Englander 13 or Englander 30 - For 800 Square Foot

[FordTrax]

I am looking at a small home/cabin about 800 square foot on the main level with a full basement under it. It is well insulated and built. We will use it weekends through out the year. So the stove will not burn continuously all winter. We will have electric baseboard backup heat to keep it above freezing when we are not there in the winter. The wood stove will be centered in the house on the main level.

I have been looking at woodstoves for a while and was seriously considering a Buck FS21. But after reading on the Englanders - they seem to get great reviews (especially for 1/2 the price of the FS21) and are made in the USA.

I really like the Englander 30 - seems like a LOT more stove for a couple hundred dollars than the Englander 13. I love the large fire box and the north/south burn. But I wonder if the 30 is just to much stove - if I only 1/2 or 1/3 fire it (so I don't cook myself out) will I just put creosote in the chimney. The 13 is a great size for the smaller space rated to 60,000 BTU vs 75,000 BTU for the 30. Am I crazy for buying the 30 for such a small space?

 

[begreen]

In Buck I would be leaning toward the model 20 cat stove for a small space. It will burn at a lower rate and has a larger firebox than the 21. The 13 NC would be more than adequate, just note it's R= 2.0 hearth requirement.

 

[FordTrax]

In Buck I would be leaning toward the model 20 cat stove for a small space. It will burn at a lower rate and has a larger firebox than the 21. The 13 NC would be more than adequate, just note it's R= 2.0 hearth requirement.

Wow. I did not notice that. But I see that in the manual now. The Englander 30 only needs a R=1.5 which would work on a standard hearth pad.

 

[FordTrax]

The little 17-VL Englander for upto 1200 square feet only requires an R=.5. Which I would meed with my current floor of hardibacker and ceramic tile. I think.

The R=2.0 requirement is going to be tough to meet. Unless I put a R=1.5 hearth pad over hardibacker and ceramic title. Which would equal about a R=2.0.

Really makes me want the 30.

 

[begreen]

I would look at the new Englander Madison. It's 2.4 cu ft and has an ember protection only requirement. Another stove to consider would be the PE True North TN19. (broken link removed to http://www.pacificenergy.net/products/wood/fireplaces-2/truenorth/)

 

[FordTrax]

I would look at the new Englander Madison. It's 2.4 cu ft and has an ember protection only requirement. Another stove to consider would be the PE True North TN19. (broken link removed to http://www.pacificenergy.net/products/wood/fireplaces-2/truenorth/)

Funny, you mention the TN19. I just talked with a local dealer about that stove yesterday. He does not stock them but said he could get me one. Said there was a lot of stove for the money. The great thing about that stove is for floor protection it requires ember protection only. I have a tile floor over 1/4" hardiebacker so I think I would be good there. That is one great feature about that stove - since a hearth pad would set me back 300 or more. I was quoted a great price on the True North 19.

 

[begreen]

It's a good value stove. My only complaint with is it that it's a little low. I might put it on a cinderblock platform to raise it 8".

 

[FordTrax]

Thanks begreen. The TN19 might end up being about the same price as the Englander 30 if I don't have to buy a hearth pad. I like the idea of a N/S burner.
An R=2.0 would be tough to do in my location free floating which kind of rules out the Englander 13. The TN may be an awesome compromise.

 

[EatenByLimestone]

The dealers have no idea the TN exists around me. It's not in the sales literature from PE. It the PE red headed stepchild.

 

[jeff_t]

You are in a position to bide your time and watch the used market for a while. There aren't many wood burners around here, but I've seen some good buys on craigslist. I bought my PE for $350, and it needed nothing. In the months after that, I saw a Woodstock Keystone with a new cat for 600, a pristine Blaze King Princess for 1200, and several good looking Kent Tile Fires for 4-500.

I haven't paid a lot of attention lately, but those deals were in the spring. The real estate market is starting to take off again, and it seems like people sell this stuff before they market their house, or they buy a house with one and want nothing to do with a wood stove. Mine was the latter situation, young couple bought a house and their insurance company said no to the stove that was there.

But if you're getting a really good price on the TN...

 

[FordTrax]

The only issue I have with used is I don't know a lot about stoves and I don't want to buy something with an issue. That is always possible but it would have to be NIB for me with a stove. The guy on the phone suggested it and through me a good price over the phone.

Funny my insurance company said two things: 1.) It needs to have manufacturere specs for the clearances available so they can see it is installed that way when they come out 2.) Yes that will be an extra $77 dollars a year - we have a lot of woodstove related fires.

 

[FordTrax]

"We have a lot of woodstove related fires" was said by the insurance company (not by me)

 

[EatenByLimestone]

My cabin has main heat as electric, which isn't often run, and the woodstove as secondary. Actually this winter I kept a space heater on low when I was up to even out the temp swings a bit.

If you decide not to run the electric when you aren't there, you may want the larger stove for the quick heat up. My little one barely keeps up in below zero conditions and I end up reloading every 3 hours.

 

[FordTrax]

Thanks for the advice Limestone. Probably want to be a little bit oversized since we will be in the same situation as your cabin. Show up and want some heat!

 

[Dix]

I love my 13, love it to death. It can heat this 2000 SF abode with no problem,

BUT. Max burn time is 4 - 6 hours on primo firewood.

If you want to sleep 8 hours, go bigger. I'm seriously looking at replacing the 13 with a Madison.

Go big, or go home, applies here.

I doubt you'll regret it.

Get started on that firewood supply, you won't regret that either

Welcome to the forums !

 

[EatenByLimestone]

It takes a lot of energy to bring my cabin from outside temperature to something reasonable. Luckily for me and the dog 50 is reasonable since I'm up to go ice fishing. When the wife comes up I need it warmer.

I use a propane heater attached to a 20lb tank to help with a quick heat up.

 

[EatenByLimestone]

I love my 13, love it to death. It can heat this 2000 SF abode with no problem,

BUT. Max burn time is 4 - 6 hours on primo firewood.

If you want to sleep 8 hours, go bigger. I'm seriously looking at replacing the 13 with a Madison.

Go big, or go home, applies here.

I doubt you'll regret it.

Get started on that firewood supply, you won't regret that either

Welcome to the forums !

I'm looking at replacing my ~1cf Century that I love too. I want to go with a 2cf PE T5. Just a bit more repairs/fixes need to be done before I can drop that much of my yearly cabin budget on a stove.

 

[Dix]

It's the burn times.

When you're gone for 9 - 10 hours a day, the 6 hours on the 13 makes it rough.

Bigger fire box gives you more leeway.

 

[EatenByLimestone]

With me it's sleep time. When it drops below zero the draft pulls logs up the flue. When we got to nights in the single digits I was thrilled with 3-4 hours between reloads!

I'm a bit worried about too large of a firebox. I plan on having a layer or 2 of firebricks in the bottom to make the firebox smaller in the shoulder seasons and keep the heat and flames up by the secondaries.

 

[BrotherBart]

I plan on having a layer or 2 of firebricks in the bottom to make the firebox smaller in the shoulder seasons and keep the heat and flames up by the secondaries.

That will just screw up the primary and boost airflow into the wood load.

 

[HotCoals]

I know I would do the 30 over the 13,just saying. Cheers!
You can always open a window also!

 

[Dix]

The 13 has it's place. it's an awesome stove, and a serious heater. Clearances are an issue.

On second thought, I might keep the 13, and use it in another area of the house ..... *ponders*

 

[Hoozie]

My stove room is ~700 square feet. I've made no real attempt to move the heat around this winter (too warm outside ), but I'd definitely do it again, vs a 13.

It's not hard to make a small hot clean fire in this stove.

 

[FordTrax]

I appreciate all the info - The 13 is a definite non-starter for me now that I see the R-2 issue. The 30 might be a little large and is still an R-1.5.
I am going to pursue looking at the True North 19 - In between the 13 and 30 and only an ember floor requirement. That might just be the perfect stove.
I will post what I learn here.