Lopi Revere as a free standing fireplace?

[01smokes]

Hey guys long time lurker and first tie poster. I've had great luck so far by just reading but now I have a question.


So now I just got a used Lopi Revere insert and would like to use it as a free standing woodstove. I had some legs that I took off a Lopi pellet stove and looks like they are gonna bolt right up and be good to go. Also robbed the door off the pellet stove so I'll have a extra door if I want to go to the pewter trim instead of the gold that is currently on the Revere.

So my question is will there be any diference is performance or is it not recommended to use a insert as a free stander?

 

[Big Dan]

With all due respect, that's a very stupid idea. I'm sure somebody will tell you why.

 

[fire_man]

I don't know what the inspection and permit process is like in NM, but I doubt your setup would ever get approval and your insurance company might not be too happy. I doubt an insert would be approved by the manufacturer for use as a freestanding stove.

Stoves are tested for a particular installation and then listed for such use.

 

[01smokes]

With all due respect, that's a very stupid idea. I'm sure somebody will tell you why.

Couldn't you just tell me why? Or is it because you don't know?

 

[01smokes]

I don't know what the inspection and permit process is like in NM, but I doubt your setup would ever get approval and your insurance company might not be too happy. I doubt an insert would be approved by the manufacturer for use as a freestanding stove.

Stoves are tested for a particular installation and then listed for such use.

I'm pretty much in the wild west man, im WAY out in the sticks. I just put Abq, NM because it's the town that people would know somewhat about but I'm about 100miles from town.

Anyway I've been reading more and more and I tried to call the stove dealer today but was put on hold for awhile so I'll call back tomorrow. But from what I can see and what I read. The Revere and the Republic 1750i are the same other than the door on the Revere is a better quality door, and they make a Republic 1750 in a freestanding stove. And it looks identical to what I have now that I put the legs on the Revere. But thank you for your reply!

 

[BrotherBart]

Probably is the same stove in two versions if the insert had the leg mounts. Who knows? But nobody here can bless the installation safety wise. All we can tell you is that it will get just as hot inside or outside of a fireplace. And more heat will get into the room if it is outside the fireplace.

Your call. Good luck.

 

[Big Dan]

Couldn't you just tell me why? Or is it because you don't know?

technically you could do it it would work but you would never get it passed inspection. your best bet is to put that thing on Craigslist and use the money to get a nice free stander. but I bet you're already thinking of doing that. peace out man when I say "you could do it" I don't mean you should.

 

[fire_man]

01Smokes - Please post back if you do find out more info on your suggestion to run the insert as a freestanding stove - I admit I have wondered myself what are the technical details of such a conversion.

I'm not sure the stove dealer is the right place to ask (many are just salesmen), I would personally want to speak with an Engineer from Lopi, if that's even possible.

 

[Big Dan]

Taalk ing about engineers and chit. what about building inspectors fire codes insurance agents and you posted publicly so if you do have a fire.......

 

[fire_man]

I'm all for the safety inspections, but as the OP pointed out, in some areas of the country they have not even invented building inspectors yet! Sounds like he is in one of them. In our area of the country (North East) inspectors sometimes seem to make their own rules and cost us unnecessary expenses. But at the end of the day hopefully there is a signed permit. I'm not sure if that's true 100 miles from Albaquirky.

 

[01smokes]

01Smokes - Please post back if you do find out more info on your suggestion to run the insert as a freestanding stove - I admit I have wondered myself what are the technical details of such a conversion.

I'm not sure the stove dealer is the right place to ask (many are just salesmen), I would personally want to speak with an Engineer from Lopi, if that's even possible.

Well on my Revere it has places for the legs to bolt right up, I bolted the legs right up and it's a free standing now lol. If you were to look at it you wouldn't know the diference between my stove and a Republic 1750 other than the "fancy" door that came on it. I also just got off the phone with a Lopi dealer and they told me that the fire box is identical between the Revere and the Republic 1750 and the republic 1750i. So that being said I'm gonna go through with it and instal it. It's gonna be replacing the old Ashley I've had for years. I'll post up pics when I'm done with it on here.

 

[yukiginger]

You got some pretty baseless negative posts here. Lots of the manufacturers used to market their inserts as useable as freestanders or inserts. Many manufacturers still make very comparable inserts and freestanders (ever compare the specs including firebox dimensions on one brands inserts and freestanders)? In many cases the insert is just the freestander with a (possibly additional) metal jacket around the stove body (with some gap for air). This is to capture the hot air which the blower then pushes out along the top or wherever the exit is. If you follow the same clearance recommendations what could possibly be the issue on an install? Removing the jacket or outside panels is another issue, as that clearly makes it a high clearance stove, and the required clearances might not exist from the maker. I removed the side panels on an old Lopi freestander that I had and I'm sure there was no stated spec given that modification, so an inspector would not have cleared it. It was in an unfinished basement with nothing around it to but concrete slab and concrete block and it was well-spaced at that.