NZ3000 - Regrets or Concerns?

[Cobber]

Gentlemen, I'm new to the site but not new to wood burning. I've been heating my home (Ont, Canada) for the past 13 years with th Pacific Energy Super 7 Insert and it works great!! "Old Bessy" has always kept us warm.

We are doing some major remodeling including ripping (re-surface) out the old brick old fireplace
which currently houses the PE insert.

Here's the plan:

- Remove old brick, heatilator and PE insert
- Install new NZ3000 with NZ64 blower (shift FP southwards a few inches)
- Frame and re-surface with vaneer split field stone.
- Below my boys are holding scale size poster of the NZ3000

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My questions is for existing NZ3000 owners. Do you have and regrets or concerns with this product?

Here's the "con's" I've discovered;

- glass gets dirty quickly
- doors may not seal together properly
- messy
- poor Napoleon support
- expensive

"Pros"
- looks great
- kicks out the heat
- looks great

I would welcome any comments concerns. Thanks!

 

[ScotO]

Welcome to the site, Cobber! Well, I was in the same boat a couple years ago (even before I found this forum), when the wife and I fell in love with the NZ3000. We looked at the Quad 7100, the Kozy Heat, and others, but none had the old fashioned charm that the NZ did. We did look at some online reviews (even creeped around in this forum before joining), and we already owned the Napoleon in the kitchen (1900p) which we really love too, so it was pretty much a done deal.....we bought the unit.

It took a while to find the right place to buy it from (our local dealer here in central PA is an ASS, pardon the French) so we looked all over and found that Bob at Fireplace Warehouse in Denver, CO was a great guy to deal with, so we bought it from him. Yes, it's an expensive stove, so it had to sit a while before I could muster up the finances to install it. Eventually, I got around to installing it and here's the thread on how we did ours.....

https://www.hearth.com/talk/threads/building-the-hearth-for-my-napoleon-nz3000-what-a-quest.74273/

We have the optional NZ64 blower kit, but I built my own central air kit from commonly available parts for a much cheaper price than Napoleon (only do this after research and with the know-how to do it).

Finally got the stove completed on Christmas Eve, and we do love the heat it puts out! But as you mentioned, the glass is giving me trouble and I am totally confident it is the leaky center gasket where the doors overlap in the center.......just a lousy fit from the factory.

I plan on installing a new gasket on the center sill that is one size bigger diameter than the factory gasket. I have yet to do that, but I think it will solve the problem. We have been building some hotter fires and the black glass dissappears, gets totally clean again, with a good hot fire like that. But the center gasket leaking doesn't allow the air wash to function properly, which leads to the black glass on low burn fires....

I LOVE LOVE LOVE the heat that baby puts out......it's really an amazing heater, very capable of heating our entire house if needed.....as for the looks of the unit, I think they can't be beat. Lots of pics of my install in the post above....

If you need any other advise or help, feel free to post here or PM me a message.....there are others here with that stove and we'd be glad to help in any way we can....

 

[Cobber]

Hi Scotty, I was hoping you would reply as I've been reading most of your threads (including post above)! You're a big inspiration to my NZ3000 selection!

I agree and think the NZ3000 is the way to go.

Where did to mount the NZ64 blower? This is a critical factor for the wife. Our current insert blower noise drives her batty, however without the blower operating we don't get near the same heat output. I really like the NZ64's ability to remotely located away from the fireplace............ that's actually how I got the wife to splurge for the NZ3000 vers purchasing a new PE insert at half the price (Alderlea T5 made by PE).

 

[ScotO]

Hi Scotty, I was hoping you would reply as I've been reading most of your threads (including post above)! You're a big inspiration to my NZ3000 selection!

I agree and think the NZ3000 is the way to go.

Where did to mount the NZ64 blower? This is a critical factor for the wife. Our current insert blower noise drives her batty, however without the blower operating we don't get near the same heat output. I really like the NZ64's ability to remotely located away from the fireplace............ that's actually how I got the wife to splurge for the NZ3000 vers purchasing a new PE insert at half the price (Alderlea T5 made by PE).

I mounted the blower in the basement, away from the living room. You can hardly tell it is running that way......eventually, I will be pulling air from the backside of my house (the kitchen), so it will be even further away. Honestly, the remote blower is the way to go, you'll love that option. Like I said, all of these fireplaces have pros/cons.....it's all in what you want in the end. Shop around, but make sure to check with that place in Denver. PM me for the specifics......

 

[ScotO]

Here's a pic of my fireplace cranking out some heat on a load of elm.......to get you stoked up. That fireplace will look nice in your room. What are you going to face it with, stone or brick?

 

[WISCO]

Hi Cobbler. I don't know if it's too late or not but I just built a new house and had a nz3000 installed along with an nz26 in the basement. I have had lots of trouble with the 3000. Every time I closed the doors the fire would snuff out even with the air control all the way open. I was told I wasn't getting the fire hot enough, or that I was using bad wood, or that the site was not good for establishing draft. I told them the wood burned fine in the basement unit so it couldn't be the wood or the site, and that I had a fire going with the doors open for about 4 hours and still could not close the door. The installer finally came and burned a fire themselves and agreed something was wrong with the unit as they never had any problems with the nz 3000. They disconnected the air control box so that the 3" intake pipe was totally unrestricted which did allow the fire to burn with the doors closed. It still required a lot of tinkering and any log that was not super dry meant I had to leave the door cracked for 5-10 minutes or it would smoke up and shut the thing down. I also had a lot of issues with smoke puffing into the room every time I re-loaded. They told me a dealer rep was coming to take a look cause everyone was stumped, they even called the manufacturing engineers. The dealer rep finally showed up a few weeks later, they reconnected the air control and started a fire with the finest driest wood I had (basswood) which burns like crazy anyway. Just my luck we had 20 mph sustained winds so my barren hilltop home site was basically a wind tunnel. They lit the fire and left the doors cracked for about 45 min. feeding it as necessary. Finally they closed the doors and it maintained a roaring fire for the next hour or so. They said it just needed more time to preheat, and that was the problem. I left to go shopping and a couple hours later when I got home I just had some coals and had a very hard time getting a new fire going. It is possible to get a decent fire in the unit, but it takes a lot of time and tinkering. I was under the impression that the $6500 unit would allow me to heat the house AND do other things, but it appears that maintaining a fire in the unit requires a lot of attention. I am fairly busy so a 45 minute start up time and constant re-stoking every 30 minutes is not very desirable. If I were to do it again, I would go a different route. It does look good, but for me function comes first. With some help from Scotty, I am holding out hope that some intelligent tinkering may alleviate some of the problems, but I feel that shouldn't be required with such an expensive unit.

The smaller nz 26 I have does burn well, even the occasional damp or punky log. It seems like a lot of the heat generated goes right out the chimney, but it is in the basement where its pretty cold to start with. I have gone through two door handles on that unit though, so even there I haven't been too impressed with napoleons products.

If I am too late with this advice let me know how your unit is working or if you have similar issues. Anyone else have these problems and found a solution?

 

[Cobber]

Hey Wisco, thanks for reply. YOU ARE LUCKY AS I HAVE A EASY SOLUTION. I had same problem when closing the doors.......... fire went out like a light. i was getting worried as damper had no affect on the burn, only by leaving the doors slightly open would allow for it to burn.

Well, this was just unacceptable and also a safety hazard. I had a gut feeling something wasn't right so I decided to completely dismantle the stove and find out exactly how it works.

Guess what I found, see pic. What the hell is this? This plate is located between the air-box and 3' hose flange. See how much it restricts the air flow Here's what to do, 1st remove this plate and disgard..... 2nd, look on the bottom of the flange connecting the 3" hose.... it has the same size opening, take a hand grinder and cut-out a square approx 2" by 2" (same size as air-box opening). Reassemble (less that dam plate) and you're done........ now damper works like its suppose too.

I've found that even with this fix, still need to crack door open for 5 - 10 minutes when first starting or re-starting. once roaring, close doors and leave damper wide-open.......... fire dies down slight but soon comes back.

Lastly, my door handel threads we too long and bent when tightly closing the doors. cut approx 1/2" off the ends or until the black spacer becomes snug when screwing the handles back on.

 

[ScotO]

Hey Wisco, thanks for reply. YOU ARE LUCKY AS I HAVE A EASY SOLUTION. I had same problem when closing the doors.......... fire went out like a light. i was getting worried as damper had no affect on the burn, only by leaving the doors slightly open would allow for it to burn.

Well, this was just unacceptable and also a safety hazard. I had a gut feeling something wasn't right so I decided to completely dismantle the stove and find out exactly how it works.

Guess what I found, see pic. What the hell is this? This plate is located between the air-box and 3' hose flange. See how much it restricts the air flow Here's what to do, 1st remove this plate and disgard..... 2nd, look on the bottom of the flange connecting the 3" hose.... it has the same size opening, take a hand grinder and cut-out a square approx 2" by 2" (same size as air-box opening). Reassemble (less that dam plate) and you're done........ now damper works like its suppose too.

I've found that even with this fix, still need to crack door open for 5 - 10 minutes when first starting or re-starting. once roaring, close doors and leave damper wide-open.......... fire dies down slight but soon comes back.

Lastly, my door handel threads we too long and bent when tightly closing the doors. cut approx 1/2" off the ends or until the black spacer becomes snug when screwing the handles back on. View attachment 97726

I noticed that lousy draft slot, too, cobbler. Great pic and description on how to add some draft to the stove. I will be doing this modification on my NZ3000 for sure.

Did you have any trouble with the door latch mechanism destroying the door gasket at the bottom of the door? I noticed that the washer that is welded to the latch rod (to retain the rod in the latch lever) would 'drift' out a little, and that washer would catch the gasket when opening the doors. To remedy that gremlin, I tack-welded a washer on the other side of the rod, so it cannot move in and out.......still functions as it should, but it cannot drift towards the door gasket anymore....
If I think of it, I'll take pics of it tomorrow afternoon and post them.

These NZ's are by far the prettiest ZC fireplace on the market IMO, but they have their share of gremlins. We'll work together to get them figured out....

 

[Cobber]

Hi Scotty, no problems with my door latch that I noticed............. I'll double check though.

Speaking of gremlins, I have the NZ64 blower kit and it stays one way too long after the fire burns down. I tried adjusting its thermodisc position, but still sucks. I replaced the thermodisc to Cut-out Temperature of 200 ° (factory is 90)............. now cuts out nice, but on flip side, takes too long to kick-in. I may try moving thermodisc from the bottom to side or top.

Anyone else concur this gremlin?

All-in all, NZ3000 is very sexy machine and really kicks out heat.

 

[ScotO]

Hi Scotty, no problems with my door latch that I noticed............. I'll double check though.

Speaking of gremlins, I have the NZ64 blower kit and it stays one way too long after the fire burns down. I tried adjusting its thermodisc position, but still sucks. I replaced the thermodisc to Cut-out Temperature of 200 ° (factory is 90)............. now cuts out nice, but on flip side, takes too long to kick-in. I may try moving thermodisc from the bottom to side or top.

Anyone else concur this gremlin?

All-in all, NZ3000 is very sexy machine and really kicks out heat.

I have mine wired on a switch, and I bought a slider-type rheostat switch for it. I can turn it down to a really low speed with that switch......

 

[ScotO]

Hey Wisco, thanks for reply. YOU ARE LUCKY AS I HAVE A EASY SOLUTION. I had same problem when closing the doors.......... fire went out like a light. i was getting worried as damper had no affect on the burn, only by leaving the doors slightly open would allow for it to burn.

Well, this was just unacceptable and also a safety hazard. I had a gut feeling something wasn't right so I decided to completely dismantle the stove and find out exactly how it works.

Guess what I found, see pic. What the hell is this? This plate is located between the air-box and 3' hose flange. See how much it restricts the air flow Here's what to do, 1st remove this plate and disgard..... 2nd, look on the bottom of the flange connecting the 3" hose.... it has the same size opening, take a hand grinder and cut-out a square approx 2" by 2" (same size as air-box opening). Reassemble (less that dam plate) and you're done........ now damper works like its suppose too.

I've found that even with this fix, still need to crack door open for 5 - 10 minutes when first starting or re-starting. once roaring, close doors and leave damper wide-open.......... fire dies down slight but soon comes back.
o
Lastly, my door handel threads we too long and bent when tightly closing the doors. cut approx 1/2" off the ends or until the black spacer becomes snug when screwing the handles back on. View attachment 97726

Cobber, I took a little time last night and tore the faceplate off of the NZ. Took the air controller apart and performed the modification....



I had intended, when I first installed the fireplace, to tear that apart and see what was restricting the airflow. I have no frigging idea why in the hell they have it restricted so badly there!! As you can see from my tape measure, that draft hole is ridiculously small for a firebox the size of the NZ.



I will say that if anyone else performs this modification on their NZ, take your time and do it right. There are TWO spots that are restricted, as seen in the pictures. The part where the 3" air tube outlet is attached take some care and time to cut properly, so as not to ruin the glance where the tube attaches to it.. I used a cutoff wheel on my 4" grinder and also a 1/8" carbide burr bit on the Dremel.....worked like a charm!



The difference is literally AMAZING. The fire acts as it should now. The air wash for the glass is noticeably better, and when the doors are shut the fire doesn't get choked out.....

Great find, Cobber! Thanks for sharing with me!

 

[Dieselhead]

Hi Scotty, no problems with my door latch that I noticed............. I'll double check though.

Speaking of gremlins, I have the NZ64 blower kit and it stays one way too long after the fire burns down. I tried adjusting its thermodisc position, but still sucks. I replaced the thermodisc to Cut-out Temperature of 200 ° (factory is 90)............. now cuts out nice, but on flip side, takes too long to kick-in. I may try moving thermodisc from the bottom to side or top.

Anyone else concur this gremlin?

All-in all, NZ3000 is very sexy machine and really kicks out heat.

old thread, but what the heck.

I completely rewired mine getting rid of that thermodisc and stock fan speed controller for the same reason. Now i control the fan when it comes on, when it goes off. I have the fan on a timer. 2,4,6, or 8 hours, then after that have a fan speed switch all fit into a double gang box on the wall to the right of the stove. I can grab a pic if ya like. the door switch still kills it when I open them.

May look into the plate mod as listed on here, also have to look into the center seal like everyone else. does not pass the match test. what size rope did you guys use, or did you mod it another way to get it to seal well?