Lopi Evergreen: old vs new hybrid model

[yuryk]

Dear Community!

A seller from our local store says they have couple of older discontinued Evergreen models that don't have that catalytic converter, but only those re-burn pipes. I have heard that catalytic converter might be a pain to maintain. And I saw couple of posts here where people preferred that older model for some reason. This is not to start a whole heated catalytic converter discussion, but if to only ask about that Lopi Evergreen model, what do you guys think, which might be better to get - a new or an older model of it?

Thank you very much in advance!

 

[Freyja]

Dear Yuryk,

I'm so happy you started this thread!.... Recently purchased an "old" Lopi Large Flush insert non cat unit....I had a VC Winter Warm and cat maintenance was expensive. Many here are quite handy and purchase the catalyst themselves and replace them. I realize they burn cleaner....Plus you may not qualify for bio-mass credit but that was not a determining factor for me...Mfgr's just jack up the cost of their new offerings.

I called Travis Industries and was advised they will still produce parts for their older units. How long? I'm guessing the warranty period...The community and the moderators are great...They helped me adapt using a non cat unit and I am a happy camper. ...My old VC cat was hidden so it was more labor too...

Can't wait to see what people think...Thanks again for starting this conversation!...Good luck with your decision.

 

[bbuszard]

I haven't owned a catalytic stove, so I have nothing useful to say about the comparison. We've had a re-burning Evergreen insert for a year now and we really like it. We don't have to rely on it for our primary heat source, so we opted not to get the blower with it. With the blower it might even have been too much for our small house (~1500 square feet).

Running one load each evening knocks about 1/3 off of our gas bill.

 

[yuryk]

Do you guys know if it's possible to buy a Lopi Evergreen (or other one like Large Flush Wood) with Catalytic Combuster, but then remove the combuster and use it only with reburn for some time? Would it work the same way as the old model? Or will there be some kind of loss of efficiency compared to the old reburn-only model? I'm asking because my first number of burns won't be as professional and I might learn few things about wood, etc. So I don't want to ruin the combuster with not dry enough wood or mistakes along the way. Or if I just don't need the hassle of warming the stove to use the combuster, things like that. Thank you!

 

[joop]

with secondary burn systems you can get away with sub par wood i.e not perfectly seasoned.with a cat iv'e heard there's a chance of thermal shock to the cat if wood is not dry,either way dry wood is were it's at with any new stove there made to burn dry wood

 

[yuryk]

Despite this thread is for Evergreen, since it's goal is to talk about hybrid vs regular reburn Lopi stoves, I would like to share photos of the Large Flush Wood I took in a store today. Before seeing it myself I was under impression that primary reburn systems are identical and the difference is just additional catalytic combuster added. But I figured that such combuster is installed at the cost of removing 2 primary re-burn tubes. I think it's helpful to know when considering these models. In other words, if the combuster somehow breaks, its re-burn system seems to be twice less efficient than the older model.

 

[Fishbum]

I really wish someone had to add to this thread the hybrid version of The evergreen is on my short list

 

[Fishbum]

With the cat so close to the front I'm curious if the flames will curl around and wear it out faster

 

[stoveliker]

My stove has a cat (no secondary burn tubes) that is similarly close - BUT it has a flame shield (metal sheet with holes) in front of it.
Some flames do occasionally bend around the sides of the.shield, and sometimes there are flames solely located between the flame shield and the cat (these are essentially secondaries).

My cat seems to do fine.
But the choice to add a flame shield in my stove suggests it may be better to not have a lot of flame impinging on the cat.

 

[yuryk]

I really wish someone had to add to this thread the hybrid version of The evergreen is on my short list

Me too. But I recommend reading this thread, it has some related information in terms of hybrid vs non-cat.