Kuma sequoia questions

[heavy hammer]

I'm looking at putting a freestanding stove in my split level ranch basement. The basement is finished with a eight inch masonry thimble going into a masonry chimney. I like the kuma sequoia but have heard there could be issues with draft, my chimney from stove to top will be about fifteen to twenty feet of flue with two nineties in it. Any advise from kuma owners appreciated.

 

[kennyp2339]

Good question to ask, maybe a direct call to Kuma is needed, keep us posted on what you find out, I'm interested is how those stove preform, the video on youtube showing the natural convection is awesome, looks like a good heater.

 

[begreen]

I think he is looking for actual user feedback. Kuma has been contacted in a conversation.

 

[heavy hammer]

I called an talked to Jason the son of the guy who started kuma today. I told him pretty much everything that I have talked about on this forum lately. He believes the stove will be a good fit. The lifetime warranty on the firebox door and glass is great. The simple use of the stove seems like a winner. He thinks the flue won't be an issue for what I have as a setup. He said the cat usually lasts 6 to 10 years under normal wear and tear, but the worse they have seen is two to three. But that can be replaced for a couple hundred bucks and a little of your time. I seem impressed with what he had to say. They have customers in Idaho and Montana heating over 4000 sq feet with just this stove. After seeing the stove it looks very tough built like a tank. Until I get one and try it out you never know, but I think I'm gonna try one. The customer service at kuma is very helpful he said call if I have any other questions.

 

[webby3650]

Jason and Mark are really good guys. I've spoke to both of them at length about their products, id love to try one out at some point. With only 15 +\- you won't have any issues with draft.

 

[heavy hammer]

Talked with Jason again the other day great guy very helpful. I today purchased a kuma sequoia stove for the basement, and a PE summit insert for the first floor fireplace. Very excited to get them installed and ready for the burning season.

 

[heavy hammer]

I'm in the process of redoing my hearth in the basement for the sequoia, but I was looking for any info on breaking in the sequoia the manual just states have a couple small fires. I was also interested to hear if anyone else has one of these stoves, and what there setup is and info about the operation of this stove.

 

[heavy hammer]

The hearth pad is finally done and the new stove piped in. I want to fire both the kuma and summit up but it's over seventy degrees out, not that it's a bad thing. Thanks for the advise from everyone on here that chimned in, I will keep updates on burning of both these units, the kuma especially since it seems only a few have these stoves or inserts.

 

[kennyp2339]

looking good to go!!

 

[heavy hammer]

Had my first fire in the Kuma tonight very rainy chilly night out. I just wanted to take the chill out of the house. Now I'm new to using a cat stove everything seems to be working fine. Very impressed with the convection blower on this stove. Is the glass supposed to be dark or am I burning wrong?

 

[begreen]

There's often not much or any light show with most cat stoves when turned down low. A dirty glass is common when burning low. It may clear up with more air supplied.

 

[heavy hammer]

That's what I thought just making sure it's burning ok, both stove top and flue thermostat seem to be reading good. I know the wood is very dry, so not worried about that. Seem pretty happy with the Kuma.

 

[begreen]

Yes, that is pretty good for 54F. When the outside temp drops 15 degrees it may be more responsive as draft improves.

 

[heavy hammer]

I also considered the current temp affecting it as well. Just trying to break it in with a small fire. Didn't want to go to crazy until I figured it out a little more.

 

[Woody Stover]

I've been interested in this stove since I saw begreen mention it way back when, and I like their spiel on the website. Since I haven't seen a lot about it, I hope you'll add to this thread as you familiarize yourself with its operation and capabilities. In mild weather, you may well be able to just run the downstairs stove, depending on your layout. The EPA numbers indicate that it can put out some serious heat.

 

[heavy hammer]

I will try and do my best with keeping updates on the kuma. At five this morning I reloaded it again three cherry splits and one bigger piece of beech. I will post something once I'm home but I have to work today. Last night I put in two cherry splits around 930 to 10 had plenty of coals at five this morning. The heat output is very impressive but it's to early to really see since its fifty out. The stove does seem very easy to operate. Again only second time putting wood in it so time will tell.

 

[Woody Stover]

Had my first fire in the Kuma....Very impressed with the convection blower on this stove. Is the glass supposed to be dark or am I burning wrong?

In the video on the website, even without the blower, the "natural convection" was moving a lot of air through the stove jacket. That would be handy during a power outage, but I read that with the blower installed it will limit unaided convection somewhat.
As far as the dirty glass, you get more of that in the first burn or two, as moisture is driven out of the bricks. It should stay a bit cleaner in subsequent burns.

 

[heavy hammer]

The convection of the stove is pretty impressive. It has not been that cold yet but I'm keeping the whole basement very warm with this stove. The heat hasn't kicked on in days and the house is in the mid seventies with outside temps in the forties. I'm pleased with the ease of operation to, I've never used a cat stove before so this was all new. Should have a pretty good idea on what to do before the real cold shows up.

 

[heavy hammer]

I have been burning my kuma now for about three weeks give or take a couple of days. From what I have seen so far from the stove is that it gives very nice burn times. 12 plus hours on just cherry and beech pieces, I'm hoping to get better once I start burning hickory and some locust. The heat is great I'm heating close to 4000 sq feet without the help of the furnace at all. Occasionally I fire up the summit insert upstairs to just take the chill out up there once it gets below 30 but it has not gotten real cold yet. Even with the kuma going one fire at night upstairs is usually to much have to keep the rooms all open to help distribute the heat. I was hoping these to stoves would help offset our heating costs. I believe they will easily accomplish that. Once we get into some real cold weather I will get a better feel but for now the furnace just sits idle. The convection blower the sequoia has is impressive. I can keep the entire basement 2400 plus sq feet easily 75 to 80 degrees much hotter if I wanted to burn with the air open a lot more. With nothing moving the air but the built in blower of the sequoia. Now this is all based on lowes from 30 to 45 at night but I'm also not even trying to work either stove, or burning big hardwood yet. I appreciated all the feedback I received this summer when deciding on what stoves to get for our new house, I think it has worked out pretty well, this forum is extremely helpful!

 

[Woody Stover]

-Your pic of the cat probe above shows about 800. What temps are you now seeing there, as a rule?
-You have the one lever air control...have you figured out where the air might be going, other than the air wash? Any air coming in down low, like below the door? The Buck 91 has an air channel across the top of the firebox, about half way back...
-Are you able to see the cat glowing by looking in around the bypass rod hole, or by looking elsewhere?
-What is your starting procedure, with a coal bed, and also with a cold stove? In the Buck, if the cat probe was down below 500, I would burn a few small 'sacrificial splits' to bring the stove back up to temp, then load full and kick it off from there.
-How well does the convection work with the fan in place but turned off. I thought I saw something in the manual saying that the blower hinder natural convection to some degree. Sounds like you may be using the blower most of the time, though, and maybe you haven't checked convection with it off?

 

[heavy hammer]

I do not have a blower on the sequoia just the natural convection blower built into the stove that is pushing the air around. The temps are usually between 600 and 700 just because it hasn't gotten real cold out. I have had cat temps at 1000 and when it's cruising that way to hot it will burn you out of the house, might be different once we see some real cold temps. I usually just start a normal fire if the stove is cold kindling with one or two bigger splits to get the stove up to temp. Once it's up to temp then I put on a couple bigger pieces to keep it cruising. On reloads if the temp is below 500 I will use a few pieces of kindling and smaller stuff to bring temps back up then add a couple splits. If temps are still up over 600 then I just reload with some splits and let it do its thing. Like I stated earlier these are also with outside temps around 30 to 50. The sequoia has a hole in the back of the stove where air is pulled in from, there is also one on the bottom of the stove but there is a cover on it. Kuma has informed me that one of these are to be left uncovered for air to be drawn in from, it's for outside air kits. I t looks as the air is pulled in from the bottom front of the stove. I can see the cat glowing once temps are up, the door doesn't stay very clean. Kuma said this is very common for the sequoia. You probably could get the door a lot cleaner with hotter burns but it could affect the cat.

 

[Rockey]

I was hoping you could tell us how the sequoia performed through the cold part of the winter. I should have mine installed in the week or two but the temps probably wont be cold enough to fire it up. How were the first couple of burns as far a paint smell? I absolutely hate that smell so Im going to do a few burns outside first.

Its kind of a downer hearing about the glass not staying clean. I really enjoy watching a rolling fire. It would be nice if there was something you could coat the glass with to keep it clean. Cant have your cake and eat it too.

 

[heavy hammer]

Rocky, I am very impressed with my kuma. The heat is amazing. It is a big stove that produces a lot of heat. I have actually gotten better burn times than advertised with large locust rounds. The door does not stay clean, a thing kuma says is very common with this stove. Mine is in my basement so maybe your setup will change things. When you do have the fire going the glass does clean up a little but when the bypass is engaged, that changes. My first season it bothered me a little but you adjust. The heat and the natural convection blower make it worth it. I have a 4000sq foot split level house that it can heat by itself until it gets below 30. But I have a pacific energy summit insert on the first floor that I use to help. I have oil heat for my furnace and have not used more than around 70 gallons each year since moving in a couple of years ago. For the real cold weather when it was below zero last year around Christmas and the beginning of January it did its job, it will eat some wood, but in that cold I think any stove will. My summit did as well. I believe overall you will be happy, keep in touch we will talk this heating season. Remember to remove the styrofoam blocks by the cat burner before you first light it up. The gaskets that the bypass plate goes over are probably the only design flaw I did not like. I have replaced them each heating season. A cheap kit under warranty but not really needed according to kuma. Let me know how it goes and any other info I can give or advise don't hesitate to ask, once again kuma is always very helpful to.

 

[Rockey]

That is great to hear. Im looking forward to the big heat this winter and long burn time. Hoping to cut my boilers consumption of 20 cords of wood down substantially.

 

[webby3650]

That is great to hear. Im looking forward to the big heat this winter and long burn time. Hoping to cut my boilers consumption of 20 cords of wood down substantially.

20 cords! Holy crap! Outdoor boiler I presume?