need your opinions
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I just ordered a PE Summit so its gotta be all good, I just think they (plus many others) have a stove that is hard to go wrong with.marreque said:
Pros: Great fire display. Easy to operate. Great combination of radiant & convection heat. Great burn times for a 2 cuft stove. Eye appealing.
Cons: Not self loading
Cons: Not self loading
Go to http://www.chimneysweeponline.com/pacaldert5.htm where they compared burn times for 61 stoves. So far the mid-sized PE is the champ.
How large a space are you going to heat?
How large a space are you going to heat?
I think you will be very happy with the T5. Mine is heating 1400 sq ft tri level without the blower, and does well, will be installing a blower for next year for the subzero nights. About the only negative that some people have is the ash pan door. It is great for getting rid of the very fine ash between just before a reload. Just know that you aren't gonna clean all the ash out through the chute. And if you do use it make sure you pack the void well with ash, or you can have a large air leak.
good luck
good luck
I get somewhere in the neighborhood of 7.5 - 9 hrs burning ash & oak. That's 200 deg stove top to 200 deg stove top. i'm heating 1400 sq ft on top of a basement. I get lots of compliments.
The PE line was in my final "four" considerations for stoves . . . they may have even gone to the top had I actually been able to see a stove out of the crate . . . which could explain one of the reasons why the stove shop in town that carried them is no longer in business . . . well that and their salesman who was taking folks money and not delivering any stoves.
I don't mean to hijack the thread, but it would be nice to get comments from other PE Super Series owners about the 'quality' of the secondary light show... and that of the fire view in general.
Is it dull, average, excellent, spectacular or hypnotic?
It may seem like an odd question, but after burning in a closed stove for most of 30 years, the fire view will be all important to me... after improved efficiency of course... when I finally pull the trigger on a modern stove.
Thanks...
Peter B.
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Is it dull, average, excellent, spectacular or hypnotic?
It may seem like an odd question, but after burning in a closed stove for most of 30 years, the fire view will be all important to me... after improved efficiency of course... when I finally pull the trigger on a modern stove.
Thanks...
Peter B.
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Billowey is the way I would describe it versus the fountains of light that we had with the Castine. When the PE is doing a good secondary burn, it is like decending purple, blue and orange clouds the form over the coals then rise to the front of the stove. It is not spectacular, but mesmerizing none the less. There is a front fountain of light right at the turn of the baffle, but this is behind the air wash dam so it is hard to see unless you are lying on the floor in front of the stove. But overall, the fireview is excellent.
And but for size, is the T6 firebox essentially the same configuration (secondaries and such) as the 1.9/2.0 cu ft Super Series?
Thanks for the characterization...
Peter B.
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Thanks for the characterization...
Peter B.
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Peter B. said:
Pete, I have some t6 fire pics in the signature link, i believe begreen has some videos on utube as well.
To the original poster, depending on where you live in Mass, the T5 should be fine as long as you have halfway decent insulation. Our T6 does the entire home without furnace just fine in our ~3300 sqft open glass house, not very tight. Oct-Nov and March til. But below freezing days, and below teens nights, the furnace is needed to augment the stove... We live at about the 41 degee latitude, just a little south of Mass.
I would suggest that the stove ratings for the Alderlea's are accurate for moderate climates, but for above ~ 40 degrees Latitude I would use the lower end of the rating scale for these stoves ie 1200 sq ft for the t5 if you expect to heat your home entirely with a woodstove.
marreque said:
You're on the cusp. The T5 will do most everything you want. But come 0 degree weather, you may need to supplement with the furnace. Not a big deal really. During the majority of the heating season the T5 will cover your needs well.
The T6 is a well mannered stove and convective heater. But I suspect it will be overkill for shoulder season burning in a small house. That might mean running the furnace during mild weather. It's best for you pick which is your preference. Both are good stoves so you won't be making a bad decision either way, but I would lean towards the T5 unless you are looking for daily 85 degree room temps in January.
BeGreen said:
Does anyone have the link for the table that compares all the stoves burn times? I looked on his site and was unable to locate it. All I found was the "Wood stove heating comparison table" but it doesn't show anything in terms of burn time.
Thanks
For their results, contact Tom via their website. I can comment that my next door neighbor has the Spectrum which has the same firebox. He has told me that 10-12 hr burn times with softwood are not uncommon. They still are very happy with the stove after 5 years of burning in it.
12 hours for me would be pushing it; but with a good ash bed I can get 10 if really load the stove up with large splits and a big round. I bet once I install my blower it will cool the firebox temp a little and will help with the burn times as well I will contact Tom for that list.
Thanks
Thanks
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