Fire brick efficiency/removal

[ricallison]

Hi
New here
I have a defender wood stove that I have installed and have been using for the past two years inside of my fireplace hearth.
It has a SS double lined chimney flue inserted in a ceramic chimney to the roof and capped with a ash screen/ chimney cap.
The hearth is brick line and stone mantels and concrete floor.
The stove has a catalytic converter.
The stove gives off a lot of heat but I'm wondering if I can take the side bricks out of the stove to get more radiant heat from the stove itself since there is no danger of catching anything on fire.
I have not intention of taking out the lower, upper and back firebricks as they are closest to the fire when it is burning and protects the unit.
I'm just wondering how much heat is lost by not getting the heat to the sides because of the brick lining?
Thanks
Ric

 

[pen]

I wouldn't recommend doing that because the firebrick are there primarily to protect your stove from degradation due to being in direct contact with the brunt of your fire.

Also, this might seem counter intuitive but you may actually be getting a hotter burn by having those fire brick in place. Part of having a good fire is keeping it "insulated" so that it retains a proper amount of heat to keep it burning as it should. If you allow more heat to escape from that area of the stove, it may cause the fire to burn less efficiently which could make the rest of the stove cooler. This is part of the reason that a wood stove is more efficient than an open fire place.

I take it that you aren't getting the heat from the insert that you are hoping for? With more information on what you need there may be a different suggestion that could be of benefit.

Which corner of PA (or center) is Narberth located in? I am not familiar with that town?

pen

 

[SlyFerret]

From what I understand, the firebrick acts as an insulator to help keep the firebox temperature high for clean combustion. I'm not familiar with that stove, but if it has a secondary combustion system, that system may not function properly without the firebrick.

-SF

 

[ricallison]

Ahhh
Well, Narberth is near Philadelphia.
The stove is great, I have blower installed that circulates air around the stove, but I'm guessing, I'm used to stoves that radiate a lot more heat.
As far as I know, it's not going up the chimney as it is sealed around the pipe, I wish I could get some of that heat in the chimney though, seems like a waste.
Here's a pic of the stove, not installed

 

[ricallison]

Vogelzang Vogelzang Defender Wood-Burning Stove, Model# TR001

High-efficiency airtight stove heats up to 1200 sq. ft., with a maximum output of 28,337 BTU with Douglas fir, and 68,000 BTU with hardwood. Heavy-duty 3/16in. steel plate construction and fully firebrick lined. Features secondary air reburn combustion system, a cast iron feed-door with gasket, clear-view air-washed ceramic glass, cam-lock latch and cool-touch spring handle. Stove accepts logs 18in. long. One full load burns approx. 8-10 hours. Safety tested to UL 1482. Customers are responsible for checking local codes and regulations prior to purchase. BTU Output: 68,000, Heating Capability (sq. ft.): 1,400, Blower Included: No, Blower (CFM): N/A, Blower Power Supply (Volts, Amps): N/A, Full Load Run Time (Hours): 8-10, Fuel Type: Wood, Igniter: Manual, Thermostat Included: No, Door Opening W x H (in.): 17 x 12, Firebox Size W x D (in.): 18 x 12, Flue Collar Size (in.): 6, Max. Log Size Accepted (L in.): 18, Stove Pipe Included: No, Clearance from Side Wall (in.): 15, Clearance from Rear Wall (in.): 12, Clearance from Corner (in.): 12, EPA Exempt: No, Dimensions L x W x H (in.): 24 x 20 x 27 Optional blower Item# 174898 sold separately Ideal for cabins, garages, hunting camps, lodges and more Heavy-duty 3/16in. steel plate construction Primary air inlet at front ignites wood at bottom; secondary rear air inlet feeds air to top of firebox to fully consume wood for maximum burning efficiency Firepot Depth: 12in. Door Opening: 17in. Flue Type: Round Not for mobile home installations

 

[pen]

good looking stove.

I agree, that many of the new stoves are deceiving in their radiative heat output. For example, my buddies Englander NC30 heats a home fairly equivalent to my own. However, standing right next to it it does not feel as intense as my old pre-epa Fisher stove.

pen