To pull the trigger or not to pull the trigger?

[RIDGERUNNER30]

Hey guys, my dad has been in the market for a wood stove for a couple of months now and we all know there is so many stoves brand to chose from, It can be mind blowing,but there is one stove that he really likes, The jotul F-50 rangeley TL, I have been calling jotul dealers from all around trying to get him a good price, I told him the summer time is the time to buy and have seen some good deals on other brands. I found a dealer wiiling to sell a F-50 for $ 2,100 cash deal no taxes. another dealer wanted $ 2,439 plus tax. what do you guys think. what your opinion about the F-50? I like the top load feature myself and having outer castiron shell is another big plus.

 

[begreen]

Sounds like a good deal at $2100. How large an area does you dad need to heat?

 

[RIDGERUNNER30]

Well begreen all together about 2000 square feet. The den room that this stove will be in sets lower than the rest the house so alot of the heat should travel threw out the rest of the house with the big french opening into the room. The den room as ten foot ceilings and is abot 450 square feet. my thinking was not get to small a stove that you have baby sit the thing and not be able to maintain a overnight burn. I would have like to see them get a cat stove, but they really like the looks of this model stove. It is kind of built like the t-6 by having outer cast iron jacket. do you think having a steel stove with a cast iron jacket helps soften the heat begreen? you have the T-6 what is your take on this.

 

[begreen]

From the description it sounds like fan blowing cooler air into the den could help improve heat circulation. Would your dad be ok with that? If he likes the room to be 85F, then maybe this is not an issue. LOL

Make sure the F-50 they are selling has the cast iron jacket. The base model does not include the "convection panels". I can't say how this stove performs side by side to an Alderlea. There are some significant differences. For example, the Alderlea's "jacket" continues across the top. The cast iron trivets on the stove are massive.

 

[Scott2373]

As an owner of the Rangeley with an 1850 sq. ft. home, I can tell you that this is a heat machine! I would highly recommend it. Last winter, our house stayed between 68° and 72°. We payed $2100 for ours. Ours has the cast sides, which is definitely the way to go, as Begreen has stated. My vote is - Pull the trigger!

 

[RIDGERUNNER30]

Hey scott glad you chime in and also a user of this model, I'am going to call the dealer and make sure it has the iron sides. I thougth all the F-50 had the cast sides but after visting there sight, I see it comes as a option. one question i have for you scott do you burn your stove hard or do you control your heat output by not banking the stove so full. I know getting a stove this big can be issue just don't want to lead them the wrong way.

 

[Scott2373]

Ridgerunner, we load our stove to the gills and let it run its natural course. I've gotten 12-hour burns using 100% slab wood that could've been seasoned longer. If your father is using dry splits, I'm willing to bet he'll do better than that. Usually we come down in the morning and there is a nice bed of coals or at least enough embers in the ash to start a blaze with some kindling and no fire starter. This stove is nothing short of impressive!

 

[begreen]

Do you load it full in fall and spring? Until winter cold really sets in, I would not load it to the gills. But I don't like 85F room temps and some folks do.

 

[Scott2373]

Since we use slab wood from a local pallet/skid maker, we end up with 1 - 2 bins full of chunks and weird little odd pieces. These are what we burn in shoulder season. Since they burn much faster and not nearly as hot, we can load the stove with them and the temperature remains comfortable without blasting us out of the house, but still burns for a reasonable amount of time. The main thing I love about this stove is the fact that we don't have to babysit it. Once get the burn established after about 15 minutes to .5 hour, I forget about it.