Another Progress Hybrid installation, replacing Fireview, work in progress

[WarmInIowa]

Even though there are a few threads already, I want to add mine as I think all of the owners posting on-line is helping each other out. I'm in a similar situation to one of the other posters in that I have a huge area to heat, with one side of my house full of windows - facing the NW due to a nice view in that direction. Yeah, I know, I didn't design or build the house. Regardless it takes a lot of heat to keep this house warm in the winter.

We live in a rural area and the house was built with propane as the primary heat source. After one winter of that, we decided a wood stove was for us. We've had a Fireview for a couple years and it has been an absolute pleasure - it heats well, burns long, and paid for itself in less that two winters. With about 3,800 sq ft to heat, we decided to up-size and order a Progress.

Attached is a photo of the Fireview installed.

Our house layout works really well for wood heat. The stove room is our main family room area, is a two story room, and is open up top to the upstairs hallway. The room to the left of the stove is our kitchen / eat in dining area. The upstairs hall is also open to the front of the house, to the heat rises, then falls in the front of the house and circles back to the stove. It works really well. If we want to heat the upstairs bedrooms, we just leave the doors open.

 

[WarmInIowa]

Here is a strange photo stitched together showing the stove room. Lots of windows, ceiling fans to move the heat.

 

[WarmInIowa]

The pic in the last pic was right as I was getting ready to take the Fireview out, couch was moved and I had the new stone laid out on the floor next to the hearth so I could figure out where each stone was going.

Here is a pic of the opposite side of the room, facing the front of the house. You can see how the air moves up then toward the front of the house and falls as it cools and moves back toward the stove.

Right now, the new hearth is completed and the stove should be at the terminal Monday ready for me to pick up after work.

We decided to enlarge the hearth as the last one was the min allowable and we didn't have enough room for loading the stove without making a mess off the hearth. Unfortunately, my better half thinks the hearth is too wide now and usually she is right. I hope once the stove gets set in place it won't look too bad. Otherwise, I might be in the doghouse for a while.

 

[corey21]

Nice home.

 

[HollowHill]

I love the stone hearth. What's the R-value on that? Is it indeed stone or ???

 

[WarmInIowa]

I love the stone hearth. What's the R-value on that? Is it indeed stone or ???

The old one was a stone by Robinson, and is thin cut stone. The new hearth is also thin cut stone - it is cut sort of like tiles. It will match well with the brown metallic on the new stove. The new and old hearth value is 0.44.

Not much goes to waste around here. The old stone will become part of our landscaping outside.

 

[HollowHill]

I love the stone hearth. What's the R-value on that? Is it indeed stone or ???

The old one was a stone by Robinson, and is thin cut stone. The new hearth is also thin cut stone - it is cut sort of like tiles. It will match well with the brown metallic on the new stove. The new and old hearth value is 0.44.

Not much goes to waste around here. The old stone will become part of our landscaping outside.

THAT is going to be gorgeous! Please post pics

 

[Backwoods Savage]

Right now, the new hearth is completed and the stove should be at the terminal Monday ready for me to pick up after work.

We decided to enlarge the hearth as the last one was the min allowable and we didn't have enough room for loading the stove without making a mess off the hearth. Unfortunately, my better half thinks the hearth is too wide now and usually she is right. I hope once the stove gets set in place it won't look too bad. Otherwise, I might be in the doghouse for a while.

It seems most of us get there from time to time anyway. lol You have a beautiful home and upgrading to the Progress should work out great for you considering the size of your home. I too will be anxiously waiting for pictures. Hopefully you have the stove home by the time you read this.

 

[WarmInIowa]

Picked the stove up after work yesterday and moved it in place with some help. Wow, it is heavy! I have three break in fires comeplete, and one normal fire. Here is a quick picture installed.
Note the "shims" under the feet. I had made a few assumptions that didn't pan out and I'll need to order some taller legs. Hmmmm, not the first time I've ever made a mistake from being impatient.
The stove acts very similar to the Fireview, so it has been an easy adjustment. With the small amount of wood used for the break in's I realized this stove can really throw some serious heat. I was always impressed with the Fireview and let me tell you - this stove does not disappoint. I'll wait a for a few more fires before I share more thoughts.

 

[Backwoods Savage]

Very nice. Would you post how you moved the stove?

 

[WarmInIowa]

Good question, I had put a bit of thought into this and had a plan, because 700+ pounds is not easy to move and I don't want anybody with a hurt back. I had myself, a friend, my son and one of his friends. None of us are really strong - all about average in size. I backed the truck up to the front porch and we pulled the stove in it's partially tore apart crate off and decided to set it back on the truck because it was heavier than we were expecting. We changed plans... We have a wagon with sides that fold down that is rated for 1200#, so we folded the sides down, and set it on the wagon and rolled it to the hearth. Then we set the crate on the floor and took it apart, installed the legs and picked it up and set it on the hearth.

We also use this wagon for moving wood from outside to the garage; or from the truck to the splitter and away when we are fetching wood, so it gets a lot of use.

So far I just love the stove. It is easy to load and start fires, has a large firebox, burns long with a high output of heat for hours. I was not excited about the looks, as I really liked the fireview castings; this stove looks better in person than in the pics. It really does look nice in its new home!

 

[DPBurn]

Is this the short legs option for the Progress ? If I go with a Progress I'm going to have to determine if I need the short legs version.

DP

 

[WarmInIowa]

Is this the short legs option for the Progress ? If I go with a Progress I'm going to have to determine if I need the short legs version.

DP

Yes, this is the short leg version. they will cut the legs to fit your needs after verifying your hearth R value is acceptable.

I recorded my stove temps this morning after an 8 - 9 hour burn on a partially burnt load. I had loaded the stove earlier with a light load, and it was only about half burnt and I wanted to fill it up before calling it a day, so I just topped off the firebox with a few pieces of scrap pallets. It was 12 degrees F last night and my house was nice and warm this morning - perfect! I had some decent coals left and it could have easily when until noon.

After 8 hours, the top was 280, front bottom 463, front top 337, left side top, mid, bottom were 275, 373, 338, flue exit at 125. So the stove was just cruising along in cat mode.
The big thing is I was warm with a LOT of sq feet being heated and no propane used. I have my thermometer set to 58, so it won't be running any more. I'm pretty happy; this stove is exactly what I was hoping for.

Here are the coals left after burning overnight.

 

[WarmInIowa]

I've put a lot of wood into the stove burning it 24/7 the past week with the colder temps; I have not emptied ash from it yet, nor will I for a while. I can't believe how complete this stove is burning wood. Part of the high efficiency must also result in less remaining ash. I had ordered the ash pan, but then could not get it because I needed the short legs. In hind sight I'm not bothered by this since I won't be emptying ashes very often!

All I can say is this stove rocks. I have had a little smoke smell when engaging the cat, and haven't quite figured that out yet. It isn't consisent, so it may be draft related??? I also noticed the door frame is thicker and the ledge it sits into is a nice place for debris to fall and stick during a reload, so if burning coals get left there, they will make the house smell a little.

 

[HollowHill]

The fact that you guys get less ashes is interesting. I have the ash pan and am emptying it every 4 - 5 days. Not sure why I am getting more ashes, may be due to the fact that I don't get anywhere near the burn times that you are getting - 8 - 9 hours. This may be due to my wood, operator, or the demands my drafty old house places on the stove, some combination thereof, or ??? But I wonder if the ash pan might be contributing to lower burn times, more ashes as well?

 

[pen]

I've put a lot of wood into the stove burning it 24/7 the past week with the colder temps; I have not emptied ash from it yet, nor will I for a while. I can't believe how complete this stove is burning wood. Part of the high efficiency must also result in less remaining ash. I had ordered the ash pan, but then could not get it because I needed the short legs. In hind sight I'm not bothered by this since I won't be emptying ashes very often!

All I can say is this stove rocks. I have had a little smoke smell when engaging the cat, and haven't quite figured that out yet. It isn't consisent, so it may be draft related??? I also noticed the door frame is thicker and the ledge it sits into is a nice place for debris to fall and stick during a reload, so if burning coals get left there, they will make the house smell a little.

Talk to woodstock. I believe they are sending a different door gaskets out to folks with this problem. I know several owners on here have done it already.

pen

 

[Oldhippie]

Have you noticed that there is a warmer sound coming from those Klipschorns or do you find you need more power to drive them with that new Progress Hybrid in the room?

I'm thinking you may need more amplifier power, tube driven of course, to match the ambiance of the PH.

 

[oldspark]

Have you noticed that there is a warmer sound coming from those Klipschorns or do you find you need more power to drive them with that new Progress Hybrid in the room?

I'm thinking you may need more amplifier power, tube driven of course, to match the ambiance of the PH.

I did notice the speakers before, sweeet, in my younger days I wanted a set but did not have a big enough area for them.

 

[WarmInIowa]

Here is a quick pic from earlier this year before we swapped furniture with another room. I bought the klipschorns in a "depressed" state and refinshed them last winter. I replaced some of the veneer and saved what I could. I'm real happy with the way they turned out.

They would sound good with an old pot belly stove in the room, they don't need the PH for that! I generally use them with a nice tube amp, however, I have a $6.99 marantz from Goodwill that almost sounds as good with them. Its also in the same pic below. I do have a good room for them, they really put out some nice sound.

That is my other hobby, refurbing old stereo stuff. I'm not electronically gifted so it suits me to refinish Klipsch speakers because I enjoy redoing the wood finsih. I redid a couple Heresy's this year and sold them, and a set of Cornwalls, which I couldn't bear to sell, so they are in the basement.

 

[Oldhippie]

Here is a quick pic from earlier this year before we swapped furniture with another room. I bought the klipschorns in a "depressed" state and refinshed them last winter. I replaced some of the veneer and saved what I could. I'm real happy with the way they turned out.

They would sound good with an old pot belly stove in the room, they don't need the PH for that! I generally use them with a nice tube amp, however, I have a $6.99 marantz from Goodwill that almost sounds as good with them. Its also in the same pic below. I do have a good room for them, they really put out some nice sound.

That is my other hobby, refurbing old stereo stuff. I'm not electronically gifted so it suits me to refinish Klipsch speakers because I enjoy redoing the wood finsih. I redid a couple Heresy's this year and sold them, and a set of Cornwalls, which I couldn't bear to sell, so they are in the basement.

We'd get along well. I'm also addicted to vintage cameras as well as vintage stereo gear and motorcycles. ....I'm a sick, sick, boy.

 

[oldspark]

I've got a Marantz 2325 that I would love to get refurbished, not sure I want to do it my self, I have a Rabco ST7 and a Infinity Monitor II speakers also.

 

[WarmInIowa]

I've got a Marantz 2325 that I would love to get refurbished, not sure I want to do it my self, I have a Rabco ST7 and a Infinity Monitor II speakers also.

The 2325 is nice. Never heard the Infinity Monitors, I'd like to some time. I can put you in touch with somebody who can help you out with the Marantz if you are interested. He is in KC and has a backlog of about 6 months normally. Great work, honest, & fair prices, pm me if interested.

 

[begreen]

Serious derailing happening here. Maybe take the stereo conversation over to the Inglenook or DIY forum?

 

[WarmInIowa]

Sorry, should have done via PMs. Anyway, back on track - loading the stove for the night as I type. Somebody had asked in another thread about how many times I load per day given the volume I'm heating. Two and half on the weekends and two during the week. Load around 6-7 am, then again about the same time at night during the week.

On the weekends, I've been adding a half load before the first is burned out for more heat. I'm engaging the cat after 10 minutes, and then closing the air all the way. Seems to burn the best that way for my needs. If I was really cold, I can open the air up a little; it will burn through the load faster, and dump more heat. I'm not needing to do that except around 0 degrees F with winds - or occasionally just to show others the neat "Firestorm" that develops when you do that. This stove responds very well to adjustments with the air damper.

 

[oldspark]

With that big an area to heat do you use another heat source, seems a stretch for one stove.