Which stoves are Cast over Steel?
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Jotul F45, 50, & 55. Quadrafire Explorer series, PE Alderlea series, BK Ashford series, Enviro Boston series. I think also the Lopi Cape Cod and Rockport. @webby3650 can you verify?
Would you agree a steel box regardless if shrouded in cast or stone is superior for long term reliability than a stone/cast box w/mortar/cement?
Heating aspects aside, purely from a sealed/long term. I have seen some cracks and needing to be welded on steel stoves after a long period of time - but no redoing all the seams of a cast firebox...
Heating aspects aside, purely from a sealed/long term. I have seen some cracks and needing to be welded on steel stoves after a long period of time - but no redoing all the seams of a cast firebox...
I'm not an expert on longevity (only one year in on my F45) but part of the reason I went with cast over steel was to capture the benefits of both. No seals to worry about, long radiant heat duration, and less "intense" heat if that's a way to describe it.
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I wouldnt say one was better than the other. Yes after 20 or 30 years a cast stove will need torn down and rebuilt. But hinestly that is easier than welding a steel box and it will last another 20 or so years. Welding may or may not.
I have seen and had older cast iron stoves that are still in good condition. Mostly it depends on construction and how the stove is put together. More complex cast iron stoves are going to have more places to fail over time and will be more costly to rebuild. But simpler cast iron stoves like a Morso or most Jotuls will last a long time if properly run and with maybe a rebuild every 15-20 years. Rebuilding of these simpler stoves is not that big a deal. Some can be done in a few hours.
In theory steel stoves should be lower maintenance, but this also depends on design. Most modern stoves are running at higher internal temps than the stoves of olden days in order to burn much cleaner. This increases fatigue and oxidation in the stove. How well new stoves will stand up over many decades is unknown. We're just starting season 10 on the T6. So far it's done well with just gasket replacement.
In theory steel stoves should be lower maintenance, but this also depends on design. Most modern stoves are running at higher internal temps than the stoves of olden days in order to burn much cleaner. This increases fatigue and oxidation in the stove. How well new stoves will stand up over many decades is unknown. We're just starting season 10 on the T6. So far it's done well with just gasket replacement.
The rockport is a steel box with a cast iron exterior. The Cape Cod is a cast stove.
My Cod cracked between 2 bolts in the back wall behind the firebrick.
Agree 100% . . . like BeGreen I'm going on Year 10 with my cast iron stove and all I've done is replace a few gaskets and the insulation blanket.
The jotul 55 is cast over steel as mentioned but what threw me off once installed is the top is actualled gasketed on not welded as I had thought.
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