Which stove to get

[karl]

As some of you know I have been looking at getting a Napoleon 1402 and I found a pretty good deal on it. Then on Ebay I see a PE Summit. I had shyed away from the Summit before because they were very expensive. Anyway, this one is $2045 shipping included with a gold door. Is this a pretty good deal for one. Also I know alot of people here have them. Can someone post the minimum clearances for this stove? PEs website has a dead link for the manual, so I can find the specs. Also the Napoleon has a 2.25 cuic foot box and the Summit has a 3.00 box. Would 3.00 be to big for my house. It's about 2400 square feet. Any input you have would help.

thanks

Karl

 

[begreen]

Go to www.chimneysweeponline.com for specs and comparison prices. The Summit should be ok for your house. Just make smaller fires in the shoulder seasons.

 

[carpniels]

From what I hear, you cannot beat a PE summit.

Get it, if you like it.

Carpniels

 

[Gunner]

It's working now... for me anyway.
(broken link removed to http://www.pacificenergy.net/PDF/manuals/SUMMIT-A%20211105-20.pdf)

3.0 cf should be spot on for 2400sqft in VA provided it is centrally located and layout is fairly open.

My .2 cents I would buy from a dealer and not off Ebay.

 

[begreen]

That price is not all that great. I agree with Neil, buy from a dealer if possible. There are several PE dealers in WVa. I'd call around a bit to see what you can get one for. You might be surprised, especially if you are ok with the pedestal model and can forgo the gold door. On the other hand, if you go for the Napoleon I wouldn't worry too much. They have a good reputation as well and are often better priced on the east coast.

 

[stoveguy13]

The 1400 is a littel small for 2400 sqft the 1900 would be a better choice. the other stoves you may want to look at is the quad 5700 and the pe is a good choice at that size

 

[karl]

I'd love to buy from a dealer, but from what I have seen in going to three different ones; I would just be wasting the extra money I pay them. None of them sell nothing but stoves. I know you probably can't a make a living on them alone, but it should be more than just a sideline. None of them install the stoves. They say they have a list of people they can give me that install it. And two of them even told me they didn't heat with wood at their own house. I have learned more on here, than they know. Or atleast than they let on that they know. So what's the point of paying a premium just to buy from a local dealer?

 

[elkimmeg]

Karl you seem to be on a budget and need a stove witha fire box larger than 2.5 cu ft to heat your space. No dealers have won your respect or your business.
I take you are leaning to mail order to get what you want or going outside y the current part time dealers in your area.

I have a suggestion have you looked at the Englander nc 30 stoves? 3 Hearth members post here from that company.
Should you have a problem I'm sure you can get your answers solved on the hearth.

BB has one and can fill you in on his experiences what to expect in terms of heat and burn times

Purchasing one might be closer than you think. The box stores sell them as seasonal products. They start showing up on the shelves in SEPT

ACe Service star hardware stores also may carry the line. Mike here probably can hook you up with a local retailer.

The first consideration the stove last year sold for about $800,, Door trims and dressup can add to the cost. The second feature worth noting these stoves burn
extremely clean tested at a remarkable 1.6 gph

As bb signoff logo says the most BTUs per Buck

 

[karl]

Elk, I'm really not on a budget so to speak. I'll go about as high as 2500-2700 for a really good insert. I realize this insert is going to be something that I have to live with for atleast 10 years and that due to a free or nearly free supply of wood, it will pay for itself. I just want value for my money. I just can't see paying 300-500 dollars more for the same thing if there is no added value. I owned my own business for 12 years and I have no problem paying extra to get something locally. That's how I made a living for a long time. However, I took care of my customers and they didn't mind paying a little more for something because I had a good reputation for making things right if there ever was a problem.

I'm going to drive to Cross Lanes this weekend. It's about an hour away and the Summit website gave me a dealerthere. It is a stove/hot tub, swimming pool store. Sounds like a good way to bring two different products together. Stoves in the winter, pools in the summer. Maybe they will be better than these tiny hardware stores around here that have nothing more than two stoves on display and a price list.

Wish me luck


Karl

 

[begreen]

Karl, you might want to call in advance to see what they actually have on display at this time of year. The Summit insert is a good, big stove that would do you well.

 

[karl]

Thanks for the advice BeGreen. I will call them first. As for the Summit. Is a 3.0 cubic foot box really that important to me. I may be able to get a 2.25 for $1000 instead of paying $2000 for the 3.0. Will it really shorten by burn times that much? Also will the 3.0 put out too much heat? Also, what about this Extended Burn technology of the Summit? Is it really something special or just a way of marketing what's already in other EPA inserts?

 

[elkimmeg]

EBT technology is a clever way to provide secondary burning. There are ways to extend the burn time with regulated secondary air.
The secondary burn essencially burns up smoke particles the normally would have escaped up the chimney. This burning captures more heat produces a cleaner burn and extends the burn
time. The common stove has a fixed secondary air inlet Some manufactures have set up the secondary air opening with a a damper that is controled by a bimetalic spring
once you set your primary air and bring it up to say 500 surface temp the secondary air open and closed as needed to hold that 500 degree setting as long as the fuel d supply last
this extends the burn along with helping achieve the secondary burn. Itsfeatures like this that do work and are worth a bit more. Another simmilar technology is called thermatically controlled

BTW Pe summits are recomended here with few if any complaints mostly raves

 

[begreen]

The bigger firebox will get you longer burn times because it holds more wood. But let's talk a bit about your set up and goals. First question is what the intent is with the stove - area heater or whole house?

How do you want heat your house? 24/7 or in the evenings and on weekends, or as an occasional chill chaser when it gets down to 30? What floor will the stove be installed on? How large a room is the stove in? Is this an open floor plan or one with many rooms on the floor that the stove will be installed? Although the larger capacity box will get you longer burn times, if it's in a small room, it could be oversized.

 

[wg_bent]

I know noting of the online dealer on ebay your looking at, but if looking on line at least look at a reputable dealer on line. I would suggest Obadiah's. They are a local dealer in Montana who sells some brands on the internet. It's a family business and they've been in business for quite some time. At least call them, look at their site to see if what they have fits your needs.
Obadiah's link

Disclaimer: I'm not associated with them in any way at all!

The other dealer I'd look at is woodstock stoves. In summer you might get a good deal on a really nice soapstone stove. Their stoves never see complaints around here, and they have a good guarantee.

 

[BrotherBart]

I have been watching this guy's eBay stove sales for quite a while on and off. He has sold a bunch of Century and Summit inserts from Hereford, Texas on eBay over the last few years and the buyer feedback comments rave about him (Justin) and the inserts. He calls his place Justin's Fireplaces but there is no phone listing or anything else in Hereford for his business. What I don't understand is where he gets the PE inserts. PE is adamant, on their website, about being against on-line sales. Yet he keeps getting a lot of Summit inserts somewhere. Is PE talking out of two different orifices at the same time?

And $2,100 for a gold door Summit insert INCLUDING freight and with no sales tax is a deal.

Hmmm...

 

[jqgs214]

What about Tom?? Doesnt he sell PE over the internet??

 

[BrotherBart]

What about Tom?? Doesnt he sell PE over the internet??

Yep.

(broken link removed to http://www.pacificenergy.net/online_sales.php)

 

[karl]

BrotherBart I think we are talking about the same guy. He goes by Traderloyd, but he's in Hereford, Tx. Also, there is another guy on ebay. Fireplace Warehouse in Colorado. I have phone numbers for both of them. I thought $2045 Shipped for a Summit with a gold door was a deal too, but I guess some people thinks its not. Also the Napoleon 1402 for $1130 sounds like a good deal as well.

As for how I will use the insert. The house is a one story ranch. I will reposted a diagram of my house on this post. I would like to heat the whole house but I would be happy with heating the common areas. I may heat 24/7 but I'm not sure yet. I hate cold weather and I'm a hermit in the winter time. So, even if it's not 24/7 I will use it alot. The room I'm puting the stove in is the formal living which I don't use alot anyway. I do have a projection TV in there, so I watch a few movies in it, but it's not the main room everyone hangs out in. Still I am concerned about over heating it on movie nights.

 

[jqgs214]

Looks like a tough layout to heat. Especially the bedrooms.

 

[wg_bent]

No matter what size stove you buy, you'll have trouble heating that layout. If I were you I'd seriously look into either a soapstone or a stove with a blower. A stove like a Jotul (sans blower) or VC, or Morso that is pure radiant will likely cook you out of that lr if you're trying to heat the whole house. Now, if your willing to keep that room hot, you'll heat the rest of the house somewhat, but your doorways are too few and too small to do a good job. You'd be better off with a couple smaller stoves in the 1.8 - 2.0 cuft size. Any way of adding something to the family room?

 

[karl]

I think you guys have mistunderstood something. I am buying an insert not a stove and they have blowers on them. Also, the two doorways in the living room are six feet wide. Also there is a butlers service between the kitchen and the dining room. It is about 5 feet wide and 3 feet high. You can almost see the fireplace from the kitchen. I'm sure its not an ideal house to heat with an insert, but I don't think it is anywhere near the worst. Warren, I currently have a 20,000 BTU ventless gas heater in the family room. It heats that room and the kitchen very well. Infact, you can't leave it very long or those two rooms get too hot. I am hoping to get away from using it, but it's there if I need it. There is noway I could put anything in the family room. I've thought about it and with the furniture in there, I just can't do it. I don't mind having to use a fan or two to help move things around. I know it makes a big difference. The ventless heater does a good job of heating the two rooms but when I put a fan in there. It will roast you out in a heartbeat.

I just don't want to buy a stove and wish I had gotten a bigger one.


Thanks for all the replies.

 

[begreen]

OK, thanks for the refresher Karl. The house will be a bit difficult to heat with just the wood stove due to the sprawling nature of a ranch house. As an area heater it is possible that the bigger stove may be too much. You may be right, the Naploleon may be fine, and you might also want to look at the PE Pacific Insert instead of the Summit and also the Lopi Revere and the Quadrafire 4100i.