Which would you rather have 50,000 btu's 24/7 or 73,000 max sporadically throught the day?

[Bassmantweed]

Forgive me if this is in the wrong forum but it bridges the gap between wood stoves and pellet stoves

• No making fun of my sissy stoves and i know some of you will say ..... " Neither, id rather have X, Y or Z......" I get it - i am limited on options.
  
• Sorry for the long-ish post.

I currently have a Lopi Large Hybrid wood insert in the center of my house right now. It says that it is rated at 73,000 BTUS'. I have read that "BTU output stated for any wood stove is on high fire. This is only maintained for 1 hour at best. Wood burning cycle is a bell curve. ie. it starts low, peaks then lower down again". I am also pretty certain that not all of those BTU's are making it into the room as it is an insert and (for the most part) it has to rely on the fans to distribute the heat. Plus if I am not around to keep it going it dies down and takes a while to get back up to temp. This usually happens each night as i can only get about 6-7 hours MAX of actual burn time out of the unit. This stove is also very picky with wood and i am pretty sure that i am not getting max BTU's out of this stove with quality of my wood that i have on hand right now.

I also have a Harman XXV pellet stove that is rated at 50,000 BTU's. I feel the blowers on this unit are better than my Lopi. It is also a stand alone unit so it puts off some residual heat too - not a ton but it does get warm. Plus i can run it 24/7 @ 50,000 BTU's for the most part - except for cleaning which takes about an hour and then i am back up in running 20 minutes later.

I am fortunate enough that i have two fireplaces in my home. What i am thinking about is moving the wood insert to my other fireplace that is not as central to the house and putting the pellet stove in the central room in front of the fireplace, making it the workhorse of the heating system. Then for this year i would use the wood to supplement the pellet stove - if needed. Next year i will have better wood available and try to rely on the wood stove a little more. But i have to say i am very attracted to the convenience of pellets.

So my question for you all is this. Given my situation - would you rather have a constant 50,000 btu's (Pellet stove) in the centeral rpart of the house or a stove that can get hotter but is not running at max capacity all the time and at times goes cold.

I am assuming the constant 50k would keep the house warmer?

 

[velvetfoot]

Which would look better?

 

[mellow]

That is why I have tried many a secondary burn stove but still come back to a cat stove, the even BTU output can't be matched and makes for a more comfortable house.

Is there anyway to kill the secondary air on that Lopi and make it a cat only insert

Btw, insulate your fireplace, and factor how much work will be involved to move that insert, liner and all.

 

[Bassmantweed]

I like both. I think the xxv is more attractive.

http://m.harmanstoves.com/Products/XXV-Pellet-Stove.aspx

http://m.lopistoves.com/145bb/WOMPH...large+flush+wood+insert&fr=iphone&.tsrc=apple

 

[BrotherBart]

The constant heat of a pellet puppy is one of their charms. Sounds like a plan to me.

 

[moey]

Generally sizing a heating appliance to ~80% of your heating days is more efficient then over sizing a heating appliance to accommodate outliers. Of course you have to have something to make up for the other 20% when it its 0F outside otherwise you will be cold in a 65F house. Even if its a expensive fuel in the long run its generally cheaper to go that route.

 

[Bassmantweed]

Another variable that i didn't mention is that the pellet also has the fresh air intake. I am sure this is worthy of its own post and their are many opinions on it.

But i feel like that also helps give the edge to the pellet stove -using outside air for the combustion. The wood stove may be putting out more BTU's but how many of those BTU's are negated by the air that has to be brought in the house to maintain constant pressure? I really dont know could be a non-issue.

 

[Bassmantweed]

Generally sizing a heating appliance to ~80% of your heating days is more efficient then over sizing a heating appliance to accommodate outliers. Of course you have to have something to make up for the other 20% when it its 0F outside otherwise you will be cold in a 65F house. Even if its a expensive fuel in the long run its generally cheaper to go that route.

I'm not following this? I Want to make sure i read this right. You lost me when you switched from days to Size of house.

Are you saying that i should size my appliance to run 80% of my Square footage or to cover 80% of the day?

 

[moey]

I'm not following this? I Want to make sure i read this right. You lost me when you switched from days to Size of house.

Are you saying that i should size my appliance to run 80% of my Square footage or to cover 80% of the day?

80% of your BTU requirements. If your house needs 60K BTU at -5 to maintain 70F. You need to get 10BTU from somewhere whether it be another stove or just turning on your central heat. Sizing a heating appliance to meet your needs at -5F means at 25F its oversize and not as efficient. Its 25F outside a lot more then -5F.

My only point is going big often costs more upfront and costs more to run. Even if going smaller means turning on your central heat when its -5F and running a more expensive fuel. Its often cheaper over the entire heating season.

 

[Bassmantweed]

80% of your BTU requirements. If your house needs 60K BTU at -5 to maintain 70F. You need to get 10BTU from somewhere whether it be another stove or just turning on your central heat. Sizing a heating appliance to meet your needs at -5F means at 25F its oversize and not as efficient. Its 25F outside a lot more then -5F.

My only point is going big often costs more upfront and costs more to run. Even if going smaller means turning on your central heat when its -5F and running a more expensive fuel. Its often cheaper over the entire heating season.

Roger - Thanks!

 

[firefighterjake]

Given the choice . . . in this case . . . I would go with the pellet stove in this case . . . steady heat all day long.

 

[begreen]

The question is misleading and assumptive. Steady heat with wood is quite possible in a cat stove as is reported by BK and Woodstock owners daily here. Our stove has enough mass in its cast iron jacket to buffer the heat cycles quite well. The house never feels like pulses of heat are happening from the stove with each reload. Most soapstone stove owners report the same.

Give me a good wood stove any day. I've had pellet, and while it was convenient it was also noisy and not as attractive as our present stove. And then there are our frequent power outages...

 

[Bassmantweed]

The question is misleading and assumptive. Steady heat with wood is quite possible in a cat stove as is reported by BK and Woodstock owners daily here. Our stove has enough mass in its cast iron jacket to buffer the heat cycles quite well. The house never feels like pulses of heat are happening from the stove with each reload. Most soapstone stove owners report the same.

Give me a good wood stove any day. I've had pellet, and while it was convenient it was also noisy and not as attractive as our present stove. And then there are our frequent power outages...

I respectfully disagree. My question is not misleading and assumptive, it is very much fact based on my specific scenario. Your response is biased towards a solution that is not an option for me. While I agree with your statement, if you paid attention to my original post it was not about all wood stoves versus all pellet stoves it was about two very specific models.

Thanks for contributing.

 

[Hogwildz]

A pellet stove is useless in a power outage. That in my book is a deal breaker.

 

[begreen]

Thought I answered that. We had a pellet stove in the living room. It was convenient and easy.. and noisy. Quiet and a beautiful fire view trumped having a reliable furnace in the living room. No heat in power outages clinched it.

 

[Bassmantweed]

A pellet stove is useless in a power outage. That in my book is a deal breaker.

Just to clarify its useless if you have no power, not in a power outage. I have a generator. Two actually, one that I can run when I need all the creature comforts and a Honda eu2000i for my pellet stove hot water heater and fridge. I can run it for 9 hours on one gallon of gas!

 

[begreen]

I have a generator too, but am not likely to hook it up and get it running for a 2-4 hr outage, especially if the weather is snotty. With the wood stove, no worries.

 

[Bassmantweed]

I'm glad you have a crystal ball that tells you how long power outages will be.

I'm really not looking to play out every micro scenario and variable that you want to fabricate. My question was very specific. I understand there is always one in the bunch that want to play "what if". Thanks for your alternate views but I'd like to stay on topic of possible.

 

[Hogwildz]

Just to clarify its useless if you have no power, not in a power outage. I have a generator. Two actually, one that I can run when I need all the creature comforts and a Honda eu2000i for my pellet stove hot water heater and fridge. I can run it for 9 hours on one gallon of gas!

9 hrs on a gallon of gas eh, what is that on low load?
I have no generator, and have heat & cooking in event of power loss. Uses no gas in 9 hrs.
Does one of those gennys run your well? Or are you on public?
We typically lose power in the winter here, no need for fridge in that event.
Enjoy

 

[dafattkidd]

Those are two really nice stoves. Not sure why you called them sissy stoves. I understand your reasons for moving the stoves, but if it were me, I'd leave them in place. I am biased towards wood heat. I love the romance of fires and I'm a pyro. That being said, if you feel more comfortable with pellets and favor that stove, make the swap.

Sounds like you're not getting all that you should be getting out of that insert. I'm curious if there is a flaw in the install. Perhaps there is something that can be done to improve your wood burning experience and get more heat out of the Lopi. Either way it sounds like you've got a pretty good situation.

 

[Bassmantweed]

9 hrs on a gallon of gas eh, what is that on low load?
I have no generator, and have heat & cooking in event of power loss. Uses no gas in 9 hrs.
Does one of those gennys run your well? Or are you on public?
We typically lose power in the winter here, no need for fridge in that event.
Enjoy

Again, I'm not disputing a wood stove is generally a better solution. I had one in my last house and miss it very much just not an option for me right now.....,

To answer your question, no well.
If you want specifics on generator go here ....

http://powerequipment.honda.com/generators/models/eu2000i

 

[Hogwildz]

Neat little genny. Have you had to use it yet?
At 2000 watts, aren't you getting close to max with the fridge, water heater & pellet stove?
9.6hrs per gallon what is it using under load?
Pretty cool for it's size.

 

[Bassmantweed]

Neat little genny. Have you had to use it yet?
At 2000 watts, aren't you getting close to max with the fridge, water heater & pellet stove?
9.6hrs per gallon what is it using under load?
Pretty cool for it's size.

I use an apc transfer switch which load sheds based on your preferences.

http://www.apc.com/products/family/?id=371

 

[velvetfoot]

Yeah, I don't know about a resistance electric water heater, but it could be something else, like an indirect oil, propane, or something like that, which could easily be run by that Honda along with the other stuff.

My earlier point was that if the pellet stove was move to that interior room, would it look as good as the wood insert, in that location and vice versa? Just aesthetics, use of floor space, etc. Something that my wife would usually jump in on.

They both make noise with the insert's must-run fan, especially on high, and require electricity, although I can get some minor heat out of mine when the power's out.

How about the venting? Is there a small liner in the fireplace chimney where the pellet stove is now? Will a smaller vent pipe have to be installed where the wood insert is now? Could they be swtiched (I bet, not). I can see this vent stuff having the potential to cost a few bucks (been there).

I'd say if the aesthetics work out, and it's not super costly (or if you have a big desire to do it, lol), then go for it!

 

[velvetfoot]

Ooops, I overlooked the creature comforts genny. I have two as well, including an EU2000i, only with a well, the big one is needed once in a while for water.