?Good to remove Decorative panels on a Drolet HT 3000?

[monkfarm]

There is thin steel panels called Decorative panels on the two sides of my
Drolet HT 3000. They would keep the heat inside the firebox as they are 3/4 inch out from the steel firebox, and take a long time to heat up
and are at best semi hot, even after firing for hours. The owners manual has a page on removal, easily removed, but without an explanation
of desirability.
Any thoughts on this, this is in a shop / studio with no danger to heating up flammable items.
Is it desirable to keep the heat in? I see no downside to taking them off of the two sides of the stove and I don't care about the looks.
This Drolet was recommended by people in this forum, and I really like the stove. Thank you!! I think it
could put out a little more heat though with a little tweaking.
I did look and didn't find anything addressing this in the forum.
Thanks for your valued opinions!

 

[begreen]

I think the manual's language is wrong. They are more than decorative. The panels are shields and directly affect the stove's tested clearances. They are not meant to get very hot. This is a convective stove. Cool air enters at the bottom of the side panel and exits out the top via the convective lid. Operating the stove with the panels removed changes it into an untested configuration which would require side clearances of 36" unless SBI provides other guidance in writing.

 

[moresnow]

I think it
could put out a little more heat though with a little tweaking.

Are you running the factory blower?

 

[monkfarm]

Are you running the factory blower?

yes, it seems to help some, but it seems like it needs it firing for hours before it actually works well. I thought maybe I had it in wrong, but I took it out and looked at it, and it installs pretty simple, not much I could screw up, (I don't think! Maybe there is something I'm not seeing!) I have a pretty large space i'm heating. I love the stove, no nonsense, well built as far as I can figure.

 

[monkfarm]

I think the manual's language is wrong. They are more than decorative. The panels are shields and directly affect the stove's tested clearances. They are not meant to get very hot. This is a convective stove. Cool air enters at the bottom of the side panel and exits out the top via the convective lid. Operating the stove with the panels removed changes it into an untested configuration which would require side clearances of 36" unless SBI provides other guidance in writing.

Thank you, begreen for recommending this stove, and for responding to this question.
i have 36" or more clearance.
I did think it was curious they called the panels decorative in the manual, and devote a page to removal of said panels in the manual.
Why else would you need to remove the panels other than transfer more heat in an appropriate setting?
It could be that the manual is wrong. I think that this is made in quebec where they are arrogant about the french language, and maybe this is just a poor translation. There is some other clumsiness in the manual which makes me think the translator knows english as a second language.

 

[begreen]

Their customer service is good. It would be interesting to ask them: A) Why are they called decorative? B) Can the stove be run with them removed? And C) What are the tested clearances with them removed?

PS: This page is new for the HT3000, it is not in the HT2000 manual.

 

[Woodcutter Tom]

I did think it was curious they called the panels decorative in the manual, and devote a page to removal of said panels in the manual.
Why else would you need to remove the panels other than transfer more heat in an appropriate setting?

I have the Drolet Escape 1500. It also has the 'decorative' panels, and the manual states how to remove them.

I removed mine before I ratchet strapped the stove to a dolly for moving into position. That way I did not damage the panels.

 

[bholler]

yes, it seems to help some, but it seems like it needs it firing for hours before it actually works well. I thought maybe I had it in wrong, but I took it out and looked at it, and it installs pretty simple, not much I could screw up, (I don't think! Maybe there is something I'm not seeing!) I have a pretty large space i'm heating. I love the stove, no nonsense, well built as far as I can figure.

How are you running the stove? How far are you shutting the air back?

 

[monkfarm]

How are you running the stove? How far are you shutting the air back?

I look at the flames, and adjust the air accordingly. I have 4 yr.dry wood now, but not always all of it. I look at the flames and the glass on the window to see if it gets dirty. I don't shut it down too far, but it depends on the coals and the wood. I think I have enough knowledge of that stuff, but not a know it all, so maybe there's lots to learn. Answer, I don't turn it down too far, I don't think. I would rather burn more efficiently and get more out of the wood. I did put in 2- 45s in place of the 90 , 6 inch stove pipe. It seemed to improve the draft slightly, but I'm getting less smoke for some reason which I understand is good. I do like this stove, it seems to work well. But I don't need to open windows like some stoves I have experienced.
I built a cabin in my 20s where we had a feeble wood stove and a grand wood cooking stove, off the grid, so maybe I deserve to act like a know it all at almost 71, hahaha.
I experimented when I got the stove (just this fall) on adjusting the air. If it's not burning brightly, the temperature in the shop starts falling slightly. I like some flame with the wood gas pipes swirling.

 

[monkfarm]

Their customer service is good. It would be interesting to ask them: A) Why are they called decorative? B) Can the stove be run with them removed? And C) What are the tested clearances with them removed?

PS: This page is new for the HT3000, it is not in the HT2000 manual.

ya, good idea, Begreen!

 

[bholler]

I look at the flames, and adjust the air accordingly. I have 4 yr.dry wood now, but not always all of it. I look at the flames and the glass on the window to see if it gets dirty. I don't shut it down too far, but it depends on the coals and the wood. I think I have enough knowledge of that stuff, but not a know it all, so maybe there's lots to learn. Answer, I don't turn it down too far, I don't think. I would rather burn more efficiently and get more out of the wood. I did put in 2- 45s in place of the 90 , 6 inch stove pipe. It seemed to improve the draft slightly, but I'm getting less smoke for some reason which I understand is good. I do like this stove, it seems to work well. But I don't need to open windows like some stoves I have experienced.
I built a cabin in my 20s where we had a feeble wood stove and a grand wood cooking stove, off the grid, so maybe I deserve to act like a know it all at almost 71, hahaha.
I experimented when I got the stove (just this fall) on adjusting the air. If it's not burning brightly, the temperature in the shop starts falling slightly. I like some flame with the wood gas pipes swirling.

I would suggest a pipe thermometer. Adjusting by eye isn't very accurate. I am concerned you may not be shutting back far enough and sending a large portion of your heat up the chimney

 

[monkfarm]

yes, it seems to help some, but it seems like it needs it firing for hours before it actually works well. I thought maybe I had it in wrong, but I took it out and looked at it, and it installs pretty simple, not much I could screw up, (I don't think! Maybe there is something I'm not seeing!) I have a pretty large space i'm heating. I love the stove, no nonsense, well built as far as I can figure.

Actually, I expected the blower to work better, Even when the stove is hot, I just get tepid air out of the blower. That's why I took it out and examined my installation and the blower, (that blows well, and seems fine, no shipping damage or anything), It just seems like I should feel hot air coming out of there.

 

[monkfarm]

I would suggest a pipe thermometer. Adjusting by eye isn't very accurate. I am concerned you may not be shutting back far enough and sending a large portion of your heat up the chimney

That's interesting, bholler!
Where's a good place to get a quality pipe thermometer that works well, I have never seen one?
It seems like the temperature starts falling when I back it down too much.
I think this is a good idea! Installs inside the stove pipe?
I did install a damper in the pipe above the stove, but haven't used it yet.

 

[bholler]

Actually, I expected the blower to work better, Even when the stove is hot, I just get tepid air out of the blower. That's why I took it out and examined my installation and the blower, (that blows well, and seems fine, no shipping damage or anything), It just seems like I should feel hot air coming out of there.

That's another thing making me think maybe you need to shut back more. As you shut back the stove temp will increase

 

[bholler]

Where's a good place to get a quality pipe thermometer that works well, I have never seen one? It seems like the temperature starts falling when I back it down too much. I think this is a good idea! Installs inside the stove pipe?

I typically just use magnetic ones they work well enough

 

[monkfarm]

I think the manual's language is wrong. They are more than decorative. The panels are shields and directly affect the stove's tested clearances. They are not meant to get very hot. This is a convective stove. Cool air enters at the bottom of the side panel and exits out the top via the convective lid. Operating the stove with the panels removed changes it into an untested configuration which would require side clearances of 36" unless SBI provides other guidance in writing.

I called up Drolet about this, and he called them heat shields, and if I had the clearance,, I could take off the decorative panels or heat shields, and I could get a little more heat out of it.

 

[begreen]

Exactly right. They are heat shields and the only tested clearance data available is with the shields on the stove. If there is at least 36" clearance to any combustibles in all directions then removing the shields may be safe. This will make the stove more radiant, but it will not increase heat output. It will feel warmer to the sides and will warm up items to the sides of the stove more quickly due to the line-of-sight nature of radiant heat. Theoretically, however, it might actually reduce efficiency a bit if this reduces the firebox temperature somewhat due to the loss of the insulating air jacket on the sides of the stove.

 

[monkfarm]

I would suggest a pipe thermometer. Adjusting by eye isn't very accurate. I am concerned you may not be shutting back far enough and sending a large portion of your heat up the chimney

bholler, what brand of pipe thermometer would you recommend? Almost every one in amazon has some bad reviews. Is there a bullet proof one, or one that is clearly better than the others?

 

[bholler]

bholler, what brand of pipe thermometer would you recommend? Almost every one in amazon has some bad reviews. Is there a bullet proof one, or one that is clearly better than the others?

We typically use imperial or condar

 

[begreen]

Take a look at the ReoTemp. It's so far been quite accurate for me and has a nice clear readable face, under glass. The caveat is that there are no "burn ranges" on the face. Just the facts, black numbers on a white face.

New stove toy - Reotemp thermometer

I saw this in a shot a couple weeks ago and thought it would be good to try it out. I am a sucker for glass covered, easy to read thermomters. The only thing I know of on the market like it is the Tel-Tru for about $65. This one was $20 and so far it is an exact match for my IR thermometer. The...

www.hearth.com

 

[monkfarm]

Exactly right. They are heat shields and the only tested clearance data available is with the shields on the stove. If there is at least 36" clearance to any combustibles in all directions then removing the shields may be safe. This will make the stove more radiant, but it will not increase heat output. It will feel warmer to the sides and will warm up items to the sides of the stove more quickly due to the line-of-sight nature of radiant heat. Theoretically, however, it might actually reduce efficiency a bit if this reduces the firebox temperature somewhat due to the loss of the insulating air jacket on the sides of the stove.

Thank you Begreen for your interest and your expertise.
Huh! Well, I sure don't know that much about these new stoves, and what you are saying may make sense. I don't know enough to
assess the efficiency of the burn. That's interesting. I would think you'd want as much heat transfer to the room as possible, but the burning process of the new stoves, I don't completely understand. Isn't the idea to relieve the stove of it's heat to the room? I mean
I sorta get what you are saying too, and I would like a broad and educated view of this hobby of mine, woodburning!
It seems to be burning efficient, not much smoke out of the stack, (I didn't even see smoke coming out of the stack tonight from outside the building) and I'm certainly getting more
heat. The temperature seems to rise faster, and seems to be generally warmer around the stove with the panels off.
The shop cat now lies to the side of the stove at times, haha.