Mendota FV 41 vs Heat & Glo Trues series

[ryebread]

Mendota FV 41 is 40,000 BTU with built in fan.
Heat and Glo True 42 is 55,000 BTU with no fan.

How much of a difference does a fan make? Or do the straight convection units (no fan) still produce as much heat as a unit w a fan? First time owning a gas fireplace.

Both look good for gas...

 

[danimal1968]

Input isn't nearly as important a consideration as output. You have to look at the efficiency ratings and then you can figure how much heat you'll get. Unlike most numbers (such as AFUE and steady state) which are established by the manufacturers, the Enerchoice ratings are established by the Canadian government. This is the link to look up products but it is currently down: http://oee.nrcan.gc.ca/pml-lmp/index.cfm?action=app.search-recherche&appliance=FIREPLACE_G

This page will let you look up lists of products by type (freestanding, fireplace, insert): (broken link removed to http://www.enerchoice.org/printable-list-of-enerchoice-models/)

Take the efficiency rating x input BTU = output BTU. Heat & Glo True 42 is 67 percent, so 55,000 x .67 = 36,580. Mendota FV41 is 72.7 percent, so 40,000 x .727 = 29,080.

All these numbers assume you're using NG. THey change a bit for LP. Also more important for LP as right now its running 3-4 times the cost of NG here in Ohio. There's 91,500 BTU in a gallon of LP so running that True 42 at full blast will use a gallon every 1.6 hours.

I'd bet that True 42 would have a higher efficiency number with the fan. Mendota says that if you run theirs without a fan (as during a power outage) it reduces efficiency by 5 percent.

Also note the minimums at which those fireplaces can be run. Looks like the FV41 can be turned down to 13,000 BTU but the True 42 can't go below 30,000. On those mild nights where you don't need a big fire that could make a difference.

 

[ryebread]

Thanks for the info. We will be using propane as NG is not available in my area. Its actually around $1.50 gallon right now, compared to $4.00 last season.

The True 42 doesnt come with a fan unit, where the Mendota does. I understand the rating on them and how much heat they produce, but in my mind one with a fan would be much better? Ive never dealt with a fireplace without a fan/ blower so wasnt quit sure of how great they work to heat a room/ 1st floor. But I guess a wood stove is equivalent as they dont have fan either, yet produce alot of heat. I dont want to get this fireplace and have it not heat the room (20x20 w open floor plan).

 

[danimal1968]

I don't have experience with the True 42 so hopefully someone will chime in who does. I'd still have to believe that 55,000 BTU would hear up the room at least.

 

[Ironhorse74]

Tremendous difference in construction. With Mendota's welded seem construction it is much beefier than the True. P4 or FE efficiency is 72 for the Mendota and 67 for the True. That however isn't the whole story. The FE is an average between the high and the low btu efficiency. The low end is where efficiency suffers. Since the Mendota turns down much farther the average takes a big hit. Take a look at the FV41 MOD, same basic firebox with only a 50% turn down and the P4 is 80.

Brad