Osburn stove effeciency

[fakeingitforever]

So I really like the look of the osburn 2200 with the baywindow and all that, just found a dealer local that has one to see it in person. really like the layout and price AND it just squeaks in under hte minimum clearances needed in my fireplace. its a large masonry fireplace but the surround is quite small/mantel quite low etc.

however once I was looking at it in the store i realized it actually has a super low effeciency rating compared to everything laying around it. only 63%, compared to the cabello 1200 for example which runs at 83%, a huge difference as i plan on using this for about 50% of my heating needs, to supplement an oil boiler. so that is a huge difference. I would have probably already bought the cabello since it was a floor model on sale for basically the same price except it is a flush firebox and my concern is it will not heat well when the power goes out. we have regualr blackouts up here, although they are always very short (wooded area outside of the city).

I guess my question for you guys is:
1) is apparently every other stove more effecient than these osburns or are the numbers untrustworthy (i know rating anything as variable as a stove is hard!)
2) will a extended firebox really give me the additional heat without a blower when the power is out that i think it will. note i plan on putting one of those heat powered fans on top of the firebox to move air when the power cuts out.

the 1200 is a little smaller than i would like, 67kBTU for a 1400 foot home, but i have super low ceilings and don't plan on turning the oil heat off, just setting it to 55 so i should be ok w/ 67k, I luckily have a super open floorplan totally ideal for the fireplace location. The 1200 will need a mantel heat shield but meh, not really that big a deal.

 

[begreen]

It's best to take a lot of these specs with a grain of salt because often different testing is reported by marketing. The EPA testing provides a more consistent comparison. Similar to the EPA gas mileage results for cars this number may not represent what you see in the real world, but it gives a common point of reference. There are lots of variables to burning wood in a wood stove. Peak output is less important. It's rare that one will be pushing the stove to the limit over a long period of time. The Osburn 2200i's EPA testing is 11700-30400 BTUs. The Enviro Cabello (and Kodiak) 1200 is 11500-34200 BTUs.

A firebox that extends out more onto the hearth will heat a bit better during a power outage than one that is flush. What are the dimensions of your fireplace and mantel? Post some pictures and we may be able to offer some alternatives.

 

[NoobTube]

I can tell you with my 2400, It seems pretty efficient. I can usually load up at night in the dead of winter, be in bed by 10:30 and wake up at 6:30 with usable coals to re-start my fire. House typically stays pretty dang warm. I have a colonial center staircase around 2200 sqft. Stove room usually gets up to 80 and the rest of the house is around 74-76 in shoulder months. In late January, I'm usually a little cooler, 73-75 upstairs and 78 in the stove room.

 

[yooper08]

If you look at the EPA's actual test results, the Cabello tested out at 72% but the SBI (Osburn) stoves don't have this data hence why it's listed at 63%. That said, SBI's published optimum efficiency is given at 75% whereas the Cabello's published peak is 82.6%.

If power outages are common, I'd get something that sticks out a bit, especially if you're getting a thermoelectric fan; there's no place to mount it on a flush insert. Also, if you're going to use a thermoelectric fan during those times, they're best served when placed at the rear of the stove. With them in this position, you reduce the chances of burning out the thermoelectric motor as they're pulling cooler air over the fins instead of heated air. With that in mind, perhaps think about how easy the surround plate(s) come off.