Looking for big a BTU stove for little money. Is the Englander 30-NCH the answer?

[Shaggyant]

I am in the process of insulating and finishing the inside of my 36x48 pole barn shop. I will be ready to spend some money soon on installing a wood stove to use for heating only when I’m in the shop on weekends. Since I won’t be putting big hours on the stove I’d like to buy one that is economical ($1000ish) and I’d like to avoid a cat stove as long burn times are not what I need but big BTU output for a fast warmup is.

I saw the Englander 30-NCH at Home Depot and it looks like it would fit the bill. Is there something I’m missing or another better option for something economical in the 70,000+ BTU range?

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[moresnow]

Take a look at the Drolet HT2000 while you snooping for a stove. Will the ceiling be finished/insulated? How high is the ceiling? Where are you located? Guessing left coast?

 

[ColdNorCal]

Century/SBI FW3000

https://www.homedepot.com/p/Century...t-with-Blower-EPA-Certified-CB00014/302362903

 

[Rickb]

The Englander 30 is a great stove. And there are a few other members here who use it in there shops with good results.

 

[bholler]

I am in the process of insulating and finishing the inside of my 36x48 pole barn shop. I will be ready to spend some money soon on installing a wood stove to use for heating only when I’m in the shop on weekends. Since I won’t be putting big hours on the stove I’d like to buy one that is economical ($1000ish) and I’d like to avoid a cat stove as long burn times are not what I need but big BTU output for a fast warmup is.

I saw the Englander 30-NCH at Home Depot and it looks like it would fit the bill. Is there something I’m missing or another better option for something economical in the 70,000+ BTU range?

(broken link removed)

First off what will the shop be used for? It may be against code to have a solid fuel burner there. But yes the 30 is a good choice. But honestly I would look for a used fisher alaska or similar. Or a hot air furnace.

 

[Shaggyant]

Take a look at the Drolet HT2000 while you snooping for a stove. Will the ceiling be finished/insulated? How high is the ceiling? Where are you located? Guessing left coast?

There isn’t a ceiling but I have insulated the underside of the roof and walls with R25 fiberglass. (That’s what would fit in between the 2X8’s without too much compressing). The walls are 14 feet and the peak is about 22 feet.

I’m in Northen Idaho. It gets medium cold and snowy here.

I looked at the Drolet HT2000. Looks like a great stove but Lowe’s wants 50% more for it than the 30-NCH is going for at Home Depot. At $1500 I’m nearing Kuma stove territory.

https://m.lowes.com/pd/Drolet-2400-sq-ft-Wood-Burning-Stove/50342044?cm_mmc=searchoogle-_-Appliances-_-Dsa_app_186_food Prep & Cleaning-_-&k_clickID=_k_EAIaIQobChMImIy75cjZ3wIVFlmGCh1d8wNSEAMYASAAEgLE9vD_BwE_k_&gclid=EAIaIQobChMImIy75cjZ3wIVFlmGCh1d8wNSEAMYASAAEgLE9vD_BwE

First off what will the shop be used for? It may be against code to have a solid fuel burner there. But yes the 30 is a good choice. But honestly I would look for a used fisher alaska or similar. Or a hot air furnace.

What uses would be against code? I’m planning on machining, welding, and fabrication work for the most part. I may do some equipment or auto repair as sparingly as I can get away with.

The other option I’ve been looking at is the Us Stove 2000 from Tractor Supply. It’s an imported stove but the price on it is sure good.

(broken link removed)

I should mention that Kuma Stoves are just down the road from me but Wood Classic is about double the cost of the 30-NCH. Seemed speedy for part time usage.

Edit: Isn’t the Fisher Alaska a pre EPA stove? I’m not sure the inspector would approve a non stickered stove in a new install.

 

[bholler]

There isn’t a ceiling but I have insulated the underside of the roof and walls with R25 fiberglass. (That’s what would fit in between the 2X8’s without too much compressing). The walls are 14 feet and the peak is about 22 feet.

I’m in Northen Idaho. It gets medium cold and snowy here.



What uses would be against code? I’m planning on machining, welding, and fabrication work for the most part. I may do some equipment or auto repair as sparingly as I can get away with.

I’ve seen some of the Home Depot online reviews talking about how their firebox cracked after 2-3 years? That has kind of scared me.

I should mention that Kuma Stoves are just down the road from me but Wood Classic is about double the cost of the 30-NCH. Seemed speedy for part time usage.

If there will be gasoline or other flammable vapors present a solid fuel burner is not allowed. So any auto or small engine repair would be a no. Many people including me do it anyway. But be aware should you ever have to make an insurance claim it is very likely it would be denied.

 

[begreen]

Take a look at the Drolet HT2000 while you snooping for a stove. Will the ceiling be finished/insulated? How high is the ceiling? Where are you located? Guessing left coast?

I would consider the Drolet Austral II instead. It has the same extra large firebox, costs a little less money and the stove has no side shielding. It will be much more radiant which will help in a big space.

Another alternative to consider is a wood furnace. For a few more bucks it will put out more btus and has a higher CFM blower to recirc the air more quickly. Some like the Englander 3500 are quite affordable.
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[Bad LP]

If there will be gasoline or other flammable vapors present a solid fuel burner is not allowed. So any auto or small engine repair would be a no. Many people including me do it anyway. But be aware should you ever have to make an insurance claim it is very likely it would be denied.

Over around here yesterday the Salisbury MA Harbormaster's personal garage had a fire that spread to the 1700's era house that has been in the family for generations. Wife was on the TV saying they had a wood stove in this 3 bay garage and inside was a 56 VW bus. This AM he was on the tube saying he had just lit the stove 45 mins before a passerby stopped and told them the garage was on fire. He mentioned some sort of explosion. Fire extended to the exposure of the house and they fortunately saved the house but you can be sure there is major water damage.

My very first thought was you're screwed.

 

[begreen]

Over around here yesterday the Salisbury MA Harbormaster's personal garage had a fire that spread to the 1700's era house that has been in the family for generations. Wife was on the TV saying they had a wood stove in this 3 bay garage and inside was a 56 VW bus. This AM he was on the tube saying he had just lit the stove 45 mins before a passerby stopped and told them the garage was on fire. He mentioned some sort of explosion. Fire extended to the exposure of the house and they fortunately saved the house but you can be sure there is major water damage.

My very first thought was you're screwed.

That's a sad story. The garage/workshop looks like it was a large structure.
https://boston.cbslocal.com/2019/01/05/salisbury-harbormaster-ray-pike-house-fire/

 

[Highbeam]

I’m sitting in front of my nc30 right now. It’s at maximum output which is pretty much where it is anytime I burn it in my 1800 sf insulated shop with 14’ ceilings.

Heating a shop with wood is not like heating house. You will walk into a 50 degree shop and want it 70 ASAP which is very much different than keeping a space at 70. During this warm up period which can take all day you will want as much heat as possible, more than any woodstove can make. The nc30 is a really good bargain and mine has withstood the max burn rate for the last 6-7 years without failing. Still looks good and the paint is still black. I burn all sorts of wood in it including wood too ugly for the house stove.

Washington law requires clean burning wood heaters and none of the wood furnaces are currently clean enough to be on the approved list. In Idaho, I don’t think you have this problem and I would recommend the largest drolet wood furnace. I think they call it the heatpro. The medium sized one is called the tundra2 and is still bigger than the nc30. Wood furnaces have huge blowers and heat exchangers for a higher safe output. Some automation too which is nice in a shop since the furnace will operate itself safely even without you there.

My shop stove was permitted, inspected, and is insured. Not all insurance companies like wood heaters in outbuildings so be honest and ask them.

I would never put a stove in an attached garage.

 

[Woody Stover]

I am in the process of insulating and finishing the inside of my 36x48 pole barn shop.

Here are the EPA output numbers, probably will work for comparing one stove to another. Hard to heat that big an area, though...
(broken link removed to https://www.epa.gov/compliance/list-epa-certified-wood-stoves)

Many people including me do it anyway.

Holy cow, that's gotta be a first, you and the code diverging. Save this post, webby!

 

[jetsam]

As has been said already, don't expect a 3cf stove to heat 31,000cf from 30 to 70 in a morning... that's a huge load.

 

[weatherguy]

My brother in law has the furnace begreen suggested in his barn and its comfortable to work inside without a coat, brings the heat up to a decent level fairly quickly.

 

[JPinnell]

Nothing beats a double barrel stove for heating a pole barn up fast. Problem is they won't pass code, insurance, etc. That may not be an issue for you though? If you can look into it. An old water heater tank is thicker metal, than a 55gal drum. A little welder work, and use the barrel stove kit for your door, etc. Its radiant heat you can fell across the barn

I went with a used wood furnace to heat my 36x40 partially (roofs done, working on the walls) insulated shop. Same furnace is sold at all the farm supply stores for less than $1500 here in MO. US Stove is one brand. If I'm going to be working out there for the weekend, I fire up the stove and get it going. Go back in the house and have breakfast. If its still too chilly I turn on the torpedo heater for a bit and get things up to temp. After that the wood furnace will usually keep up. If I'm only going to be out there for a couple hrs in the evening, then I just run the torpedo heater pointed at me. 55º-60º is plenty warm for me to work in.

This year I did run some duct work trunk lines to spread the furnace heat out a bit more. Also that old ceiling fan (that you saved for some reason that was the wrong color according to the wife) works just fine for moving air around set on reverse.

 

[Hogwildz]

If you packed that roof insulation tight against the bottom of the rood decking or roofing, expect it to condense, and the insulation will rot in time, along with any wood in the area of the condensation.

 

[Shaggyant]

If you packed that roof insulation tight against the bottom of the rood decking or roofing, expect it to condense, and the insulation will rot in time, along with any wood in the area of the condensation.

The builder but an R7 blanket between the trusses and the trusses and the metal roofing as a vapor barrier. I applied my R25 batts inside this and held them up with a perforated radiant barrier like this.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0104WYZ6S/?tag=hearthamazon-20

The walls are fiberglass against steel with a vapor barrier on the inside though.

 

[brenndatomu]

Washington law requires clean burning wood heaters and none of the wood furnaces are currently clean enough to be on the approved list.

I thought Lamppa recently provided you with proof that they are indeed clean enough to be used in Washington...and have the certs. listed on their site in the proper way...

 

[Highbeam]

I thought Lamppa recently provided you with proof that they are indeed clean enough to be used in Washington...and have the certs. listed on their site in the proper way...

There’s a list of approved wood furnaces and boilers that Washington has and last I checked did not have kuuma on it.

To be fair I do believe that the kuma is clean enough that it should be on the list. The op probably doesn’t want to spend 5-6000$ for a windowless furnace though! His budget was 1000$ ish.

 

[3fordasho]

I use a 30nc to heat a 24x48 shed, 9' ceiling, r11 walls and r19 cellulose in the ceiling. As others have mentioned it can take quite a while to go from 30-60F, like all day. I would prefer a wood furnace like a drolet Tundra (current model - tundra II) over the 30nc for this application. I do have a Tundra in my Quonset style shop, 40x60'. Even the tundra takes quite a while to heat things up so I run a propane fired unit heater (120Kbtu) maybe ten minutes and then the tundra can maintain temps at a comfortable working temp.