Regency F1100 to 1996 Hearthstone Phoenix

[johnnyjump2]

Will placing a soapstone piece ( 26" x 16" x 1.5") which would entirely cover the top surface cause any issues with over heating /cracking of the original topstones? The '96 Phoneix has no thermal board under the top stones.

The facts: The Regency (1.4 c.f.) was a perfect little stove with a central location and stacked 14' double straight up. Her 24/7 running temps were 300 - 500. She was a real sweetie heating up my 850 sf. Then I saw a picture of Phoenix, she was a country girl in perfectly new condition for $1100 with pipe. She was young and beautiful enamal green and too hot for me. I couldn't or wouldn't stop myself. Now the faithful Regency sits cold in the garage.

The Phoenix is one hot beauty. Every night she wants to hit it 500-550* I will only load her half or less to keep her around 450*. No air leaksn no cracks or loose bolts or gaskets or doors or inlaws. She shuts down when I close her air intake. Hearthstone customer service answered all questions the next day-thank you Jim Cassivant.

Can I keep her firebox hot but reduce/delay her heat output by adding the additional soapstone to her top?

 

[DAKSY]

Hey, johnnyjump2...

Hearthstone customer service answered all questions the next day-thank you Jim Cassivant.
Can I keep her firebox hot but reduce/delay her heat output by adding the additional soapstone to her top?

I don't think it'll change anything, but your best bet would be to ask Cassavant...
He's forgotten more about Hearthstone units than the rest of us will ever learn!

 

[Highbeam]

Instead of a band-aid, perhaps you should try and figure out why you are losing control. My heritage is pretty similar to your phoenix and will only run up to 450 if the air control is shut off. When you say there is no thermal board under the top stones, do you mean there is no baffle/thermal board at all? My stove also has no insulation on the bottom of the roof. So how long is the actual chimney from the top of the stove to the cap? It sounds like 14' but I can't be sure from your post. If you are losing control with a 14' chimney then you have an air leak or malfunctioning air control lever.

I don't think you will gain anything substantial with the extra thermal mass in regards to overfire. That stove looks too good to booger up with a big chunk of rock setting on top.

Jim C really helped me out too. An enormous asset to his company.

 

[johnnyjump2]

Highbeam thank you for your response.

The stove: Phoneix starts, burns, and heats just as it should to heat 1500 to 2000 sq ft. It heats to 550* within an hour if desired. Metalbestus HT double 14' collar to cap straight up. Active burning with 2/3 air = 450 - 550*, coaling with 1/3 air = 350 - 400* and air closed shuts her down. She burns hot according to Hearthstone bulletin # 21 (2002) which calls for 300 - 375* for the Phoenix. Above the 3 air tubes are fire brick with a full blanket on top of them. There is no thermal board under the top stones as in the newer model H.P. stoves.

The house: 1940's 850 sq ft. all new windows and doors, R30 in the attic, 0 in the walls and not drafty. With Seattle weather (3839 heating degree days) the house can heat and hold 80 -90* easywhen we drop "down" into the 20's for a week or two.

I know the stove is designed for a house 2 - 3 times my little 850 sq ft. If I went new, or could trade stoves, a Homestead would be the one. To try and make the Phoenix I have work I am thinking of adding a damper. Also I was given two pieces of cut and polished soapstone (wrong sized counter tops). They match the stone in the Phoenix and the smaller or the two fits exactly across the top of the Phoenix like it was made for it. For slower heat up and longer overnight heat release I am thinking.

Hearthstone Master Technition Jim Cassivant has been out of the office for the week, I will bother him for insight also.

 

[Highbeam]

Sounds like the stove is working fine, but you're getting more heat than you want due to the smaller home. You won't be able to keep the phoenix at 300-375 when loading it for a long burn. I have this problem too and I think it is typical of modern non-cat stoves. Because there is a minimum air setting that lets quite a bit of air to the fire, the lowest burn setting is determined by the fuel load available and not so much the low air setting. Meaning, if I stuff my firebox full for a long burn like overnight, then the stove will be at 450+ nomatter where the air control is set.

That's a lot of heat and sometimes too much like last night when it was 77 in the house and we were about an hour from going to bed, 40 outside and the stove was at 400 with coals. I had to load it up for the night burn and despite shutting the stove air off, the temps rose to 475 and the house was 80 inside.

This is the nature of non-cat modern stoves. They burn hot and then glide down to coldness, you refire and then glide again. More cycles on colder nights. The soapstone helps extend the glide.

I have not tried a flue damper on my 14' chimney but I think that if I used one to slow things down that I would quickly get a dirty burn and dirty chimney. Oh, I have a soapstone kettle on my stove that acts like thermal mass I suppose. If you already have the stones then I would give them a try, can't hurt anything.

My stove was new two years ago and there is nothing directly under the roof except a stainless steel flame shield in the middle. No insulation of any sort except the actual baffle which is fireboard and rests on the tubes.