Downsize stove or just cope.

[Doc C]

How close would you be to a BK though now that you've bought two stoves and sold one?

I'm in my stove about $950 total. Sold that 30 for the price of the 13.

Also when I bought the 30 I did not know any better.

Trust me...my first choice would be a stove with barometric damper like BK has but sometimes you can't get what you really want.

 

[Squisher]

It just brought to mind a saying I've heard in this industry. If you can't afford one stove, you certainly can't afford two.

I hear yah though.

 

[jotul8e2]

As a near neighbor I can confirm that a 2.3 cu. ft stove for a reasonably insulated 1300 sq. ft. in northeast Oklahoma is too large. Yet, a smaller stove has the problem of going out overnight. If you do not insist on overnight burns, then a smaller non cat stove will work well. But a cat based stove will give you more flexibility.

My 2500 + sq. ft. house here in Southwest Missouri is heated with a 2.5 cu. ft. stove and I have to use it sparingly this time of year or I am forced to go outside and watch it through the window. I have to have daytime highs below 45 deg. and nighttime lows in the 30's to keep a fire going 24/7, even with just three loads a day. Currently, with the highs about 50 deg. I just let it go out overnight.

This whole "smaller fire" argument is a babel of confusion. I believe some people talk about "small loads" where they never get secondaries. This is a plan for monthly creosote sweeps. An EPA non cat stove must get up to its full operating temperature in order to burn off the volatile gases. Others appear to mean a small load that engages the secondaries, but has a shorter burn time. Small load, large load, it still has to get the stove top up around 450 deg. minimum for proper operation. Small load, large load this still means any given stove is going to throw off the same btu's when burning secondaries. But If this is done by a smaller load then it will finish that high temp cycle quicker and the btu's generated will drop to a lower level sooner. Of course the load will be consumed more quickly as well, meaning that long burn times become out of the question.

There is one other option available for some stoves - a screen that lets it operate as an open fireplace. I paid extra for such a screen thinking I might want to use it during the shoulder seasons and it sits unused in the original box.

 

[Easy Livin’ 3000]

How important is firebox size for usable heating. Will a smaller stove be able to run more wide open? I am dubious of sqft ranges and also max btu ranges . Also, no local stove dealers(that I have found) are able to elucidate on such topics. I am looking at staying with epa secondary air stoves. Specifically, a Napoleon 1100 banff, firebox size of 1.7cuft. Current stove is a quadrafire 4300 acc 2.3cuft

We purchased a quadrafire 4300 freestanding stove to replace a pre pea insert two years ago. The insert had a 3.0 cubic foot firebox. Between shoddy door gaskets, pre epa insert etc this was a bad sizing guide. The stove is great but it is hard to keep the fire small enough without running the house past 80. Maybe we don't know the tricks, but we have to burn very small fires for much of the season. With some door and window replacements in the near future I fear it will be even worse.

Thanks for the advice

Elucidate, really?

Do the windows open in your house?

Too good looking, too much money, too smart, house too warm in the winter. Oh, the problems we have!

Yes, a smaller stove will reduce your running hot problems. But, then, what'll you do with all that wood...

 

[webby3650]

Yup, you are cursed with great, high-density wood and a really good stove that is a bit too big for the house. Many long for such problems!

I am also of the opinion that going to a catalytic or cat-hybrid stove, rather than just to a SMALLER stove, would be a good way to go.

I certainly would not recommend a hybrid. From my experience they run hot like a non-cat. The cat acts more like a scrubber if you will, for the exhaust after it’s passed through the secondary combustion tubes. To clean up emissions more than allow the ability to burn slowly.

 

[Kenny78]

Elucidate, really?

Do the windows open in your house?

Too good looking, too much money, too smart, house too warm in the winter. Oh, the problems we have!

Yes, a smaller stove will reduce your running hot problems. But, then, what'll you do with all that wood...

I'm sorry. I will try to keep further responses in gutter speak and limit the number of syllables, which George Orwell would surely approve...I should have said that most salesmen I have found at stove shops are booger eating dullards. As for the wood, it will still be out there when needed.

Jotul8e2, I agree with the small load comment. I may find a used smaller stove to try out. If I don't like the east to west loading or some such I can put the quad back in place.

As to purchasing multiple stoves, the first insert was purchased as a cheap trial stove. I did not want(and am glad I didn't) to lay down the capital for a new insert. Was nonplussed with the near necessity of using the blower to extract heat. Wanted a freestanding stove but was unable to ascertain the needed size. Found this couple year old quad on Craigslist for about half of retail. BTW, I recouped all of the insert price and most of the liner expense upon sale. I will keep this quad for regardless for later use.

I shy away from cat stoves for the same reason as pellet stoves. I'm not hating on either and can appreciate them, they just arent what I am looking for.

 

[Easy Livin’ 3000]

I'm sorry. I will try to keep further responses in gutter speak and limit the number of syllables, which George Orwell would surely approve...I should have said that most salesmen I have found at stove shops are booger eating dullards. As for the wood, it will still be out there when needed.

Jotul8e2, I agree with the small load comment. I may find a used smaller stove to try out. If I don't like the east to west loading or some such I can put the quad back in place.

As to purchasing multiple stoves, the first insert was purchased as a cheap trial stove. I did not want(and am glad I didn't) to lay down the capital for a new insert. Was nonplussed with the near necessity of using the blower to extract heat. Wanted a freestanding stove but was unable to ascertain the needed size. Found this couple year old quad on Craigslist for about half of retail. BTW, I recouped all of the insert price and most of the liner expense upon sale. I will keep this quad for regardless for later use.

I shy away from cat stoves for the same reason as pellet stoves. I'm not hating on either and can appreciate them, they just arent what I am looking for.

Lighten up, Francis. And who's George Orwell, comrade?

 

[branchburner]

I certainly would not recommend a hybrid. From my experience they run hot like a non-cat.

Well, I certainly have more control to extend a burn, and have a smaller fire burn clean, than I did with my prior non-cats (one was a downdraft, which required a lot of heat to generate secondaries). A full load in my IS, though can sometime be hard to "dial down" once the secondaries kick in. So I think I see what you are saying, but don't have experience with a non-hybrid cat myself. I will readily admit, I can't picture getting the kinds of burn times reported by BK owners with my IS.

 

[MtnBURN]

If you have unlimited supply of wood/don't pay for wood...."saving" money on a cheaper/non-cat stove may be a workable equation.

My neighbor saw/was impressed with my BK....and said last year he wouldn't go another year without replacing his old Lopi because he went through so much wood. I was about to start the process of ordering another BK....and knew we could get 20% off at my dealer if we bought 2 stoves. He initially said "Let's do it".

I waited for weeks and didn't hear squat from him. So I called him to see if he was still interested. Come to find out...he bought an entire semi ($1500).....roughly 20 cords of pine... to feed in the Lopi...rather than buying a new stove that wouldn't use that much wood to heat his house in 10 years.....

Whatever. I've heard his saw running for weeks now.....and he has about 8 cords stacked around his house. SMH!!

 

[Doc C]

If you have unlimited supply of wood/don't pay for wood...."saving" money on a cheaper/non-cat stove may be a workable equation.

My neighbor saw/was impressed with my BK....and said last year he wouldn't go another year without replacing his old Lopi because he went through so much wood. I was about to start the process of ordering another BK....and knew we could get 20% off at my dealer if we bought 2 stoves. He initially said "Let's do it".

I waited for weeks and didn't hear squat from him. So I called him to see if he was still interested. Come to find out...he bought an entire semi ($1500).....roughly 20 cords of pine... to feed in the Lopi...rather than buying a new stove that wouldn't use that much wood to heat his house in 10 years.....

Whatever. I've heard his saw running for weeks now.....and he has about 8 cords stacked around his house. SMH!!

I burned 2.5ish cords 2 years ago and just under 3 cords last year with the 30. I'm thinking with the 13 that will be closer to 2 cords.

With a BK it sounds like I might get by with 1 cord????

And yes I know how to measure cords. My wood shed I built is almost exactly 1 cord per row. It holds 5.25 cords of wood and it lasts me 2 years.

 

[MtnBURN]

I burned 2.5ish cords 2 years ago and just under 3 cords last year with the 30. I'm thinking with the 13 that will be closer to 2 cords.

With a BK it sounds like I might get by with 1 cord????

And yes I know how to measure cords. My wood shed I built is almost exactly 1 cord per row. It holds 5.25 cords of wood and it lasts me 2 years.

I couldn't say for sure how much wood you'd use. There are so many factors involved in such estimates. All I'm saying is that my neighbor's non-cat will easily eat 6+ cords per year (roughly same size house) and I heated both my garage (900 sq ft) and house (800 sq ft) on less than 3 cords.

Bottom line, all dick swinging aside....If the OP desires temperature control in a small space from a wood burning appliance....a cat stove is a great option for such an outcome.

 

[Doc C]

I couldn't say for sure how much wood you'd use. There are so many factors involved in such estimates. All I'm saying is that my neighbor's non-cat will easily eat 6+ cords per year (roughly same size house) and I heated both my garage (900 sq ft) and house (800 sq ft) on less than 3 cords.

Bottom line, all dick swinging aside....If the OP desires temperature control in a small space from a wood burning appliance....a cat stove is a great option for such an outcome.

If I burned 6 cords of wood in a 800 square foot house I would recycle my stove to the scrap pile!! And cry alot.

A friend ofine has an uninsulated house that is about 4800 square feet. It was built in stages by sober challenged people over the last 50 years. Looks like people would get drunk and start building on to the house.

He has 3 stoves that run all winter....he's STILL cutting his fire wood for the year!

 

[Seasoned Oak]

You can find a range of cheap EPA stoves that work well . I have a 2 cu ft Country Hearth 2000 i got at TSC for $499.00 . Its a great little stove i heat a small aptmt with .and i can move it with a hand truck ,less than 300lbs . It burns clean and is very controllable.

 

[Squisher]

My place is 2400sqft on two floors and I use about half the wood to heat my place all winter that you(mtnburn) are saying your neighbour uses to heat his house. Sounds like a brutal climate you live in.

If you want to leave all the swinging aside you won't barge into a thread that's about sizing a stove to a home and start claiming that BK's use less than half the wood of a non-cat. Start a new thread if you want to beat that drum.

I do agree a cat would be a good option. But you must've missed where the OP said he has no interest in owning one. That should be the end of the cat vs non-cat discussion in this thread.

Yet here we are. Swinging for the bleachers. Lol.

 

[MtnBURN]

If I burned 6 cords of wood in a 800 square foot house I would recycle my stove to the scrap pile!! And cry alot.

A friend ofine has an uninsulated house that is about 4800 square feet. It was built in stages by sober challenged people over the last 50 years. Looks like people would get drunk and start building on to the house.

He has 3 stoves that run all winter....he's STILL cutting his fire wood for the year!

I tried to get him to recycle it, Doc...but alas...some folks just seem to be gluttons for punishment and afraid of change for the better.

 

[Seasoned Oak]

800 SF house ? That may be the big reason for the low wood use , thats one small house . Should be able to heat that with the heat coming off the back of the fridge.

 

[littlalex]

Lighten up, Francis. And who's George Orwell, comrade?

Who's Go?!

Sent from my Moto G (5) Plus using Tapatalk

 

[Doc C]

My place is 2400sqft on two floors and I use about half the wood to heat my place all winter that you(mtnburn) are saying your neighbour uses to heat his house. Sounds like a brutal climate you live in.

If you want to leave all the swinging aside you won't barge into a thread that's about sizing a stove to a home and start claiming that BK's use less than half the wood of a non-cat. Start a new thread if you want to beat that drum.

I do agree a cat would be a good option. But you must've missed where the OP said he has no interest in owning one. That should be the end of the cat vs non-cat discussion in this thread.

Yet here we are. Swinging for the bleachers. Lol.

Not sure about the performance but I absolutely love the looks of the ideal Steel stove. Cant remember if they are a cat or hybrid.