I have Quad MT Vernon...LOVE IT! Thinking about buying Heatilator PS50 for father in law for christmas. Never heard of it before this week. Hubs has 5 brothers telling us to pick the best stove (cheap, of course) b/c we are the only ones w/ a stove. Narrowed it down to Heatilator PS50 based on price, looks, and higher BTU's and its more simple than other stoves. Also Forums here seem to be pretty happy with Heatilator brand. So my purpose here is to double check if I am picking a good stove that really does heat well (hoping to get 1500 sqft on not much more than medium power). I guess it does not have heat exchanger like my Quad, is that a big deal? Does it break down alot. Also I have read that it is noisy (a few have mentioned they would not put it in a room w/ TV). Mine makes some blowing noise but its acceptable. Is the PS50 louder than that. Is it easy to maintain/clean (we have self clean firepot). Thanks for any advice/comments/concerns.
Thinking about buying Heatilator Brand PS50...worried if its a good choice
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jtakeman
Minister of Fire
Heatilator is a Quad in sheeps clothing. Basically the same guts as the CB1200 for the most part. Sheet metal is different. Eric at Kinsmen stoves is burning one and has a thread on here. Speaks highly of it.
It is made in China though, But what isn't these days?
It is made in China though, But what isn't these days?
another question. My stove does NOT get hot on the outside except the glass and front of door. My cats sleep on top of it. Is that true for the PS50?
The top is a step-top design. The lower front portion will definitely be warm (this is the plate that air comes from) the top pr back portion is the hopper lid and will not be hot.
Not sure on how hot the front lower would be, but it will be at least as warm as the air coming out pf it. There are a few new owners and a few seasoned owners with this stove. I see the one at Erics shop, that j-takeman spoke of. It is a Quad on the inside and built with same components. HHT makes Harman, Quad, and Heatilators.
Heating 1500 sq ft (as long as it has some insulation) should not be a problem. They seem to be a well built unit and also priced very reasonably. After seeing the PS-50 and the CAB-50 (new model this year) I dont see them as plain as some say. All in your taste I guess.
The only other stoves that will compete in that price range is the Englander line. Look on AMFM Energys website or overstockstoves website fpr refurbished units with full factory warranty.
Not sure on how hot the front lower would be, but it will be at least as warm as the air coming out pf it. There are a few new owners and a few seasoned owners with this stove. I see the one at Erics shop, that j-takeman spoke of. It is a Quad on the inside and built with same components. HHT makes Harman, Quad, and Heatilators.
Heating 1500 sq ft (as long as it has some insulation) should not be a problem. They seem to be a well built unit and also priced very reasonably. After seeing the PS-50 and the CAB-50 (new model this year) I dont see them as plain as some say. All in your taste I guess.
The only other stoves that will compete in that price range is the Englander line. Look on AMFM Energys website or overstockstoves website fpr refurbished units with full factory warranty.
so sounds like I am making a good choice...just still to wonder... is it really noisy...or can it go in a room with TV? and how can i find "eric" and see what he has to say about it, he sounds like he would know especially well if he actually has one.
SmokeyTheBear
Minister of Fire
babyskates said:
Eric also sells them.
Hearth.com member name kinsman stoves you can PM via this link: https://www.hearth.com/econtent/index.php/forums/fort/messages/pm/3233/
St_Earl
Minister of Fire
i think *almost all pellet stoves are noisy.
i know there is one high end brand that i read here is quieter than others.
but it costs over twice as much as the ps50 (maybe more i don't recall)
i have the ps50 and it is rated for 1200 sq. ft.
it is easy to clean. the firepot has big holes and lots of them.
in the month and a half i've had it, there is zero issue with blocked holes.
on high it's loud.
i watch tv in my room. if you want the stove in the same room as the tv, i'm guessing you'd want to run it on medium and turn your tv up a bit.
but from what i have read, this is the case with almost all stoves.
if possible, check one out at a dealer to actually hear it.
the oak for this stove is expensive because of the extra collar it requires.
seems bogus to me that it would be twice as much as other oem kits for other stoves.
like $120 to $135 yikes!
but you could fashion your own collar and do it for much less.
our 935 sq. ft. house is cozy with it on medium.
we have a linear layout ranch though. and i am still perfecting the air movement situation.
i just ordered a vornado 510 room air circulator. on special this month from vornado's own site $29.99 free shipping.
http://www.vornado.com/product.aspx?CategoryID=fc1b32ec-99a3-445d-a874-47c311299b54
but air movement is a common thread with many many folks here.
i'd hazard to guess that if your 1500 sq. feet is a two story set up, you could do well with the ps50.
i just have a narrow hall and four total door/archways to get the air to the back bedroom here.
the vornado will help overcome these obstacles.
if i had owned the stove longer i could tell you more about reliability.
but they have known parts and simple electronics.
it really is super easy to clean imo.
the side panels give great access to both motors.
the deck will be too hot for your cat. but the pedestal stand makes it so you don't need a heat rated pad (raises the firebox high off the floor). i'm using a generic non combustible 36"x36" mat.
even w/o heat exchange tubes, it's efficiency qualifies for the solid fuel device tax credit. so it's >75%. no tubes to clean either.
just three back baffle plates that pop right out.
i know there is one high end brand that i read here is quieter than others.
but it costs over twice as much as the ps50 (maybe more i don't recall)
i have the ps50 and it is rated for 1200 sq. ft.
it is easy to clean. the firepot has big holes and lots of them.
in the month and a half i've had it, there is zero issue with blocked holes.
on high it's loud.
i watch tv in my room. if you want the stove in the same room as the tv, i'm guessing you'd want to run it on medium and turn your tv up a bit.
but from what i have read, this is the case with almost all stoves.
if possible, check one out at a dealer to actually hear it.
the oak for this stove is expensive because of the extra collar it requires.
seems bogus to me that it would be twice as much as other oem kits for other stoves.
like $120 to $135 yikes!
but you could fashion your own collar and do it for much less.
our 935 sq. ft. house is cozy with it on medium.
we have a linear layout ranch though. and i am still perfecting the air movement situation.
i just ordered a vornado 510 room air circulator. on special this month from vornado's own site $29.99 free shipping.
http://www.vornado.com/product.aspx?CategoryID=fc1b32ec-99a3-445d-a874-47c311299b54
but air movement is a common thread with many many folks here.
i'd hazard to guess that if your 1500 sq. feet is a two story set up, you could do well with the ps50.
i just have a narrow hall and four total door/archways to get the air to the back bedroom here.
the vornado will help overcome these obstacles.
if i had owned the stove longer i could tell you more about reliability.
but they have known parts and simple electronics.
it really is super easy to clean imo.
the side panels give great access to both motors.
the deck will be too hot for your cat. but the pedestal stand makes it so you don't need a heat rated pad (raises the firebox high off the floor). i'm using a generic non combustible 36"x36" mat.
even w/o heat exchange tubes, it's efficiency qualifies for the solid fuel device tax credit. so it's >75%. no tubes to clean either.
just three back baffle plates that pop right out.
j-takeman said:
Quote from the Heatilator website.....
It’s a Heatilator
Manufactured in the U.S.A. by the world’s leading hearth company, Heatilator is known for value and dependability.
Either way, we have no problem with ours. It seems to not have a problem with any pellets we feed it. It's loud on high, but we rarely have it on high. Usually on low and we watch TV in the same room.
jtakeman
Minister of Fire
mikhen said:
I stand corrected! But I would still look at the unit JIC. I know some Quads ticked some fella's off when they saw the made in china on the stoves badge.
I also want to add that we do not have an OAK on ours. If i would have found this forum before the install, I would have made provisions to add one. Ours runs great without it, and may even do better with it. The manual states that an OAK is required for mobile home installations, so I never gave it a second thought.
SmokeyTheBear
Minister of Fire
Just about every stove made has parts in it that were made in China, it may have been assembled in the USA or even Canada but every one of the major stove makers imports from China, sometimes it is a small item, frequently it is large sub-assemblies.
St_Earl said:
1,200 sq ft... Web site says 2,800 sq ft (that all depends on the house's insulation, lay-out, and also the region you live in). But I would say 2,000 sq would be a descent #.
My Quad isnt quite 50,000 BTU's and it "says 2,200 sq ft". Again, depends on a lot of varibles, but a 30,000 BTU stove is in the neighborhood of 1,200-1,500 sq. The PS-50 is a big stove and has some muscle to flex.
Como
Minister of Fire
Using sq footage is nonsensical. On the basis of 2,800 sq ft in my situation one PS50 = one Garn.
I was in the local hardware store and they had some electrical box heaters that were apparently good for 1,000 sq ft.... maybe in southern Florida?
My PS 50 is about 2ft to the right of me and I am watching TV.
I usually have it on medium, when it gets below 0F I have to up it to high occasionally. I can see when it gets cold it will be on high most of the time.
I was in the local hardware store and they had some electrical box heaters that were apparently good for 1,000 sq ft.... maybe in southern Florida?
My PS 50 is about 2ft to the right of me and I am watching TV.
I usually have it on medium, when it gets below 0F I have to up it to high occasionally. I can see when it gets cold it will be on high most of the time.
St_Earl
Minister of Fire
i am indeed mistaken.
for some reason that 1,200 sq. foot figure was in my head.
i've only ever owned this stove.
but i like it.
for some reason that 1,200 sq. foot figure was in my head.
i've only ever owned this stove.
but i like it.
Idahokid
Member
Are house is 2100 square feet two storey and we have ares on medium unless it gets into single digits.The 80 lbs hopper is great.We are on are second year and love this stove.It's a work horse.
skinanbones
Feeling the Heat
I have one and am not happy at all with it mainly due to the heat exchanger design or lack there of. For the same kind of money i can get a Enviro mini with a promo they have in Ontario and it will out heat the heatilator even though it only rated at 30 thousand btu.
Idahokid
Member
Idahokid
Member
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