US Stove Wonderwood 2601

[BoulderDash]

Hello!

I'm new here and looking for information on a US Stove Company "Wonderwood" Model 2601. The model number is hard to read so I could be off, looks to be 2601 though.

I can't find any info on BTUs. Does anyone know this stoves output?

Also, everything I read on how to operate a stove has to do with stoves with a glass door where you can monitor what the flames look like - are there any good threads on stoves with no glass?

We can't get this stove to keep us warm through the night!


I'm asking because we're using this stove as our primary heat source through the winter in a one room schoolhouse circa 1850. The windows are the original single panes and we've sealed most of them with plastic to insulate better, but it still gets very cold at night. Located in OH.

I really appreciate any help! Thank you so much!

 

[Woody Stover]

Doesn't sound too promising. I might get a "value" EPA stove like an Englander 30-NC or similar, if you can swing it. Of course, if you don't have wood to burn that has been split and stacked in the wind for a couple of years, heating with wood will be difficult no matter what stove you have.
https://www.hearth.com/talk/threads/wonderwood-circulator-wood-heater.50609/
https://www.hearth.com/talk/threads/wonderwood-i-know.93410/

 

[begreen]

A more modern Wonderwood, the 2921 was rated at about 15-54,000 btus.

What is the wood supply like? Was the wood split and stacked a year or two ago and fully seasoned?

Also, how high are the ceilings? If very high (12 ft or more), it's possible that most of the heat is stratified up high. If so a fan blowing up from the floor or a ceiling fan will help stir the air up a bit.

 

[BoulderDash]

What we've got for wood is (I believe) from a mill. Lots of flat sided slabs and lots of thin sides cut off of logs. I don't believe it is seasoned at all.

What does a cord of firewood go for? Can you buy it seasoned or do you need to buy it a couple years in advance?

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[begreen]

That wood is probably not going to put out much heat and will really gunk up the chimney fast. Be careful there and check it for build up frequently. Wood prices and quality of seasoning vary a great deal with location. A cord of wood could go from $150 to $300 depending on location and suppliers. A lot of wood that is sold as "seasoned" is not. Your best bet might be to get some ash that was cut and split in the spring or some kiln dried wood. Just be careful. If the chimney is already coated with creosote then a sudden hot fire can ignite it causing a chimney fire.

Check with your neighbors if they buy wood, check craigslist and local listings for seasoned wood. When the delivery comes, check it before they start unloading. Take an axe or maul and resplit a couple of the thicker pieces. Press it up against your cheek. If it is wet or cold and damp then it is not fully seasoned. If you bang the two pieces together listen. Do they go thud (wet) or do they give off a low musical note (dry).

If you can bring in some of the slab wood indoors it may dry faster, but it will still take a while.

 

[BoulderDash]

Thank you so much!

Let's say that I wanted to replace the current stove with that Englander - other than the stove itself, would I need to buy anything else?

I imagine needing some stovepipe because of the current side-exit exhaust vs Englander's top-exit.

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[begreen]

The Englander will put out more heat using less wood, but it is going to be more fussy about the wood quality that's being burned. With dry wood it's a real workhorse. As for the installation, it depends on how safe the current installation is and the location of the thimble (chimney connection) on the chimney.

 

[edyit]

also keep in mind the R value for the hearth on any new stove you install, some only need spark protection others require a decent R value

 

[BoulderDash]

Also, how high are the ceilings? If very high (12 ft or more), it's possible that most of the heat is stratified up high. If so a fan blowing up from the floor or a ceiling fan will help stir the air up a bit.

Just saw this question - the ceilings are appx 20 ft high.

Old one room schoolhouse, woodburner piped into original chimney.


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[moresnow]

20' ceiling! Likely rather cozy up there. Be nice if a local experianced OH member could chime in/perhaps stop over to advise. Or possibly look into having a professional sweep come out to verify the safety of your setup and give you some direction. Your doing this correctly by asking many questions here. Good luck.

 

[Woody Stover]

woodburner piped into original chimney.

Does the pipe just go into the chimney and stop, or is there a 6" stainless liner all the way to the top? If the pipe stops after entering the chimney, are there clay liner tiles in the chimney? If so, what are the dimensions of the tiles, and how tall is the chimney? If there is no liner and the chimney area is large, proper draft for a modern stove could be a problem, not to mention the safety issues with an oversized chimney as far as creosote deposits and the danger of chimney fires. Some pics would help, if you can get 'em. Seeing as how that particular stove was in there, I fear the venting system may need some upgrades.

 

[BoulderDash]

I don't know whether there is a liner in the chimney.

In terms of draft, when the fire is going in the stove the flames are sucking into the exhaust pretty hard. I don't know if that helps.

Getting up to see down the top of the chimney would likely require an aerial lift. Steep roof pitch.

My two things I'm set to start working on are:
A) Finding better, seasoned wood. The stove works, and it has enough BTUs for the sqft we have (from what I gather), so we need to be feeding it the right stuff.

B) Fixing a broken ceiling fan on the end of the house where the stove is. It sounds like airflow is very important with 20+ ft ceilings.

I inherited these issues but I intend to make this place more livable!

Quick question: with good, seasoned wood, is it more likely we could get a full night's burn out of this stove?

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[Woody Stover]

with good, seasoned wood, is it more likely we could get a full night's burn out of this stove?

Running it with the air shut down pretty far, maybe, but it won't be putting out much heat running it low. Running a non-EPA stove low is going to result in a bunch of creosote deposits in the chimney, and the risk of a chimney fire, and possibly a house fire. You would have to get the chimney cleaned every month or two. Sounds like an expensive proposition if you can't do it yourself. If you plan to stay there a while, you may want to go ahead and upgrade now, for heating efficiency and peace of mind. Weatherizing the place will give you the biggest bang for the buck.

 

[begreen]

Just saw this question - the ceilings are appx 20 ft high.

Old one room schoolhouse, woodburner piped into original chimney.

I'll bet a lot of the hot air is sitting up in the 15-20ft level.

Have you had the chimney inspected? If it is unlined that can be a risky proposition, especially if the wood is not seasoned.