f3cb vs. f100 for a weekender

[hpeairs]

Was thinking about an f400 for 24/7 use, but I am new to stoves so I have decided that for now I just want to play with the stove on weekends for a couple of years and see how it goes. So:

Heating the family room on weekends. The room's a little over 300sf with cathedral ceilings, avg height 12ft. There are two doors leading to the rest of the house but the family room is tacked on the end of the house (and is on its own FHW zone). Well insulated and newish construction but the west wall is mostly windows all the way up. The stove will go in a corner and the pipe will go straight up till it hits the ceiling 9 or 10 ft up, then outside for another maybe 7-8 feet (to get 2 ft over the ridge). I don't really have any other siting options. I live in central MA.

I have a fireplace in another room and in that I weekend-burn a mix of bought wood and wood that I cut on the property. I'm thinking I'll eventually just burn my own wood in the stove, so I don't mind cutting shorter lengths. Right now I have a nice pile of black locust cut this spring and aging for 2010.

I see that the F3CB has two air controls vs. one for the other Jotuls, and it also has an ash pan and optional open door viewing. Not sure I'd ever view open door but maybe. F3CB is slightly larger than the F100. However, I like the looks of the F100 a little better.

So, any thoughts on these two stoves? I get the part about shorter sticks in the F100, but am wondering about ease of use, ease of starting a fire, draft issues, heat output when cranking in this relatively small space. Thanks!!

Herv

 

[BrotherBart]

I am probably the only person on here that has both the F3 and the F100. Performance wise I don't see a lot of difference between them. The F3 holds heat a little longer because of more mass but not much. The F100 is a fun little stove to burn in and the view through the glass is great. But I consider both stoves to be one or two room heaters and they have very short burn times. The second air control on the F3 is for start up air and I don't use it. It isn't any better than just leaving the door cracked open for a few minutes and I invariably forget to shut the little start up air control if I use it and waste wood. I consider any stove ash pan a nuisance and just let them fill up and never use them.

With the current tax credit I think you should go ahead and get the Castine. With the credit it will cost you less than it ever will in the future and it isn't too much stove for what you want to do.

 

[begreen]

Agreed. I never used the wimpy start air control on the F3CB. Just left the door ajar until the fire was going. Playing with the stove is a lot more fun when you are not having to feed it toothpicks. 12" splits are a pita. 16" is ok, but 18" is nicer and 22" gives some flexibility. I agree, get the F400 and grow with it. Depending on the floor layout, you may be able to do a fair amount of heating by blowing cool air from the outer rooms into the family room with the stove. Heated air from the stove will replace the cool air. Also, if you have a ceiling fan, run it in reverse in the winter (blowing upward). Otherwise heat is going to stratify at the peak of the ceiling.

 

[hpeairs]

I was definitely sold on the Castine before. But here are my concerns:

- I've read on here that the Castine can be finicky with respect to drafts.
- I'm a little worried about being driven out by it.
- If I have to run it damped down not to get run out, the glass will get dirty and we won't be able to watch the fire.

However, I'm open to being talked back into it...

 

[BrotherBart]

Burn small hot loads and it won't run you out. Burning it in the 450 degree stove top temp range is gonna heat pretty much the same as an F3. As to draft, you need an adequate chimney setup for any of the three.

 

[Wet1]

I'm with BB and BG on this one, get the F400. I think you'll kick yourself much sooner, rather than later, if you get a smaller stove. The F400 should be a great fit for your application. I suspect you'll end up heating more sq ft than you plan, and probably end up using it more than just the occasional weekend burn once the fire bug bites.

 

[begreen]

The way you have described the flue connection for the stove is ideal. It should draft fine. The F400 gets a bit more finicky when rear exited and up to another elbow then a short exterior flue. But straight up is what it likes. We heated over a wide range of outside temps with the F400. The stove will purr along at 350-400 or can be pushed to run at 650+. That's up to you as the operator and depends on how much air and fuel you feed the stove. I wouldn't worry too much. It's an easy stove to run and a visual treat. You will also appreciate the smoother air control, better latching, large ash pan, great fire view etc. on the Castine.

 

[hpeairs]

OK, OK... I'm going with the Castine!

Thanks again for the advice. I'll be back once she's installed.

Herv

 

[Skier76]

OK, OK... I'm going with the Castine!

Thanks again for the advice. I'll be back once she's installed.

Herv

Good choice! Keep us posted.

 

[branchburner]

And don't worry about the glass if it darkens with a low fire... it should clear up with the next hot one.

 

[myzamboni]

with 12' ceilings the Castine is a better choice over the F3. I have 8' ceilings and in a milder climate than you so the the F3 is just fine for my needs.