Down to 4 Stoves: Quadrafire, Pacific Energy, Drolet, Englander

[jeff_t]

Most of my experience with Blaze King dealers has been disappointing. Any calls to the BK office have been the exact opposite. Always helpful.

The Ultra and Parlor are the same basic stove. The front panel on the Ultra is more squarely shaped, and side shields are standard. And the pedestal, of course. The convection deck is standard on the King Ultra, but optional on the Princess Ultra.

FWIW, I stuffed my stove full Tuesday afternoon when it was sunny and 60, though quite windy. My inside temp topped out around 75. The temp over the cat was 5-550 for many hours, but I could hold my hands on the side shields. When I got up for work at 1am, it was still over 500 with a bright orange cat. I turned the blowers on low and cracked the air open a bit. Low output is definitely low. I think it's still unknown if that is possible with the Regency.

 

[begreen]

Correct Jeff, we are awaiting some real world reports for the F5100. Thanks for the update. It's good to hear you reporting reasonable outdoor temps finally.

 

[Woody Stover]

I am really looking into this Sirocco 30

FYI, the equivalent Ashford 30 has a cast-iron body and therefore a somewhat better thermal mass to even out temp swings.

The Ashford also appears to be more convective and it seems to me that it might move warm air better to other rooms, even without the blower running....

 

[jeff_t]

It's good to hear you reporting reasonable outdoor temps finally.

Oh, that was only a couple of days. Currently upper 30s, rain, and wind about 30mph. Not a 70° day in the accuweather extended forecast thru mid May.
Trees got a coating of ice yesterday.

 

[smokedragon]

This is incorrect. You close the bypass once the stove is up to the proper temp. To achieve a secondary burn you'll leave the air open more or get the stove hotter before you close the air.

It is correct: In a hybrid stove if you leave the bypass open and open up the air, it will burn like a secondary only stove. It is not as clean as with a cat, but it is cleaner than a smokedragon or just a plain ol' cat stove with the bypass open.

 

[begreen]

Sorry to contradict, but are you speaking from experience? This doesn't sound right so I am wondering what is the source of this info? Usually reducing primary air will cause a stronger draw on the secondary air manifold. How it this "hybrid" different?

 

[smokedragon]

My point is that if the bypass of a hybrid stove (with both catalyst and secondary combustion) is left open, it will function more like a secondary only stove.........

 

[begreen]

I would think it would burn more like a secondary stove that has a bypass. Leave the bypass open on a Lopi Endeavor for example and it will send most unburnt flue gases right up the pipe with little if any secondary combustion. How would a hybrid with the bypass open be different? Lopi's Cape Cod Hybrid shows no secondary burning with the bypass open.

Lopi Endeavor Lopi Cape Cod Hybrid

 

[Grisu]

Smokedragon seems to have been talking about Woodstock's hybrids judging from this scheme: https://www.hearth.com/talk/threads/can-someone-explain-a-hybrid-stove-to-me.91242/#post-1194151
So in the end it will depend on the particular design whether a hybrid with bypass open burns as secondary non-cat stove or as "smoke dragon".

 

[begreen]

I must have missed something. I've gone through the Progress Hybrid's manual and see nothing to suggest this. Please point out where it recommends running the stove with the bypass open for secondary only burning. I see nothing to indicate this in the linked diagram.

 

[Dairyman]

Smokedragon seems to have been talking about Woodstock's hybrids judging from this scheme: https://www.hearth.com/talk/threads/can-someone-explain-a-hybrid-stove-to-me.91242/#post-1194151
So in the end it will depend on the particular design whether a hybrid with bypass open burns as secondary non-cat stove or as "smoke dragon".

I can see how one could think this by looking at that diagram. But its not mentioned in anything that I've read from Woodstock. And IIRC wasn't there a a thread where a PH owner was accidentally opening the bypass instead of closing it an experiencing some pretty major problems?

 

[Grisu]

I did not want to suggest at all that someone should burn their hybrid with the bypass open all the time. Who would buy a hybrid stove just to run it like a secondary stove at best or as bad as a smokedragon? Thus, this whole discussion here is hopefully rather academic. I only wanted to point out why smokedragon may have come to that conclusion and that the particular model may play an important role. In the end, should someone have the questionable desire to run their hybrid without the cat engaged, they should first ask the manufacturer whether that will still be an efficient and safe burn instead of just assuming the stove will work like any secondary burn stove.

 

[begreen]

Eric can you post a picture of the actual location where the stove will be installed? There may be other caveats like clearances that may narrow the choice of stove. Note that some folks have been picking up the Englander 30NC for $649 recently. That is one heck of a good deal. But we need to see if that stove or any of the others will really work in the proposed location. That will require seeing the setup and having measurements to the nearest combustibles.

 

[eric-holmes]

Eric can you post a picture of the actual location where the stove will be installed?

I can't because it's a new construction home. I am just tying to get some things in order. I can essentially build it however I want. Although, I am beginning to abandon my alcove idea altogether because it seems like more trouble than its worth. We really wanted this look but I do not want to have a 7' minimum height as required by the PE Summit and most other stoves. Do you still have to abide by minimum regulations if you like the alcove with brick? I want it to be safe but I also live in an area where I won't be inspected.

This is what is making me consider a ZC Fireplace. I would like to have a stove so much more, but I don't want the alcove to almost have to reach the ceiling.

 

[begreen]

Agreed, I wouldn't build an alcove unless necessary. Instead I would build a fantastic looking hearth for a freestanding stove and be happy or go with a good quality EPA ZC fireplace.

 

[Grisu]

Now, that place where you want to put your computer desk would also be an ideal spot for a masonry heater. Maybe something like that:

http://fireworksmasonry.com/masonry-heater-gallery

All kinds of different styles can be build. Of course, I doubt you were looking into spending that kind of money.

 

[eric-holmes]

Lol, definetly won't be spending that kind of money, but it'd be beautiful.

 

[stovelark]

A long list of suggestions, any of these stoves mentioned would be great heaters. The Quad 5700 is a real heat hammer. Good dry wood is the real key anyway. Big steel non cats are a breeze to operate and deliver the goods, P/E T series cast stoves are serious heaters too. One to add to the list- Jotul Carrabassett F55. Nice looking, cast over steel design that is a big hit, people are not just looking at Oslos and Firelights. Good luck, I'm sure you'll be happy

 

[eric-holmes]

I'd like to thank everyone for their help on here. Before this thread I don't know about anything but stoves. The wife and I have decided that we may like to go with a zero clearance, but I still have 2 reservations:

1. I don't like the thought of the blower blowing hot air on my like a blow dryer all the time.

2. When the power goes out, the blower won't circulate the hot air.

 

[begreen]

I suspect the blower will be on low speed most of the time. It should not be like a hot blast coming from a hair dryer unless you are right near the vent. Connect the ZC fireplace up with gravity vents like a heatilator for better passive convection. You may find that a lot of the time this is good enough.

 

[eric-holmes]

Alright, I think we have completely decided to go with a ZC. I think I have narrowed it down to a Lennox Montecito Estate or a FPX 36 Elite. Those are the 2 favorites I have found. I'm ok if it is a little bigger. I want this think to put out the heat and I want it to be a focal point in the living room.

 

[begreen]

With new construction I would invest in great insulation and sealing. If you do this the heating and air conditioning will be less, saving you $$ for the life of the home. Get a heat loss analysis done on the house for the primary heating system and let us know what it says. I think with good insulation and sealing that you may find these units to be overkill. It's best to work with facts based on the heat loss calculation rather than seat of the pants.

 

[eric-holmes]

I got a quote today for $5300 for the FPX 36 installed with 16' of pipe. We also talked about one from Heatilator called the Constitution. It was only going to be about $300 less and it doesn't seem to be the Fireplace that the FPX is.