That looks like the perfect size. I remember measuring the bottoms of dutch ovens at Cabelas to find the biggest one that would fit inside the ring.
Vermont Castings Aspen C3 2022
- Thread starter 30WCF
- Start date
-
Active since 1995, Hearth.com is THE place on the internet for free information and advice about wood stoves, pellet stoves and other energy saving equipment.
We strive to provide opinions, articles, discussions and history related to Hearth Products and in a more general sense, energy issues.
We promote the EFFICIENT, RESPONSIBLE, CLEAN and SAFE use of all fuels, whether renewable or fossil.
Thanks so much for this review! I'm about to pull the trigger on a new Aspen and I've been doing as much review-searching as possible. I understand the potential drawbacks/difficulties that some people express with this stove, but its the one I keep coming back to as ideal for our new place. Thanks and the pictures are lovely!
Thanks.
I can defiantly get long burn times if you are only looking at the ability to relight off of coals with minimal effort.
If you are defining long burn time to useable heat, 4-5 hrs is about all I’ve been getting with the wood I have this year when it’s cold cold. On mild days I can get 6-7 hrs pretty easy.
Last edited:
Woodsplitter67
Minister of Fire
this is a good report and review.. keep it up, it looks good.. you should be proud..
Fed it about 8:30, hoping to top it off once more before bed.
35 outside
70 inside
9:30 P
369 on the Auber (24” above the collar since the key damper section was added)
410 on the IR and ReoTemp
Definitely sounds like you have room for improvement with sealing and insulating the house!
Last night it cooled off enough again for a fire. It’s been warm here. But we even had a bit of winter mix this morning.
Two or three splits at a time did a good job at knocking off the chill.
Tonight, just as cool out.
Two splits went off like nobody’s business. Dry hickory and it got toasty.
I shut the flue damper when it got around 630 on the Auber. STT was about 800-850. It cruised there for a while then started to crawl back down.
You can see behind the IR gun, the needle on the ReoTemp isn’t even reading on the numbers anymore. It maxes out at 750.
It’s just weird that some days I can stuff it full and cruise right along as planned, then every once in a while it starts to get a little western on two splits.
Who knows, maybe if I hadn’t shut the flue damper it would have gassed off faster and been over, maybe the shape of the splits and the fact that I didn’t rake the coals left more airflow from underneath…
I’m gonna check the door gaskets when it cools down.
Two or three splits at a time did a good job at knocking off the chill.
Tonight, just as cool out.
Two splits went off like nobody’s business. Dry hickory and it got toasty.
I shut the flue damper when it got around 630 on the Auber. STT was about 800-850. It cruised there for a while then started to crawl back down.
You can see behind the IR gun, the needle on the ReoTemp isn’t even reading on the numbers anymore. It maxes out at 750.
It’s just weird that some days I can stuff it full and cruise right along as planned, then every once in a while it starts to get a little western on two splits.
Who knows, maybe if I hadn’t shut the flue damper it would have gassed off faster and been over, maybe the shape of the splits and the fact that I didn’t rake the coals left more airflow from underneath…
I’m gonna check the door gaskets when it cools down.
Last edited:
Yep. There is no insulation in the exterior walls, and the house moves a lot between summer and winter.
Sorry if I missed this somewhere but do you have an exterior air supply installed (through the floor or wall)? I’m thinking you don’t, and I’m contemplating if I should install one when I put the stove in. Curious how you decided not to if that’s the case.
Love the updates!
Love the updates!
I do not.
My house is 75 years old stud frame wood sided house with no insulation. It has plenty of leaks. The front door is 5’ from the stove, and in the summer the door is tight. In the winter, you can see daylight. Not a straight shot outside, but it’s loose enough that light can illuminate the reveal between the door panel and the jamb.
My house is 75 years old stud frame wood sided house with no insulation. It has plenty of leaks. The front door is 5’ from the stove, and in the summer the door is tight. In the winter, you can see daylight. Not a straight shot outside, but it’s loose enough that light can illuminate the reveal between the door panel and the jamb.
I would try it without it first. If having a window in the stove room open makes a positive change in performance, you can then add one. If having an open window lets you run too hot, then you’ll be happy you didn’t cut a hole in the floor.
I think winter has left me high and dry here in NC. I had a couple fires last week, just because I wanted to and it was a little cool out, but, it’s done for. Strawberries growing on the porch, apples growing, and been cooking with fresh herbs from the garden. In fact, I’ve been cutting the herbs back enough that I have excess drying.
Potato soup with fresh rosemary and thyme.
Thyme to clean the stove and pipe one last thyme.
Potato soup with fresh rosemary and thyme.
Thyme to clean the stove and pipe one last thyme.
Woodsplitter67
Minister of Fire
Yep. Time to move on to the bee hives and probably gonna turn the wood stack upside down for the summer and put the wood I just cut in the back. I’ll keep some of the pine on top to dry out and try next year.
I have some big clunker logs in the shed that need to be re-split since they were sized for my old stove and are too big for the Aspen.
