Opinions...Lopi - Avalon - Enerzone

[fdegree]

I have a 2300 square foot house with a 770 square foot great room (this is where the stove will go). The dealer I have been visiting carries the Lopi, Avalon and Enerzone lines.

The individual stoves that have a large enough firebox are:
- 1. Lopi Liberty
- 2. Avalon Olympic
- 3. Enerzone Solution 2.9
- 4. Enerzone Solution 3.4

I know Avalon is owned by Lopi, but beyond that I don't have much of a clue about these stoves.

Any thoughts, opinions, ratings, etc. on these four choices?

 

[Fsappo]

As an Enerzone dealer that sells Regency and competes with the Lopi/Avalon line, I offer you this:
If you are going with the Enerzone, skip the 2.9 and go with the 3.4 By the time you add the fan and airmate to the 2.9 the costs are very close.
Enerzone makes a fine stove, and that 3.4 will out heat the Lopi and Avalon your looking at, as well as our Regency 3100 with a fan. The 3.4 is a beast.
Enerzone is a step below the Lopi/Avalon as far as quality of burn goes. The 3.4 makes tons of heat, is hard to burn low on a full load of wood. (it burns fine but wont turn down) It just doesnt seem as airtight and controllable as other stoves. It's more like a heating machine. I also would guess, aside from what's on paper that the 3.4 is a good 5-10 points lower on the efficiency scale than a Lopi/Avalon.

So, if you're looking for raw heating power, Id say the 3.4 If you want better control, better quality and to burn a little less wood, I'd go with the Lopi/Avalon

I also have been accused of trying to "sell everyone an Enerzone" So tread lightly on my advice.

 

[Pagey]

As stated before, I don't think you can go wrong with Lopi. Lopi and Avalon are both made by Travis Industries, so it's sort of the "six of one, half a dozen of the other" scenario. Having used both a Liberty (my grandmother's stove) and an Endeavor (mine), I can say that both are fine stoves. I love their bypass damper feature when: starting a cold stove, reloading, and cleaning the flue. Based on your previous threads and home size, I'd go with the Liberty. But that's just one man's opinion in a sea of 'em. ;-P

 

[fossil]

Lopi and Avalon are both owned by Travis Industries. The Lopi Liberty and the Avalon Olympic are pretty much identical twins. We have a Liberty and it does a nice job heating our ~2600 ft² two story home. It sits in the great room, and the upstairs is partially lofted, and we have ceiling fans throughout. Upstairs gets plenty warm, as does the great room area. Distributing the heat to the remote rooms on the lower level is always the challenge. I'm sure there are plenty of other stoves out there that would do the same job, but the Liberty's what we've got, so that's all I can really contribute. Rick

 

[fdegree]

I also have been accused of trying to "sell everyone an Enerzone" So tread lightly on my advice.

I can't say I agree with those accusations, based upon the information you just provided. Listing the Enerzone's short comings in comparison to the Liberty ans Olympic sounds like pure honesty to me...thanks

 

[fdegree]

Thanks to everyone for their input.

I was leaning toward the Liberty, but just wanted reassurance.

We haven't finished our shopping around just yet, but at this point the Liberty is my first choice.

 

[rdust]

I have the Endeavor and so far I'm plenty happy. I really like the bypass, the brick baffle and the low clearance to combustibles. My dad stopped by today for the first time since I've been burning it and the first thing he said was "wow that is a nice heat and you can't even smell it" the bypass pretty much eliminates any smoke spillage into the room. The Liberty has a larger clearance requirement but I'm sure it's a heck of a heater. Granted I've only been burning it for a week so I can't give you a good long term opinion.

 

[tickbitty]

Where are you in the mid atlantic? VA or? Just curious, not prying!

 

[fdegree]

Where are you in the mid atlantic? VA or? Just curious, not prying!

Southern Delaware

 

[Prosed46]

10/20/10 I bought brand New Enerzone Solution 3.4 - paid $2000
Top Hat inform me that burn time will be at least 8/9 hours, and will heat my House ( two apartment, lower + upper app.. 2400 sq ft. )
Top Hat installation coast me $1000.
After a month I try all I could to last burn time as much as I can special during the night. I could keep the fire in the stove 3 to 4 hrs maximum. My chair was next to the stove and me and my wife was in the watch every 4 hrs, so after two months we had enough. We called TH and complain. They came and install damper. After damper installation, burn time during the night is little better but not much, lets say 4 to 5 hrs, maximum 6 hrs with very good quality wood.
Attn: Every morning you have to remove ash, about 1/2 bucket, ( bucket of 5 glns ). Note: HT inform us that we have to remove ash once a week.?
The stove can not keep the heat ( 70/75F ) in both apartment, no way, my house is older house and not so good insulation, with plenty of the windows, and I am in Wisconsin.
If you run the stove 24/7 you need 24 to 30 pieces of the wood a day at least 16" to 18" L x 3" to 8"Dia.
After 2 months door gasket getting weak, I think after this winter season we have to replace the gasket.

This is our first wood stove.

Preparation:

Trailer or Truck.
Wood.
Wood splitter.
Keenly wood (plenty of them)
Chain Saw, & Sharpener, with few chain.
Storage or out-side.
Tarps (plenty of quality tarps)
Willow Barrel.
Plenty of work., to prepare for the winter.

Daily:
At least one big willow barrel of the wood minimum 24 to 30 pieces.

Bill:
Our Gas bill went down almost None, but our Electric bill went up, because of plenty fan running 24/7, wood stove blower + central fan running 24 hrs a day.

Savings:
With so much work, time, equipments, dirt, gas none (gas is cheaper) /electric up (electric is much more expensive) ---- is it worth ???

 

[Rich L]

I have a 2300 square foot house with a 770 square foot great room (this is where the stove will go). The dealer I have been visiting carries the Lopi, Avalon and Enerzone lines.

The individual stoves that have a large enough firebox are:
- 1. Lopi Liberty
- 2. Avalon Olympic
- 3. Enerzone Solution 2.9
- 4. Enerzone Solution 3.4

I know Avalon is owned by Lopi, but beyond that I don't have much of a clue about these stoves.

Any thoughts, opinions, ratings, etc. on these four choices?

OK tell us why the LOPI when you have the Blaze King ?

 

[webby3650]

Why not a Blaze King Princess Insert?

 

[webby3650]

10/20/10 I bought brand New Enerzone Solution 3.4 - paid $2000
Top Hat inform me that burn time will be at least 8/9 hours, and will heat my House ( two apartment, lower + upper app.. 2400 sq ft. )
Top Hat installation coast me $1000.
After a month I try all I could to last burn time as much as I can special during the night. I could keep the fire in the stove 3 to 4 hrs maximum. My chair was next to the stove and me and my wife was in the watch every 4 hrs, so after two months we had enough. We called TH and complain. They came and install damper. After damper installation, burn time during the night is little better but not much, lets say 4 to 5 hrs, maximum 6 hrs with very good quality wood.
Attn: Every morning you have to remove ash, about 1/2 bucket, ( bucket of 5 glns ). Note: HT inform us that we have to remove ash once a week.?
The stove can not keep the heat ( 70/75F ) in both apartment, no way, my house is older house and not so good insulation, with plenty of the windows, and I am in Wisconsin.
If you run the stove 24/7 you need 24 to 30 pieces of the wood a day at least 16" to 18" L x 3" to 8"Dia.
After 2 months door gasket getting weak, I think after this winter season we have to replace the gasket.

This is our first wood stove.

Preparation:

Trailer or Truck.
Wood.
Wood splitter.
Keenly wood (plenty of them)
Chain Saw, & Sharpener, with few chain.
Storage or out-side.
Tarps (plenty of quality tarps)
Willow Barrel.
Plenty of work., to prepare for the winter.

Daily:
At least one big willow barrel of the wood minimum 24 to 30 pieces.

Bill:
Our Gas bill went down almost None, but our Electric bill went up, because of plenty fan running 24/7, wood stove blower + central fan running 24 hrs a day.

Savings:
With so much work, time, equipments, dirt, gas none (gas is cheaper) /electric up (electric is much more expensive) ---- is it worth ???

Wow! I find this very suprising, how low do you turn your air at night? We sell sveral of these and have heard nothing but good things.

 

[Wood Heat Stoves]

This is our first wood stove.
-- is it worth ???

spend some time reading here, i bet you will get some useful info.

also, starting another thread specifically for your issue will draw more attention.

try:
"enerzone 3.4 low heat out put, help?"
then include as many install details as possible, describe your home, climate, chimney, stove location, etc.

then we can better answer your questions, and help ya out

 

[Prosed46]

Enerzone Solution 3.4 - I tried all on the beginning I kept damp on the stove closed all the time as per Top Hat instruction. Stove damp checked and all was working fine, but with the close damp I had impression that it is not working fine, that stove damp is not closing enough. I started calling Top Hat and they bring their own wood, saying that my wood is not good, and we together feed the stove till top, full and after 3 1/2 hour all wood was gone, so nothing different with mine wood or their wood, stove damp was closed all the time. That time they check stove damp and they say it is nothing wrong with it, saying my chimney draft is very good, clean and never ever used before. After checking all from Top Hat, they decided to install damp on the chimney pipe/line. After several days Top Hat came and installed damp on the chimney pipe, which I am using only during the night and I extended burn time for maybe 1 to 2 hours, so lets say up to 6 hours maximum. I keep stove blower on maximum all the time, so is this have something to do with the burn time, I don't know ?

 

[webby3650]

Enerzone Solution 3.4 - I tried all on the beginning I kept damp on the stove closed all the time as per Top Hat instruction. Stove damp checked and all was working fine, but with the close damp I had impression that it is not working fine, that stove damp is not closing enough. I started calling Top Hat and they bring their own wood, saying that my wood is not good, and we together feed the stove till top, full and after 3 1/2 hour all wood was gone, so nothing different with mine wood or their wood, stove damp was closed all the time. That time they check stove damp and they say it is nothing wrong with it, saying my chimney draft is very good, clean and never ever used before. After checking all from Top Hat, they decided to install damp on the chimney pipe/line. After several days Top Hat came and installed damp on the chimney pipe, which I am using only during the night and I extended burn time for maybe 1 to 2 hours, so lets say up to 6 hours maximum. I keep stove blower on maximum all the time, so is this have something to do with the burn time, I don't know ?

Can we see a picture of the Chimney damper? I haven't ever heard of this. The air on control on the stove should not always be off, it should be regulated with heat demand, once the stove is up to temp., it should be turned down to maximize efficiency. Have you tested the gaskets on the stove? If it is a masonry chimney, is the clean out door sealed tightly?

 

[webby3650]

Sorry for interrupting, we should start a new thread. :red:

 

[BrotherBart]

Turn that blower down to half at the most. You are wrecking the burn in that thing. And don't even turn the blower on until the stove top temperature is over 500 degrees. You do have a thermometer on the stove top don't you? What are the temps on it?

 

[Prosed46]

As I said above I keep the stove blower on the maximum all the time, and blower is kicking in automatically when the temperature rich certain temperature regulated by the manufacturer, I don't have thermostat. I will try to reduce stove blower on medium.