How big to go?

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T

Trouthead

Member
Oct 29, 2010
68
Wyoming
After 30 years of using a Jotul 603c (the smallest wood stove made) to heat with, the gas company decided to run the gas line to my house. We still have very cheap natural gas in Wyoming so a gas stove replacement makes sense. Won't really miss wood as we have no hardwoods to speak of only various pine to burn and the cost has gone up faster than my age. I will not buy another large chain saw, ever.

My house is 1600 sq ft and is super insulated with R-65 ceiling and R-40 walls. The Jotul would really keep the whole place warm with some additional fan support.

My dilema is how big to go with a gas stove style heater. Cost appears to be small between large and small, and my wife would like most of the various sized we looked at, so that part is solved. I just wonder about sizing. Any ideas? Any thoughts about brands? We have a good dealer for Vermont Casting and Hearthstone. Been in business for more than 10 years so likely to be there for service and warranty. Just need some acvice. The only friends I have with gas stoves have much larger houses that are no wheres near as well insulated, so it is hard to compare.

Wyoming gets cold -40F is not unheard of and common is -20F for weeks on end at night. Days are sunny with lots of solar gain. Any thoughts are welcomed.
 
I'm assuming you have a typo & meant to say you had an F602.
That unit is 28K BTU INPUT & 75% efficiency = 21K BTU OUTPUT.
The GF400 Sebago - staying within the Jotul line - is 32K BTU INPUT
& 73% efficient (AFUE) = 23.36K OUTPUT.
So comparing apples to apples, regardless of what Pook says,
you probably DON'T have to go BIG.
You can go to the GF600 Firelight - you'll just heat your area faster...
 
I would call your natural gas company and ask for the technical department and get the gas supply coming to your house address. BTU, Gravity altatude.. Jet (orifice size Etc. for your size of stove.I am on the same wells and pipe line from Wyoming here in Salt Lake City, Utah Blended natural gas less BTU's I am at 4500 feet. Example on my gas stove is 25,00 BTU Max.at 0 to 2000 feet minium 9,000 BTUH. High altitude 2.000 to 4,500 feet 22.500 BTU/hon highsetting 8,100 Btu/hon low .This is the difference after derating stove for altitude and there Natural gas supply.. You can see what you are loosening Btu/h wise. We only get to 10 deg. average night temp. My stove will only heat about 550 1/2 the total house square feet. Mine is the medium size stove. My house is brick built in 1929 windows ever 5 feet single pane. So you might want to go with a bigger stove for the cold country. You can turn gas stove down about average 50 % or it will shut off like your furnace and come back on. Hope this helps you to decide on the size.
Let us know what you come up with. Is your Natural gas supply company Questsar? They helped me on my set up. My gas stove came from London England. set for them.
 
DAKSY said:
I'm assuming you have a typo & meant to say you had an F602.
That unit is 28K BTU INPUT & 75% efficiency = 21K BTU OUTPUT.
The GF400 Sebago - staying within the Jotul line - is 32K BTU INPUT
& 73% efficient (AFUE) = 23.36K OUTPUT.
So comparing apples to apples, regardless of what Pook says,
you probably DON'T have to go BIG.
You can go to the GF600 Firelight - you'll just heat your area faster...
Click to expand...

No Typo it is a Jotul 602C as it says right on the red cast iron door. Purchased about 1980. Smallest stove I have ever seen. Takes 16 inch log and not too many of them as the firebox is only 15 in. high and 12 in. wide.
 
<>No Typo it is a Jotul 602C as it says right on the red cast iron door. Purchased about 1980. Smallest stove I have ever seen. Takes 16 inch log and not too many of them as the firebox is only 15 in. high and 12 in. wide.[/quote]

Hmmm. Coulda swore you said 603C in the OP! :)
 
id go 40,000btu as u can always turn the flame down or up, as i have a 30,000 btu lopi berkshire and 1200 sqft house love it but when it gets 10 in ri it never shuts off and struggles to keep above 70
 
a lopi berkshire running wide open may do the job... in my case I run my berki at about 2/3rds its capability and supplement with wood "when we are there". when we are not there we have hydro-sil baseboard heaters to take up the slack, but electric in our secondary homes area is ridiculous.... I am in the process of buying another berkshire maybe even a jotal 600dv for the other side of the house which should eliminate the dead spots and the berki continually running when super cold.

my thought is , its better to have too much than not enough. in that case and if one stove is all your budgeting for, the jotul gf600dv is the only one I'd consider... its a monster at 40k btu's... but she heats nicely !
 
I'd consider a Jotul, considering my present wood stove is a Jotul and I have gotten 30 years of service out of it. Problem is there are no dealers within 120 miles.
 
a new GF600DV2 installed with all the bells and whistles is gonna run you about $3500., there are a lot of folks switching from LP to wood right now for the tax credit, and if you care to make a drive, you will find and likely get a good deal on a used one.

other than the new jotul burner in the dv2 , I believe the older model is identical. you might ask around on that. certainly no more or less efficient to run.

PM-ing you with a stove in your neck of the woods, give them a shout and see what happens.
 
I have a Lopi Berkshire and with a thermostat I installed it works very well, I bought it with the blower, accent light and brick fireback. I compared it with the Hearthstone gas stoves and many others and although I love the Hearthstone brand if you are looking for the most realistic looking flame, Lopi is the best in my opinion.

I was one of those stove geeks that actually taped a small video of each gas stove while I was at the dealer so I could go home and compare at my leisure :cheese:

So far no problems, no regrets and the Lopi dealer in my area has been top notch :)
Feel free to click on my video on my signature
 
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