Regency Hearth Heater vs. Regency I-1200 vs. Plain Ole Stove?

[medora66]

We're continuing down the long and winding (and increasingly COLD) road to a FINAL DECISION.

Here's where we're at now. We could use some more help. We have a small fireplace (with prefab zero-clearance firebox) that can only handle the smallest inserts -- and among those, we narrowed it down to the Pacific Energy Vista and the Regency I-1200. In this category we're leaning towards the Regency because it's got the quietest blower.

BUT -- we are disappointed that we can't get something with a little more gusto. Someone in another topic suggested we consider the Regency Hearth Heater. This is intriguing because we'd be able to get more BTUs/bigger firebox, etc -- more gusto, at least on paper.

Our first question: how much REAL difference would we see in heating between the Hearth Heater and the I-1200?

How close can you sit to the Hearth Heater? We're trying to figure out how much real estate we'd really lose in our living room, between the protruding stove and the heat generation? I'm assuming you'd have to be parked a little further out from the Hearth Heater than a typical insert?

How do the Hearth Heaters look in person? We can't find anyone who has one. I will say that I am not thrilled with the appearance of the I-1200, but was willing to go with it in the end because it's quiet.

Finally -- is it possible to just run a regular woodstove out a fireplace chimney? Do we have that option? If so, is it something we should consider?

Thanks all, your help has been invaluable.

 

[begreen]

Here's a few to take a look at:
https://www.hearth.com/econtent/index.php/forums/viewthread/499/
https://www.hearth.com/econtent/index.php/forums/viewthread/13497/
https://www.hearth.com/econtent/index.php/forums/viewthread/24647/

 

[medora66]

Thanks so much for the links. I guess I could still use help tho with the other questions ...?

And I'm also wondering if there are limitations in running a regular wood stove out a fireplace chimney?

 

[granpajohn]

For some years, I had a great desire for a Regency Hearth Heater. (We have a raised brick hearth FP.) But I determined that it is a rather small firebox.
Download the PDF for the owner manual, (I suspect you already have).

Check the clearance to combustible mantle, and the min size of the hearth. If your hearth isn't raised, as it is always shown in the Regency brochures, it may not work out.

Figure out how you will clean the chimney pipe without removing that big heavy stove every year.

IIRC, the mantle was a problem for us. Same goes for a plain stove on hearth, such as Jotul 400 or 500.

IMO the hearth stove with pipe out the chimney is a very desirable configuration. But it takes a room that will fit it, and we just couldn't make it fit.

 

[fattire]

The hearth heater is a convective stove -- with the blower running there isn't that much radiant heat as compared to our other stove which is a Jotul Oslo. You can probably sit within 3-4 feet of the front if you wanted. The most significant limitation for the firebox is height. The length is pretty good, 18 inch logs are ok. Typically when I want a long burn I put in two logs, that is all that fits, so if possible you'll want them to full length, otherwise if your logs are short you can also fit one short log North/south on the end.

 

[fattire]

If you are lacking on height for a hearth mount, I've noticed that the Jotul F100 (Nordic) has a low exit pipe height. The center of the rear exit is less than 19" with the short legs, and the front to back depth including ash lip is less than 18". I am not familiar with the inside dimensions of the firebox, it looks small compared to the F400 & 500, but maybe not bad compared to Regency Hearth Heater?