I've had my Lopi Republic 1750 long enough for about 4 days of 24/7 (or near) burning and about 10 total days of fires.
Bottom line
Great stove, absolutely love what it's doing for us already and its showing that it can heat a 2200 square foot 2-story colonial house to an acceptable degree down to 30 degrees outside. (hasn't gone lower than that yet). The main living space is easily 75, and the rest of the house is probably mid 60s. Completely acceptable to me if I can maintain that down to 20 degrees and augment with small oil-based electrical radiators when additional spot heating is desired. Price for stove with all black trim, 10" surround trim, mantel shield, and blower was under $1800. Installation with a 15' length of insulated 316ti steel liner by a chimney sweep was $1100. Though it's an economy line, it has a very quality look to it and is aesthetically pleasing, if simple.
Successes
With a good fire it'll heat up ridiculously fast. For example, this morning I had a small bed of coals left over from last night's burn. Stove top temp was about 150 degrees, thermostatically controlled fan was off. I went outside and picked up 2 3" wide, 18" long splits and a bunch of kindling as well as 2 5" splits.
I stacked the smaller splits + kindling in there and it lit itself off though I augmented with 3 crumpled sheets of newspaper. Bam, lit up instantly. 10 minutes in, the kindling was mostly solid coals so I stuffed the 2 5" splits in there on top (up to the air tubes, but overall the stove was only 50% full).
Within 25 minutes from putting the kindling in, I had gone from 150 degrees to 650 degrees. I cranked the fan all the way up, closed the air control down, and it just hummed along at 600 degrees for another 20 minutes until I left for the day. Was about 35 degrees outside during this period. Wood is probably 25-30% moisture content.
Secondary Burning
Oddly, I've had plenty of fires humming along at 450-650 degrees, damper closed and air control in every position (closed, fully open, half way, etc.)....and I almost never get true secondary burning. Oh, I get some flames licking around up there, and sometimes I get the beautiful aurora borealis-like slow moving flames that grow downwards. But I have only once seen genuine full secondary burning (ironically, on my first fire in the stove when it was like 350 degrees and I shut down the damper and air control at the same time; haven't been able to dplucate that).
I don't understand it honestly: I've had ALOT of scenarios now, including 700 degree near overfires, 350-400 degree hours-long smolders, and healthy newer 500-600 degree roars.
As a side effect, I'm not getting the air wash on the glass seen in this video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b4No-WL1Wmk
Also, I think I'm getting much faster burns because it's not entering into a slow-burn secondary combustion stage.
Weird stove top heating
I have a Rutland stove top thermometer. I'm sure it's not 100% accurate, but it does seem consistent.
Getting the stove up to 300-350 degrees on the Rutland is no problem. I can do it now everytime, consistently, and with a healthy fire. But what I don't understand is that it'll be cruising along at 350 degrees with a good bed of coals and no real active flaming logs. I'll open her up (damper, air control, and door) and stock it well with plenty of air spaces with good, reasonably-sized ash splits that are probably around 25% MC.
They'll light up quickly and I'll shut the door. They'll get engulfed and I'll shut the damper.
And then the stove rises quickly to 400 degrees....and stops. Just hovers there. I've had this happen about 4-5 times now. It's a definite pause in the thermometer; once I know its paused, I'll do stuff like re-position the wood, add more wood, give it some more air, etc.....the burning intensity will increase, maybe I'll get another 20 degrees out of it, but that's it. And then it'll go back down to 400.
Now 400 degrees is nice and comfy, but I don't think it'll be enough to provide good all-around heating when it's 15 degrees out. I need to be able to take a good, stable, strong bed of coals at 350 and bring it up to 600 quickly...but I can't find the knack yet. I blame myself, but I don't understand it when on days like this morning I can get it up to 650 degrees in 30 minutes off a weak coal bed and ice-cold wood with morning dew on it.
Stove Pinging, cracking, and creaking
I didn't notice this at all durign the first few fires, but now my stove pings, cracks, and creaks whenever it's heating up quickly. I first found it disconcerting, but it seems perfectly normal. Some can be a tad loud (it would wake you out of a nap), but its only when you've just started it or just adjusted it to heat up quickly. By quickly I mean like 100 degrees in 10 minutes or less (i.e. going from 300 to 600 degrees in 20-30 minutes).
Once it's at temp, heating slowly, or cooling slowly, it barely makes any sound. Hell, the box is so well insulated and the door so well sealed that you literally can't HEAR the fire when the door is shut and only rarely do I hear a log crack. Open the door and the sound hits you.
While I enjoy a crackling fine, I've found that I like how quiet and unobstrusive it is to have a fire going 10 feet from where we're watching TV. Once the fan is on, that's all you can hear anyway....it's a nice white noise, definitely noticeable when it's on medium. On high, it's loud. But damn if it ain't moving some air too.
...
Love to hear any thoughts.
Bottom line
Great stove, absolutely love what it's doing for us already and its showing that it can heat a 2200 square foot 2-story colonial house to an acceptable degree down to 30 degrees outside. (hasn't gone lower than that yet). The main living space is easily 75, and the rest of the house is probably mid 60s. Completely acceptable to me if I can maintain that down to 20 degrees and augment with small oil-based electrical radiators when additional spot heating is desired. Price for stove with all black trim, 10" surround trim, mantel shield, and blower was under $1800. Installation with a 15' length of insulated 316ti steel liner by a chimney sweep was $1100. Though it's an economy line, it has a very quality look to it and is aesthetically pleasing, if simple.
Successes
With a good fire it'll heat up ridiculously fast. For example, this morning I had a small bed of coals left over from last night's burn. Stove top temp was about 150 degrees, thermostatically controlled fan was off. I went outside and picked up 2 3" wide, 18" long splits and a bunch of kindling as well as 2 5" splits.
I stacked the smaller splits + kindling in there and it lit itself off though I augmented with 3 crumpled sheets of newspaper. Bam, lit up instantly. 10 minutes in, the kindling was mostly solid coals so I stuffed the 2 5" splits in there on top (up to the air tubes, but overall the stove was only 50% full).
Within 25 minutes from putting the kindling in, I had gone from 150 degrees to 650 degrees. I cranked the fan all the way up, closed the air control down, and it just hummed along at 600 degrees for another 20 minutes until I left for the day. Was about 35 degrees outside during this period. Wood is probably 25-30% moisture content.
Secondary Burning
Oddly, I've had plenty of fires humming along at 450-650 degrees, damper closed and air control in every position (closed, fully open, half way, etc.)....and I almost never get true secondary burning. Oh, I get some flames licking around up there, and sometimes I get the beautiful aurora borealis-like slow moving flames that grow downwards. But I have only once seen genuine full secondary burning (ironically, on my first fire in the stove when it was like 350 degrees and I shut down the damper and air control at the same time; haven't been able to dplucate that).
I don't understand it honestly: I've had ALOT of scenarios now, including 700 degree near overfires, 350-400 degree hours-long smolders, and healthy newer 500-600 degree roars.
As a side effect, I'm not getting the air wash on the glass seen in this video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b4No-WL1Wmk
Also, I think I'm getting much faster burns because it's not entering into a slow-burn secondary combustion stage.
Weird stove top heating
I have a Rutland stove top thermometer. I'm sure it's not 100% accurate, but it does seem consistent.
Getting the stove up to 300-350 degrees on the Rutland is no problem. I can do it now everytime, consistently, and with a healthy fire. But what I don't understand is that it'll be cruising along at 350 degrees with a good bed of coals and no real active flaming logs. I'll open her up (damper, air control, and door) and stock it well with plenty of air spaces with good, reasonably-sized ash splits that are probably around 25% MC.
They'll light up quickly and I'll shut the door. They'll get engulfed and I'll shut the damper.
And then the stove rises quickly to 400 degrees....and stops. Just hovers there. I've had this happen about 4-5 times now. It's a definite pause in the thermometer; once I know its paused, I'll do stuff like re-position the wood, add more wood, give it some more air, etc.....the burning intensity will increase, maybe I'll get another 20 degrees out of it, but that's it. And then it'll go back down to 400.
Now 400 degrees is nice and comfy, but I don't think it'll be enough to provide good all-around heating when it's 15 degrees out. I need to be able to take a good, stable, strong bed of coals at 350 and bring it up to 600 quickly...but I can't find the knack yet. I blame myself, but I don't understand it when on days like this morning I can get it up to 650 degrees in 30 minutes off a weak coal bed and ice-cold wood with morning dew on it.
Stove Pinging, cracking, and creaking
I didn't notice this at all durign the first few fires, but now my stove pings, cracks, and creaks whenever it's heating up quickly. I first found it disconcerting, but it seems perfectly normal. Some can be a tad loud (it would wake you out of a nap), but its only when you've just started it or just adjusted it to heat up quickly. By quickly I mean like 100 degrees in 10 minutes or less (i.e. going from 300 to 600 degrees in 20-30 minutes).
Once it's at temp, heating slowly, or cooling slowly, it barely makes any sound. Hell, the box is so well insulated and the door so well sealed that you literally can't HEAR the fire when the door is shut and only rarely do I hear a log crack. Open the door and the sound hits you.
While I enjoy a crackling fine, I've found that I like how quiet and unobstrusive it is to have a fire going 10 feet from where we're watching TV. Once the fan is on, that's all you can hear anyway....it's a nice white noise, definitely noticeable when it's on medium. On high, it's loud. But damn if it ain't moving some air too.
...
Love to hear any thoughts.
