If I had one of these I wouldn't have to bother with all that added insulation and air sealing my house needs. Be cheaper and easier to just throw a few more splits of free wood in.
Long burn times are probably very important for a lot of folks, but for me, I'm looking forward to interacting with the stove two times a day. I guess that might be because I'm new at this game, and maybe in a few years I'll be wishing my Progress Hybrid would go 40+ hours on a reload.
Brian, you make a good point, but new windows and insulation will add to the value of your house, and the day may come when you are physically not able to scrounge for wood. Just something to think about.
They are scarce as hen's teeth, and I'm not sure why....engineering and cost considerations? I don't know what percentage of buyers have hearth installs but it sure increases the options for those that do. And steel is certainly attractive from a maintenance and cost standpoint.
If you have a fireplace, it sure is a clean look to just see the stove and the brick, with the pipe hidden. Lots of SWMBO appeal there, I would think.
I think it will be a good looking stove when finished, as Woodstock already had feed back about people not liking the look of the Fireview yet like the stove principle.. Plus with the water jet your going to be able to make the stove with something you designed or picked out yourself.. Maybe if you have a theme in your home you'll be able to have that water jetted into your stove design.. I can't see them loosing sales because no one likes the look of the stove.. When I saw the door handle it had the very cool machined look, like almost a lightened wing spar for a plane wing.. I'm thinking you'll have the option to design something on the side leg covers... Just have to wait and see...
Brian Kopp August 28, 2013 at 2:59 PM
Hi Tom,
Any word on whether this stove will have electronic controls, or manual? If electronic will they run off current generated from the heat of the stove, or require outside power?
Thanks,
Brian
Johnstown, PA
Woodstock Soapstone Co. August 28, 2013 at 4:58 PM
All of the controls on this stove are manual – nothing electronic, and no power required. At one point we thought that we would need at least a small amount of power to achieve the emissions/efficiency profile we were after, but we’re there without adding any power.
Having said that, we are working on a “proof of concept” module that does need power. It doesn’t control the stove, but it gives real-time information on the performance of the stove (burn rate, BTU output, efficiency, emissions, time remaining to reload, effects of moisture content, etc.) We think/hope it will be ready to exhibit in November, but again it does not control the stove (though we would hope it might help to control the operator!). The device needs some power for the O2 sensor heater, an amplifier for strain gages, and a small pump.
The “proof of concept” module is a combination of known technologies (thermocouples, O2/CO sensors and strain gages) with some software and a GUI (graphic user interphase). I think our big contribution is getting a platform in the base of the stove that impinges on strain gages below the stove so that you can monitor the weight of the fuel load. When you put wood in the stove, you would know its weight, and you would be able to plot its consumption in pounds, BTU output, efficiency, and emissions both for an individual run and over time (weeks, months, or heating season).
Tom Morrissey
Woodstock Soapstone
