Went to the local Harman dealer and they have some cool stuff.....

[blthomas]

So I went and talked to my local dealer again about finding a insert for my Superior ZC.

He brought my last Harmon Mark series coal burner, and I said, yea I loved the coal, but I have so much wood to my access, blah, blah, blah.

He mentioned soome newer Harmon products that may or not interest me.

So,

We discussed the DVC-500, I think I saw this last season, can't rememeber.

Discussed the Magnum Stoker, badass big unit.

Then the one that caught my attendtion, the TLC-2000. Listed as a wood/coal burner, non-electrical depenedant (I like that feature alot).

Anyone have one of these units and care to comment?

I'm thinking of pulling the Superior completely and doing a full out build like DonCT's setup. Very nice work Don BTW. Very nice.

This is much more expensive, I think I would have a better heat source though.

From my research online and at my dealer, I have two options due to my ZC size, the Enviro Kodiak and the Osburn. Both seem kind of small. Big concern with the inserts is I'm right at 20" vertically. Not sure if I could hook it up even if I could stuff it in there.

Anybody have any input about the stoves listed? Advise period?

Thanks,
Blair

 

[Corie]

I'm not saying that the TLC isn't a good unit, but it is primarily a coal burning unit. It has an airwash system which sorta helps to keep the glass clean during wood burning, but overall it is not a wood stove. It has a mediocore sized firebox for wood and no way to accomplish true clean burning.

That said, its a great coal stove, harman's grate system is pretty awesome, as I'm sure you know. But it will not perform like a stove that was designed to clean-burn wood and if your main fuel will be wood, you'll probably be disappointed.

 

[blthomas]

Thanks for replying Cory.

I'm actually leaning towards coal I think. Still hedging. I was thinking it's a good size, and on these nights where I couldn't warrant a coal burning constant, then I could throw on some wood in the evenings.

What do you like for straight out coal burning from Harmon? I wouldn't mind getting one of the big self feed units, but if the power goes out........

FWIW, loved my Mark series coal burner. I did burn wood in it, and while it didn't up and kick ass, it did a fine job of de-chilling the house at night. That's what I want here.

 

[trb157]

I have the DVC-500. this is my second year running it. The heat is impressive. With a few floor vents, it heats my enite two story house quite well, even at the lowest setting. It does have some quirks and some settings that require some fine tuning for optimal performance but that is akin to all stoves I think. Sometimes, I cursed this stive for being smarter than it should be. That said, I love the stove and love the direct vent set up, which requires no chimney, just a pellet ven type exhaust. The direct vent gives you a lot of options for placement, etc. Plus, the clearances to combustibles are quite low. I had a toss up between the Magnum and the DVC, went with the DVC because the higher cost was offset by not having to install a chimney.

 

[BrotherBart]

Does the shop in Culpeper have the Kodiak inserts in stock? I am going down there this weekend.

 

[HarryBack]

I have the DVC-500. this is my second year running it. The heat is impressive. With a few floor vents, it heats my enite two story house quite well, even at the lowest setting. It does have some quirks and some settings that require some fine tuning for optimal performance but that is akin to all stoves I think. Sometimes, I cursed this stive for being smarter than it should be. That said, I love the stove and love the direct vent set up, which requires no chimney, just a pellet ven type exhaust. The direct vent gives you a lot of options for placement, etc. Plus, the clearances to combustibles are quite low. I had a toss up between the Magnum and the DVC, went with the DVC because the higher cost was offset by not having to install a chimney.

Except when the power goes out, so does both units. Heck, assuming your chimney is good, why not use one of the Marks? If its bad, then the DVC is likely the way to go...ventable thru the sidewall. The Magnum requires a chimney as does the TLC. For wood, also, the TLC load gate is very small.
My favorite for staight-out coal burning would be the MarkII or MarkIII.

 

[BrotherBart]

I have the DVC-500. this is my second year running it. The heat is impressive. With a few floor vents, it heats my enite two story house quite well, even at the lowest setting. It does have some quirks and some settings that require some fine tuning for optimal performance but that is akin to all stoves I think. Sometimes, I cursed this stive for being smarter than it should be. That said, I love the stove and love the direct vent set up, which requires no chimney, just a pellet ven type exhaust. The direct vent gives you a lot of options for placement, etc. Plus, the clearances to combustibles are quite low. I had a toss up between the Magnum and the DVC, went with the DVC because the higher cost was offset by not having to install a chimney.

Except when the power goes out, so does both units. Heck, assuming your chimney is good, why not use one of the Marks? If its bad, then the DVC is likely the way to go...ventable thru the sidewall. The Magnum requires a chimney as does the TLC. For wood, also, the TLC load gate is very small.
My favorite for staight-out coal burning would be the MarkII or MarkIII.

I wish we had some coal around here. I was at the dealer's yesterday and he has a little new Mark I sitting in the back of the showroom looking cute and neglected and marked down to $795. Lil dude looks like it could toss some heat with a load of them black rocks in it.

 

[blthomas]

I have the DVC-500. this is my second year running it. The heat is impressive. With a few floor vents, it heats my enite two story house quite well, even at the lowest setting. It does have some quirks and some settings that require some fine tuning for optimal performance but that is akin to all stoves I think. Sometimes, I cursed this stive for being smarter than it should be. That said, I love the stove and love the direct vent set up, which requires no chimney, just a pellet ven type exhaust. The direct vent gives you a lot of options for placement, etc. Plus, the clearances to combustibles are quite low. I had a toss up between the Magnum and the DVC, went with the DVC because the higher cost was offset by not having to install a chimney.

Except when the power goes out, so does both units. Heck, assuming your chimney is good, why not use one of the Marks? If its bad, then the DVC is likely the way to go...ventable thru the sidewall. The Magnum requires a chimney as does the TLC. For wood, also, the TLC load gate is very small.
My favorite for staight-out coal burning would be the MarkII or MarkIII.

I wish we had some coal around here. I was at the dealer's yesterday and he has a little new Mark I sitting in the back of the showroom looking cute and neglected and marked down to $795. Lil dude looks like it could toss some heat with a load of them black rocks in it.

You can get the coal in Culpeper and truck it up. I have a fullsize pickup and work in Fairfax Bart......if you got a burner, I could bring you coal for a nominal fuel fee. My truck is a big-block..........:coolsmile:

We were doing some finishing in the basement yesterday when the power came on. I ws looking real hard at where I could put a DVC unit, but the whole power outage thing bothers me. This weekend was a good lesson.

As for the Mark series that someone else mentioned, it's to be condsidered, if we want to run something big and hot, I'll need to pull my chimney pipe out and reinstall better pipe to meet code and be safe. Of course a insert would need a liner. New stove would require new pipe, either way work to be done.

I dunno, it's alot of work to remove the ZC and then rework the walls. My wife has mentioned getting some faux river rock treatment and really dressing up that area. Although it would look great I think, and would work out well.

Another thing for me to consider, the cost.

The DVC, $3K.

Magnum, $2.7k

TLC2000, $1.6k

Mark series, $1.5K for a Mark II IIRC.

The price diff would allow me to redo the chimney and dress up the downstairs by installing myself.

Of course the DVC is kinda plug and play, much less labor involved.

THe Mark I puts out Bart, I had one in my first house, heated 1000sqft pretty good. Nice little stove, I used it with the blower.

 

[trb157]

I hear the cost issues. I dealt with that myself. We have well water here at my house so we already have a generator to run the well pump, the fridge and the stove. Maybe a light or two.