Torn on the Expedition II - looking for alternatives

[manmeetgarden]

We’ve been running our Quadra Fire Expedition II all day every day since we had it installed at the end of November last year. It’s been doing a decent job heating our 3100sq ft home. Most days it keeps the first story between 71-75. There’s a couple of things about this stove that are giving me some buyers remorse. The main one being the burn times. I’m having to reload it roughly every 2-3 hours to get usable heat out of it. Longest burn I’ve gotten was just under 4 hours without having to use kindling to get a new load burning. Yesterday the temps here dipped just below freezing and I had to reload it 9 or 10 times. Overnight burns are not possible. I’ll finish this season with this season but am considering other options for next year.

My question is…

Would I have better luck burning 24/7 with a free standing stove instead of a flush insert? This would require some masonry work but I’m okay with that. I’d like to rely less on the blower anyway. The brick fireplace where the insert installed is the only option for a stove installation in our home. I’d probably need to look for a rear vented unit to get the stove to stick out of the firebox?

 

[NorthernFireplaceFool]

You should be getting longer burns out of that stove. My Regency is only 1.3 cu ft. and I get 3-4 hours with usable heat. I am actually able to reload at bedtime and still have coals to light in the morning. Is the wood dry enough to really turn back the air to get a longer burn? Love the Klipsch cameo with the fireplace! I am usually a grills on type person.

 

[begreen]

Flush inserts are less radiant than inserts that project out onto the hearth, but before condemning the Expedition it would help to know how tall is the flue liner on this insert? Is there a block-off plate in the damper area?
How is the insert typically loaded? How much wood per load, how full, and how thick is the firewood?

Is there room for a larger insert in this fireplace?

 

[manmeetgarden]

You should be getting longer burns out of that stove. My Regency is only 1.3 cu ft. and I get 3-4 hours with usable heat. I am actually able to reload at bedtime and still have coals to light in the morning. Is the wood dry enough to really turn back the air to get a longer burn? Love the Klipsch cameo with the fireplace! I am usually a grills on type person.

This stove doesn’t have an air control unfortunately.

Heh thanks, the Klipsch are great speakers.

 

[manmeetgarden]

Flush inserts are less radiant than inserts that project out onto the hearth, but before condemning the Expedition it would help to know how tall is the flue liner on this insert? Is there a block-off plate in the damper area?
How is the insert typically loaded? How much wood per load, how full, and how thick is the firewood?

Is there room for a larger insert in this fireplace?

The liner is around 20-24 ft. There is no block off plate, never actually gave that any thought.

Normally loaded east-west. I’ll put a few small splits north south if they fit. Most fuel is 14-16” long and 4-6” diameter. I’ve tried loading it all kinds of ways. Three or four splits seems to be the happy medium. Packing it full will tend to turn it into an inferno.

Fireplace opening is 40w x 23h x 25l.

Temps on the front top left of the stove run between 300-400 most of the time.

 

[begreen]

If this is an exterior wall fireplace then a block-off plate can help deliver a lot more heat into the room instead of warming up the chimney. That however, will not help with the burn rate which on this stove is fixed. If the liner is 24ft which will help provide strong draft, but may also be part of the issue.

Talk with the dealer about options. The 23" height will be the limiting factor. A freestanding stove won't work with that low lintel, but there are larger inserts that provide greater manual air control and longer burntime.

 

[manmeetgarden]

If this is an exterior wall fireplace then a block-off plate can help deliver a lot more heat into the room instead of warming up the chimney. That however, will not help with the burn rate which on this stove is fixed. If the liner is 24ft which will help provide strong draft, but may also be part of the issue.

Talk with the dealer about options. The 23" height will be the limiting factor. A freestanding stove won't work with that low lintel, but there are larger inserts that provide greater manual air control and longer burntime.

I’ll look into the block off plate, thanks for the suggestion… can’t turn down more heat in the living room.

Why’s the flue height limit free standers? I’m curious

 

[stoveliker]

No, the 23 inch tall lintel is the limitation,not the 24 ft flue height.

If it is low, the exhaust of a freestanding stove may be too high to be connected to the chimney. (Can't angle downward...)

 

[begreen]

I’ll look into the block off plate, thanks for the suggestion… can’t turn down more heat in the living room.

Why’s the flue height limit free standers? I’m curious

The lintel height determines what will fit in the space. 23" is fairly low. The chimney flue liner height is important in understanding the potential draft strength. That could be related to the strong burn and short burn times.

 

[jalmondale]

Is the opening 23" high, or 23" vertically from the floor in front of it? From counting bricks, it looks like you might have more total vertical space available than just the 23" opening. If you were ok building out the hearth in front, you could set a stove there, which would give you more rear venting options.

 

[manmeetgarden]

Is the opening 23" high, or 23" vertically from the floor in front of it? From counting bricks, it looks like you might have more total vertical space available than just the 23" opening. If you were ok building out the hearth in front, you could set a stove there, which would give you more rear venting options.

The opening is 23” tall.

The lintel height determines what will fit in the space. 23" is fairly low. The chimney flue liner height is important in understanding the potential draft strength. That could be related to the strong burn and short burn times.

That’s interesting, never really thought about the chimney draft making it burn hot.

 

[vbu]

I reload mine about every 2-3hrs, and I can only heat the downstairs of my 3300sq ft house. Our house was built in '68, and I think the insulation has deteriorated a lot over time, and there's air leaks I need to work on. Heating this house seems a lot worse than cooling it, for some reason. We get really hot summers and really don't have problems cooling the house.
Anyway, I can do overnight burns, meaning there's enough coals left in the morning to get the fire going again with some kindling.