Getting ready to pull trigger on Mt Vernon AE pellet insert

[Shaner]

Hello everyone. I have been a fanatic follower of this site for over two years and just want to say Thank You! You guys are amazing and the advice/perspective is fantastic. Keep it up.

So I have finally gotten serious about getting a stove. I grew up with stoves and recently moved back to the Northeast and have a 3200 sq ft house -- 2 story with an open floor plan. I had narrowed my search down to the Jotul F600, Alderlea T6 and QF Isle Royal. I took my wife stove shopping on Sunday and showed her the different models.

Guess what…she took one look at the pellet inserts (specifically the Mt Vernon AE insert) and said, “That’s what I want. I don’t feel like chopping/stacking/hauling/cleaning up wood.” Not sure how it is in your house, but we are now looking to get the Mt Vernon Pellet Insert.

I have a quote for $3951 for the stove + $299 for installation +$50 for Chimney inspection + liner (TBD). (Yikes, that ain’t a cheap stove). Plus a free ton of pellets if I buy now.

Here are some of the points/issues/questions that have come up as I talked with the dealer:

1) I have a large masonry fireplace: 37 inches high x 48 inches wide. That’s bigger than the Mt Vernon insert surround. The dealer said they can make a trim piece out of aluminum (painted black) and put that behind the surround and between the mantel to cover the gap. He says it looks good. I asked for pictures of other installs as I am a little skeptical. Will post when I get them.

2) OAK: Dealer says he has the same stove at home and that OAKs are only needed for mobile homes. I am a little worried about negative pressure, especially if we have that thing running all the time. He says it is not a big deal. If I do an OAK, I will have to go back up the chimney.

3) Block Plate: Dealer says he does not need to do a block plate at the damper but instead seals it off at the top. Shouldn’t it be blocked lower?

4) Liner: The deal plans on installing a SS liner but says that it does not need to be insulated. I’ve read many posts here where an insulated liner on an externally facing chimney can help with draft.

5) I’m a little bummed that the AE can only be controlled by the included (hardwired) T-stat. My current plan is to run both the Tstat wire and the power cord down the ash hatch and fish them out in the basement. Will be a bit of a pain to do.

I’ll keep you posted on the progress. And any advice is more than welcome.

Shane

 

[Nicholas440]

I made a block off plate for my fireplace opening at the damper area to seal it off nice and tight. I used a 1/8 inch thick aluminum plate and cut it to fit snug up into the damper opening. I didnt want to rely on blocking it up at the top. Once we had the block off plate in place we used silicone to seal it from any drafts. I prefer blocking the chimney at the bottom rather than the top end. I also dont think you need an insulated vent pipe if youre going up inside your existing fireplace chimney.


I dont think you are restricted to a hard wired thermostat on that AE, I believe you can use a Skytech remote thermostat which is what I use on mine and I love it. Your Mt Vernon also has 12 volt motors, which is nice because if the power goes out you can run it on a car battery or a marine battery by using the proper cable.

If that opening is a little larger than the surround it would be fine with a metal plate over it, paint it the same as your surround and it will look as if it belongs there.

 

[Shaner]

Nicholas --

Thanks very much for the thoughts. I am going to get on the phone with the dealer again today. This is a big purchase and I hate the idea of not getting it right and regretting it on some cold Feb day when the stove is not putting out what it should.

Thanks
Shane

 

[mapezzul]

I have an MT. V. AE and love it! I Could not be happier. Our chimney is closed off at the top and at the damper. Ran the power and T stat down the pervious ash clean out with no issues. This is our second year with the stove (burned 4 or so tons last year) and it has been easy to live with and throws nice heat quietly. My wife loved the look as well, we have it in Willow with the cast surround- which reminds me: Doesn't Quad make a surround extension kit for it? Yesterday it was time for the weekly cleaning (burn good low ash pellets) and my wife beat me to it! it is a breeze and unlike some other stoves there is no need to clean the fire pot daily. I think the only other stove I considered was the Enviro and my wife was not keen on the looks! Best of luck!

 

[Kadet40]

Shane,

We were in your shoes a year ago. I just posted our experience with the AE earlier this week:

https://www.hearth.com/talk/threads/45157/

I am pretty sure our installer did not block at the damper, only at the chimney cap. Before the installer arrived, I ran the thermostat wire, and electric to where I wanted it. Like you, I ran them through the ash cleanout and into the basement. I also set it up with an OAK. It runs through the ash cleanout too, and terminates at the outside cleanout door. Everything is working exactly as advertised, and the stove really kicks out the heat.

Keith

 

[smoke show]

I dont think you are restricted to a hard wired thermostat on that AE, I believe you can use a Skytech remote thermostat which is what I use on mine and I love it. Your Mt Vernon also has 12 volt motors, which is nice because if the power goes out you can run it on a car battery or a marine battery by using the proper cable.

the AE only works with the supplied thermostat.

 

[Shaner]

Thanks for the replies.

No Pane -- Confirmed that you are right....you have to use the supplied T-Stat

Kadet -- Thanks. I had actually just read your post and am glad that your experience has been such a good one. Did you use 3" flex aluminum flex tube for the OAK

Mappzzul -- I am just up the road from you in Hartford. I sent you a PM about where you got your stove.

SHane

 

[Kadet40]

Yes, 3 inch flex (from Lowes). Made the adaptor from galvanized sheet metal.

 

[Shaner]

Where did you run the OAK. FOr me, I am going to have to go right back up the Chimney. Putting a hole our the back of the chimney is going to be too hard.

Shane

 

[jtp10181]

We did one OAK all the way up the chimney next to the pellet liner. Used SS flex for the pellet liner and alum flex (made for gas inserts) for the OAK. At the top we switched the pellet pipe to rigid and extended it up 2 ft or so, and kept the OAK down low to the top of the chimney. I had planned to just seam two 3" top plates together but the installer brought one of them back, I have no idea what he did up there to seal it off.

 

[Kadet40]

The ash cleanout slot on the floor of the fireplace just opens to a large pit where the used ashes can be deposited. There is a cleanout door outside where I put a termination like a dryer vent (but with screen to prevent bugs from entering). I removed this vent and closed the cleanout door during the summer. On the corresponding inside basement wall I drilled a hole through the block and brought in the electric and thermostat wires. Since the AE can also be run directly off a 12 volt battery, I am thinking of running wires for that too, but that will be a real pain now that the insert is in place. Here are some pics:

 

[jtp10181]

Kadet40. very nice. Good idea with the OAK. Most of the ones we run into the clean-out is in the basement. It is a good idea to be able to close the OAK when not in use, they are not 100% air tight unless you use a lot of silicone caulk where it mounts on the unit.

 

[defield]

Kadet40,

Neat job and a good use of what bwas available!!

Ranger

 

[Shaner]

Kadet -- That is an absolutely superb install. I love the clean look on both the outside and the inside. Unfortunately, my ash clean out door is on the inside. I would have to run the oak down the ash hatch to the inside door, then run it through the door and then back up the inside wall until I find a spot where the concrete foundation stops and I could cut an exit hole. I'm thinking it's just easier to go up the chimney.

JTP -- Appreciate the insight. On that recent OAK install that went up the chimney, any sense for how high it went. My Chimney is 30 feet. Any problems running an OAK that long. I'd hate to starve the stove. My gut tells me it should work as it is shown in a picture in the Quad manual plus cold outside air shouldn't have any problem coming "down" the chimney to get to the stove.

Thanks

Shane

 

[smg64ct]

I have a Mount Vernon AE freestanding. Just got it this year. I thought about putting in a oak, but then I changed my mind so far its been running fine. This thing throws a lot of heat.

 

[jtp10181]

It was a castile insert in a basement, 2-story house, so it was pretty long, 30-35ft I think.