Regency I2400 vs Blaze King Princess insert
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prezes13
Minister of Fire
Any other supplemental heat kicking on at some point during that 22 hours?1500 square feet built in 1977 with new windows and extra insulation in the attic single story. The Temps when I got the stove where 30s in the day upper teens low twenties at night. Funny thing is the wife text me from home while I was working nights "honey it's hot in here" no problem utility room and garage attached.... I proceed to tell her open the utility room door very poor insulation down there I wait wait text comes in I already did... hum okay open the door to the garage wait wait text comes in I did already lol. So now we are heating the full house 2032 square feet at 77 degrees. This stove is unbelievable! Now granted I did everything suggested on this site to add to its ability that's how I roll. Bottom line believe the hype these stoves when installed and ran correctly are almost to good to be true but your mileage or others could vary just my two cents.
I know BKs are very capable heaters, but inserts are typically a little more limited. Mine will burn for 22 sure, but I require more heat than that.
No other heat but is does run the temp up into the high 70s then starts cooling down towards the end of the burn. Not saying we let it get cold the girls raise a fuss at anything under 70 
. I think what I'm getting at is 12 hours is no problem. I believe I'm fortunate to be able to run on low for most of my heating needs. I also realized the blower is the enemy of burn times but found no need for it in my application. Can't say if the box of roxul/micore/block off plate I built made it produce more heat into the room being I never ran it without. No expert here just throwing my own experiences out on the Internet lol.
. I think what I'm getting at is 12 hours is no problem. I believe I'm fortunate to be able to run on low for most of my heating needs. I also realized the blower is the enemy of burn times but found no need for it in my application. Can't say if the box of roxul/micore/block off plate I built made it produce more heat into the room being I never ran it without. No expert here just throwing my own experiences out on the Internet lol.
Hi Blazing,
Did you do your own install or did you have a shop do it? I'm in Virginia and looking at these two stoves as well. Would love to know how did your install since you are getting such great performance. I'm hoping they are close to me...
I like the Princess because of the ease of use since we have three kids and stove tending time will be at a minimum. It's just that the Princess costs a lot more than the i2400.
Sean
Did you do your own install or did you have a shop do it? I'm in Virginia and looking at these two stoves as well. Would love to know how did your install since you are getting such great performance. I'm hoping they are close to me...
I like the Princess because of the ease of use since we have three kids and stove tending time will be at a minimum. It's just that the Princess costs a lot more than the i2400.
Sean
The dealer who said they could install regency/hampton, were going to cut the legs in the back to meet the width reqmt. When confirming with a sales rep, we learnt that this will void the warranty, so we are going to put a custom faceplate (around 450) and that brings the cost of Regency I2400/HI300 almost as much as that of Princess (unit + install + labor).
This is a bummer as my wife was set on the looks of I2400.
This is a bummer as my wife was set on the looks of I2400.
Sean,
I did it all myself... well I had my dad and his buddy who where more an extra set of hands than much help lol. I myself can't bare to let someone do something of this magnitude. After pouring over this site so many years I knew how everything needed to be done and the products to use. It took me a full day to do the install. Cutting the damper out for the flex definitely was the least enjoyable part of the installation
. If and when you decide to do yours I have plenty of roxul left over your welcome to have if'n your close enough to make it worth your time. I realize cost is a factor for everyone at some point but I waited till I could afford it being it's a long term investment. Plus cutting and splitting wood is hard work I'd like to use as little as possible . If cost is the deciding factor which was my case as well. You can always take the time to get your wood on its way to being dry. I think this seems to be the number one mistake I read. Spend 5k on a stove and have wet wood really makes you look like well you get the point.
I did it all myself... well I had my dad and his buddy who where more an extra set of hands than much help lol. I myself can't bare to let someone do something of this magnitude. After pouring over this site so many years I knew how everything needed to be done and the products to use. It took me a full day to do the install. Cutting the damper out for the flex definitely was the least enjoyable part of the installation
. If and when you decide to do yours I have plenty of roxul left over your welcome to have if'n your close enough to make it worth your time. I realize cost is a factor for everyone at some point but I waited till I could afford it being it's a long term investment. Plus cutting and splitting wood is hard work I'd like to use as little as possible . If cost is the deciding factor which was my case as well. You can always take the time to get your wood on its way to being dry. I think this seems to be the number one mistake I read. Spend 5k on a stove and have wet wood really makes you look like well you get the point.Let me throw one other bit of info in the mix about the Regency insert. I have an I3100 (not the I2400/H300) and have been extremely pleased with it for 5 yrs of burning seasons. This spring when I cleaned it I noticed two 1/8" long cracks in the metal box, one crack at each lower corner of the opening where wood is placed in the insert. The selling dealer told me he had never heard of cracks in this location on a Regency; however, I have found at least 6 others via internet search and the common thread seems to be 5-6 yrs after putting the insert into service. The dealer then advised that Regency would want to see pictures of the inside, outside, baffles, etc etc. - no problem. He also said that the cracks are most likely due to "over fire" condition.
Now I know that people tend to pretend they have no memory of doing anything wrong; however, I have monitored this insert religiously (like Southern Baptist religion!) with an IR Therm and will place MY hand on a Bible and swear it has never, not one single time, been hotter than 650 degrees F and only that hot one time for approx. 20 minutes. It normally will provide sufficient heat for the area we want heated when it is between 375-450 degrees F, measured on the face of the box just above the door in 3 places. Most of the time 350-390 degrees F is where it burns. So far I have heard nothing back from the dealer after providing 17 pictures nor have I heard anything from Regency - and all I want is to know what Regency's recommendation is to stop the cracks from growing. I am not asking for compensation, replacement, or their labor; all I want is a recommendation. Yes, I know what I will do if they will not address the situation, but I want them to acknowledge the issue and provide information.
Thus - the reason I bring this to the forum is: If you have a choice to make between a Regency insert and a Blaze King insert, try your best to get information about each company's integrity in terms of honoring their warranty and users experience 5+ years after install. Naturally at this point in time my inclination would be to lean heavily toward Blaze King and I have had nothing but praise for my Regency I3100 up to this point in time.
I'm old and "old school" where integrity and a hand-shake agreement means more than intention. Thank you for the forum. I apologize for the rant, I'm just a bit miffed.
I might add that my chimney is 22' high from insert connect to upper limit, the insert has excellent draft, burn times typically last 6-8 hrs of meaningful heat, and properly seasoned wood (19% and less) is required to keep the glass clean. The insert is in an exterior wall fireplace that has ceramic fiber batt lining the interior walls, a block-off plate with ceramic fiber batt on top of it, and a fully insulated flex-flue, and a full chase cover at the top. I would expect an I2400 to burn about the same, it is just smaller and properly sized for the area needing heat.
Now I know that people tend to pretend they have no memory of doing anything wrong; however, I have monitored this insert religiously (like Southern Baptist religion!) with an IR Therm and will place MY hand on a Bible and swear it has never, not one single time, been hotter than 650 degrees F and only that hot one time for approx. 20 minutes. It normally will provide sufficient heat for the area we want heated when it is between 375-450 degrees F, measured on the face of the box just above the door in 3 places. Most of the time 350-390 degrees F is where it burns. So far I have heard nothing back from the dealer after providing 17 pictures nor have I heard anything from Regency - and all I want is to know what Regency's recommendation is to stop the cracks from growing. I am not asking for compensation, replacement, or their labor; all I want is a recommendation. Yes, I know what I will do if they will not address the situation, but I want them to acknowledge the issue and provide information.
Thus - the reason I bring this to the forum is: If you have a choice to make between a Regency insert and a Blaze King insert, try your best to get information about each company's integrity in terms of honoring their warranty and users experience 5+ years after install. Naturally at this point in time my inclination would be to lean heavily toward Blaze King and I have had nothing but praise for my Regency I3100 up to this point in time.
I'm old and "old school" where integrity and a hand-shake agreement means more than intention. Thank you for the forum. I apologize for the rant, I'm just a bit miffed.
I might add that my chimney is 22' high from insert connect to upper limit, the insert has excellent draft, burn times typically last 6-8 hrs of meaningful heat, and properly seasoned wood (19% and less) is required to keep the glass clean. The insert is in an exterior wall fireplace that has ceramic fiber batt lining the interior walls, a block-off plate with ceramic fiber batt on top of it, and a fully insulated flex-flue, and a full chase cover at the top. I would expect an I2400 to burn about the same, it is just smaller and properly sized for the area needing heat.
Thanks for the detailed post on the warranty information. I appreciate it, and it adds more information for me for the regency/hampton lines I didn't have. At this time I am unsure what we will do -- the wife likes looks of HI300 but it won't fit with some major jump in total cost just to deal with our shallower fireplace. None of the others that will fit have a firebox this big, apart from Princess and Hampton.
What has to be done to make the Hampton fit?
What are the complete fireplace dimensions in front and back including the depths? I'm wondering if a Hearthstone Clydesdale would be a better fit if it also passes wife approval. It's a good 2.5 cu ft heater.
What are the complete fireplace dimensions in front and back including the depths? I'm wondering if a Hearthstone Clydesdale would be a better fit if it also passes wife approval. It's a good 2.5 cu ft heater.
There has to be an additional facing (custom) to cover the stove pushed out of the fireplace too much. It will fit and probably look very nice. But its slightly out of our budget.
After reading more on the burn times on both of these, and similarly sized inserts, I am hoping that the wife likes BK princess. I would love to get even 10+ hrs. of burn times, vs advertised 20+ hrs. She will see the stove sometime this week (very far away dealers makes it hard to see it right away, we need to plan ahead as its a work week).
Blazing, where did you buy your Princess Insert and how much did you pay for it. I'm ready to pull the trigger.
Also, where did you buy your liner and which brand did you choose and why?
Thanks,
Sean
Also, where did you buy your liner and which brand did you choose and why?
Thanks,
Sean
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