Older Lopi Wood Stove Insert-- help identify?

[chiizus]

Hi all, I'm new here and am posting in hopes that someone can help me identify either the model or approximate time period of my Lopi wood stove insert. It came with our house when we purchased it this past year and we are 99% certain that there is no chimney liner, so we are looking into having one installed.

In short, we're trying to decide if we should keep this insert or purchase a new one when we have the installation done. Financially, it would be better for us to keep this one, and it seems like a nice little insert, but I want to find out all I can before we make a decision and have this work done.

We have had some issues with small amounts of smoke (just enough to smell/get a haze) getting in the house when we run the fan or have the fan vent (which I assume is the row of openings at the top?) open. If those are off and closed, then there is no smoke. (Having the draft open does not cause any smoke issues.) We have had the chimney swept, but they did not pull out the insert (which is how I came to learn about the laws regarding all of this and needing an liner). Thanks to the smoke issue, we have not really been using the insert since the first times when we were trying different things to fix the smoke problem.

Here are a couple of photos.

 

[Freakingstang]

I don't know what that is, but damn I want it!

I like that much better than my lopi freedom!

 

[chiizus]

Well, I'll be darn if after doing numerous searches and looking at numerous old Lopi manuals, I didn't answer my own question. It's apparently a 1982 model, but I'm not sure if it's an X, FL, LX, or SX (which links to this manual on the Lopi site though it is not printed on the manual cover). [Edit: I lied. It's an FL. Had to read the manual more thoroughly the first time, I would have realized I could tell by counting the fire bricks lining the back and sides.] But this is exactly it. Now I just wish it had more detailed instructions. Seems that what I thought were vent holes (since that's where it felt like the warm air was coming out when the blower was on) are a secondary draft. It says the warm air exit is the small open area directly above the insert. Does this mean it just distributes heat through the metal top? Also, any ideas for how to use the primary and secondary drafts properly? The little wood stove experience I have is limited to a giant, OLD, freestanding woodstove we used to use to heat my parents' house when I was younger. It only had one way to open or close the draft.

(broken link removed to http://www.lopistoves.com/TravisDocs/93508014.pdf)

 

[KaptJaq]

There are pretty good instructions on how to use the stove starting on page 10 of the user guide you located. They are probably the best way to start. If you have questions after a few fires following the instructions ask the crew around here. They are always happy to help...

It appears to be a "slammer" install. I am surprised that the sweep did not pull the stove when he did the flue. I would consider either pulling it myself or having someone that is familiar with that type stove come to do a complete inspection. Most people around here suggest replacing this type stove with a newer, more efficient one. Slammer installs can be used safely BUT if you do not follow the instruction manual you can easily have problems. My parents burned a slammer for almost 30 years without a problem.

Air is sucked in by the fan under the stove, goes around the back, and comes out heated just under the top plate of the stove. If you still get smoke out of the secondary holes when following the user guide you may have a draft problem or wet wood.

KaptJaq

 

[chiizus]

The guy I talked to today said that with a stove this old without a liner, they legally can't take it out and put it back in. They can take it out, but not put it back in unless they're doing it like a new install following the new regulations. I didn't know that before, but I'm assuming that's why it wasn't pulled out (I didn't even know it needed to be).

If we add a liner, would this stove be (relatively) as safe as a new one?

PS- You're right... the instructions on page 10 are pretty explanatory. I must have just missed that somehow. I've been reading through dozens of these manuals before I found the right one, so I must have started blanking out a bit.

 

[KaptJaq]

The guy I talked to today said that with a stove this old without a liner, they legally can't take it out and put it back in. They can take it out, but not put it back in unless they're doing it like a new install following the new regulations. I didn't know that before, but I'm assuming that's why it wasn't pulled out (I didn't even know it needed to be).

If we add a liner, would this stove be (relatively) as safe as a new one?

Not sure what the rules are in your area, can you put a location in your signature? When you sweep a slammer a lot of the debris falls down around the stove, Best way to clean it is with the stove pulled. I do not see any type flue collar on that stove. One would have to be customized to attach a full liner...

KaptJaq

 

[chiizus]

Would a more modern stove not require a customized flue collar? What are the other benefits of a newer stove? I see that they're generally considered cleaner and more efficient, but why is that?

The guy coming out next week to do the chimney liner bid is also a sweep and came recommended from a place that sells/installs inserts (said place will not install inserts on pre-existing stoves unless they originally sold it), so I expect he's fairly knowledgeable.

I suspect our smoke problem is somehow related to user error. (But that being said, I would still want a chimney liner installed since it apparently makes it safer.) The previous owners obviously used the stove a lot as was evidenced by the amount of ash in it when we purchased the house. It looked like they burned lots of mail and newspapers in it. I do wonder if that was bad for the stove/chimney. :/

 

[KaptJaq]

Would a more modern stove not require a customized flue collar? What are the other benefits of a newer stove? I see that they're generally considered cleaner and more efficient, but why is that?

Modern stoves are designed to be connected to a lined flue. They usually have an integral flue collar or a series of standard ones that are easily attached to the flue liner. They are more efficient, using about 1/3 less wood for the same heat. They are radically cleaner especially considering particulate emissions. Burn times are usually much longer which comes in handy for 24/7 burners heating their homes.

New stoves use some form of secondary burn technology to burn the smoke as it leaves the fireplace. Some use secondary burn tubes, injecting hot air into the smoke to ignite it. Others use catalytic converters to trigger the burn. The fuel that was lost up the chimney is now converted to heat.

If you read the manual it is fairly easy to slide your unit out of the fireplace, have the sweep do a proper cleaning and inspection, then slide the unit back in and reseal the edge. While it is out you can examine the exhaust port with the sweep to see the feasibility of connecting a liner. He cannot push it back but you should be able to do it.

(said place will not install inserts on pre-existing stoves unless they originally sold it)

Huh? Do you mean they will not install a liner unless they sold the stove? The insert is a type of stove.

KaptJaq

 

[chiizus]

Thank you for all the info. This is good to know.

Regarding the liner, the one place I talked to will not install a liner for a pre-existing stove/insert (i.e., not a brand new purchase from their store) unless you purchased the original stove/insert from their store and have proof of the purchase. Unfortunately, we do not know when or where this insert was purchased as it came with the house. The third party person they recommended will, however, install a liner regardless of where the stove/insert came from.

 

[aussiedog3]

Well worth keeping.
It's a good quality, well built stove.
Similar to my LX model that I found on craigslist.
I bought a stainless flex liner and cap and had my chimney sweep install it.
Only thing I would do differently is go with and insulated liner if you can afford it and have the space for it in your flue.
Nice looking set up.
Way to go.

 

[chiizus]

The guy I talked to said that here the insulated liners are required if your chimney doesn't already have... a special kind of clay tile in it or something. But he said all new construction after 1955 was required to have that. Our house was built in 1956 so hopefully it has what he was talking about and we can save some money in that respect.

 

[Freakingstang]

Well worth keeping.
It's a good quality, well built stove.
Similar to my LX model that I found on craigslist.
I bought a stainless flex liner and cap and had my chimney sweep install it.
Only thing I would do differently is go with and insulated liner if you can afford it and have the space for it in your flue.
Nice looking set up.
Way to go.

Why do you recommend that? i'm getting ready to install mine tomorrow and got some triple wall SS insulated off of CL for about 1/3 of the cost of a flexliner and insulation.

 

[aussiedog3]

Why do you recommend that? i'm getting ready to install mine tomorrow and got some triple wall SS insulated off of CL for about 1/3 of the cost of a flexliner and insulation.

Oh triple wall insulated stainless is way better than my stainless uninsulated flex. For my application I had to use flex and no room for insulation, my 8" flex just fits inside my clay tile lined chimney.
I was just saying that if chiizus has to use flex and has room for insulation, to certainly do the insulated flex.

 

[begreen]

Thank you for all the info. This is good to know.

Regarding the liner, the one place I talked to will not install a liner for a pre-existing stove/insert (i.e., not a brand new purchase from their store) unless you purchased the original stove/insert from their store and have proof of the purchase. Unfortunately, we do not know when or where this insert was purchased as it came with the house. The third party person they recommended will, however, install a liner regardless of where the stove/insert came from.

You do not need that place, cross them off your list. Find a reputable, certified sweep in your area and have them clean, inspect and install. You can locate them via either of these websites; just type in your zip code:

www.csia.org
www.nscg.org

 

[begreen]

Why do you recommend that? i'm getting ready to install mine tomorrow and got some triple wall SS insulated off of CL for about 1/3 of the cost of a flexliner and insulation.

Sounds interesting. Can you provide a link to the product or auction?