Old stove for big time heat

[defiant3]

Hey not for nuthin', but w/an old DEfiant in 1200 sq. ft. I might suggest chimney sweeping about every half hour! Even a Vigilant is big, but O.K. What about an old Resolute? Better sized! Even a used Resolute Acclaim. Not my favorite stove in REAL life, but if we're talking minimal use, it may do very well!?!

 

[mywaynow]

As far as cleaning and old Defiant often goes, it will be all about burning technique and wood quality. Compared to poor technique and poor wood in a newer stove, you would get more creosote in a older stove, but those poor qualities will make a newer stove burn very poorly/cool. Based on your use, and the way my old Defiant is used, I think you would be well served with the Defiant. Run it hot and don't look for 10 hour burns and the creosote will be minimal. I swept after 2 months of 24/7 and got maybe a gallon of fine brown grains out of over 20 feet of pipe. The stoves all take some time to heat up, but the older big ones are better than the newer ones, which is why the distance to combustibles is mentioned. As far as cleaning goes, I would be cleaning just prior to each season to avoid clogging by obstruction more than creosote. Nests and bugs etc, would be my concern there. Amount of use per sesaon should not be a great concern, but the knowledge that the pipes are clear should be. Defiant gives me 3 hour periods of nice hot stove temps with 3 splits. Build a good coal bed and load the bigger ones in it for some more burn time. Defiants have thermostats that do work to adjust air and maintain consistent temps. Good size logs too; 24 inch rated lengths, but I can creatively sneak longer ones in every so often. Just look for good seals and a straight non-cracked fireback on a used one.

 

[begreen]

I should add that I am basing my recommendation on the assumption that this building will be taken from stone cold to something comfortable, thus the added horsepower. If there is going to be supplemental heat and it is only being taken up say 20 degrees when occupied, then a smaller stove would be in order.

 

[Mainely Saws]

I have a similar situation . I have a seasonal camp & go there once in a while in the cold winter months . I have an old cast iron parlor stove that really puts out the heat but there's one big problem . The camp has minimal insulation & when the stove dies down it' gets cold quickly so someone has to keep feeding it every few hours or suffer a cold late night /early morning . For the cost I'm looking at that NC-30 I keep reading about .