My HI300 Story

[NickSch]

About a month ago I walked into a fireplace store hoping to find a new set of inexpensive doors for my fireplace. A day later I walked out of that same store the proud owner of a $4000 (fully installed price) Hampton HI300 (Oversized) insert. I had never seen Hearth.com before, but I spent the 24 hours between first seeing the unit and purchasing it researching many of the posts in this particular forum. Thanks all for a lot of valuable advice. (I'm still amazed that there's a whole room dedicated just to firewood.) I just wanted to relay a couple of my installation particulars for any other newbs looking for comfort from a fellow newb.

The installation was pretty bad. The two guys who did it were nice enough, but they couldn't adjust the unit correctly (the HI300 oversized takes a bit of work to get right), and also missed a lot of details I would have preferred. They didn't put in a block off plate (they stuffed the damper with insulation), and didn't put any kind of block off plate at the top of the chimney. Again, just more insulation stuffed between the vent pipe and the flue. They also didn't fully connect the insert pipe to the unit itself. It was connected using the flue connector, but was kind of hanging there; the pipe wasn't fully inserted in the insert collar.

The dealer said he would send the manufacturers rep out... but....being a perfectionist, I decided to fix it myself. I pulled the unit out, took the panels apart, and basically put it back together correctly (lots of trial and error and looking at the manual.) I also fixed the flue connector. Lots of wrestling with the pipe, but it eventually got in there, and a couple of sheet metal screws and some tape should keep it there. I decided to forgo the block off plate. In a perfect world it would be there, but the chimney is internal (no external wall), and I'll put some sort of block off on the top of the chimney once I can on the roof without freezing my tail off.

Now for the good part..... in spite of no block off plate, WOW does this thing put off some heat! In spite of using half-seasoned wood (yeah yeah, i know, but its all i've got), my wife is already complaining that its too hot in the family room. I haven't even fully loaded it yet. Still taking it slow for the first couple of fires. I've also noticed its much more efficient, and the logs last a lot longer. And, it really does look fantastic.

There's my tale. Thanks to all for educating someone who was totally ignorant when it came to fireplace inserts. I still just know enough to be dangerous, but I'll keep coming back to Hearth.com as I figure out how to get maximum performance out of this thing.

 

[EatenByLimestone]

Good to hear it's working well. When you go to run a brush down the chimney, put the block off plate in. I don't think you'll be disappointed. An easy way to think about it is you can be lazy with the plate in. You don't have to freeze your tail off as much getting wood! :lol:

Matt

 

[tutu_sue]

I have a friend interested in that unit with the oversized surround. Can you post a picture?

 

[High_Iron]

glad your happy. I have mine cooking right now. it sure does throw heat.

Here is a pic of mine with the regular surround. just picture it bigger.

 

[Marsh]

NichSkch,
YOUR STORY IS IDENTICAL TO MINE!!

I installed the insulated liner an d decided to pay for the Hampton I1300 insert install. Retrailer said they have anther company install it and has been doing for 22 years. I am going to post the full details, but the install was a nightmere. I just finished re-doing the complete installation. All of your comments were identical to mine including, they wanted to use an aluminum piece of 4" pipe from the insert to my 6" liner, the dorr rubed on the hinge side, they used no a drop of calk, did not secure the liner to the stove, don't think they knew what insulation was, used a hammer on the cast iron to "get it to fit".
Now the big question, you you happen to live in the Dayton area. Just wondering if it was the same incompetitent clowns?

 

[hockeypuck]

Just glad I could do the install myself. Hope it all works out. By the way, I am going to post a new thread on my HI301 now that I have some miles on her.

 

[NickSch]

Yes.... I'm in Dayton (south Dayton actually).

I got the same story (we've been using them 20 years, blah blah blah). I think there's a good chance it was the same two guys.

Did you buy it in Centerville?

 

[JeffT]

Nick and Marsh,I'm also in south Dayton and looking at the Hampton.What dealers are in the area.I will definately be doing my own install.I have a Quad Cumberland Gap that I installed in my fireplace last fall. While it works like a champ,we feel an insert would look better.

 

[BucksCounty]

My buddy just called me yesterday and wanted suggestions for getting "a good looking insert" for the fireplace in his new house. I told him this is the one to get. I haven't really heard anything bad about this particular insert.

 

[Marsh]

NickSch,
I sent you a private message (PM). Yes, purchased the stove at Morgans in Centerville. So everyone knows, they did not do the install.

JeffT, One is Morgans Fireplace and Spa in Centerville, Vonderharr in West Chester. I chose Morgans because they were closer to me (Vandalia). I think I have visited every FIreplace shop in a 50 mile radius of Dayton. Vonderharr's seemed very knowledgable and it is all they do. I would also recommend Dayton Fireplace Systems if you are interested in Quadra-Fire. THe guy I spoke with seemed like a seasoned veteran. Buck Stoves of Fairborn have Jotul and he was very informative but overworked. If you go with Morgans, DO NOT LET THEM INSTALL!

 

[JeffT]

I sort of know the dude in Fairborn(grew up there,had friends that worked there)and looked at Jotul+Bucks before i bought the quadrafire.Would like to have an insert I can load north to south,at least 16" deep,how deep is the hampton.

 

[NickSch]

Yes, I bought it at Morgan's also. I thought the deal was fair, and everyone there was nice and responsive; its only the install I had a problem with (which was outsourced). I should have been suspicious when they quoted an install price without asking a single question about my particular fireplace or house configuration.

All that said, I love the unit. It looks fantastic, and I'm sitting 10 feet away from it as I type this admiring my secondary burn. A week ago I didn't even know what a secondary burn was, and my family is already sick of me talking about it. The complaints continue though -- its now too hot in the family room! Success!!

I would buy from Morgan's again; i'd just make alternate install arrangements. As to the specs, its 17 inches deep (according to the specs). You can download them from the Hampton website; they pretty much tell you everything you'd want to know.

 

[hockeypuck]

I sort of know the dude in Fairborn(grew up there,had friends that worked there)and looked at Jotul+Bucks before i bought the quadrafire.Would like to have an insert I can load north to south,at least 16" deep,how deep is the hampton.

The HI300 will take a 18" north/south. It is a very deep fire box for an insert.

 

[JeffT]

Yes, I bought it at Morgan's also. I thought the deal was fair, and everyone there was nice and responsive; its only the install I had a problem with (which was outsourced). I should have been suspicious when they quoted an install price without asking a single question about my particular fireplace or house configuration.

All that said, I love the unit. It looks fantastic, and I'm sitting 10 feet away from it as I type this admiring my secondary burn. A week ago I didn't even know what a secondary burn was, and my family is already sick of me talking about it. The complaints continue though -- its now too hot in the family room! Success!!

I would buy from Morgan's again; i'd just make alternate install arrangements. As to the specs, its 17 inches deep (according to the That 17" is from the back of the surround to the back of the insertspecs). You can download them from the Hampton website; they pretty much tell you everything you'd want to know.