replacing a combifire 1 or 2

[smallvthouse]

I'm looking for a stove that will give me just a little more umph than my beloved Combifire. Not sure whether it is a 1 or 2. The Combifire has been easy to start, easy to run, and I've been able to heat through most of the night; but I need a bit more heat for my 800 sq ft Vermont house with lots of windows.

I'm not clear how other small/medium size stoves compare in terms of BTUs (not on the manual for the Combifire), or how my old stove's performance might compare to newer more efficient designs. I'm thinking that the Jotul Nordic will be too small. How might an Intrepid 1640 compare? Or Jotul 3CB?

 

[begreen]

I would be looking at bigger stoves than those two, something in the neighborhood of 2 cu ft. There are many options. What is the budget? Do you only want a cast iron stove or would a steel stove also work? Or soapstone like a Woodstock Fireview perhaps?

Take a look at the Enviro Boston, Jotul F45, Quadrafire Explorer II, Pacific Energy T5. These are all steel stoves with a cast iron jacket. In straight cast iron look at the Jotul F400, Hampton 300, and Hearthstone Shelburne.

 

[smallvthouse]

I would be looking at bigger stoves than those two, something in the neighborhood of 2 cu ft. There are many options. What is the budget? Do you only want a cast iron stove or would a steel stove also work? Or soapstone like a Woodstock Fireview perhaps?

Take a look at the Enviro Boston, Jotul F45, Quadrafire Explorer II, Pacific Energy T5. These are all steel stoves with a cast iron jacket. In straight cast iron look at the Jotul F400, Hampton 300, and Hearthstone Shelburne.

Thanks for the quick reply! I know that I do not want a soapstone - I need something that will heat up faster. This will be the only heat source in the house; I'm often gone long enough that it gets cold - including leaving for a few days and letting it freeze.

I don't know much about steel stoves. Most familiar with my Combifire, a Jotul 602, and a Hearthstone Pheonix. What are the advantages? Or the advantages of steel with a cast iron jacket?

I think I could spend up to about $1000 on the stove.

 

[begreen]

Cast iron stoves and some steel stoves can be strongly radiant. This can warm up nearby furniture and walls quickly. Radiant stoves in my experience are good quick heaters, but they can also have more noticeable temperature swings between loading. A cast iron jacketed stove is a radiant stove inside, but the mass of the cast iron jacket slows down and absorbs some of that heat making the sides cooler. These stoves heat up the area most quickly with a blower once the stove is hot. The advantage is the heat is released more evenly as the fire dies down so room temperature swing is less apparent. This softening of the heat is nice once you get used to it and it's nice to wake up to a warm house.

That said, for your need a radiant stove may be best if bringing up the house from freezing. $1000 will buy a simple steel stove. The Englander 13NCi and Drolet 1800 would be in that price range. Or there was a very nice Jotul F118 that was possibly going up for sale mentioned in the classics forum recently, though I think it was in North Carolina.

 

[smallvthouse]

Been combing Craigslist and just found a Jotul #8 with the airwheel in the front Might this give me enough heat? Read somewhere that someone got an 8 hour burn out of it, which makes it look good to me

It needs glass for the door How hard would it be to find this?

 

[begreen]

If it has the spin-type draft wheel it's an original Jotul 8. That was a decent simple heater of medium size. It's not an exceptionally efficient stove but if it's in good condition and the price is right then it will get the job done.

 

[smallvthouse]

Wow! You are so impressively fast and informed! THANK YOU

What exactly do you mean by "get the job done"? Would this be better or worse than the 118 that you suggested? And in what way? Would it be less efficient than my Combifire 1?

How/where do I find the glass for the stove door?

 

[begreen]

It will be "different" burning than the the combifire or 118 due to the very different firebox configuration. I think the 118 will burn a bit longer and may extract a bit more heat due to the long log load design and baffle, but without any fireview.

The glass can be cut at any good glass shop that sells neo-ceram or robax glass or it can be ordered from https://www.woodmanspartsplus.com/

 

[smallvthouse]

excellent

thanks!

 

[begreen]

It seems like the goal is to replace the stove with another old Jotul stove. Is that correct?

 

[Ashful]

I love the looks of Jotul stoves, and the 8 is an old beauty. But if I actually needed it for heat, I’d favor a new 30-NC over the old Jotul 8. See another thread, just posted within the last hour, on finding parts for old Jotuls.

I used to run multiple old Jotul Firelight 12’s. Beautiful stoves, but I twice missed most of a heating season, due to waiting on parts shipments from Scandinavia. Some parts are NLA, on those old Jotul 8’s, so you could be SOL if something fails.

 

[begreen]

Fortunately the original series 8 stove is simple and Woodmans stocks the basic parts. For 800 sq ft the 30-NC could be too much. I think a 2 cu ft stove would be a better fit. Something like the True North TN20 should work well. The Englander 13-NC would also work, but I prefer the TN20 firebox square firebox.

 

[smallvthouse]

Yeah, I'm partial to Jotuls, since I've lived with 3 of them so far And, I'm partial to buying used - both for cost as well as the "virtue" of reusing something That said, I'm willing to consider other stoves, too I almost bought a used VC Encore, but someone else snagged it before me I'll look at the Englanders and Drolet more closely

The True North looks great, but it is too deep for the hearth and spot that I have

 

[Ashful]

Fortunately the original series 8 stove is simple and Woodmans stocks the basic parts. For 800 sq ft the 30-NC could be too much. I think a 2 cu ft stove would be a better fit. Something like the True North TN20 should work well. The Englander 13-NC would also work, but I prefer the TN20 firebox square firebox.

Good points. The original 8 is simple, but let’s not forget the later versions of the 8 were catalytic stoves. Be sure it’s an early pre-catalytic version.

 

[begreen]

Good points. The original 8 is simple, but let’s not forget the later versions of the 8 were catalytic stoves. Be sure it’s an early pre-catalytic version.

It is if it has the spin-draft wheel as smallvthouse indicated.