A dealer is saying that fake logs screw up the burn ( P68 etc)

[alternativeheat]

Still haven't decided between the P61a and P68 Harman and still burning my old home made coal stove ( made more than 30 years ago now). Anyway, was at the dealer again for some stove rope and discussing these stoves yet one more time. The wife brought up the fake logs. He said they look like fake broken deer antlers and do nothing but mess up the flame pattern inside the stove. What do you guys think ? I don't really see that happening myself but thought I'd ask here. Seems to me that if anything the flame is behind the log set and I would think it just may not look like the logs/ fake antlers are not on fire. What can I say, she likes the fake logs, especially in the Accentra Insert we saw burning at another dealers show room.

I've found 4 suppliers locally for bagged coal so I haven't been quick to jump on the pellet stove deal just yet.

 

[Bioburner]

Depends on who cleans the stove IMO. PIA to keep clean.

 

[P38X2]

Is your wife aware that the glass probably ain't gonna stay clean for long, and ultimately screw up the view of the charred antler stumps anyway?

 

[Enigma869]

I never even considered getting the fake logs. It just always seemed like it would be a nightmare when it came to cleaning the stove. I also had two different Harman dealers tell me that they had yet to meet the person who purchased the fake logs who didn't regret their purchase. For me, I feel like the logs would cover up more of the flame that I'd rather not have blocked.

 

[LMPS]

I would stick to coal if you have a good supply of it......

 

[jack kunicki]

I was going to get them but the dealer mentioned they would just collect ash. In hindsight, I'm glad I listened.

 

[john193]

My dealer said they are a pain to keep clean as well.

 

[mikesj]

I also considered them when I got my stove. Glad I didn't- I'm sure I would have pulled them out by now. Seems like more trouble than they would be worth.

 

[ZBrooks]

I don't know how the logs are positioned in a Harman or how long they will stay clean. However, in a previous pellet stove of mine, they got dirty very quickly and after one time of trying to clean them, I tossed them. Not worth the hassle for 'the look', in my opinion.

 

[briansol]

I used 'em for a week. good thing they were free. waste of space for ash. don't look good after a day. provides no value. put a wing on it instead. lol

 

[alternativeheat]

Well, it seems pretty unanimous then. I couldn't care less about the thing myself, especially since we have to buy it and it does nothing for increased efficiency. However, it may not disrupt the burn either but cause the glass to smoke over sooner and ash up the fake antlers quickly. how do these things sit in there anyway, I mean do they just sit there or is there some convoluted install process ?

The big thing for me with the pellet stove is covering the shoulder season better than with coal or during warm ups. Like yesterday hit nearly 50 here but 30's overnight. Last week we had a morning -2 and mid days in the low 20's. With pellets the stove will cover either. With coal , well right now the stove is off. When the stove is off, the oil burner is on ( won't use a whole lot of oil but it's on and will use some oil, which is cause for stomach grinding).

 

[smg64ct]

I have the log set but don't run the stove with them. At the end of the season I clean the stove and put them in for the summer.

 

[Harman Lover 007]

I had a set in my Invincible. They looked like crap. I threw them away.

 

[Enigma869]

I have the log set but don't run the stove with them. At the end of the season I clean the stove and put them in for the summer.

To the original poster...I'm sure that you already know this, but just as a reminder, this would be pointless if you go with the P68. The mirrored glass isn't going to allow you to see anything behind it when the stove is not on.

 

[RCCARPS]

I have them, and now they just hang on the wall in the garage. Stove didn't perform any worse, but its a pain to clean them and the ash tends to build up on them quickly. The only time I put them in is during the summer or if we have a party/guests over.

 

[Jaymaine34]

They get dirty fast and take up space where ash could go . Mine like others hang in the garage until summer after I clean it they go in ( not sure why ? )
When I did have them in I had to clean the stove every other day ( or should I say the logs and glass )
Without them I go a week easy .

 

[P38X2]

Another thing to consider is how convincing are they in the first place? Even if they were completely realistic looking, they just sit there in stasis and almost draw negative attention to themsves for that reason, IMO.

Kind of like a gas log FP. Even if you had the nicest log set available, it's always the same. Sure, in a restaurant, ski lodge, etc, that's fine, but in your home, where you see it day in and day out, it might be another story. My DV LP FP is nice to have for the ambience (and heat) it provides, but if you stare at it, it has a high cheese factor.

 

[Bkins]

They also get brittle and break very easily. I'm another who owns them but doesn't use them. Mine came with the stove and we did use them in the summer for the looks but that by the wayside after the first summers use.

 

[Harvey Schneider]

I got a set for the MVAE to please my wife. They are a minimum nuisance to clean around. They are brittle and need to be handled gently. They look silly. But the wife likes them, so they stay.
I can't say that they influence the burn characteristics in any way, and a top feeder blows the ash out of the fire pot no matter what is in the way.

 

[skibumm100]

We had them in our Whitfield Quest in the 90's. They do get dirty pretty quickly. When I mentioned getting fake logs for our Integra insert she said "No way, too much of a pain to clean." On our Quest we only ran it during the evening when we were on that end of the house to take the chill off. Today, we run our insert 24/7 and it gets dirty enough pretty quickly....even with "clean, low ash" pellets. I probably would've had them in there for a week and then taken them out.

 

[tjnamtiw]

I never even considered getting the fake logs. It just always seemed like it would be a nightmare when it came to cleaning the stove. I also had two different Harman dealers tell me that they had yet to meet the person who purchased the fake logs who didn't regret their purchase. For me, I feel like the logs would cover up more of the flame that I'd rather not have blocked.

It IS a nightmare to clean with those logs in there! I had a set for each of my stoves and they now reside in the attic! I will entertain any offer! I can't say that I say a change in the flame pattern. It's just that they take up space that would normally be filled with ash so the ash builds up all around them and you have to break out the vacuum instead of just brushing the ash down the two holes on the Quads I have. PITA to the max.

 

[alternativeheat]

I got a set for the MVAE to please my wife. They are a minimum nuisance to clean around. They are brittle and need to be handled gently. They look silly. But the wife likes them, so they stay.
I can't say that they influence the burn characteristics in any way, and a top feeder blows the ash out of the fire pot no matter what is in the way.

Good to know thanks. She loves the Accentra insert and I and two dealers now have her fairly convinced that a P series stove will do a better job and be easier to clean. If the fake wood in there keeps her purring then we can deal with tossing them out later if it doesn't work out.

 

[tjnamtiw]

A happy wife is a happy life!

 

[Enigma869]

She loves the Accentra insert and I and two dealers now have her fairly convinced that a P series stove will do a better job and be easier to clean.

I agree with your wife...and the Harman Dealer's advice. We had the Accentra insert and LOVED the look of it. That said, it simply was not built for really cold weather. We became frustrated by how often we had to monitor the pellets in the hopper (small hopper, so it would be very close to empty when waking up in the morning), and how frequently we had to shut the stove down to empty the very small ash pan. That was enough for me to not even consider another insert when we moved into our new house. Even though I still prefer the looks of the Accentra over any free standing stove, the heat output and conveniences of the P series was FAR more important to me. Not to mention, if you get the nickel trim kit and a decorative tile, you can make the P series look quite nice. The other major difference I noticed is that the Accentra absolutely had to be cleaned once a week, and it was not negotiable. I noticed that we would start losing heat/efficiency about 5 days after we cleaned it. With our P68, it only gets cleaned once per month, and I've noticed no heat loss, at all. This thing is a fire breathing dragon, whether clean or not! I also agree with your dealer that the P series is definitely easier to clean than the Accentra insert was. Good luck with your decision.

 

[whlago]

The big thing for me with the pellet stove is covering the shoulder season better than with coal or during warm ups. Like yesterday hit nearly 50 here but 30's overnight. Last week we had a morning -2 and mid days in the low 20's. With pellets the stove will cover either. With coal , well right now the stove is off. When the stove is off, the oil burner is on ( won't use a whole lot of oil but it's on and will use some oil, which is cause for stomach grinding).

Yes! I agree with you 100%. Those 30-50 degree days (especially with a dampness) become so pleasent with a pellet stove cranking away on heat level one!! I grew up with a coal stove and my house would be unbearable on those days (we kept it running). AND the pellet stove handles the frigid days just fine.