Question for the pros!~ How to get longer burns out of a PE Vista?

[76ER]

the Pacific Energy Vista has a 1.5 cubic ft fire box...the PE Spectrum has a 2.1 cubic ft fire box....I have a PE vista and I can get a 4hr burn out of it....someone please explain how .6 of a cubic ft is going to get me a 7 to 8 hr burn...because that is what I understand a Spectrum can deliver...I am new to all of this!

 

[begreen]

Are you asking about total burn time or period of meaningful heat? Our neighbor's Spectrum easily has a nice bed of coals left after 8-10 hrs. But the stove is not cranking out a lot of heat at that point.

https://www.hearth.com/econtent/index.php/forums/viewthread/11339/P15/

 

[76ER]

BeGreen,
thanks for the reply....you have answered everything and that link was a good read...It would be nice to have both the total burn time and period of meaningfull heat increased so I dont have to get out of bed so much through the night..but my stove is only 3 yrs old and I could probably make due for now..Cheers!

 

[SlyFerret]

I'm far from a pro, but I've been trying to absorb as much information as I can. From what I've read, packing the stove east-west (side to side) instead of north-south (front to back) can help increase burn times by slowing down the rate at which the wood burns. Of course, there will be some experimentation necessary with the air control to find the best setting in order to maximize burn time and minimize smoldering. Also, the type of wood used can make a difference too. Some woods, like oak, burn more slowly and lend themselves to overnight burns.

-SF

 

[begreen]

I added to the title. Hopefully that will attract some Vista owners that can share their experiences with you.

 

[Jimbob]

I'm far from a pro, but I've been trying to absorb as much information as I can. From what I've read, packing the stove east-west (side to side) instead of north-south (front to back) can help increase burn times by slowing down the rate at which the wood burns. Also, the type of wood used can make a difference too. Some woods, like oak, burn more slowly and lend themselves to overnight burns.

-SF

That Vista has a shallow fireobx, and can only be loaded E/W. Harder wood, and bigger pieces will give a longer burn time.

 

[Burn-1]

That Vista has a shallow firebox, and can only be loaded E/W. Harder wood, and bigger pieces will give a longer burn time.

Yes, that is the optimal way to load it with most wood but I cut mine to about 13-14 inches this year and can load N-S. I can coax about 4-5 hour burns most nights before a re-fuel depending on the weather. Are you running a blower 76er? That will tend to shave some heat time off the stove but using the blower also really makes a difference moving the heat around as well. We just had a baby last month so I'm up at night any way but I am starting to look at maybe getting a Super Series, (Fusion or Super 27) model. If you do pack it E-W try to elevate the back logs a bit since they will start to pyrolize which will give you a smokier fire. You can also leave a small gap between the logs in the back and the rear wall of the stove.

That said I really like the little stove. It keeps the main areas of our house between 70-74 and the bedrooms on the ends of the house cooler. I have an ~1,800 SF ranch which is well above the capacity of the stove but I also put over an inch of foam sheathing on the house, blew cellulose in the attic and installed new windows when we bought it so I think my heat loss is a lot lower than the typical house. It was very nice during the fall for a quick warm up.