New Morso 2110 lacking heat output

[Treeplantr]

I am hoping there will be someone who can help me troubleshoot the lack of heat output from my new Morso 2110. I replaced an old Lange stove just recently with the Morso.

The dealer set me up with some very nice 6" insulated stovepipe which I installed with the stove. There is about 2' of stovepipe exiting the top of the stove, an elbow, then into the insulated thimble. The thimble empties into a clay lined chimney.

Having spent the weekend experimenting with my new stove, I was disappointed to find that it would not throw heat! The external thermometer showed the top plate of the stove reaching 500-550F but you had to be within 2' of the thing to feel the warmth! The old Lange would bake an acorn squash at 6'! (it felt like it would) A thermometer placed about twelve feet away in our 12x20 Kitchen wouldn't break 62F this weekend.

Not having very much experience with the newer, more efficient stoves, I think that my heat is going up the chimney. I have a very, very strong draft in my chimney. Once the fire is started and thoroughly underway, I close down the primary air inlet. The secondary inlet (which cannot be adjusted) lets air in at just short of a whistle. I can see the air moving very briskly through the fire? Even with a 2" thick bed of cherry red coals and 2 good size logs blazing, the kitchen does not warm up. Where is all the heat going? The same fire in the Lange would have heated the house!

Given this scenario, does anyone have any thoughts on my situation?

 

[wendell]

The first question I would have is your wood. The new stoves will not work well with less than optimum wood unlike the stove you replaced. I have a Morso of about the same size and it heats great. If your draft is too strong you may need to install a damper to slow down the heat loss.

 

[begreen]

We installed this stove in a friend's yurt a year ago. It takes the 24' yurt up about 15°F/hr running at full tilt when the yurt is starting out around 40°F . The stove top is running about 600-650 °F during a hot burn. Try letting the Morso get hotter to see if you're more satisfied with its heat output. You will need to feed it more frequently, but the stove will happily run at a higher temp and will put out a lot more btus than when run at 500 °F.

That said, it is a small area heater. I wouldn't be surprised if it was rated at about half the btu output of the Lange. They are completely different designs and I believe the Lange could hold more wood, no? I'm also wondering how large a total area is being heated. Is the kitchen a closed off space or is it open to other rooms?

 

[Treeplantr]

Thanks for the feedback. Good points. To answer some questions:

Wood is at least two years aged and in good shape. Maple mostly with some birch and oak mixed in. The kitchen area is the primary area being heated. I close the door to the dining room so as not to influence my thermostat for the oil fired furnace which takes care of the further reaches of the house. There is a hallway near the stove that leads to the other side of the house. It is an antique cape and is by no means open concept. Surely this stove should heat my kitchen right?

The Lange really took care of the kitchen and if kept stoked around the clock would have an effect on the rest of the house (1800 sqft). Without knowing much about the actual specs on the Lange, I guess that I was suprised at the heat output of the Morso based on the size of the fire. That same fire in the Lange was more than enough to get things heated up. I really think that there might be something to the idea of a damper. Having operated a more primitive stove for many years, I am suspicious of all the extra air being drawn in to the Morso (much that I cannot adjust). It is clear in watching the fire that a lot of oxygen is being introduced into the combustion chamber which in my experience means HOT!

I will try running it hotter and see if that changes things. I will try to find out more about a damper. Thanks.

 

[precaud]

I would be careful about trying to get the stovetop temps up too high on the 2110. By design, the top plate shouldn't run as hot as many other stoves. Like most Morsos, the primary air ducts run directly under the top, which essentially provides an insulation layer. Pushing the temps too hard will result in warping of the cast iron piece which forms that air channel. (The voice of experience speaking here...)

 

[G-rott]

Treeplantr,

My 2110 likes to run in the 500-600 range then drop down to 300 or so before re-loading. I can run it right up to 650 or so when I really want the heat but then it runs us out of the stove room. The stove does take a while to heat up, 30-40 min. If I had to guess. It never really cools down all the way during the heating season.

I also had a hard time getting heat out of the stove, until I put an inline damper. Now it heats well.


Garett

 

[Treeplantr]

Great feedback. Thanks.

I did wonder about getting a true temp reading from the top of the stove. It seems that with the steel baffling, insulation layer, etc that the reading would be less than say the front or sides which is where the heat seems to come from. I would say the top plate is significantly cooler. I will be careful. I did try pushing it past 600 but do not see how I will be able to safely do it on a steady basis. The firebox will need to be crammed all the time and it seems like that would be pushing it.

Good call on the damper, that will be my next stop.

 

[begreen]

We may be measuring temps at a different location. My friend's thermometer is located to the right of the flue. Here's a picture.

 

[G-rott]

I'm getting my reading just in front of the collar with a top exit pipe setup like the stove pictured.

Garett