Dutchwest to Jotul and getting a smaller size

[BJE80]

I currently have a Dutchwest 2479 (Large) that was put in with new construction in 2012. I love the stove except for one thing. It puts out too much heat. Unless its really really cold I just have to stop burning wood otherwise I have to have the windows open. Anyways I've decided to get a smaller stove. The natural option was to get the med Dutchwest since I like it so much but been really looking at the Jotul and with their reputation I think I may want to go that route. So I was looking at say the Jotul F 45. I really like the looks of this stove and they call it a medium size but it appears the max heat output is about the same I'm worried I may be in the same boat. The question I have is please suggest a Jotul stove that will put out less heat that would be similar in features.


The cabin is about 1500 sq feet total but it is very very well insulated and I like it cool down the bedrooms to sleep anyway so only consider it being about 1000 sq feet. I also do have a forced air furnace as well for back up.

 

[begreen]

That should be a good choice, or get a catalytic stove like the Woodstock Keystone or a BK Ashford. For non-cats the heat output is relative to the amount of fuel put in the stove and the amount of air the fire gets. If the weather is mild, feed the fire less wood. The catalytic BK has a thermostat will allow you to run a lower fire (10K btu out) for hours if so desired.

 

[BJE80]

Thank you. I am strongly leaning towards no cat. I know the problem I had in dutchwest is to keep the fire hot enough to avoid creosote and still not end up in a sweat lodge.

 

[Squirrely]

Thank you. I am strongly leaning towards no cat.

Same here. The problems people have with them convinced me.

 

[BJE80]

That should be a good choice, or get a catalytic stove like the Woodstock Keystone or a BK Ashford. For non-cats the heat output is relative to the amount of fuel put in the stove and the amount of air the fire gets. If the weather is mild, feed the fire less wood. The catalytic BK has a thermostat will allow you to run a lower fire (10K btu out) for hours if so desired.

So you see the F45 as throwing lower BTU's than the Dutchwest I have? They rate them so different.

 

[BJE80]

Dealer recommended either the 3CB or F400 Castine. Trying to decide which one. Leaning towards the Castine right now.

 

[begreen]

I would get the F45. The F400 is a nice stove, but highly radiant and will likely lead to greater temperature swings. The cast iron jacket on the F45 will buffer the radiant heat and then slowly release it overnight. The F3CB has a small firebox = frequent reloads.

 

[BJE80]

I would get the F45. The F400 is a nice stove, but highly radiant and will likely lead to greater temperature swings. The cast iron jacket on the F45 will buffer the radiant heat and then slowly release it overnight. The F3CB has a small firebox = frequent reloads.

The dealer said the F45 would be too big for me and I would be right back where I am now. I checked the specs and they appear to be about the same? Any thoughts?


Also the dealer said he would only install double wall pipe. Right now I have single wall to the ceiling and double wall outside. I've never heard of this before.

Its just so hard to size a stove correctly it seems and really figure out how much heat a stove puts out.

Anyone?

 

[begreen]

Take the dealer's opinion with a grain of salt. They could be right if you intend to burn the stove intensely, but that assumes that you can't regulate the heat, which is wrong. You control how much wood the stove burns. I also question that opinion because the Castine is suggested as an alternative. I have owned the Castine. It has about the same sized firebox as the F45, but it's constructed quite differently. It is a true cast iron stove. The Castine puts out more intense radiant heat than the F45 because the F45 is a steel stove with a cast iron jacket that blocks direct radiant heat from the steel inner box of the stove. So how is the Castine recommended by the dealer, but not the F45?

The mistake being made is comparing peak output of these stoves. That is not real world unless you plan on stoking the stove like a fireman. Check out the F45 performance spec for more real world operation "Under specific test conditions, the F45 heater has been shown to deliver heat ranging from 11,600 to 26,500 BTU’s." (broken link removed to http://jotul.com/us/products/wood-stoves/jotul-f-45-greenville#technical-area)

FWIW, when I first started shopping for the Alderlea I went to our local PE dealer. That dealer refused to sell me the T6, said it would drive us out of the house. I found a more reasonable and much more experienced dealer that said it would work fine, it was just a matter of how I ran the stove. I ended buying from that dealer in spite of it being a 90 mile drive. He was right. The T6 has turned out to be a perfect fit for our house. When the outside temps are mild I burn 4-5 split fires and let them either burn down before putting on another couple logs or just let it go out.

If you want even more control I would look at the Blaze King Ashford. It's a cat stove that is thermostatically operated so that it can cruise at a low btu output for hours. It's also a cast-iron jacketed steel stove like the F45 and the PE T5.

 

[jetsam]

Same here. The problems people have with them convinced me.

 

[Squirrely]

View attachment 197939

Very funny.

Fragile, cracking, crumbling, expensive to replace... I'll never have a cat stove to "do it wrong".

 

[BJE80]

Since BTU ratings seem to be useless in terms of seeing how much head a stove will put out. What about comparing clearances? If a stoves clearance is much less would one think it would put out less heat? The clearances on the F45 are much less than my Dutch west.

 

[edyit]

clearances can be lowered by built in heat shields and by being a more convective than radiant stove, in terms of what can put out more heat firebox size is a good guide.

 

[BJE80]

clearances can be lowered by built in heat shields and by being a more convective than radiant stove, in terms of what can put out more heat firebox size is a good guide.

Makes sense. I wish I could talk to someone that knows these stoves. It is so hard to get factual information on this stuff.

I'm really leaning towards the F45 but still am worried it is too much stove.

 

[BJE80]

Just ordered the F45. Thanks Guys.

 

[begreen]

Since BTU ratings seem to be useless in terms of seeing how much head a stove will put out. What about comparing clearances? If a stoves clearance is much less would one think it would put out less heat? The clearances on the F45 are much less than my Dutch west.

That is because it has a cast-iron jacket which acts like a heat shield. The Dutchwest is more radiant, like the Castine.

Just ordered the F45. Thanks Guys.

I think you'll be happy. They've done a nice job with their cast-iron jacketed stove line. It will burn quite differently than the Dutchwest and should be easier to run. The other nice thing about the Greenville vs the Castine is that it's a N/S loader.

 

[mar13]

BJE80, how's the new stove working out?

BeGreen, would you consider the F45 to roughly be a skinny equivalent to the T5? I agree with your explanation that it's how you burn is what really counts on heat output.

 

[begreen]

I hadn't thought of it that way, but in firebox size one could say that.