First time poster here! This has been a great source of information in helping to make our decisions. We have a 3800sf very well insulated house. There's 2000sf on the first floor, 1800 on the second. The great room (where the stove will be located and where we spend almost all of our time in) is approx 1000 sf. My question is will we be able to enjoy our great room, or will we be run out with an Equinox in it? All our ceilings are 9ft with part of the great room's being 11ft. Thanks to all in advance for their input.
Seeking advice on purchase of Equinox
- Thread starter redhousehaggard
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I have an Equinox and my home is smaller, much less insulated (log home) and I have a ton of glass and it works nicely for us. Is your 2000 sf 1st floor an "open plan" or is it cut up into rooms? Do you have a lot of windows? How will all that heat get upstairs.......staircase, balcony? What is a cold Feburary night like in Kentucky? Forced air system heating/AC installed? How much fuel are you using now a lot or a little?
The Eq. can run pretty well at low burns/small loads and it's not a scorching heat, it can be gentle. I can tell you that the heat will likely move easily up to 2nd floor as long as the doors are open but getting the heat to move to the 1st floor spaces behind that big room may be a challenge. This is my fight.....heating our back rooms farthest from the stove.
The Eq. can run pretty well at low burns/small loads and it's not a scorching heat, it can be gentle. I can tell you that the heat will likely move easily up to 2nd floor as long as the doors are open but getting the heat to move to the 1st floor spaces behind that big room may be a challenge. This is my fight.....heating our back rooms farthest from the stove.
The great room is all open 100sf with the master bedroom and bath to the right, there is a 4ft wide opening to the 23ft high foyer that is open to the dining room and a 3ft wide opening to the study. Upstairs has an open balcony that leads to 3 bedrooms. We installed a geothermal system when we built the house (literally WE built the house), but have been disappointed in how cool the house stays. We can set the thermostat on 75 and it will run 24/7 and the downstairs will never get above 70. I realize that would be fine for most, but we are abnormally cold natured people and at least want our great room a toasty 75. As to the weather, in Ky it can be really unpredictable. Some Febs may stay in the low teens with some sub zero's. Others you may be able to go out with no coat. Last year my daughter was able to wear shorts to school the first week of Jan., this year we were still getting ice storms in April. Another reason for a wood stove. We were without power this year for 10 days during an ice storm. We live on a farm WAAAAy out in the boonies and are the last house on the line, therefore the last house with power restored. Luckily, we insulated well enough and nothing froze up, but we had to stay with family until the power came on.
The EQ will be a great addition to the ground source system in a house that size. Heat it up and let it die out and it will radiate heat for a long time. You will learn to adjust the firings for the weather conditions. You won't be burning around around the clock a lot and there is nothing wrong with that. Just keep a lot of kindling around. The central system is bound to be zoned so that will even things out in the house.
Get ya one of those big rocks, right after you buy that new generator and transfer switch.
Get ya one of those big rocks, right after you buy that new generator and transfer switch.
I burn a stove that is less that half of the btu output in a house that is less than half as big. If I had your house and was choosing soapstone then I would definitely want a stove at least as big as the equinox. You won't get cooked out of a 1000 SF room unless you want to be. The soapstone stoves can cruise comfortably at just over halfway to the max temp and then can really put out the heat when you try. All of this is very intentional so you'll be fine.
That puppy weighs 700 lbs so be sure your floor is up to it. The next size smaller HS stove is a mansfield which is not as pretty, does not have the excellent side door, and is not eligible for the 30% refund. Get the equinox!
That puppy weighs 700 lbs so be sure your floor is up to it. The next size smaller HS stove is a mansfield which is not as pretty, does not have the excellent side door, and is not eligible for the 30% refund. Get the equinox!
I have a 52 x28 bi level
Big rock in the lower level.
Its very easy to get along with.
Holds coals a long time / stays warm
Morning restarts are no problem.
I think it will work well for you, also
Big rock in the lower level.
Its very easy to get along with.
Holds coals a long time / stays warm
Morning restarts are no problem.
I think it will work well for you, also
Thanks everyone. You've eased my concerns. We have a concrete pad several feet deep poured in the area it will be going in. We originally wanted a masonary fireplace, but funds grew short so we just laid the foundation for it if we ever got a chance. The hearth foundation is concrete, several feet deep, but we just framed up a chimney and covered it in fake rock. We then built a raised hearth covered in real limestone. It is constructed-from the ground like so: Concrete pad+ 12in wood frame, sheet of 3/4 plywood, concrete .5 to 1in thick, covered in natural limestone slab 4inches thick. I know that the r factor isn't quite enough, but we are considering building a pad of covered micore to lay on top of the limestone slab to make up for it. When I did my calculations our limestone + concrete only had an r factor of about .8. I think that the equinox requires 1.0, is this correct? Anybody have any other hearth suggestions besides tearing it out and starting over?
we have sold a few, and everyone has been happy w/ the results. most people do not have a house (let alone a big enough room in their house) to fit this stove. I have had the pleasure of installing all the ones we have out there (although i am one of the smaller guys at the shop) because some of our guys will balk and lose the stones to lift that bastard. i can testify for the weight and thermal mass on that unit. Make sure you ask to check the date of manufacture on that stove.. they had an issue with some of the earlier units; they over-torqued the bolts that hold the ashpan housing onto the base plate, and the casting cracked when fired. you will notice if this happens when your fire runs out of control all the time. these were among the first units ever produced, but we have sold only three from that bunch (and two ran into this issue), and still have one left. it is a warranty issue, and will be taken care of, but it is better to not have to deal with it in the first place. if you loosen the bolts prior to firing and retighten them snugly with a ratchet, you will avoid this issue, but its a heads up.
to answer your second point.. i think you will be fine with up to 5" of masonry that you have underneath the stove. you can rig a bottom heatshield if you really have to, but i think w/ limestone 4" thick, concrete an avg of 3/4" thick, you will be all set.. BTW what part of KY do you live in? I used to live in KY - i was at fort knox, and went to school at U of L (GO CARDS!).. dated a girl from finchville (about 15 mins from shelbyville), and used to go to red river gorge all the time to go camping on the ridges and rock formations (had to be carefull at night when drinking bourbon not to wander too far to take a piss, you make take a dive!)
I have a EQ in a 3000 + sq ft house and you will be OK in your great room with the heat . my stove burns 24/7 and is my only heat now . I like my stove but the out put rating is way off . To heat my house to 70o when it 20o out side i need to run full bore ( wide open ) I have lots of insulation and new windows etc . I work out side all day and sit 4' from the stove so i don't care if its 60o in the bed room . My stove burns alot of wood compared to my old DW cat stove for the same heat . John
Hello, summit. We live in Winchester, about 20 miles east of lexington (go BIG BLUE country). We are very familiar with Red River Gorge as it is just east of us. Natural Bridge is the closest. It's beautiful there especially in the fall. We live right at the edge foothill of the Applacians. If you lived here any length of time, you know what I'm talking about with the mood swings the weather here takes. Last week, in the middle of July it got down to 55. Three weeks ago it was in the 90's and we got 5in of rain in one hour! It only rained that one time for an hour. Flooded the pond dam as the pipe just couldn't keep up.
Thats awesome.. i always like the eastern part of KY (even though it is full of UK fans!) because it reminded me of being in my home state of Maine, hills, trees, lots of streams, etc, but the further east you went the steeper it got! The weather is pretty wild out there, i remember 25 deg swings in the summer storms and fall winds, and lots of cold winter rain! Went to Uk campus when they won the D1 basketball out in 97 or 98 (can't remember exactly, it was college, and lots of it was a haze!), what a party! they even had riot police around the campus in case Uk lost! (iguess they did prior to that yr, and upset students smashed up campus.. people take basketball seriously down there!) but back to the point of the thread, the equinox heats homes in here in Maine, which has harsher colder winters than you guys, so i think you will be good with one and your layout being open suits a radiant stove like that just fine.
SolarAndWood said:
No nothing as change but the stove .
I don't think the EQ rating is accurate . My DW kept us warm , with less wood . Last year was our 1st season with the EQ .The DW Extra large was a cast iron convection stove it would keep the room it was in very warm and heat up fast for a quick blast of heat . I don't think the EQ max temp of 600o get hot enough to pump out the heat like the cast stove . I sit 4' from the stove and it kinda cold if the stove isn't blasting 500 + . My stove will cruse at around 425o but it isn't hot enough to really heat the house . To reach max temp i need to split the wood to 2x4 size and stuff the stove with wood . I feel like I'm firing a steam engine .
some wood burns hotter then others last year my wood was seasoned for over 2 years but it was mixed hard wood . My DW would burn 31/2 cord a year .The EQ burned over 5 i don't really stack it in to cords but the wood rack in the house needed to be filled twice a day i burned 14 sq foot of wood every cold day .
I hope it burns better this year . I'm still experimenting with it . John
My family room is 500 ft. I worried about the same thing. I came from an old steel smoke dragon. The heat is even and mellow. You will not have any issues if you use good wood. I am very happy with the stove I cleaned my outside masonary chimney monthly. 2to3 gal and still could not get all the stuff out. I went with a local installer, long time in business.
installed a ss insulated liner (8'). The installer told me that this was his first install with an INSULATED liner.WHAT THE:::::::::: I couldnt believe it. I burned almost all winter last year and went for my spring final sweep and "0" dirt, nothing.I was shocked!I would have not known about all the things to look for if it wasnt for this site. I am very thankful.
One last thot. If I new how hard the thing was going to be to get into my house I would have been scared off. It is a lot of weight. Do not underestimate the difficulties of moving it in.
This is a great stove. Man has come a long way in his quest to tame the flame.
P.S. Thanks to all who helped me put all this together
It could not have come out any better.
installed a ss insulated liner (8'). The installer told me that this was his first install with an INSULATED liner.WHAT THE:::::::::: I couldnt believe it. I burned almost all winter last year and went for my spring final sweep and "0" dirt, nothing.I was shocked!I would have not known about all the things to look for if it wasnt for this site. I am very thankful.
One last thot. If I new how hard the thing was going to be to get into my house I would have been scared off. It is a lot of weight. Do not underestimate the difficulties of moving it in.
This is a great stove. Man has come a long way in his quest to tame the flame.
P.S. Thanks to all who helped me put all this together
It could not have come out any better.
If I fine the right stove, I'm looking to replace my VC next year, is going to be used in a hunting camp.
I'm reading the Equinox user's manual (on-line). It talks about a "Thermo-Ceramic Baffle System". They talk about it being very fragile and easily cracked or broken. How expensive is the replacement piece?
Is the ash pan on the Equinox more useful than the one on the Mansfield?
Thanks...
Derek
I'm reading the Equinox user's manual (on-line). It talks about a "Thermo-Ceramic Baffle System". They talk about it being very fragile and easily cracked or broken. How expensive is the replacement piece?
Is the ash pan on the Equinox more useful than the one on the Mansfield?
Thanks...
Derek
I think the baffle is very soft like a egg crate , but it is protected buy the SS after burners ( tubes) . 'The fire box is big enough to fill with out hitting the top .
As far as the ash pan gos Its a PITA to use, and the shaker great is hard to work . I just use a shovel and a bucket , the fire box is large enough to dig the ashes from the sides of the stove and leave the fire burning in the center . The stove really needs to burn full loads of wood down to ash rather then feeding it 3 or 4 splits at a time . I will use the ash pan if the stove get very low on coals . I burn 24/7 John
As far as the ash pan gos Its a PITA to use, and the shaker great is hard to work . I just use a shovel and a bucket , the fire box is large enough to dig the ashes from the sides of the stove and leave the fire burning in the center . The stove really needs to burn full loads of wood down to ash rather then feeding it 3 or 4 splits at a time . I will use the ash pan if the stove get very low on coals . I burn 24/7 John
I took the sliding grate out of the stove & just push the ash through the holes in the grate remaining in place. It did warp the grate though.
John (wellbuilt home) did you install a pipe damper. I think that slowed my wood consumption .
I found it impossible to separate the coals from ash when 24 hour burning, so eliminating the sliding grate seem like the best solution.
I didn't even give the sliding grate a try, it seemed like way to much work.
Its a big stove & I think it gonna take a little more wood than a Fireview . But it was a cold winter & I burned no oil.
Hell I think they should have made it 4 inches taller. The fire box isn't really that big once your burning 24 /7. Just my opinion.
I never have the driest wood & I probably never will so a non cat fits the bill. Not a hole lot of smoke so the neighbors are happy.
But it did need a chimney cleaning in March. I burned about 4 cords by than.
doug
John (wellbuilt home) did you install a pipe damper. I think that slowed my wood consumption .
I found it impossible to separate the coals from ash when 24 hour burning, so eliminating the sliding grate seem like the best solution.
I didn't even give the sliding grate a try, it seemed like way to much work.
Its a big stove & I think it gonna take a little more wood than a Fireview . But it was a cold winter & I burned no oil.
Hell I think they should have made it 4 inches taller. The fire box isn't really that big once your burning 24 /7. Just my opinion.
I never have the driest wood & I probably never will so a non cat fits the bill. Not a hole lot of smoke so the neighbors are happy.
But it did need a chimney cleaning in March. I burned about 4 cords by than.
doug
Hi Doug , yes i have a damper and it seemed to help alot with wood consumption, but i seem to have trouble keeping a consistent burn.
With out the damper my stove would burn out of control when it is very cold .
My EQ will cruise around 425o then jump to 600 and climb from there .
When the stove is burning at 550 or 600 it has good heat output at 425 it seems just warm .
My wood was split 21/2 years ago so it should be dry and it was making good heat in my DW the year before? John
With out the damper my stove would burn out of control when it is very cold .
My EQ will cruise around 425o then jump to 600 and climb from there .
When the stove is burning at 550 or 600 it has good heat output at 425 it seems just warm .
My wood was split 21/2 years ago so it should be dry and it was making good heat in my DW the year before? John
wellbuilt home said:
Are you loading thru the front or side? I learned just past mid-winter last season, the Eq. likes the wood thru the front door. If your after a long slow burn and medium heat use the side door and put your big splits in the back. If your going for long time hot full blast heat, carefully load your splits NS (parallel to the stove sides) putting the shorter lengths on the sides and the longer ones in the middle. Be carefull here, no pieces that touch the back wall and then are too long to get the front door closed or are right up against the glass. I try to keep the front of the split at least 1 inch from the glass but letting the split rest on the front shelf seems ok. This is the way to put 80lbs of hardwood in your Eq.! This also makes for a hotter fire. Read your owners manual and show me where it says not to exceed 600 degree surface temps. Note in manual burn rate section (page 18).....no mention of surface temp, just damper settings.
http://www.hearthstonestoves.com/assets/files/document_library/Equinox8000Manual.pdf
Now, it's clear to me that running your stove continuously at a high burn rate (fully open damper) would not be a good idea, running at what the manual describes as medium high and medium low sounds to me like a good setting for good heat output and I did this regularly. Running my Eq. between half and 3/4 shut on the damper with a full NS load sends my Rutland surface thermometer above 600* but then hovers not getting to 700*. At this temp, the stove cranks out gobs of btu's and runs along nicely until the wood in the center is consumed creating two fires in the box, one on either side of the center. Depending on how well you stacked your fuel in there this will chug along for a long time but not at temps like when the middle was burning. My point is I can't seem to keep temps below 600* with the damper set to it's lowest burn settings and I can't see in the manual where the manual tells me not to exceed 600* so I interperate this as......don't run wide open but damper settings of anything below 1/2 throttle are fair game. I will tell you this, the difference in heat output between 575* and 675* is vast.
Please note, I have reason to believe my $15 Rutland gives a higher than actual reading, the temperature's I site here are just numbers my thermometer gives. The device is still useful to me because it establishes an operating range that helps me regulate the output of my stove.
Sorry for the hijack.
I forgot, on page 19 of the manual it says I should run my stove at full throttle for 35 to 45 minutes daily. This makes for a hot fire and some very hot rocks......it's kinda scary to let the fire get this hot but the book says do it so I do and it works well. It gets the glass clean, burns up connector build-up and warms the house up nicely. Hope all this jibber jabber helps keep you warm this coming winter, keep us posted.
SolarAndWood said:
We both (Wellbuilt home and I) went from the same DW to the Eq. and my experience is the exact opposite, my Eq. blows the old DW away in terms of heat output, and I used approximately the same amount of wood, 4 1/2 cords. I never remember my wife asking me to turn that thing down when we had the DW.......now, she complaines regularly that it's too hot, I tell her she is wearing too much clothing.
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