Older (1994) Lopi Liberty: a few questions!

[MaybeErnie]

Greetings! I found a listing for a 1994 Lopi Liberty, labeled Model 520-NT. This is a non-catalytic model and does not come with a blower. The listing is asking $2000 which seems very high, but it is in good shape and was apparently used very rarely.

I have a thing for old Lopi stoves, having had one of their older inserts, which is now removed. I like the rustic looks of Lopi stoves and they seem to be sturdily made. This is for a new installation that I've been working on for over a year, building a hearth and wall protection, running double-walled flue and chimney pipe, and so on. If I have the necessary clearances (TBD), are these old Libertys well regarded? If so, I may try to bargain a bit.

Thanks for your help!
Albert

 

[begreen]

Is this a step-top version? IIRC the 520 had no secondary combustion, just a simple firebrick baffle. These stoves are tanks but they are asking about double what it's worth in excellent condition IMHO.

The 520 had side clearances of 43" from the stove pipe and a rear clearance of 15" if double-walled stove pipe connects the stove.

 

[MaybeErnie]

In this image, I can see at least one secondary combustion tube near the top.

 

[MaybeErnie]

43" - yikes! This would be a corner install. Looking at the 520 manual (p. 7), I'm seeing 18-1/2" reduced clearance for "Connector to Corner Wall" if using Duravent DVL pipe. I assume that applies to the chimney clearance all the way from the top of the stove up to the ceiling box, right? I actually may not have that -- need to check.

But yeah, my Lopi affection aside, $2K is way too steep

 

[MaybeErnie]

This is what I see in the manual, if I am indeed looking at the correct manual:
(EDIT: I took a look at the specs in the seller's image of the stove's plaque and they match the ones in the manual image below.)

 

[stovelark]

That is an oldie but goodie. It had the bypass/startup handle to reload/start up stove, I thought that was a cool feature. We wound up going with the Quad 3100 vs the Endeavor from Lopi, but sold a number of LOPIs in my day. They eventually priced themselves out of the store I was at, and Quads sold much better too. The Liberty was quite the heater though. 2000? That sounds kinda high, but stove prices today are kinda out of whack. Good luck.

 

[MaybeErnie]

Yes, I like the stove and I’m tempted to go for it. However, that 18-1/2” clearance spec from the pipe to the corner wall (Measure F in the image above) could be a deal killer. I don’t understand why 18” would be required given that Duravent DVL pipe only requires 6” clearance. I’m still trying to figure that out.

 

[begreen]

The picture helps a lot. My manual is for the 1983 M520. By 1992 the stove was called the 520-96. It had 2 secondary tubes by then. In 1994 the newer model started being called the Liberty with 3 secondary tubes. I'm surprised it was still also carrying the 520 designation. My guess is that the NT model designation was for "new tech".
Back then the tubes were not stainless steel and burnt out after several seasons. The replacement tubes are stainless and long lasting.

Yes, I like the stove and I’m tempted to go for it. However, that 18-1/2” clearance spec from the pipe to the corner wall (Measure F in the image above) could be a deal killer. I don’t understand why 18” would be required given that Duravent DVL pipe only requires 6” clearance. I’m still trying to figure that out.

The stove is highly radiant so the side corners need good clearance. In this case that is dimension 'C' or 7" with the rear heat shield on the stove.

 

[MaybeErnie]

I hate to keep asking about this old Lopi Liberty, but I'm wondering if anyone could comment about the overall quality/efficiency of these big ol' steel stoves vs. newer model stoves. That is, if could snag this Lopi Liberty at a reasonable price (still negotiating) would it be comparable to what I would have with a newer non-catalytic stove (maybe a Drolet or Pacific Energy in the sub-$2000 range, or would the Lopi likely be far inferior in terms of performance? I ask because so many people seem to be really fond of the old (but UL-listed) Lopis, Fishers, and other legacy stoves rather than buying into a newer stove.

 

[begreen]

If this is the 3 tube version of the Liberty, then it is an efficient EPA stove and a workhorse. The Liberty Nex-Gen hybrid is more efficient, a slightly larger firebox, and it's cleaner burning, but also more complicated and higher maintenance due to the addition of the catalytic convertor to further clean up emissions. In between 1994 and 2025 the main change was the addition of 2 more secondary tubes for more complete secondary combustion.

Besides wondering about the internal condition and the tube question previously mentioned, the main issue I would have with this older Liberty is the price. If better efficiency in a big, non-cat stove is the goal, one can buy a new Drolet Escape 2100 or HT-3000 for less than $2000.

 

[MaybeErnie]

Thanks for your input!

Yes, the price is the sticking point on this one, but the seller is willing to negotiate so we’re kicking it around again. I’ll bargain a bit to see where it goes and then move on. I’ll definitely check out the Drolets.