Advice on Heatilator CAB50

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BIGISLANDHIKERS

Feeling the Heat
Hearth Supporter
Sep 12, 2007
316
What can anyone tell me about this stove? Looking for a larger stove for my father-in-law. Hauling wood is getting to be too much for him.

Stove should be easy to maintain. I like the large hopper on this heatilator. Is it a well made unit?

I hear it is similar to the quadrafires. I own a Mt Vernon but I would be uneasy recommending my stove because of the issues I have had with it. How does the CAB50 get the ash to the ashpan. It is an auto clean like my mt Vernon?

How much does this stove cost?

Is it similar to the PS50 except for the hopper size and style?


Thanks
BIH
 
yes it is made in the quad plant it is almost the same as the ps50 just looks different the line is just a stripped down quad, major things that are different are the fire pot no heat exchanger and less of a warranty
 
It does not have the auto clean feature like the AE Mt. Vernon. The PS-50 seems to be a great unit. It is essentially my CB 1200 in disguise (as far as parts and heat output/BTU's)
 
I should have my first ones delivered by Wednesday.

Eric
 
kinsman stoves said:
I should have my first ones delivered by Wednesday.

Eric

Will you be burning one in the shop this season? New stove needs a trial run..... May have to swing out that way.

Not related: Eric, did you ever get a thermocouple cover for the CB 1200 yet. That would be a good excuse to swing by this year. Thanks for everything. ;-)
 
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I downloaded the owners manual. Looks like the burnpot is like to Mt Vernon except that the pot opens up manually via a cleaning rod. Manual says the stoves needs to be shut down, cooled down and pot cleaned once per day. Can any owners out these verify this?

Thanks
BIH
 
BIGISLANDHIKERS said:
I downloaded the owners manual. Looks like the burnpot is like to Mt Vernon except that the pot opens up manually via a cleaning rod. Manual says the stoves needs to be shut down, cooled down and pot cleaned once per day. Can any owners out these verify this?

Thanks
BIH

More like the Castile, Santa Fe, or CB1200 burn pot. Yes you have to wait till the stove shuts down prior to the dump and can go as much as a few days if it has to depending on how much you burn and quality of pellets.

Eric
 
You should be able to go over a week. Eric from Kinsman stoves ran about a ton through a PS-50 without opening the door to do any cleaning. All manuals recommend a daily cleaning or scraping. Some need it. But being built like a Quad. It has a pretty good amount of air coming through the burn pot. This is like a self cleaning design. All ash is ejected from the pot via air and new pellets dfopping in, throwing the ash into the air stream and out of the pot.

I have never went over 2 weeks without cleaning. It could make it longer. I just prefer a clean and efficient stove.
 
kinsman stoves said:
BIGISLANDHIKERS said:
I downloaded the owners manual. Looks like the burnpot is like to Mt Vernon except that the pot opens up manually via a cleaning rod. Manual says the stoves needs to be shut down, cooled down and pot cleaned once per day. Can any owners out these verify this?

Thanks
BIH

More like the Castile, Santa Fe, or CB1200 burn pot. Yes you have to wait till the stove shuts down prior to the dump and can go as much as a few days if it has to depending on how much you burn and quality of pellets.

Eric


I didn't realize the other Quad units cleaned this way. Do these stoves have a way to clean the heat exchanger without shutting down?

Thanks
BIH
 
DexterDay said:
You should be able to go over a week. Eric from Kinsman stoves ran about a ton through a PS-50 without opening the door to do any cleaning. All manuals recommend a daily cleaning or scraping. Some need it. But being built like a Quad. It has a pretty good amount of air coming through the burn pot. This is like a self cleaning design. All ash is ejected from the pot via air and new pellets dfopping in, throwing the ash into the air stream and out of the pot.

I have never went over 2 weeks without cleaning. It could make it longer. I just prefer a clean and efficient stove.


Did he shut it down to clean the pot during that time?
 
The Mt. Vernon's burn port cleans automatically. The others have a rod to drop the bottom of the burn pot that is spring loaded. The Heatilator units have a rod that you pull and have to push to close the burn pot.

You can go a long time on dropping the burn pot. It is recommended to do each day. It is also recommended to drive with your seat belt.

Eric



BIGISLANDHIKERS said:
kinsman stoves said:
BIGISLANDHIKERS said:
I downloaded the owners manual. Looks like the burnpot is like to Mt Vernon except that the pot opens up manually via a cleaning rod. Manual says the stoves needs to be shut down, cooled down and pot cleaned once per day. Can any owners out these verify this?

Thanks
BIH

More like the Castile, Santa Fe, or CB1200 burn pot. Yes you have to wait till the stove shuts down prior to the dump and can go as much as a few days if it has to depending on how much you burn and quality of pellets.

Eric


I didn't realize the other Quad units cleaned this way. Do these stoves have a way to clean the heat exchanger without shutting down?

Thanks
BIH
 
Yes that is suggested price.

Eric




BIGISLANDHIKERS said:
BIGISLANDHIKERS said:
How much do the cab50 sell for?


Found an advertised price of $1599.
 
I know the PS-50 and the PS-35 do not have a heat exhange system per say (no exchange tubes) they are sort of like a woodstove. Its a stove inside of a steel box. The heat radiates through the box and the blower, blows the air around it. So not much to clean. This stove may be different but it may not be also. Eric can better answer that.

As far as the rod for cleaning the pot. I normally burn 24/7 during the coldest months and can go 2 weeks without touching anything, other than the heat exchange rods ( which dont do much- and this model may not have ) They are very easy to operate. Low, Med, High. About as simple as it gets. IMO
 
DexterDay said:
I know the PS-50 and the PS-35 do not have a heat exhange system per say (no exchange tubes) they are sort of like a woodstove. Its a stove inside of a steel box. The heat radiates through the box and the blower, blows the air around it. So not much to clean. This stove may be different but it may not be also. Eric can better answer that.

As far as the rod for cleaning the pot. I normally burn 24/7 during the coldest months and can go 2 weeks without touching anything, other than the heat exchange rods ( which dont do much- and this model may not have ) They are very easy to operate. Low, Med, High. About as simple as it gets. IMO


Interesting, how well do these stove heat without the heat exchange tubes or baffle like the mt vernon?
 
Again. Better left for Eric. But when I went to his Stove Shop last yr. His PS-50 did just as good as a job as my CB 1200. Its a different method. But heat is heat and its one less thing that you have to clean or deal with.
 
BIGISLANDHIKERS said:
DexterDay said:
I know the PS-50 and the PS-35 do not have a heat exhange system per say (no exchange tubes) they are sort of like a woodstove. Its a stove inside of a steel box. The heat radiates through the box and the blower, blows the air around it. So not much to clean. This stove may be different but it may not be also. Eric can better answer that.

As far as the rod for cleaning the pot. I normally burn 24/7 during the coldest months and can go 2 weeks without touching anything, other than the heat exchange rods ( which dont do much- and this model may not have ) They are very easy to operate. Low, Med, High. About as simple as it gets. IMO


Interesting, how well do these stove heat without the heat exchange tubes or baffle like the mt vernon?

Not as well as a stove with the heat exchanger the the top of the stove can get hot enough to burn your self on i would spend the extra money to get a 1200 they are decent stoves but if you are willing to spend the extra money you will get a better product also they have only been out for a year and the life span of the stove is unknown
 
You can still put your hand on the top of the stove. There are no tube as a heat exchanger but yes there is an open area that is used as a heat exchanger. Heatilators are very good and you will not have an issue with them other than they are streamlined as a price point - dealership only unit. You WILL NOT see them at a big box store and the dealer has to service what he sells just like all HHT products.

Eric

stoveguy13 said:
BIGISLANDHIKERS said:
DexterDay said:
I know the PS-50 and the PS-35 do not have a heat exhange system per say (no exchange tubes) they are sort of like a woodstove. Its a stove inside of a steel box. The heat radiates through the box and the blower, blows the air around it. So not much to clean. This stove may be different but it may not be also. Eric can better answer that.

As far as the rod for cleaning the pot. I normally burn 24/7 during the coldest months and can go 2 weeks without touching anything, other than the heat exchange rods ( which dont do much- and this model may not have ) They are very easy to operate. Low, Med, High. About as simple as it gets. IMO


Interesting, how well do these stove heat without the heat exchange tubes or baffle like the mt vernon?

Not as well as a stove with the heat exchanger the the top of the stove can get hot enough to burn your self on i would spend the extra money to get a 1200 they are decent stoves but if you are willing to spend the extra money you will get a better product also they have only been out for a year and the life span of the stove is unknown
 
Hello. I am new to the pellet stove world, but I am really enjoying our HHT CAB50. We have a 1440 sq ft house (720 on two levels with two through vents) and it does a good job of keeping things comfortable. I see the price point of $1599 listed here, but there is at least one place in Michigan that has it for $1099. I was actually able to purchase it while it was on sale for $999. One week in, we are definitely enjoying the stove.
 
tigerjeb said:
Hello. I am new to the pellet stove world, but I am really enjoying our HHT CAB50. We have a 1440 sq ft house (720 on two levels with two through vents) and it does a good job of keeping things comfortable. I see the price point of $1599 listed here, but there is at least one place in Michigan that has it for $1099. I was actually able to purchase it while it was on sale for $999. One week in, we are definitely enjoying the stove.

$999 is below my dealer pricing. That is great.

Eric
 
the ps50 does have three back baffle plates. they draw the air down, up, down and out. so there is a little more than just a flat plate at the top w/ a box above it for heat exchange.
the heatilators qualify for the tax credit. so they are officially at least >75% efficient.

the oak kit has an adapter collar/plate. so if you buy that retail it is way more expensive than oaks for other stoves.
like $135 wtf!?
i find this unfortunate in a stove that is supposed to be low cost.

i'm going through this winter w/o an oak.
and next season if i decide i want one, i'll fabricate a collar plate.
just too much to do right now with the new house. and our stove (helga) is doing a fantastic job of keeping us warm
but maine has been experiencing unsesonably warm weather.
i'm still confident though.
to quote another member who owns one it's "a beast"

i haven't seen a cab50 irl. but i've heard it is designed basically the same as the ps50 but with a bigger hopper.
 
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