Wake up Aunt Sarah , I'm Cold

[KDMANN]

So this will be our second year with this aunt sarah wood stove. Last year ...being my first year with a wood stove in my life actually went ok. Here's my review (for what it's worth)..LOL . Our home is about 1100 sf. I bought 1.5 tons of eco bricks , and had about 1.5 cords of decent oak (left with the house when we bought it). Our propane tank is 500lbs...124 gallons. I had the tank filled before winter ...it took 80 gallons at $1.99 gallon. We started burning mid october on and off for a month and then this old stove didnt shut off till mid march..then we ran outta wood...oops. We ran the furnace to finish out the year...it's now on 15 % . The BIG difference is the wood stove kept us at 75...even when the big cold hit us..negative 30 wind at night and she kept up. The furnace kept us at 62 degrees..LOL I doubled our wood stock this year from what we had last year...and may get abit more. I swept the chimney once a month..and really didnt get much out , but I felt safe , and with the straight flue all the way up , cleaning it is quite easy. I fired her up tonight...the house was 61 when i got home from work , It's now 80..he,he...I love this thing.

 

[coaly]

Is that cord behind it powering a blower on it? Variable speed??

 

[KDMANN]

Yes. That cord is a surge protector , then the blower has a switch built into the cord. It's supposed to have a thermo disk snap switch..but doesn't. I'm thinking of buying a stovestat for it. And no variable speed. Thats just way too advanced...LOL

 

[coaly]

There is a simple box with variable speed switch with male and female plug to stick inline that you can quiet it down at night or when burning low. I found half speed or so is a lot quieter and blows almost as much with less electric use.
Can't use that excuse sitting next to that high tech plastic machine.

 

[KDMANN]

I tried to take a pic...hmmm, kinda messy behind the stove..I better get out the vac.

 

[KDMANN]

A variable speed would be very nice , where do I get one?

 

[coaly]

Yep, the variable speed switch was a good investment for us to find the best speed that moves plenty of air quietly. Unless it was really cold overnight, all the way down was fine. Huge noise difference if you're in the same room with stove.

Woodman's is where I got mine.

 

[coaly]

(broken link removed)

Here's the Fan switch. You want FAN that is ON with temp rise. LIMIT is OFF with temp rise to control burners.

(broken link removed)

The F # is temp on, then - # is temp degree of decrease off.

The added benefit is in the night when the fan shuts off you have some incentive to get up and check the stove !

 

[KDMANN]

Thanks for the links Coaly ! Looks like I'll be ordering some upgrades for this old girl. I was thinking about buying a new stove this year , but we had such good luck running this old stove I put that idea on the back burner. Maybe next year. I'm pretty sure it's so easy for my wife and I to use because of the automatic bi-metal air control. It really works nice.

 

[jotul?]

Thanks for the links Coaly ! Looks like I'll be ordering some upgrades for this old girl. I was thinking about buying a new stove this year , but we had such good luck running this old stove I put that idea on the back burner. Maybe next year. I'm pretty sure it's so easy for my wife and I to use because of the automatic bi-metal air control. It really works nice.

Hold on KDMANN! We moved two months ago and left behind our Earth Stove that also had the bi-metal air control. Mind you, we only burned in that for the first two years of the last ten because I installed an OWB the next year, BUT I am not even done installing my Jotul F600 yet and already I'm nervous that it won't live up to my memories of the Earth Stove. You already have a good setup. Do tons of research before replacing a good setup, IMHO.

 

[KDMANN]

So here's what I came up with for automatic fan control. Ordered from Amazon , $19.53 shipped to my door...so it may or may not last..LOL. It does work great so far. It has a magnet on a bracket to hold the switch..kinda cool. Now I need some input. Any idea's on my wiring? I don't like the wire nuts..they seem to be working ok and you can't see them unless your on your knee's at the back of the stove , but I still don't like it.LOL Next I'll be ordering that variable speed control.

 

[coaly]

Screw a square steel junction box with knock outs, clamps and metal cover. That is what factory set ups use.

 

[coaly]

Here's the back of a Hitzer that shows bi-metal thermostat on left, and junction box with double wheel blower on right.



I put the same thermostat on my kitchen Queen and it works great.

 

[KDMANN]

Yep , a junction box looks like what I need. Thanks !

 

[coaly]

Even the snap disc switch is inside it. Removing one of the knock outs on the back allows direct contact on outer stove shell.