I have my two stove choices down to the Quadra fire 3100 and the Pacific Energy Super 27 which are both the same size. I prefer the PE super 27 on everything but the door swing. Where my stove will be located the wood box will be to the right of the stove. Do you guys think that having the door swing going the wrong way for loading, in reference to how the door swings, be a big issue. The QF door would swing from the correct side, but I can't decide if the door swing would bother me enough to pick my second choice stove. All of you that have stoves, is this a big issue and do you wish you had a different stove with other door swing? I know this sounds confusing but I would rather find out before than wish different later. Thanks for you advice.
Door Swing Suggestion
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The wood box would be moveable, but the stove will be next to a hallway where I wouldn't be able to have anything on the other side.
While there are some that feel otherwise, I wouldn't let it be a deciding factor. With a firebox of that size, I can load it with less than an armful. When I load my BK, over half the wood in my rack disappears.
FWIW, I hear nothing but praise for the 2 cu ft PEs.
Welcome.
FWIW, I hear nothing but praise for the 2 cu ft PEs.
Welcome.
My question pertains to portability. If the wood box can be easily slid around, yet stored where you want it to be, the door swing might not be so important. If the box is basically immobile I think you are gonna find that grabbing splits from behind the door to be a pia.
Both of my stove doors hinge on the right side, so the latch handles are on the left. In my house, I generally have the wood to the left of the stove, while in my shop the wood is mostly to the right of the stove. I never gave it any thought, nor do I wish one or both doors swung the opposite way. Not a big deal for me, I don't find it awkward in any way. Rick
Nick Mystic
Minister of Fire
I faced a similar situation when I was picking out my new woodstove. In my case I wanted a side loader with the door on the right hand side since the stove would be sitting on my hearth extension and the fireplace is off center to the left in an 8" wide chimney. If I had gotten a side loader with a door on the left I would have issues with needing to extend my hearth extension to the side in a way that wasn't practical. On the right I have nearly six feet of brick already in place in the form of the hearth extension. With your set up I don't think the way the door swings will be too big a hassle if you go with your first choice stove. I find that I make a mess on the floor or hearth whenever I load wood into the stove, so I keep a small hand vac in the kitchen for quick clean ups after I load the stove. Even though my wood storage area is off to the right of my stove I still place the wood I plan to load on the floor in front of the stove so I can easily pick it up and slide it directly into the stove rather than have to sort through my wood bin to find the splits I want to load. If you did something similar it wouldn't matter which way your front door swung since you'd be cleaning up the floor either way.
![[Hearth.com] Door Swing Suggestion](https://www.hearth.com/talk/data/attachments/98/98047-2b0b07478c7aecff04c8e3fc209e49b2.jpg?hash=KFqQ8RZbGw "[Hearth.com] Door Swing Suggestion")
Even though being able to open the door and fill the stove straight from the wood pile without going around the door would be ideal, I don't know if I would be kicking myself in the fanny wishing I had the other stove. And for that manner, the same could be said with either choice. I am just looking for input from other people that came across the same scenario. Heck not owning either stove before, I might be just splitting hairs, it's just that the super 21 looks built way better but either one would probably work. It's great to have choices!
Get the PE and to heck with the door swing issue, it's the better stove. Since you can load that little stove with one armful, it won't matter much. I'm not a big fan of storing wood in the house anyway and am happy to bring the wood in from outside each time.
I've had both and can verify that the proper way to design a stove is so that the hinge is on the left side. You use your dumb hand (left ) to open the door and your smart hand (right) to load it. Same reason that most rifles eject shells to the right and circular saws dump sawdust to the right. These things are built for right handed operators.
I've had both and can verify that the proper way to design a stove is so that the hinge is on the left side. You use your dumb hand (left ) to open the door and your smart hand (right) to load it. Same reason that most rifles eject shells to the right and circular saws dump sawdust to the right. These things are built for right handed operators.
If you like the super then you must know that PE offers the T5 version that is a plain super wrapped in cast iron. If you choose that model then you can opt to have the hinges on either side. I could not find that option available for the other trim packages.
(broken link removed to http://www.chimneysweeponline.com/pacaldert5.htm)
(broken link removed to http://www.chimneysweeponline.com/pacaldert5.htm)
I for one like the hinge on the "right" side. Works well for me. However, note that the PE Alderlea T5 can be ordered with the hinge on the left side if desired.
![[Hearth.com] Door Swing Suggestion](https://www.hearth.com/talk/data/attachments/98/98129-c8c00c7a0773401c4cd1bdf411c21d21.jpg?hash=SRG5OqeZTv "[Hearth.com] Door Swing Suggestion")
Thanks on the Alderalea t5 suggestion. That might fix everything. I'll call around to see who sells them up here. Hopefully the same place that carries the Super 27. Do you like the cast iron overlap better than just plate steel? Does it heat up fast? This is going in a cabin and heating it up in the winter as fast as possible would be nice. I sure like the looks of the cast iron stoves better and this one looks beautiful!
I love the cast iron jacket on this stove and also the swing away trivets. The jacket absorbs the direct radiated heat and softens it. Even after the stove has cooled down it continues to help warm the room. The downside is that it takes a little longer to warm up. Not an issue if 24/7 burning.
How large an area will you be heating and how well insulated is it?
How large an area will you be heating and how well insulated is it?
The t5 should cost about 600$ more than the super 27. Or about 1700 to about 2300. It has the cool cast iron and trivets though.
I called my dealer and he does carry the t5. It runs 2390 for the matte black which is the only way I can get the hinge to the side I want. I love the swing out trivets. This will be in a 1000 sf cabin/house that we are building right now and I am insulating the hell out of it to help keep the operating costs down because it may become a retirement house later on. I didn't want to go any smaller because of firebox size and burn times. I can't tell you thanks enough for the suggestion on the stove. The door thing was really bothering me but I wanted to stick with the PE stove. I have always liked the look of the cast iron but none of the ones I saw before had the NS loading in the firebox size we were after and the T5 looks like it checks every item on my wish list. Thanks again, my search is over!
After we get our stove up and running I'll have to get your advice on running the thing using the thermometers. I see that some use one on top of the stove and some use a flue? thermometer and adjust by watching those. I have a small insert now in out house but it's so small we only use it for after work and weekends because of the short burn times and never used a thermometer with it. I just go by look and output.
The main thing you are going to want for this stove is a good stash of dry wood. That is the first order of business. Strongly consider building a wood shed or setting up for storage under an overhanging deck. Dry wood makes all the difference with a modern epa stove.
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