Recommended Hearth size for Fisher Grandpa Bear

[Chawk8]

Hello I have been researching what stove to get and decided on an older model stove to heat our home.

We currently have a 1 year old blaze king princess insert that has been extremely disappointing. We have a smaller stove on our 4 seasons porch that does a good job but only lasts about 2 hours. We are replacing it with a Fisher Grandpa that I found online.

I read the manual and I believe it is saying I need 42" from the wall. Is this correct? How big of Hearth have most members been building? My chimney vents through the roof. The stove will be in a corner and I have the option of rear discharge or top discharge. Thanks for all replies

 

[Tar12]

What about the Princess insert that disappoints? Just curious as you don't hear many complaints about them.

 

[Chawk8]

It just doesn't heat our house unless it is 50 degrees out. The colder it gets, the worse it performs. The stove we replaced was almost half the size but heated 100 times better. It's issue was such short burn times. I would gladly sell this princess insert if anyone out there is looking. The company has been there twice and said nothing is wrong.

 

[Tar12]

It just doesn't heat our house unless it is 50 degrees out. The colder it gets, the worse it performs. The stove we replaced was almost half the size but heated 100 times better. It's issue was such short burn times. I would gladly sell this princess insert if anyone out there is looking. The company has been there twice and said nothing is wrong.

My dealer didn't know a damn thing about how a BK needs to be ran or what makes it tick! Did you check here with anyone to trouble shoot your Princess insert? There is something wrong with your set up if your experiencing short burn times!

 

[Chawk8]

It has decent burn times as long as it isn't cold. When it is cold, I have to have the damper open for it to even burn. Otherwise it just smolders. I assume it has to do with the drafting of the chimney or stove. I have messed with it so much over the year that I finally decided to just find an old beast. Which is why I bought the Fisher.

I know another lady in Iowa that has the BK princess insert and she has to burn it with the damper open also or it won't burn hot when the temperature is under 30 or 40 degrees.

 

[Tar12]

Did you double your wood moisture? Sure sounds like its to moist...there is a easy way to check to see if this is the case if you still have it hooked up by running some untreated pine lumber in it.

 

[Chawk8]

Ya I have a moisture tester. I am using much better/dryer wood with this stove than I was with the old one. My wood is under 20%. There is no sizzling. The highest I tested was 18% besides an occasional piece that I will throw in with the dry stuff if I am going to be gone a long time.

My goal is to sell the Princess Insert and put the old stove back in the fireplace insert and use the Grandpa Bear during the day and both stoves during the below zero weather.

Honestly I am more concerned with this grandpa bear. My son is driving to Wisconsin tonight to pick it up. I want to build the hearth this weekend and get that bad boy fired up.

Is there much of a resale market for the BK princess?

EDIT: I have also been cutting a lot of wood. I have about 3 seasons worth sitting that I am not touching this season. I have it covered with a railroad car tarp. I am going to try building a cheap shed to store a years worth. It is mostly oak that has sat for 3 years prior to me splitting it. So I should have better wood each successive season.

 

[bholler]

Ya I have a moisture tester. I am using much better/dryer wood with this stove than I was with the old one. My wood is under 20%. There is no sizzling. The highest I tested was 18% besides an occasional piece that I will throw in with the dry stuff if I am going to be gone a long time.

My goal is to sell the Princess Insert and put the old stove back in the fireplace insert and use the Grandpa Bear during the day and both stoves during the below zero weather.

Honestly I am more concerned with this grandpa bear. My son is driving to Wisconsin tonight to pick it up. I want to build the hearth this weekend and get that bad boy fired up.

Is there much of a resale market for the BK princess?

Do you have a liner hooked to the bk insert?

Yes there is a resale market for bks. They are a very well liked proven preformer that gets very few complaints. So you should have no problem selling it.

 

[bholler]

Also are you testing your wood on a fresh split face? It really sounds like either poor draft or wet wood. How tall is the chimney is the liner insulated is there a block off plate?

 

[Chawk8]

Also are you testing your wood on a fresh split face? It really sounds like either poor draft or wet wood. How tall is the chimney is the liner insulated is there a block off plate?

I appreciate your help. Yes I just test fresh split wood and it was 14-18%.

Chimney is TALL. Not sure how high but I would say 25-30'. I don't know if the liner is insulated or if there is a block off plate.

 

[bholler]

I appreciate your help. Yes I just test fresh split wood and it was 14-18%.

Chimney is TALL. Not sure how high but I would say 25-30'. I don't know if the liner is insulated or if there is a block off plate.

Is there a liner hooked to the stove and run out the top of the chimney

 

[Tar12]

Ya I have a moisture tester. I am using much better/dryer wood with this stove than I was with the old one. My wood is under 20%. There is no sizzling. The highest I tested was 18% besides an occasional piece that I will throw in with the dry stuff if I am going to be gone a long time.

My goal is to sell the Princess Insert and put the old stove back in the fireplace insert and use the Grandpa Bear during the day and both stoves during the below zero weather.

Honestly I am more concerned with this grandpa bear. My son is driving to Wisconsin tonight to pick it up. I want to build the hearth this weekend and get that bad boy fired up.

Is there much of a resale market for the BK princess?

EDIT: I have also been cutting a lot of wood. I have about 3 seasons worth sitting that I am not touching this season. I have it covered with a railroad car tarp. I am going to try building a cheap shed to store a years worth. It is mostly oak that has sat for 3 years prior to me splitting it. So I should have better wood each successive season.

I realize you are interested in the Grandpa Bear but I think it is a mistake to trade new technology for old...that insert should crank if set up properly. The Professionals here will get you lined out for free if you so choose.

 

[Chawk8]

I am going to get the Grandpa Bear but am also very happy to run through some steps with you guys and try getting the Princess working better.

I am not sure if there is a liner hooked up to the stove and ran out the top of the chimney. My son was up there but I haven't been up there since last season. I do know there are two sets of elbows. Once shortly after where the stove exhaust hits the chimney. And 1 shortly before the top of the chimney.

The reason I know this is because I went to clean the chimney this fall and the chimney sweep came undone in the first elbow and it took us hours to finally fish it out of there from the top. My son could hardly get the rod down the chimney without the sweep attached due to the elbows.

 

[bholler]

I am going to get the Grandpa Bear but am also very happy to run through some steps with you guys and try getting the Princess working better.

I am not sure if there is a liner hooked up to the stove and ran out the top of the chimney. My son was up there but I haven't been up there since last season. I do know there are two sets of elbows. Once shortly after where the stove exhaust hits the chimney. And 1 shortly before the top of the chimney.

The reason I know this is because I went to clean the chimney this fall and the chimney sweep came undone in the first elbow and it took us hours to finally fish it out of there from the top. My son could hardly get the rod down the chimney without the sweep attached due to the elbows.

Can you post some pics of the chimney? I dont see how you could possibly have an elbow near the top

 

[Chawk8]

I will try this weekend. I am going up on the roof to clean the 4 seasons porch chimney before hooking up grandpa.

I will also talk to my son tomorrow and confirm what I recall about the elbows about 5 feet from the top of the chimney.

 

[bholler]

I will try this weekend. I am going up on the roof to clean the 4 seasons porch chimney before hooking up grandpa.

I will also talk to my son tomorrow and confirm what I recall about the elbows about 5 feet from the top of the chimney.

That is extremely odd and i would guess probably has allot to do with your problems

 

[royrizzle]

I know you will definitely be satisfied with your FISHER Grandpa Bear....

 

[bholler]

I know you will definitely be satisfied with your FISHER Grandpa Bear....

I would not be satisfied with one in my house at all. They eat wood like mad. And are to big to be run as hot as they should be in most homes. I do have one in my shop now and it is goid in that spot a ton of heat when i need it but i dont have to feed that beast all the time just when i am out there

 

[begreen]

Can you post some pics of the chimney? I dont see how you could possibly have an elbow near the top

The performance problem may be due to a flawed installation of the liner or a compromised liner. Stick with bholler, he knows his chimneys.

Just for some background information. What stove was in there before? And how large a space or house is the insert heating?

Are you able to get the cat up to temperature and are you seeing it fire off once the bypass is closed and does it stay lit?

 

[coaly]

Hello I have been researching what stove to get and decided on an older model stove to heat our home.

We currently have a 1 year old blaze king princess insert that has been extremely disappointing. We have a smaller stove on our 4 seasons porch that does a good job but only lasts about 2 hours. We are replacing it with a Fisher Grandpa that I found online.

I read the manual and I believe it is saying I need 42" from the wall. Is this correct? How big of Hearth have most members been building? My chimney vents through the roof. The stove will be in a corner and I have the option of rear discharge or top discharge. Thanks for all replies

Which Grandpa model do you need clearance for, so I can direct you to the correct manual.
42" is for Model III rear vent, but not a corner installation. 42" is to side wall or other combustible material to the sides on that model in rear vent configuration only. Corner installation with rear vent would be 39 1/2". Top vent Model III would be 36" to sidewall or 36" for corner installation.

Flat top doors or arched top doors and is there a shield with UL tag on the back?
Unless someone cut a second outlet, this could be a Barometric Stove with a top discharge and what may look like a rear discharge which it is not.
They were not made with both. If the top outlet pipe doesn't extend down into the firebox a couple inches it is not correct.

Clearance is the same 36" for a top or rear outlet early Grandpa with flat top doors.