap the boot connector as well. After insulating the liner it was a tight fit, and I think with expansion and contraction there was a little too much movement. When I went to clean last year I noticed that the furnace cement I'd used had been pulled out and was flaked away from the connection. I tapped some L brackets on to the top of the stove and then into the collar/elbow. So far so good.

I was also thinking of doing another little mod to my stove. The bottom of the stove is completely flat save for back levelers. When resting on the front of the fireplace's firebox the stove completely covers/blocks the fresh air intake from the old fireplace. It just so happens that it is directly under the fresh air intake of the stove. I was thinking of flipping the stove over and drilling some 2' holes into the sheet metal that rests directly over that fresh air intake. It would in no way effect the damper's functionality, and I think it would look better than having the stove raised up 1" to take advantage of it. But of course, now we're talking about modifying a UL listed appliance, hence my trepidation.