is there such a thing as a stove too big?

[CTYank]

ok it sounds like i need to start looking at the 3 cu.ft stoves then. too many choices. it also seems like a cat would do me some good. i also have a fireplace in my main living area that may get fitted with an insert but i want to get the stove taken care of and then figure out what my needs are. it wouldnt make too much sense to put a high dollar insert in if the new stove is heating well or if we only need the additional heat on the coldest days. someone mentioned wood quaility, i have 5 cords of seasoned seasoned oak ready to go, i also have a few cords of hickory i need to go pick up so wood quality is not an issue. i guess i was kind of worried that i would be burning too much wood in a larger box but from what everyone has posted i think this will work out well especially in a cat. now if there was only a website that had all stoves categorized by quality efficiency, warranty, output, etc,etc. damn even a top ten list would work for me. thanks guys

This is not meant to be picky, but to hopefully clarify some basics.
You're guessing at "ready to go" without moisture content readings. Really. A moisture meter (MM)can be had for $10, and help you lose the guesswork. Readings below 20% MC are getting there; my stove is happiest with MC in the low teens and below.
"Seasoned" means spit- in OH, it means "below 50%MC"- big help, eh?
Wood quality can be determined very simply. Readings from MM, and test-burn. Calendar is not much help here.
You'll find lots of folks here to help you become a cellar-master of fine fuel-wood. Lots of experience to tap into.

 

[dobias]

CTYank,
Please advise where I can get a "$10 moisture meter".
Frank

 

[tcassavaugh]

"is there such a thing as a stove too big?".....................i think its probably too big when you can crawl in and your head doesn't touch the top of the box and your arms don't reach the sides. in the past, i've tried to heat areas that were borderline capacity to the stove i was using and had to feed it like a steam engine. as stated earlier, a lot of factors go into what determines what stove is big enough. burn times, for many manufacturers are.....lets just say a stretch. hope you did the research as was suggested and are sitting toasty roasty......

cass

 

[eclecticcottage]

I imagine you've already decided. But I think you can go too big, as easily as too small. We chose the Republic 1750 over the 1250 because we have two other Lopi stoves and find their heating capacity to be a bit optimistic for an older home. Since the Cottage is both older (1950's era) and was built as a seasonal cottage not a year round residence, we figured the smaller one might not be able to keep up, especially in a draftier house situated between open fields and an open lake. A Liberty would have been too big though, as the Republic can be a bit much if we don't feed it properly in warmer (over 40/45 degree) weather. I think the 1250 would have been too small though, although once we do all of our reno work and are fully insulated I might change my mind.

 

[begreen]

mike ordered a Progress Hybrid I believe.

 

[Planethill]

is there such a thing as a stove too big?

Yes. My crazy father-in-law put a GIANT wood stove in the new house he built a few years back (I don't know the brand, but it was a monster). He was so proud. In addition the house was very well insulated and super tight (all spray foam).

As a result he could never run the stove at anything more than the lowest setting and so it never got hot enough to engage the catalytic converter without heating the whole house up to 90+ fast. As a result he always had to run it choked down and gave him constant creosote problems. Stained up his new roof something awful. He eventually had to take it out and put a more appropriately sized stove in.

This is an extreme example, but it is possible to go too big...I've seen it.

 

[fox9988]

FWIW I'm heating 1200 sq ft with a firebox a little over 2 cf and have windows open even when it's in the teens outside. Go big. Better lookin' at it than lookin' for it.

This is what I am trying to avoid.I don't what to cut wood to heat the yard with.I moved my old stove into a new bigger(but better insulated and tight)house in dec.I've had to run it choked down to prevent over-heating the house, which results in creosote.I've been considering a cat stove for the low burn ability.I don't think I could run a secondary burn stove hot enough to "secondary burn" without over-heating.My stove top temp has stayed below 300f since mid dec., but it has been a very mild winter so far.

 

[dafattkidd]

FWIW I'm heating 1200 sq ft with a firebox a little over 2 cf and have windows open even when it's in the teens outside. Go big. Better lookin' at it than lookin' for it.

This is what I am trying to avoid.I don't what to cut wood to heat the yard with.I moved my old stove into a new bigger(but better insulated and tight)house in dec.I've had to run it choked down to prevent over-heating the house, which results in creosote.I've been considering a cat stove for the low burn ability.I don't think I could run a secondary burn stove hot enough to "secondary burn" without over-heating.My stove top temp has stayed below 300f since mid dec., but it has been a very mild winter so far.

I don't know if this helpful to you but at times like that I just light a small quick hot fire. It brings temps up quick then quietly softens the heat until its barely giving off any heat. Have you tried this method in stead of filling the stove? Forgive me if this was already mentioned.

 

[fox9988]

I add 2-4 small splits on a small coal bed in the morning and at night, then shut the stove down.I think of it as a small smoldering fire.I could open it up and have a small hot fire, but this would over-heat me and lead to building a fire twice a day.But I'm open for suggestions....I've been meaning to start my own thread, this just fit my issues.

 

[valley ranch]

Shortly after building the house at our mountain ranch I bought a Centennial with a 4 1/2 cu firebox, then made in Oregon. The house is 2000ft two story.
I love this stove! I've made only one change: adding to the door a cast plate that permits glass for viewing the fire also letting me open slots to send air over the glass to keep it clean, this gives a secondary burn. We have on the exaust above the stove a SpiralFlo Heat Reclaimer the fan kicks on when the flue is hot enough.
I don't often pack it up but when I do I can get close to an 8 hour burn by tilting the damper a bit and closing the front slots, I'm not awake to see when the burn is over and have coals there in the morning. We keep the house at or close to 80degrees. The furnace comes on if the temp drops to 65.

At our ranch on in Nevada we have a Nordic, smaller maybe 2 cf, very efficient stove but I miss this one when we're down there.

 

[corey21]

I like a big stove well mine is 3.2 cubic feet.

When it is mild outside i build a hot fire with 3 splits and then resist the urge to reload till things get cool again. With this weather this winter it makes for a hot house if i keep a fire going non stop.

Hope that helped any.

 

[valley ranch]

Some times, in some places, and for some things: Big be better.

 

[bogydave]

Too big?
Maybe
(broken link removed)

 

[valley ranch]

That is a beauty of a kitchen stove, from an estate no doubt. Much bigger that the run of themill not for heating though. A friend sent me a picture of a stove in Ireland, it was just the firebox and oven, the fire box was like our stoves desighed for wood and peat logs, you could heat your house and burn your bread too. If I can find it later I'll post it.

 

[swestall]

I'm surprised no one suggested a Soapstone unit. They are slow on the rise and slow on the cool; so one could regulate the heat with longer (fire to ash) burns and be OK.

 

[valley ranch]

Are these shall we say"Articles for sale"?

 

[valley ranch]

Looking again at Post #37. The Firebox is in the center of the stove, not on the left side as most I have seen. That really is a grand item.

 

[swestall]

Are these shall we say"Articles for sale"?

The VC stoves are for sale but have not been advertising or anything.