Looking at a quadrafire 4100i

[njdrt-rdr]

I'm shopping for a new insert to go into my zero clearance fireplace. From all the research and the stove stores I've talked to. Since my fireplace is so old. It has an 8" pipe with another pipe around it and air between them. Code now is a 6" pipe wrapped in insulation and shoved inside the 8" pipe.

So once all that figured out. We like the looks of the Qadrafire 4100i, it's rated for the ZC fireplace and it will fit.

Any input on this stove, good or bad, or other brand/model to compare it to ?

Lopi Revere, it's the biggest one they make that's rated for a ZC fireplace, but it's smaller than the Quad
I saw the Regency 2400, but can't tell from the brochure or the website if it's rated to go into a ZC fireplace
Hampton HI300 will fit. Need to go back and look, I didn't realize it came in matte finish. We didn't like the gloss one.
Jotul C 350 Winterport, will fit, but I think it's too small.

Any other brands I should look at? There were the ones I saw at the 3 closest stores to me.
I plan on installing it myself. I live in a rach house, so have about 15 feet of chimney liner to put in.


Thanks,
Nick

 

[jtp10181]

All the Quad inserts have been great sellers for us and for the most part have not been giving customers any trouble. Only complaints I ever really get are due to operator error or issues that are easily fixable. As for doing a self install into a ZC box, here is some light reading for your enjoyment

https://www.hearth.com/econtent/index.php/forums/viewthread/8876/
https://www.hearth.com/econtent/index.php/forums/viewthread/9323/
https://www.hearth.com/econtent/index.php/forums/viewthread/9574/

 

[njdrt-rdr]

Thanks for the links. I've been reading them. It's enough to make your head spin. I also did some research before I went to the store. Actually went to 3 stores and only one guy actually cared about what I was installing into and what code was.
The zc is a thulman majestic from at least 1986 or earlier. From what I understand, they were the first manufacturer of zc fireplaces.
I read in the quadrafire manual that the stove is zc rated, but if the zc was tested prior to 1998, I need to install a full height chimney liner. The dealer also told me the same thing. From inside, my zc looks ok except for cracked brick, 2 inch on the back wall and 1 inch on the bottom on top of insulation. The brick I will address next. I'm not sure if I can repair it with mortar or have to try to find new brick. I don't know what else to inspect on the ZC. It previously has had a woodstove in it when I bought the house and I've used that stove for 9 years with no problems.
If I need to inspect the zc better, the wall covering the back side of it is my basement stairway, I can just cut the sheetrock out and look at it. And from what I read, I have to check for rust around the cap that may have let water come down between the inner and outer pipes.

The second dealer I went to didn't even ask me much abou the zc, just said, yes, the stove with fit and you need a short piece of pipe to run from the stove to the beginning of the current 8 inch chimney (which is how the current stove was installed.

Just to think, for the last 9 years, I just had the chimney swept and had a nice time heating the house. Now I feel like I need to become a wood stove expert.

 

[begreen]

njdrt, try understanding HDTV and home theater standards. Used to be the volume control and just flipping through channels was all there was to tv ;-).

 

[jtp10181]

The second dealer I went to didn't even ask me much abou the zc, just said, yes, the stove with fit and you need a short piece of pipe to run from the stove to the beginning of the current 8 inch chimney (which is how the current stove was installed.

You should tell that dealer to try reading the manual once. The old prefab chimney is probably rated for 1700 deg at the most. All current wood inserts need a chimney system rated for 2100 deg which is why you need a new liner fully insulated.

 

[njdrt-rdr]

The second dealer I went to didn't even ask me much abou the zc, just said, yes, the stove with fit and you need a short piece of pipe to run from the stove to the beginning of the current 8 inch chimney (which is how the current stove was installed.

You should tell that dealer to try reading the manual once. The old prefab chimney is probably rated for 1700 deg at the most. All current wood inserts need a chimney system rated for 2100 deg which is why you need a new liner fully insulated.

I agree with you. I would not do business with that place. To fast/high paced and didn't want to listen to what I had to said. He only heard what he wanted me to say.

I will stick with the first guy and go back to him on Saturday and talk to him about the brick. Then I also realized the stove calls for 26" from stove to mantel and I'd only have 22". The mantel sticks out 5" from the wall.

 

[jtp10181]

Most of the Quad stoves you can order a mantle heat deflector to reduce the clearances. It is basically a giant metal thing that sticks out from the unit. Not very pretty but it does the job.

 

[njdrt-rdr]

Actually, my wife and I have been discussing it and the room layout, along with I'm not a huge fan of this old ZC fireplace. I 99% sure we are just going to rip everything out, and start from scratch and put in a free standing wood burning stove, probably in the corner of the room.

I'm researching that now.
I can do the work myself and pretty much will be close to what I have to spend now, minus what it costs me to build the hearth. and we'll probably stone the walls behind the stove too.

I'll be posting questions again I'm sure once I start looking at stoves.

 

[jtp10181]

Well if you like the looks of the 4100I check out the Quadrafire Cumberland Gap and the Isle Royal