the other forum guys say no-what do you say?

[RedRanger]

My older pe insert has a 2.1 cu.ft firebox so was wondering about loading the vertical bricks (10) with soapstone bricks?

Got about 4 to replace this year anyway. But the gurus on the other site say not a wise plan. Now I`m thinking, that maybe it isn`t, otherwise why wouldnt everyone else be doing it? So I have kinda shyed away from that idea, unless I hear a good reason to try it?

And that good reason better be something like "better to screw up your own insert instead of mine cause I haven`t tried it myself"?? Really not much to burn here cept softwoods, that is why the idea occured to me. Would like a comment from that man with 5k+ posts, cause I trust his opinion the most. Longer heat time would be nice, but not at a unreasonable risk...

 

[Backwoods Savage]

sonny, why don't you take the time to call one of the soapstone stove manufacturers and ask that question?

I'm thinking that the soapstone stove uses firebrick only on the bottom of the firebox and stone on the sides. So why not? Perhaps it is because the stone radiates too much heat whereas the firebrick tends to insulate a bit.

 

[backpack09]

I dont think soapstone stoves have soapstone in them, I was under the impression that they are steel stoves with stone applied to the outside. I also don't know how well soapstone holds up to the intense heat cycles you get inside of a stove (1000*+ down to room temp)

You would probably get better results going to a place that makes custom counter granite counter tops and have them cut you a couple of pieces of soapstone to put on top of your stove for heat storage.

Dan

 

[stoveguy2esw]

firebrick are usually installed to insulate the outer shell of the unit from direct heat from the fire, soapstone may not give as much protection , also im not certaion that soapstone would provide a longer heat release when the soapstone is actually inside of the firebox. im afraid i would have to advise not to convert in this manner i do not see much if any advantage in heat storage and the risk of damaging the unit could be heightened as well.

 

[BrotherBart]

That guy with 5,000+ posts thinks that putting soapstone bricks in a pre-EPA insert is a mistake. Anything that slows down getting the firebox temp up on that insert is just going to contribute to making a smokestack out of your chimney.

It would be worth a try with a re-burn stove but not that insert of yours.

 

[Jags]

It would be worth a try with a re-burn stove but not that insert of yours.

Hmmm...hey BroB, you have peaked my curiosity with this. Whats your take on it?

I'm still crackin' up over "that guy with the 5000+ posts" too funny. :lol:

 

[BrotherBart]

It would be worth a try with a re-burn stove but not that insert of yours.

Hmmm...hey BroB, you have peaked my curiosity with this. Whats your take on it?

I'm still crackin' up over "that guy with the 5000+ posts" too funny. :lol:

I have to leave it to the combustion engineers of the world.

 

[Jags]

It would be worth a try with a re-burn stove but not that insert of yours.

Hmmm...hey BroB, you have peaked my curiosity with this. Whats your take on it?

I'm still crackin' up over "that guy with the 5000+ posts" too funny. :lol:

I have to leave it to the combustion engineers of the world.

Gotcha! Just wondered if you had "experienced" this at some point. ;-P

 

[Highbeam]

The soapstone stoves, at least my hearthstone, do indeed have soapstone on the inside AND on the bottom of the firebox on either side of the iron ash grate. The whole firebox interior is soapstone with the same solid slabs making up both the interior and exterior of the stove. There is no sheet metal involved, no double walls, just cast iron trim pieces to hold the slabs of stone together. The cast iron base section holds the ashes and supports the bottom stones.

Perhaps consider adding a layer of soapstone inside the firebrick to preserve the insulating properties of the firebrick as well as getting some thermal mass in there? Otherwise I would assume that the heat flow to the outer shell of the PE is designed to include the insulative properties of the firebrick.

 

[bcnu]

Had no idea Brother B had sooo many posts. Wow. Got me to wondering if this is the current record? BB, thanks for sharing all your expertise.

 

[BrotherBart]

Had no idea Brother B had sooo many posts. Wow. Got me to wondering if this is the current record? BB, thanks for sharing all your expertise.

Most of my posts are just babble. I seriously need to go get a real life.

 

[Corie]

Soapstone has a reported thermal conductivity of 7.4 W/mK

Firebrick has thermal conductivity ranging between 1.0 and 1.8 W/mk

Steel is between 30 W/mk and 50 W/mk (ballpark) depending on temperature.

The ceramic Kaowool blanket insulation above the baffle in many stoves is between .44 W/mk and 3 W/mk depending on blanket density and temperature.



From that data, it's clear that you're better off with firebrick, assuming those numbers are correct. Obviously I'm not set up in the lab here to to thermal conductivity testing. As far as heat storage goes, there may be a minimal gain from using soapstone, but I hardly think it's worth it.

 

[Metal]

Had no idea Brother B had sooo many posts. Wow. Got me to wondering if this is the current record? BB, thanks for sharing all your expertise.

Begreen and Web have him beat (for now). Begreen has over 7,000. Maybe we should ask him what his opinion is on this subject ; )

 

[Jags]

Ahhhh, and Corie comes through with the facts. Thanks Corie. Another thing to check off of my "don't do it , stupid" list.

 

[bcnu]

Most of my posts are just babble. I seriously need to go get a real life.[/quote]

I was thinking BB could star in his own reality series. Maybe call it "Life's Burning Questions." Perhaps BeGreen can co star. As for Web - kinda figure he has to post so much just to keep us on task.

 

[Corie]

To add a little bit to this:


IF you were able to fully insulate the inside of the unit, and I mean full firebrick lining, you could, conceivably get longer burn times because of higher firebox temperatures allowing slower, but still clean, combustion.

That's the real advantage to the soapstone stoves from my point of view. There isn't some insulation and then just bare steel. The entire stove is insulated. One could hypothetically create the same high insulation qualities using a steel box lined top and bottom with firebrick.

hrmmmm, that gets me thinking...

 

[Metal]

Uh oh, Corie is gonna build a soapstone pellet stove!

 

[Jags]

Uh oh, Corie is gonna build a soapstone pellet stove!

Naaaa...I see a 4+ cu ft. firebox that can be turned to "simmer" that will burn for 24 hrs (usable heat) and STILL has low emissions. GO CORIE!

 

[Corie]

YES! That's what people want. A beast of a stove that can go from 8000 BTU/hr up to 100,000 BTU/hr!


Actually, my new projects are already on the table for me, but there is one I'm looking to explore above and beyond that.

 

[begreen]

Had no idea Brother B had sooo many posts. Wow. Got me to wondering if this is the current record? BB, thanks for sharing all your expertise.

Begreen and Web have him beat (for now). Begreen has over 7,000. Maybe we should ask him what his opinion is on this subject ; )

BB and Corie have already given wise advice. I defer to the sage men of VA.