Morso 2b standard question

I am looking installing a wood stove in my home this summer. The house is a duplex that I own and I live in one side which is 1050 sq ft. It has a good forced air system that is in good working order (only a few years old, installed by the previous owner). Each side of the building is identical, each with a basement first and second floor. First floor is living room kitchen and family room (family room is an addition, off the kitchen, that was added in the seventies and where I intended to put the stove). The second floor is two bedrooms and a bath. The house is insulated relatively well. I really don't need a wood stove but I really want one. And my intention is to use it as my primary heat source in the winter. I enjoy cutting and splitting firewood. And I will be able get wood for free (other than my time). So a stove has a financial appeal too. My reason for putting the stove in the family room is that it is presently the coldest room in the house because it isn't insulated as well and has a lot of windows and a door wall. It is also only a one story high so I can run the chimney straight up though its roof and follow the masonry chimney up above the second floor roof. I am intending to redo the room when i put the stove in and add better insulation. That is the basic run down of the situation.

I am looking at the morso 2b standard convection. A lot of the attraction is the looks of it. It just gets to me. Convection seems like is would be better for moving the air around the house. But my main concern is that it won't put out enough heat. I am also having trouble finding first hand info on what the reasonable but time is for the Morso. At this point in my life i don't need something that burns 10-12 hours, (I'm fine with loading it a couple more times a day) but it would be nice to get 6-8 hours. I've seen some people get 6-8+ with the 1410 which is smaller so I'm hoping that it's possible with the the 2b. As to heat output it seems some people heat places about this size with a 602 and the 2b seems like it would be a step up in heating capacity. But that's all just my assumptions and I have no experience to back it up. So what I am basically looking for is first hand experience with the 2b standard. Will it put out enough heat for the space. What kind of burn times can I expect. I've search though alot of old threads and haven't found alot of info on this particular stove. Thanks for your help.

Chris

Thanks for the suggestions BeGreen. The keystone is a nice looking stove. Unfortunately it is also about twice what the dealer quoted me a couple months ago for the 2b convection. But that is to be expected it is alot more stove and I'm sure well worth the money. I wan't looking to go crazy cheap but I did like that the morso was only going to be be $1100. Maybe I need to put off the stove another year and save a little more money. I was quoted $1700 for a 7110 but that puts me close to the keystone. As to burn times. When you say a four hour burn, does that mean I could expect the stove to be putting out solid heat for 4 hours and then drop off as it burns out the coals for 1-2 more hours? That might work for me. The house doesn't normally cool off that fast when I bump the thermostat down.

Just as a side not, having a big glass window isn't really that important to me. I would like to have some glass so I could look at it. But the "family room" that I was going to put the stove in is relatively small and is going to be more of an office. So not really a room where people will just sit around enjoying the stove. It has a largish archway that opens into the dine in kitchen and that archway lines up with the doorway into the living room. I think that with a fan blowing toward the "family room" I should be able to get pretty good heat movement. Thanks again for the suggestions

Chris

thanks Rob

I just like it for some reason too. It really is on the smallish side for heating my place. But life is full of compromises. I like the idea of not using gas at all for heat. But i would be happy to have a stove that provided heat most of the time and have the ability to stay warm if the power is out. If the furnace kicks on early in the morning or late in the afternoon (when I'm asleep and at work respectively) I would be ok with that.

Thanks BeGreen. I do understand what you were saying with the keystone. That is why I was debating about waiting another year...to save up for something like that. I have read that the cat stoves are nice because you can throttle the heat back more easly when it's warmer. Soapstone and a cat sounds like it could be a really nice combo. Part of the issue with cost is that I am going to remod the room when I put the stove in. It has paneling in there and I was going to basically rip everything down to the studs and insulate the walls. Pull up a section of the subfloor so that I can access the crawl space and insulate the floor. Drywall the room. Build a hearth and non combustible surround for the stove with a couple of built in bookcases on each side of the stove. Put in a new floor (probably hardwood). I am a builder/finish carpenter by trade so I can do the work myself. But it is still going to cost a bit more than just the 2 grand for the stove and chimney (if i do the 2b). But I'll have a lot nicer space when its done too. So it's a toss up. I do think that I would be satisfied with the 2b but maybe it's worth waiting a little longer and go all the way with a stove that will really heat the house.

I didn't realize that they made it in a convection model either. It doesn't show it on the website. My dealer was the one who informed that it was available. If you look at the manual online it does show both models. The convection basically has cast iron side plates that bolt on to the sides. They still have the squirrel motif on them so the look stays the same except its a little wider. I think that the picture on the website may actually be showing the convection.

I actually got a pm from someone a couple hours north of me in michigan who has been heating a slightly larger home for a couple years with a 2b classic. I've heard that the classic model doesn't add to the capacity so it should be about the same. They are getting solid heat output for 4 hours before it starts to drop off. And they often still have some coals at 8 hours. I would be burning basically all hardwood. Ash Oak and Maple. The emerald ash bore is killing all the ash around here so that would be a lot of what I would burn.

Snow leopard

The morso 2b convection does have side panels that are offset if I understand you right. They are basically cast iron plates that bolt to the side of the stove. If i remember they are about 1.5" off our from the side of the stove and the top and bottom are open so air can move through. The convection plates look just like the normal sides of the stove with the squirrel motif and all.

I was excited too when he told me it you could get it with convection panels. Most of the convection stoves I had seen online were steel and I was hoping to get something with more of a classic look. I really liked the idea of a convection but not too many cast stoves are convection.

I may have to go back and do a little more research. When I first was looking I hadn't yet found this sight so I wasn't aware of just how much was out there. The 2b grab me and I found this site trying to find more info about it. This site has been a real wealth of info, but I've been focused on the 2b and how to build a non combustible surround to reduce clearances and chimneys and.... I'm not going to buy today or tomorrow so I'll have to go back and review some of the brands that you mention. Thanks for the brand recommendations. It would be nice to find something closer to $1,000 than 2,000. And the looks of the stove will be a factor. It'll be tough to get swayed from the morso. For some reason I just like it. I had been thinking in the back of my mind that I might go bigger down the road. When it comes time to build the hearth and surround I was going to give myself a little extra room so that I don't have problems with a bigger stove down the road. thanks for all of your help

Chris

Just doing a quick look at the ones you mentioned. I probably still would go back to the first two that you suggested the PE T4 and the Keystone. Initially when I found out that they were putting cats (like the keystone) in woodstoves i was hesitant. I don't care for them in chainsaws or in any two stroke for that matter. But I'm getting used to the idea in a stove. I might have to look at the keystone down the road if I step up to a bigger stove. The napoleans and quadfires seemed nice too. The Jotul is interesting. Looks like it would be pretty pricey and much more stove than i need for my place. But still very interesting to read about.

I will most likely get the 2b. Down the road I may step up to a bigger stove and I'll definitely keep in mind getting a stove that can be loaded N/S. Thanks for your encouragement.

I did get the message sorry that I didn't get back with you. I've been busy with work and finishing up my taxes. First year owning the duplex and it was a bid different figuring everything out to make sure I stay on uncle sam's good side. I saw the pics and it looks like it's in very nice shape. But I wasn't planning on buying until later in the summer. And I was leaning more toward the standard because I wanted the flat top for easier cooking, I prefer the looks, and I wanted to get the convection model. It is a really tempting decision but at the moment I will pass. But I really do appreciate the offer.

Chris