What’s wrong with this picture?

[VirginiaIron]

I. Thought I remembered you saying you had restriction that prevented the 3 inch outside air kit tubing.
1. Is that the reason for the 5 one inch holes?
2. And I guess for clarification purposes how are you going to maintain clearances on the combustible materials used for building a platform?

 

[Doc C]

Are you planning on cooling that platform with 5 one inch holes?

No. It is essentially a proximity air setup. I figure if an OAK is 3" or even 4" then 5" worth of holes fed into a HVAC vent near the outside air connection should be sufficient...I hope.

I can't see needing to cool the hearth. Not with the r value that is required for this stove but maybe I'm wrong?

But you really brought up a good point. Maybe I should consider adding a few more holes and routing them through the frame of the hearth. Not a bad idea.

 

[Doc C]

I. Thought I remembered you saying you had restriction that prevented the 3 inch outside air kit tubing.
1. Is that the reason for the 5 one inch holes?
2. And I guess for clarification purposes how are you going to maintain clearances on the combustible materials used for building a platform?

1. Yes. And I couldn't find 1" spade bit so I had to use 3/4" and make more holes. But also I'm adding a few holes towards the front of the platform and adding holes in the framing for a little cooling. Probably not needed but a heck of a good idea you had.

2. I am going to use multiple layers of Next Gen, thin set, and whatever tile/rock the wife decides.

 

[Highbeam]

Here's how I did it. From my ventilated crawlspace. The raised hearth gives you a handy location to run duct.

 

[VirginiaIron]

if you are maintaining the right clearances I would not add additional holes.

 

[Hogwildz]

He doesn't need to cool the platform if he meets the hearth R &/or K factor requirements.

 

[Doc C]

Congrats on the new (smaller) stove! I bet you will love the change. The firebox is only half as big so you might want to get out there and re-split a bunch of those bigger (unsplit) rounds. You're going to be burning quite a bit less wood for two reasons:

1) You will no longer be over-heating your living space. That wastes a lot of BTU's (in addition to making it less comfortable).

2) The wood you do burn will burn at a MUCH higher efficiency due to higher firebox temperatures. Your other stove was sending millions of potential BTU's right up the chimney in the form of unburnt gasses.

During the coldest weather you will need to reload a bit more often but it will be more fun because your fires will burn how they should, you will have less ash and un-burnt coals. Also, with half the firebox volume, less hauling/stacking. Pay no attention to the published efficiency figures, this little beauty is going to blow the doors off the efficiency of that 3.5 cu. ft. unit, particularly with the mix of low-moderate heating value softwoods you have available. Is your existing wood too long to load north/south? You will want to make sure wood for the future is obtained in the best size for your new baby.

Did your chimney ever get warm enough previously to add significant heat to your 2nd floor via radiation/convection from the heated brick? Or did the chimney stay near room temperature, even during peak burns?

This post if EXACTLY what I'm finding now that have the the 13 installed and the new hearth built.

I can burn one piece of wood for several hours and it will stay burning. With the 30 I had to have at least 3 pieces of wood so that they could use each other to keep a fire going.

The 30 use to put out so much smoke that it would come in my window on the north side of the house all the time and the house always smelled like smoke. I had to keep the window open because it was too hot.

The 13 puts out almost zero smoke. I can have the window open and not smell anything!

With the 30 I would have to start a fire several times a day because I would have to let it go out to cool the house off. I could not get small fires to sustain the self in that stove. They would just smolder.

With the 13 I can let one small log burn and it will sustain itself.

The only negative thing I have found is I think it will be tough to keep a fire all night. But that's OK. My house is insulated enough to where I can let the fire go out and it will still be warm in the morning. Then just restart a fire.

 

[Highbeam]

Many of us would benefit from a shoulder season stove and then swap it out for a winter stove. You are showing us how nice it is to run a stove properly matched to your heating needs. Unfortunately, it is just October. We all put up with an oversized stove during October so that we have enough power in January!

 

[Doc C]

Many of us would benefit from a shoulder season stove and then swap it out for a winter stove. You are showing us how nice it is to run a stove properly matched to your heating needs. Unfortunately, it is just October. We all put up with an oversized stove during October so that we have enough power in January!

I'm hoping that with the level of insulation in the house that I can just step up the intensity of the fire in this stove and be nice and toasty when it gets real cold.

Just seems like a lot better fit.