I'm in the market for my first Wood burning insert. My local shop sells Pacific Energy brand and the sales guy was really pushing the Super Insert LE. Anyone here have experience with that stove? What do you think of it?
Pacific Energy Super Insert LE
- Thread starter Obie458
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Mike M.
Feeling the Heat
I don't have that specific model but do have a PE FP30 unit. Burned it 6 winters in Wisconsin so far and it needed absolutely nothing but good wood and an occasional cleaning. Its been very reliable, fans are quite (I recommend variable speed) and the stainless baffle system is awesome. Only downside is dealer support here, we have one but they do okay. Hopefully they stay in business! I also had a Napoleon 1402 insert and that was solid also but slightly less robust compared to my PE.
buc74
Burning Hunk
I had the PE Summit for a few years. Pretty much the same as the Super only the box is a little wider. Good stove, no issues. Very easy to draft and operate.
![[Hearth.com] Pacific Energy Super Insert LE](https://www.hearth.com/talk/data/attachments/277/277074-3f7b5c3d9991572a002eb1f9ca49b2c6.jpg?hash=9LiabZ2KTe "[Hearth.com] Pacific Energy Super Insert LE")
Member @Dix has the predecessor of this insert, the Pacific. Same insert basically. Good, low maintenance heater. It works well with shorter 1 story flue systems.
How does the PE super compare to the vermont castings montpelier ii? I like the looks of the montpelier but looks aren't everything. Reliability, heat output, etcetera. Thanks.
The Montpelier II is a new design this year. It is a fixed burn rate insert. Early reports have been favorable. I agree that it is good-looking. It's a flush insert which will be more dependent on the blower to heat. The PE design has been around for much longer which was tweaked for 2020 compliance. It projects more onto the hearth which helps it heat radiantly and convectively. Internally the PE has a better design than tube stoves in my opinion. It uses stainless steel components and has a tough integrated secondary baffle system that is easier to maintain. The Montpelier has a fragile baffleboard in comparison. The Montpelier's firebox is wider than deep making it primarily an E/W loader. The PE Super has a square firebox that can be loaded E/W or N/S.
I was looking at the Pacific energy website and I saw the Alderlea T5 insert. I like the looks better that the Super. Is there a big advantage to the cast iron vs steel? I also really like the look of the majolica brown color but I'm not sure if it's worth the extra cost? The insert is sort of a centerpiece in the living room so looks are somewhat important. How does the brown finish hold up over time?
The cast iron jacket will soften the radiant heat output a little, but not as much as on the freestanding T5. It's mostly for the traditional look on the insert. I agree, the brown majolica looks good. The finish will hold up well as long as it is not hit frequently with a heavy tool like a shovel, poker, or ash rake. It's easier to clean and keep dust-free than the painted surface.
For what it is worth, I have been burning wood for over 40 years and thought I knew quite a bit until I discovered this site only about 6 months ago.
I have had the PE super 27 freestanding since 1997 and it has worked well for me at our cottage.
Last December I purchased a PE Summit LE insert for our primary house and with the help of this site was able to make excellent decisions with regards to my installation that I would not normally have thought of. I was going to purchase the super insert, but with a lot of reading decided on the summit. I do not regret it as it has considerably more firebox area than my super 27, which although the summit is more expensive has provided that measure of easier loadings and more heat if required.
As far as my chimney brick exterior chimney was concerned, I was just going to run a stainless steel liner up the existing clay flue tile. More investigating on this website, convinced me - although at greater expense and more work - to break out the old clay tile liner, install a block off plate in the chimney throat and insulate the stainless liner with Thermix. This procedure although more work, provided me with excellent chimney draft, less heat loss to the brick chimney structure, less undesirable chimney liner creosote and provided a UL-1777 compliant chimney installation. Do not cheap out on the chimney setup.
As far as the Summit LE is concerned, in the 4 months I have operated it, I know I made the right decision.
All the best.
I have had the PE super 27 freestanding since 1997 and it has worked well for me at our cottage.
Last December I purchased a PE Summit LE insert for our primary house and with the help of this site was able to make excellent decisions with regards to my installation that I would not normally have thought of. I was going to purchase the super insert, but with a lot of reading decided on the summit. I do not regret it as it has considerably more firebox area than my super 27, which although the summit is more expensive has provided that measure of easier loadings and more heat if required.
As far as my chimney brick exterior chimney was concerned, I was just going to run a stainless steel liner up the existing clay flue tile. More investigating on this website, convinced me - although at greater expense and more work - to break out the old clay tile liner, install a block off plate in the chimney throat and insulate the stainless liner with Thermix. This procedure although more work, provided me with excellent chimney draft, less heat loss to the brick chimney structure, less undesirable chimney liner creosote and provided a UL-1777 compliant chimney installation. Do not cheap out on the chimney setup.
As far as the Summit LE is concerned, in the 4 months I have operated it, I know I made the right decision.
All the best.
Mike M.
Feeling the Heat
So you plan to purchase or make your own wood? Either way I would suggest that be done ASAP! Any new style stove you will want a minimal 12-24 months of wood drying time. That means split, stacked, off the ground, in the sun and wind. One year drying will get you by to start, 2 year drying is ideal. When I got my 1st insert I was not well prepared. Another item is make sure your wood is cut to 16in for the insert. 18in might be okay, but longer might be hassle to recut.
Thanks Mike. I've been cutting wood for my parents 1980's wood furnace for years. That furnace will burn anything once it gets going. It also eats through wood like craze. Typically 8-10 cords a winter. I've heard the new stoves are a lot more finicky and the wood really needs to be dry. I lucked out and a friend has several cords of 5+ year old wood stored in a large wood shed and she offered it to me. She's in her 70's now and has moved on the pellets. I'm currently cutting some ash and red oak and hoping to burn it in the winter of 22-23. The wood at my parents was always stored stacked but uncovered and open to the elements. I'm planning on building a covered woodshed but if lumber prices keep going up I'll need to take out a loan to afford it . K
Thanks Dredge, I'm in the beginning stages of looking still. The summit was also on the list to look at. The house is around 1,300 square feet and I actually prefer the temp in the lower 60's so I was afraid I'd overheat with the bigger stove. Although I guess I could just add less wood? Also thanks for the installation advice. I've got a brick chimney with a clay liner. I really know nothing about installation but I'd like to learn and do it myself. How did you go about breaking out the old clay tile liner?
Obie 458,
The PE Super I was telling you about is at my cottage and I installed at the time an insulated chimney that goes straight up from the stove. It gets cleaned once a year and I generally get a cup or two of soot when it’s swept.
My house is about 1200 ftsq, about 50 years old with an exterior brick chimney. The old fireplace opening is in the basement, so the total length of liner worked out to about 22 ft. I had the required opening to accommodate either the super or the summit.
The chimney, in my case, turned out to be the challenge. I could have run the 5.5 inch stainless steel liner up the old clay liner and called it a day, however after some further research, I reconsidered this option. This option was the cheapest and easiest, but at the end of the day, I did what I thought was safer and better. In our area the chimney needs to pass a WETT inspection and part of that includes the requirement for the chimney to meet certain clearances from combustibles, among other things. I couldn’t guarantee the required clearances so I opted to insulate the liner with Thermix.
In order to do this and meet clearances I had to remove the old clay liner. It had several cracks anyway. I used a special tool, which is essentially a whip chain that is driven by a 1/2 inch drill. Mine broke out easily, but I had to block off the fireplace opening.
With the chimney liner removed I had the required clearances, with the addition of the Thermix. To use the Thermix you will need to install a block off plate of some sort in the chimney throat as to support the Thermix when it’s poured in.
In my case doing it this way:
- provided required chimney clearances and peace of mind
- Thermix provides some structural and liner support to the chimney interior
- insulates the chimney cavity and doesn’t allow heat to flow up the exterior of the liner.
My installation passed inspection and has worked well, however if there is a negative, I feel my chimney draft is definitely higher than ideal, which seems to be a common complaint with these set ups. I learned to regulate the stove to my advantage. The larger firebox is very advantageous.
As a disclaimer, this isn’t technical advise or support but simply a description of my installation. Building codes could vary vastly between our two areas. Get someone to give you the right advise for your area before attempting any sort of work.
Best of luck.
The PE Super I was telling you about is at my cottage and I installed at the time an insulated chimney that goes straight up from the stove. It gets cleaned once a year and I generally get a cup or two of soot when it’s swept.
My house is about 1200 ftsq, about 50 years old with an exterior brick chimney. The old fireplace opening is in the basement, so the total length of liner worked out to about 22 ft. I had the required opening to accommodate either the super or the summit.
The chimney, in my case, turned out to be the challenge. I could have run the 5.5 inch stainless steel liner up the old clay liner and called it a day, however after some further research, I reconsidered this option. This option was the cheapest and easiest, but at the end of the day, I did what I thought was safer and better. In our area the chimney needs to pass a WETT inspection and part of that includes the requirement for the chimney to meet certain clearances from combustibles, among other things. I couldn’t guarantee the required clearances so I opted to insulate the liner with Thermix.
In order to do this and meet clearances I had to remove the old clay liner. It had several cracks anyway. I used a special tool, which is essentially a whip chain that is driven by a 1/2 inch drill. Mine broke out easily, but I had to block off the fireplace opening.
With the chimney liner removed I had the required clearances, with the addition of the Thermix. To use the Thermix you will need to install a block off plate of some sort in the chimney throat as to support the Thermix when it’s poured in.
In my case doing it this way:
- provided required chimney clearances and peace of mind
- Thermix provides some structural and liner support to the chimney interior
- insulates the chimney cavity and doesn’t allow heat to flow up the exterior of the liner.
My installation passed inspection and has worked well, however if there is a negative, I feel my chimney draft is definitely higher than ideal, which seems to be a common complaint with these set ups. I learned to regulate the stove to my advantage. The larger firebox is very advantageous.
As a disclaimer, this isn’t technical advise or support but simply a description of my installation. Building codes could vary vastly between our two areas. Get someone to give you the right advise for your area before attempting any sort of work.
Best of luck.
A but late, but I am quite fond of my PE.
Solid heater, low maintenance, decent burn times and heat output.
PAbeech
Burning Hunk
Just purchased a summit le insert to replace my old zero clearance insert. Going to be heating my 1700 sqft home here in north east PA. Paid 2850 with the liner kit free shipping. Wish me luck
