Most efficient woodstove suggestions?

[vanhoesenj]

I thought someone might have asked this question, but I searche for "most efficient" and "woodstove" and no luck. Most stoves are in the 68-73% efficiency range, at least that's what I've been looking at so far. Anything with a higher efficiency? I'm looking for something to replace my old VC Vigilant... I have a 1400 sq.ft house, the VC is heating the whole thing right now but tearing through wood. It's not as air tight as it used to be, could rip it apart, but looking to add something a little nicer.

So any thoughts or suggestions?

Thanks!
cheers
J~

 

[wg_bent]

How about a new VC Defiant. One of the lowest polluting stoves out there and darned fine looking to boot.

 

[elkimmeg]

the VC encore and defiants everburn are the cleanest Stoves ever tested by the EPA Aproaching 82% and less then 1.2 grms per hr

 

[MountainStoveGuy]

one constant that is tested by a third party is GPM or grams per hour, the less it pollutes the more gasses its burning, and one can argue, the most efficient its running. Most stoves are 4 grams or less, so one that is .8 is more efficient then one that is 1.2. BUT, and this is a big but, old stoves were in the 60 gpm range. So the difference of one that puts out 4 gpm vs 1 gpm is not that big of a concern. So i guess what i am saying, is that buy what you like, most stoves made today are with in spitting distance of being the same burn efficiency. I would look at material and budget. Material being cast, soapstone, and steel. They all have there advantages and disadvantanges, once you figure out what material suits your needs then decide on if you want a stove that runs on a catalyst, or a secondary burn system.
hope that helps.

 

[Rob From Wisconsin]

All are correct in using the GPM stat as a general meter for
"efficiency". But, efficiency can mean different things to different
people. On the "older" stoves (pre-EPA), they would often tote
75-90% efficiencies, but they were looking at how much of the
stove's heat got into the room, and not how much of the wood/smoke
was burned.
Also, it is possible to get a very low GPM, but get less heat out of your
stove due to increased firebox insulation (more up the chimney).
I guess, to make a long story short, when one takes efficiencies into
account, you need to look at EPA GPM's & heat output (stove design)
to get the best bang for your buck.....

Rob

 

[Martin Strand III]

"Efficiency" in wood burning devices involves understanding the below, but is, for most, not practical in making a decision on which stove to purchase.

Types of Efficiency:

1. Combustion efficiency
2. Heat transfer efficiency (thermal efficiency)
3. Linearity of output
4. Partial charge efficiency

However, if you mean "clean burning", modern pellet stoves and masonry heaters top the list. But most any Phase II modern wood and/or coal burning metal stove will do just fine. You may find it helpful to browse this forum and avoid models which seem to be associaated with problems and are mentioned frequently.

Overall, I recommend finding a local dealer who carries models which appeal to you esthetically, are sized correctly to heat the desired area in your home, make your choice and get on with it.

Aye,
Marty

 

[Rhone]

I'd like to know what how overall efficiency is tested. My wife and I have a unit with a single lever control, sounds simple enough. But, I know how to get the kindling going with minimal smoke, how best to stack the wood inside, when to turn it down, and where the sweet spot is to net me the most efficient fire and miles per gallon. My wife, oh boy. She likes to put in a single piece of kindling, about half a phonebook of paper, put the logs on top with no care to placement or air flow, light it all at the same time and leave the door open about 30 minutes, and she leaves the air handle on max air until she's warm, then turns it too far and extinguishes the flames when she's warm enough. All sorts of smoke comes out the flue until she feels the need it's time to warm again and turns the air back on max.

This is the same unit, in the same situation, same wood, used by 2 people, who have totally different habits, and there's only 1 lever. With our unit rated at 73% efficient, I'd love them to test how efficient my wife does per burn. I've pretty much deligated the handling of fires to myself. On the occasions she comes home early and I unaware I can usually tell when I pull into my neighborhood and see it smothered in smoke she's home early!

 

[BrotherBart]

I'd like to know what how overall efficiency is tested. My wife and I have a unit with a single lever control, sounds simple enough. But, I know how to get the kindling going with minimal smoke, how best to stack the wood inside, when to turn it down, and where the sweet spot is to net me the most efficient fire and miles per gallon. My wife, oh boy. She likes to put in a single piece of kindling, about half a phonebook of paper, put the logs on top with no care to placement or air flow, light it all at the same time and leave the door open about 30 minutes, and she leaves the air handle on max air until she's warm, then turns it too far and extinguishes the flames when she's warm enough. All sorts of smoke comes out the flue until she feels the need it's time to warm again and turns the air back on max.

This is the same unit, in the same situation, same wood, used by 2 people, who have totally different habits, and there's only 1 lever. With our unit rated at 73% efficient, I'd love them to test how efficient my wife does per burn. I've pretty much deligated the handling of fires to myself. On the occasions she's home and I'm not... I can tell she's handling things when I pull into my neighborhood and see it smothered in smoke.

Yep. I think all of those numbers go out the window when you aren't in a burn lab with the guy that designed the stove running it with 15 pounds of bone dry doug fir in a stove that was meticulously inspected before being hauled to the test lab.

Talk about "Your mileage may vary"!

 

[MountainStoveGuy]

i gave up along time ago with trying to figure out there numbers. I look at firebox size and GPH. that will usually tell the tale.

 

[BrotherBart]

But MSG, doesn't everybody run their stove the same way? That is to say:

" A fire is started with kindling and paper. A preload consisting of 2x4’s at least 1/3 the length of the test load pieces and roughly the weight of the test load is then placed in the stove. The air controls may be adjusted, the door open or the coal bed raked during the preburn. At least 1 hour before the test load is inserted the air controls may not be adjusted. The coal bed may be stirred at any time until 15 minutes before the test run. During the last 15 minutes of the preburn the door can only be open for 1 minute to rake the coal bed.

The test load is inserted when the weight of preload in the stove is 20 to 25% of the test load weight. The scale is adjusted so that the weight is at 0 pounds. The test load is then loaded in the stove within 1 minute. During the first 5 minutes of the test the air controls, fan, and door may be adjusted according to the manufacturers written instructions. After 5 minutes nothing can be adjusted until the end of the test is reached. This occurs when the weight of the wood has returned to 0 pounds. (One stir is allowed after 60% of the test load has burned and the test load weight has not changed .1 pound or 1% of the test load over a 10-minute period, but the door may be open only for 15 seconds during the stir)."

That's how we do it here. Of course that scale to sit the stove on in the fireplace cost a fortune.

 

[MountainStoveGuy]

LMAO
yea sure!

 

[Martin Strand III]

Rhonemas:

"Overall efficiency" is 1. x 2. (see below). This term (overall efficiency) still does not characterize all aspects of "efficiency" (hence, 3. and 4. below).

Types of Efficiency:

1. Combustion efficiency
2. Heat transfer efficiency (thermal efficiency)
3. Linearity of output
4. Partial charge efficiency

As has been stated, numbers in themselves for these catagories are perhaps only important to a research lab and should have only some limited "real world" importance for one interested in burning a stove in his/her home.

Aye,
Marty