I want to say thanks to everyone who steered me to the free-standing PE Summit, esp. begreen. I lit the stove on November 1st and I haven't had to use a second match.
I was concerned with having adequate draft after my bad experience with a Dutch West cast iron medium stove, which I learned too late is a downdraft contraption. As I had thought, and hoped, the only problem was the stove, not my venting nor the height of my chimney.
I burned a few break-in fires outside the house, then installed the stove here at nearly 8,000 ft above sea level and have not had even the slightest problem. I'm using single-wall duravent pipe, 1.5' up to a 45 degree elbow, 2.feet to another 45, out through my thimble to the lined 6" chimney pipe. I didn't add an inch to my 15' exterior chimney, it is plenty. The stove is a BEAST and draws beautifully. It is indeed an easy-breather. It is also very forgiving of wood conditions - it burns split spruce and cottonwood that's been seasoned barely a year without any trouble. And it eats up rounds like nothing at all.
On the coldest nights of the year so far, down to -25F, I packed the stove well, set the draft to low and came down to plenty of coals after 8 or 9 hours. In fact I had to learn a technique to burn away the excess coals in the mornings. The glass stays clean, it's easy to reach and maintain secondary burn temps. In short, the stove is perfect.
I was looking at a big Osburn or a Regency or a Jotul as well as the Summit, but the recommendations here steered me to the PE. If anyone has the same types of concerns I was having - 2,000 sq ft house, high elevation, softer woods, and cold cold nights - look no farther than the Summit. I paid $2000 total - pedestal, no ash drawer - and figure I got a stove that's likely to outlast me.
Thanks again
I was concerned with having adequate draft after my bad experience with a Dutch West cast iron medium stove, which I learned too late is a downdraft contraption. As I had thought, and hoped, the only problem was the stove, not my venting nor the height of my chimney.
I burned a few break-in fires outside the house, then installed the stove here at nearly 8,000 ft above sea level and have not had even the slightest problem. I'm using single-wall duravent pipe, 1.5' up to a 45 degree elbow, 2.feet to another 45, out through my thimble to the lined 6" chimney pipe. I didn't add an inch to my 15' exterior chimney, it is plenty. The stove is a BEAST and draws beautifully. It is indeed an easy-breather. It is also very forgiving of wood conditions - it burns split spruce and cottonwood that's been seasoned barely a year without any trouble. And it eats up rounds like nothing at all.
On the coldest nights of the year so far, down to -25F, I packed the stove well, set the draft to low and came down to plenty of coals after 8 or 9 hours. In fact I had to learn a technique to burn away the excess coals in the mornings. The glass stays clean, it's easy to reach and maintain secondary burn temps. In short, the stove is perfect.
I was looking at a big Osburn or a Regency or a Jotul as well as the Summit, but the recommendations here steered me to the PE. If anyone has the same types of concerns I was having - 2,000 sq ft house, high elevation, softer woods, and cold cold nights - look no farther than the Summit. I paid $2000 total - pedestal, no ash drawer - and figure I got a stove that's likely to outlast me.
Thanks again
