Anyone burning lodgepole, aspen or fir in a Progress?

[Comanche79p]

I would be interested in knowing what you are getting in burn times with well seasoned softwoods before I have one shipped.
Also, any other things I should be aware of.
Thanks

 

[ArsenalDon]

Sorry, not in a progress, but pine and fir is all we burn here...any specific concerns?

 

[Comanche79p]

Sorry, not in a progress, but pine and fir is all we burn here...any specific concerns?

None other than what kind of burn times in the progress with soft woods.
I am presently burning these type woods in another stove with a real small firebox and it is like babysitting.
The bigger firebox should eliminate some of that.
Thanks for the reply.

 

[ArsenalDon]

Well I get 5-6 hour burn times in mine if that helps

 

[Beetle-Kill]

I would expect it to work great. As fast as our wood outgasses, I would think the secondary flames would be wonderful, but you'll get most of the heat from the Cat.
It's a beautiful stove also, much better looking than the BKK.
(don't tell anyone I said that.)

 

[Comanche79p]

I would expect it to work great. As fast as our wood outgasses, I would think the secondary flames would be wonderful, but you'll get most of the heat from the Cat.
It's a beautiful stove also, much better looking than the BKK.
(don't tell anyone I said that.)

Beetle-Kill, I am still trying to make up my mind. I think I have gone full circle about 4 times now. I sent a deposit to Woodstock and am starting to second guess myself. The rear vent option really works out better with my set-up is one of the reasons I went with them over BK. I am hoping I can get a full nights sleep without getting up 2 or three times a night like I am now.

 

[Comanche79p]

Well I get 5-6 hour burn times in mine if that helps

Don, how big is your firebox?

 

[ArsenalDon]

Don, how big is your firebox?

3 Cubic Ft. What I finally figured out is load it to the max, do not leave a lot of space and use big splits

 

[Beetle-Kill]

+1 on the big splits. I did 3 N/S and 3 E/W last night with no room for anything else but twigs. Still have heat and the house is over 70 still.
Woodstock has a great return policy, don't they? Get it, get it installed, and burn for the next few months. Perfect time of year to do the testing, as the cold weather is over. Stop the "what-if's", they'll make you nuts.
It'll work fine.
EDIT- 3 of those big splits were Aspen.

 

[rideau]

Beetle-Kill, I am still trying to make up my mind. I think I have gone full circle about 4 times now. I sent a deposit to Woodstock and am starting to second guess myself. The rear vent option really works out better with my set-up is one of the reasons I went with them over BK. I am hoping I can get a full nights sleep without getting up 2 or three times a night like I am now.

You will NEVER get up during the night with a PH. Just a question of how many coals are left in the AM (part of that depends on whether you sleep 8, 10 or 12 hours!). Worst scenario, you'll have plenty to get your next fire going.

 

[Waulie]

I haven't burned softwood, but it should be simple to go 8 hours and you should be able to do a lot better than that. Of course, "burn time" really comes down to how much heat you need. Unless you're heating a huge house in a cold climate, I predict you will sleep like a baby.

 

[Waulie]

Also, I definitely recommend a large split or two in the night load. It really extends burn times. You'll get more wood in the box with longer splits too. The PH holds 22" long splits, so if you're using 16", you're leaving a lot on the table.

 

[nellraq]

Also, I definitely recommend a large split or two in the night load. It really extends burn times. You'll get more wood in the box with longer splits too. The PH holds 22" long splits, so if you're using 16", you're leaving a lot on the table.

You shouldn't have any problems getting good burn times with pine or fir. I burn fir in my BK Chinook and have zero problems getting 10 - 14 hours on a half load in the shoulder season. When it is cold, it is still easy to get 10 - 12 hours on about 2/3 of a load.

 

[Comanche79p]

Thanks for the replies.

 

[Backwoods Savage]

I would be interested in knowing what you are getting in burn times with well seasoned softwoods before I have one shipped.
Also, any other things I should be aware of.
Thanks

Commannche, it would help a bit to know where you live or what the climate is like there.

As for burn times, it definitely won't be up there with oak but I would not worry a bit. If all I had to burn here was aspen, I would not have any worries with the smaller Fireview from Woodstock. An 8 hour burn with all aspen is not out of the question but I would not expect a 12 hour like we can get now.

Now about this sleeping thing and second guessing. I say sleep well. You no doubt know about Woodstock's famous 6 month guarantee. I can also tell you it is rare for them to take a stove back. Folks just love these stoves. And if you buy now, they will no doubt extend that 6 month guarantee because you won't be burning that stove much in the summer. We bought our stove around March 1 and told them then that we were not going to install the stove until August or September. They never hesitated on extending the guarantee. Once we installed the stove and started burning, we never considered sending it back!

We did order a Progress when they came out but had to back off on that and keep the Fireview. The reason is after putting in lots more insulation and replacing windows, the Progress would just have been too much stove for us. Sure would have loved to have that stove though.

 

[Comanche79p]

The cabin is at 9200' in southern Colorado. It is my second home hopefully soon to be my primary.
The cabin takes a while to heat up but after I get it heated it is not hard to keep it warm. Right now it has a very small Sierra insert in the ZC and with the electric baseboard heat I can get it from 40 to 70 in 2 or 3 hours, and keep it there with the insert if I babysit it and if it is not under 18F or so.
I don't want to rely on the electric baseboard heat.

 

[Backwoods Savage]

I can see why you don't want to use the electric. For sure if you are going to make this your primary home, the Progress would be great so long as the square footage is not too small or too large. It is easy to heat a decently insulated home with a Fireview but once you get up around that 2000 sq ft, a larger stove is needed for sure. Also knowing your wood will be the softer woods does require a bit larger stove than if heating with oak, maple, locust, etc.

Many areas of Southern CO are beautiful for sure and I can understand why you want to live there full time. Good luck.