I hate my Napoleon 1450... suggestions for replacement

[SnapCracklePop]

I opened up the Mastercraft today. Curiosity was getting the better of me.

On wood that was inside the house (yesterdays load) i was getting around 18-20%. On wood that just came off the pile, still cold and had a dusting of snow i was getting 25%

Sounds like you are checking moisture content on the outside of the splits. What do you get when you resplit and test the fresh cut?

Also, did I miss this? How tall is your flue? If it's too short, that will make for challenges...

Nancy

 

[MrWhoopee]

Did I miss mention of the ceiling height in the large, open space?

 

[scooby074]

I had a Napoleon 1400PL (same basic design as your 1450) and had a similar experience.

After reading the reviews I thought it would be a good stove to heat my house (a well insulated 2000sq ft. open layout ranch). I've had several non EPA wood stoves in the past so I wanted to try one out and the Napoleon sounded like it should do the job.

After a thorough evaluation period and trying several varriations (wood type, size, moisture content, load size, air control, etc.) I decided to go back to my tried and true Nashua non-epa woodstove which does a better job with out all the hassle.

The Napoleon stove just didn't deliver the amount of heat needed for the space I had. It took a fairly long time begin putting out heat. The secondary burning only occured in the first third of the burning cycle and didn't seem to help the heat output. The burn burn times weren't all that great (reloading was needed every 3-4 hours). For me new wasn't better.

So I'm very happy to have my old Nashua back again keeping me and my house very warm.

Exactly what im experiencing.

My memories of the good old stoves tells me that id have this place cranking if i had a good one. Burn times are short with my Napo too.

I opened up the Mastercraft today. Curiosity was getting the better of me.


On wood that was inside the house (yesterdays load) i was getting around 18-20%. On wood that just came off the pile, still cold and had a dusting of snow i was getting 25%

Sounds like you are checking moisture content on the outside of the splits. What do you get when you resplit and test the fresh cut?

Also, did I miss this? How tall is your flue? If it's too short, that will make for challenges...

Nancy

Nancy, I am checking along the length of the split. Ill resplit a piece tomorrow and check on the newly split edge.

The flue itself would be 20-25' from the stove to the raincap.

Did I miss mention of the ceiling height in the large, open space?

Ceiling height in all rooms is 8'. No big cathedral type ceilings here.

 

[scooby074]

10*c and poured rain today so i was unable to split a piece of wood and check moisture.

Who says global warming is a hoax? lol

 

[FarmallTom]

Stumbled across this discussion and, actually, this site during a Google search.
I must say that I am profoundly surprised by your dislike for the Napoleon 1450. I own this same model and so do my parents. I could hardly be happier with it as far as heating goes. We live in a 125 year old 2-story farmhouse that is not all that well sealed up, although it's considerably better than it was when I moved in! My folks live in an old 2 story farmhouse as well, built in 1905 out of mostly used lumber!
Both houses are probably in the 1500 - 1700 sq ft range, I suppose...
Neither my parents, not my wife and I have had any significant problems heating our entire houses with our Napoleons.
I would also add that this big old farmhouse of mine is out in the open with NO trees near it and we get the full brunt of the winter wind. While winter winds are the most difficult thing to contend with when heating this house, I don't have any significant trouble keeping it warm enough to keep the furnace from coming on when I leave the T-stat which is in another room set at about 68.
The real key to this stove, I believe, is to have good, cured wood.
Just the other night, my wife was making bread and said she'd like to have it warmed up a bit more in there for the bread to rise. I loaded the stove up about 2/3 full with some medium sized stuff, opened the damper, and went upstairs for a little bit. When I came down stairs a short time later, the thermometer I keep in the pipe (double wall), just above the stove top, read nearly 600! :O Wow! I didn't mean to let her get THAT hot... The pipe temp usually runs about 100 degrees less than the top of the firebox when I put a thermometer there.

I would also agree with those who talked about adequate draft. Enough pipe height is very important as is the grade of insulation in that pipe. I assume you are using a good triple wall of some kind?
It's important for the smoke/air going out the pipe to stay hot as long/high as possible for the best draft. If it's cooling off too much on the way up, you will lose lift/draft.

I hope you are able to resolve your issue with the Napoleon.
Best of luck to you!

-Tom