catalytic vs non-catalytic: Blaze King, Pacific Energy, or Jotul

[spencer tracy]

Hi,
I know this topic has been discussed at length but I'm still undecided.
I have a three story above grade home with a woodstove on the second story (oil furnace heats first floor). I currently burn an older Osburn that needs replacing.
My chimney is 90 degree through wall and then another 90 before venting up a 20ft stack. Six inch. Current non-cat stove drafts really well.
I live in Yellowknife, NWT - possibly the coldest city in North America. Was -30 last night with no wind and it's mid-march!

So, I'm trying to decide between a Pacific Energy Alderlea T5/6, Jotul F 500 V3 Oslo, and Blaze King Ashford 30. Blaze King has a strong hold on the Yellowknife market but I really dislike the prospect of having a black box in my living room with no flame - I wish they made a BK with a cast iron door with no glass!

A few questions:
1. Does anyone have a new Jotul they can speak too. I burned a Jotul Castine 400 for a decade and loved it - but it is discontinued! I can not find any reviews of the new Jotul line up (these stoves have no bypass for cat - I'm skeptical).
2. Will the Alderlea burn over night with softwood (spruce)?
3. Will the BK draft ok with my current configuration?

Thanks!!
Spencer

 

[jjam]

Hi,
I know this topic has been discussed at length but I'm still undecided.
I have a three story above grade home with a woodstove on the second story (oil furnace heats first floor). I currently burn an older Osburn that needs replacing.
My chimney is 90 degree through wall and then another 90 before venting up a 20ft stack. Six inch. Current non-cat stove drafts really well.
I live in Yellowknife, NWT - possibly the coldest city in North America. Was -30 last night with no wind and it's mid-march!

So, I'm trying to decide between a Pacific Energy Alderlea T5/6, Jotul F 500 V3 Oslo, and Blaze King Ashford 30. Blaze King has a strong hold on the Yellowknife market but I really dislike the prospect of having a black box in my living room with no flame - I wish they made a BK with a cast iron door with no glass!

A few questions:
1. Does anyone have a new Jotul they can speak too. I burned a Jotul Castine 400 for a decade and loved it - but it is discontinued! I can not find any reviews of the new Jotul line up (these stoves have no bypass for cat - I'm skeptical).
2. Will the Alderlea burn over night with softwood (spruce)?
3. Will the BK draft ok with my current configuration?

Thanks!!
Spencer

 

[stoveliker]

The BK wants at least two foot vertical before elbowing into the wall.

How long is the horizontal run?

If you like flame, just take a tube stove. They're good, and you won't regret having to look at a black box for 20 years.
However,. depending on your need for BTUs the BK will have flame. Only running quite low it won't have flame.
Running it higher is won't be much different from noncat stoves. I presume you will mostly running high enough to see flame...

 

[jjam]

BK were made for the north, as the have a low temp on the flue gases , so they say they last longer / but no 90 degree elbows
if you were to install a slandered stove i would install a damper

 

[spencer tracy]

The BK wants at least two foot vertical before elbowing into the wall.

How long is the horizontal run?

If you like flame, just take a tube stove. They're good, and you won't regret having to look at a black box for 20 years.
However,. depending on your need for BTUs the BK will have flame. Only running quite low it won't have flame.
Running it higher is won't be much different from noncat stoves. I presume you will mostly running high enough to see flame...

Hey thanks! Perhaps I should consider buying the BK Ashford 20. Much smaller firebox which means i could burn it hotter and actually have flames!

 

[stoveliker]

Hey thanks! Perhaps I should consider buying the BK Ashford 20. Much smaller firebox which means i could burn it hotter and actually have flames!

That is a possibility - but are you sure you'd get enough heat out of it?
What model Osburn do you have now, how do you run it (wide open all the time?), and what is the maximum BTU output of that model?

The output for the 20 fireboxes of BK go from 11,300 to 28,300 BTU/hr, and for the 30 boxes from 12,000 to 36,000 BTU/hr. The "Cord wood max" testing method heat output is 39,000 to 50,000 BTU/hr.

So the minimum is not that different, the maximum is a bit. And the larger fuel tank of the 30 boxes increase their burn time.
I have a 30.2 Chinook, and can run 8 hrs on pine, or 36 hrs on oak (hi/low).

The other remark about "no elbows" is not correct. They recommend no elbows within the first 2 ft. (Preferably 3 ft.)
And then better two 45's than one 90. And keep the horizontal run as short as possible.

The minimum flue lenght (at sea level) is 15 ft, but for each 90 (or two 45s) one has to add 2 ft to that. So you'd already be at 19 ft minimum.
Then for each ft of horizontal run one also has to add 2 ft to the minimum vertical recommended height needed.

At 20 ft and e.g. 2 ft horizontal, I think an easier breathing tube stove might be better...

 

[stoveliker]

I mean, I love my BK, they do well up there - and I think they're great stoves.
But they should fit the usage you desire.
Both in terms of installation (flue height), and in terms of visuals (flame).
Moreover, BKs shine in having extended the BTU output range *at the bottom*. If you run mostly high, that advantage is not valuable to you. (Though you'll have a shoulder season too - like what we call summer ).

The other benefit is still there: thermostatically controlled even heat output over most of the burn time.

 

[begreen]

What model Osburn is this replacing?

The Alderlea T6 will burn around 10-12 hrs on a load of softwood but that will drop down to about 8 hrs when the stove is pushed for extra heat. The cast iron jacket does a great job at reducing temp swing and extending the warming time. Surprisingly, the T5 is not that much different for the low and slow burn time, but will need reloading in 6 hrs when pushed for heat.

The downside of a castiron jacketed stove is slower room temp change. A blower on the stove helps increase convection for faster warm ups.

Hey thanks! Perhaps I should consider buying the BK Ashford 20. Much smaller firebox which means i could burn it hotter and actually have flames!

If getting a BK, go for the larger firebox. It's more like a fuel tank in these stoves due to the thermostatic regulation.

 

[beefhoof]

Spencer your chimney is same configuration as mine.Mine is 18ft. vert. with 4-5 ft horizontal,but an 8 inch flue.BK king.Awesome draft and amazing heat ability.My FIL runs same stove necked down to 6in. flue in his big garage ,15 ft vertical only no issues.Agree with begreen about large firebox.Im a couple hundred km Nof Redmonton.BTW I love the glass door on BK stoves.Large firebox will help compensate for years when say only poplar or spruce is available.Calving season Better run.

 

[beefhoof]

I'll add both of my bk stoves are 20 yrs. old and only replaced a cat. in each and 1 door gasket a piece. In minus 40 2 eco fans on each stove and your toasty.

 

[ShaneMac]

Its like BBQ, wood only has so much BTU in it, do you want it hot and fast like a kettle or low and slow like a green egg. Same heat, just spread out over time. If both running at max heat you will go thru the same amount of wood.