# To Go SOAPSTONE / or Pacific Energy Alderlea T5 / T6???????????????



## rhader (Nov 23, 2011)

Hey Guys,

new here. and we have a few questions hoping you guys can point is in the right direction.... 

We have a century old open concept house that is roughly 2000sqft. and we woudl like to upgrade our woodstove as soon as possible this season. 

Due to the style of the house we would like to keep some character to teh wood stove of choice... and based on heat output and style we have narrowed it down to very likely one of the :
1) Hearthstone products;
       a) Mansfield edition  - BTU output should be appropriate for the size of the house
       b) Equinox  - the question wit this one is - woudl it be too much heat output for the house??
       c) Phoenix - with the combination of the cast Iron and soapstone it sounds like an awesome stove. 

2) Pacific Energy - Alderlea T5 - this is a nice looking 'rustic' looking Iron Wood Stove with a steel fire box for fast starts and has an output of 72,000 BTU. and the price is somewhat cheaper than the soapstone stoves. 
b) T6 - this is an option as well - BUT is this one too much heat output??

we are not new to wood burning but would like to make the right choice for the house. Our current chimney is a 6" diameter so we would like to keep it the same as well of course. 

any suggestions??

many thanks.
Ryan


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## madison (Nov 23, 2011)

I believe the Equinox is 8".  So rule that out.  Add some more info regarding placement of unit, room size, home insulation etc.  But with the description given, "Century old home",,,  go as large as possible.  T6 not T5 if you are considering 24/7 heating both are 6" flues.  T6 will not "heat you out of the home."


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## begreen (Nov 23, 2011)

Welcome Ryan, where in Canada is this? I would go for the 3 cu ft stove. It won't be too much. We have the T6 in an open concept, 2000 sq ft, 85 yr old house and it is fine. Our climate is mild, maritime Pacific. You can burn short, hot fires in mild weather and then let the stove go out. But if your area sees cold winter temps, you will want the longer burn times and extra capacity of the larger stove. So I would go for the T6 or Mansfield. The Equinox needs an 8" flue.


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## leeave96 (Nov 23, 2011)

With the open floor plan, you are on the right track.  Another stove to consider is the Woodstock Progressive Hybrid.  It is soapstone too.

woodstove.com

Good luck,
Bill


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## rhader (Nov 23, 2011)

Thx. I forgot the Equinox is a 8" flu so that will be ruled out.

We had primarily narrowed our options down to:
a) Mansfield Hearthstone
b) Phoenix hearthstone

c) T5
d) T6

also for estheatics and heat output.... 

the house is a relatively open concept house. originally was a church about a century ago. it was 'refurbished' about 20 years ago and torn down to from what I can tell the original foundation and front wall left standing. 

A second story was put on the back of the house (instead of leaving this open ceiling). these are the two master bedrooms and master bathroom. downstairs underneath the second floor is a third bedroom and also the main living room. 

The door way opens up into a large entrance area ehich faces the fireplace area. and just to right of this (front of house is the open concept large kitchen with 15' ceilings). Behind the fireplace is a closed room which is the laundry room. I may tear down the walls here at some point and keep this open concept as well. 

for now the firplace is located centrally and has a direct view to the kitchen / dining area as well as the stairs leading upstairs. And the living room is sort of behind and to the left of the woodstove. 

SO the living room does seem to get slightly blocked off from the heatsource. as when the wood stove is running the furnace is of course not kicking in. 

questions I guess are... well how much heat is too much? and which stove to go with??

all help is appreciated!!


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## BrowningBAR (Nov 23, 2011)

rhader said:
			
		

> Thx. I forgot the Equinox is a 8" flu so that will be ruled out.
> 
> We had primarily narrowed our options down to:
> a) Mansfield Hearthstone
> ...




Phoenix and the T5 are too small for your needs.


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## begreen (Nov 23, 2011)

Go for the larger stove. Both choices are good. Sounds like a ceiling fan would help here. Run it backwards (blowing upward) in the winter so that it mixes the air without drafts. Where in CA?


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## BrowningBAR (Nov 23, 2011)

Do you use hardwood or softwood?

If you have softwood, I'd go with the T6 over the Mansfield. Maybe a Mansfield owner can chime in, but I would suspect you would get longer burn times from the T6.


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## rhader (Nov 23, 2011)

thx for the fast responses!

we are in Ontario  - Guelph area. we have been seeing temps of -5C for about a month at night. and will be seeing -20C  and even -35C in the winter months.... 

does that answer its own question?? go T6 or Mansfield?? 

Soapstone or Not soapstone??


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## rhader (Nov 23, 2011)

We generally use Hardwood. I like to burn a good quality hardwood that has been dried for generally 2 seasons. I do chop my own as well which will be a mix of lower end hardwoods (Manitoba Maples, Birch) but generally a pretty high quality hardwood is used. 

We do have a ceiling fan - though they are on the list of repairs as neither of the 2 ceiling fans directly above the fireplace have worked since we bought the house. I was hoping to replace these as well this year.


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## BrowningBAR (Nov 23, 2011)

rhader said:
			
		

> thx for the fast responses!
> 
> we are in Ontario  - Guelph area. we have been seeing temps of -5C for about a month at night. and will be seeing -20C  and even -35C in the winter months....
> 
> ...



I don't think temperature has anything to do with getting a soapstone stove or not. The draftiness of your home in those conditions will dictate how much heat you need, which in turn determines how big of a firebox you need. Both stoves have about a 3 cu ft firebox. What is your current stove, how big is it, and how well does it heat?


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## shawneyboy (Nov 23, 2011)

Soapstone has the better looking in non-heating seasons IMHO, as well as "softer heat" (yes there is something to this), and of course the great mass, that continues heating well after the fire is out.  

 Please note I am biased, I own the Mansfield and I think it may be the best thing since sliced bread.  I also have not used the T6, so perhaps it is a gigantic grain of salt that you need to take my feedback with.


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## begreen (Nov 23, 2011)

Without a doubt, in your climate get the larger stove. The choice between the two types of stoves is one of aesthetics and operation. My wife does not like the look of the Hearthstones, she prefers the cast iron look, so that is what we have. Being a steel stove at heart, the T6 will heat up a little faster, can run hotter and has a blower option. It's a heavy stove that holds the heat well after the fire has died down. The Mansfield will heat up a bit slower but it will continue to release heat for hours after the fire has died down. It has a better ash collection system. The stove costs more. You are paying for the beauty of the soapstone.


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## rhader (Nov 23, 2011)

the house does lack some insulation which I am working on of course. However the stove is definitely under budget in terms of heat output. 

The model Number that is on the stove says 'HT-1200' I cannot make out the manufacturer of the stove. but from everything I have searched it appears to be likely close to a max output of 36,000 BTU. or there abouts. It is completely a steel wood stove. and many of the insulated bricks in the stove have disappeared and it loses heat very quickly. There are never any hot coals the following morning. And it sometimes appears there never was a fire in it....  SO it makes for some cold mornings.


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## begreen (Nov 23, 2011)

That sounds like a little Drolet stove. There is little comparison to the stoves you are looking at other than they all burn wood.


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## BrowningBAR (Nov 23, 2011)

rhader said:
			
		

> *the house does lack some insulation which I am working on of course. *However the stove is definitely under budget in terms of heat output.
> 
> The model Number that is on the stove says 'HT-1200' I cannot make out the manufacturer of the stove. but from everything I have searched it appears to be likely close to a max output of 36,000 BTU. or there abouts. It is completely a steel wood stove. and many of the insulated bricks in the stove have disappeared and it loses heat very quickly. There are never any hot coals the following morning. And it sometimes appears there never was a fire in it....  SO it makes for some cold mornings.



BeGreen and Shawn can talk more about this than me since they own both stoves you are looking into. But, dealing with an under-insulated home my self, I wonder if 3 cu ft is large enough for your cold temps with your insulation issue.


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## rhader (Nov 23, 2011)

I believe the current stove is a 'Drolet' or variation of - I cant seem to find an EXACT replica of it online - but the Drolet ones seem very similar. 

As far as the insulation goes - to be more specific it DOES lack insulation on the main floor. Being a very old 'original' structure - there is a crawl space and not a basement. and the crawl space is poorly insulated... this is changing of course. and I am also adding in floor heating. 

but would like to upgrade the stove as well - for more than one reason - ultimately heat the house but /  also cut down on amount of wood consumption. or atleast increase the efficiency of wood consumption... 

as for a 3.0 cubic ft stove - are you implying that it is too much or too little?


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## Creature (Nov 23, 2011)

If you decide on the T6 (or T5, but I think that'll be too small for you), get the blower.  It'll really help maximize your heat output, once the stove it up to temp.


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## rhader (Nov 23, 2011)

IN addition to heating the house - I should make it clear that I am also re-insulating the crawl space in teh house. and adding some infloor heating that will help as well. And I dont necessarily want to OVER-compensate with a woodstove that may be tooo much heat as it can be a waste of money of fuel burning etc.... 

And want to make sure we can essentially keep the stove running 24-7 and have it burn at its maximum efficiency for as much of its burning time as possible of course...


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## leeave96 (Nov 23, 2011)

I forgot about the Mansfield.  That is one fine looking stove and a 3 cu ft box.  I would put it in your top tier stove list too.  I read a bunch of posts on this stove a while back and I think it is a great stove.

Good luck,
Bill


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## rhader (Nov 23, 2011)

leeave96 said:
			
		

> I forgot about the Mansfield.  That is one fine looking stove and a 3 cu ft box.  I would put it in your top tier stove list too.  I read a bunch of posts on this stove a while back and I think it is a great stove.
> 
> Good luck,
> Bill



yes it is currently between the T6 and the Mansfield soapstone stove.... we are going to go look at a T5 tonight. 

My wife seems to prefer the cast Iron look so we may end up going with the T6.... 

any other thoughts to steer me either way??

is the soapstone MUCH more efficient? a better heat??

Cast Iron...??


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## BrowningBAR (Nov 23, 2011)

rhader said:
			
		

> leeave96 said:
> 
> 
> 
> ...




Hardwood or softwood? I believe BeGreen is experiencing 10 hour burns on the T6 with softwood. I do not think the Mansfield will provide a 10 hour burn with softwood. That doesn't mean the Mansfield is a bad stove, but reloading and burn times are an important factor to consider. It has been mentioned here several times that the T Series stoves offer good burn times on softwood.

Just something to consider when purchasing.


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## leeave96 (Nov 23, 2011)

rhader said:
			
		

> leeave96 said:
> 
> 
> 
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The soapstone stove I have is very nice in that you can absolutely crank out the heat, but the stone seems to dampen the temperature spikes.  We don't get scorched with the soapstone like my steel plate stove (but it takes a bit longer to warm things up from a cold start) on the high end of the burn.  The soapstone absorbes the heat and then radiates it out after the fire dies down - the net effect is that you have kind of a thermostat via the stone - even temperatures across the burn.

The advantage of a cat soapstone stove like a Woodstock, is that you get all the benefits of the soapstone, but have much more range to damper the stove down when you don't need the heat - like in shoulder season.  You can load the stove up, damper down and get some super long burn times.  This is handy not only for shoulder season chores, but overnight and off to work for the day burns.  I don't know if Woodstock is still extending their new Progressive Hybrid stove prices, but they have/had one heck of a deal on it.  I think that stove would heat your place, be a very clean burn and be super easy on the eyes.

That being said, all of the stoves you are looking at are winners IMHO.

Good luck,
Bill


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## rhader (Nov 23, 2011)

We are going to go take a look at a T5 that is set up and burning - tonight. It would likely be the T6 that we would go with in that case.

BUT - it would be nice to have all of these stoves lined up neck to neck to compare... they are are all great looking stoves. The only thing that is weighing eitehr way in the end is the cost factor and the basic requirement that we need the stove to be a real working stove. and it sounds like all of these are. including the Woodstock hybrid. <http://www.woodstove.com/sale>

though I am not sure if it would be available over here in Canada? eh.


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## rhader (Nov 23, 2011)

With the T6 would the 'cast Iron' not help reduce the amount of 'spikes' that you would get in an all steel stove for instance? I would imagine that the cast Iron stove would be a much better heat source than the steel? perhaps not quite as a moderate temperature output as the soapstone stoves... but wouldnt it be in that direction?? never having used a soapstone stove I wouldnt know the difference in the heat output.


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## BrowningBAR (Nov 23, 2011)

I have to admit as a soapstone owner, once you are burning 24/7 you really don't get much benefit out of the stones holding the heat. It comes in handy during shoulder season, though since it will hover at 300 degrees for quite a while.

In regards to the 'soft heat'; when the stove is sitting at 600 degrees, I'm not sure it qualifies as 'soft' anymore.

Bottom line is that both stove are very good stoves. Both will put out about the same amount of heat and you can't go wrong with either, if they meet your heat output needs. If you like the looks of one more than the other, that will be the deciding factor since you will be starring at it for the next several years.


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## madison (Nov 23, 2011)

rhader said:
			
		

> With the T6 would the 'cast Iron' not help reduce the amount of 'spikes' that you would get in an all steel stove for instance? I would imagine that the cast Iron stove would be a much better heat source than the steel? perhaps not quite as a moderate temperature output as the soapstone stoves... but wouldnt it be in that direction?? never having used a soapstone stove I wouldnt know the difference in the heat output.



Yes it does dampen the "spikes".

If you look at the signature link below, our T6 is in our kitchen/family room.  3300 sq ft total, very open, with a ton of glass.  You can sit really close to the stove and not get "sun burnt".  My wife sits right next to the stove while jabbering on the phone.

Regarding getting burned out of the room, you just don't load the stove as full, and adjust the blower and stove air to adjust.   If you have the hearth space, we will all repeat, up size any stove that you purchase.  Plan the hearth space accordingly.


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## NH_Wood (Nov 23, 2011)

I heat 3000sqft with the Mansfield. New insulation in roof last year (up to R60) and just finished the last of the new replacement windows (9 new windows - 7 already done when I bought the house) + 3 new entry doors about a week ago. House is getting tight. I burned just shy of 5 cord last year - 24/7 heating and no other source of heat - it was a cold winter in NH. I can't get 10 h burns during the winter - on milder days - highs in the 30's and low's in the upper teens/low 20's, I shoot for 3 full loads per day - one at about 7am, another at about 4pm, and another at 11pm. Always a good bed of coals to get the new load going. House is usually at 70* or so downstairs (2000sqft) and 60* in the upstairs bedrooms (fine for sleeping). When temps get real cold - I go to 4 loads per day, but need to burn down the coals early to prepare for the next load. I have no complaints about the stove - throws great heat and I love the looks. BTW - if you go with the Manny, best heat output for winter is cruising at about 550* - don't let folks (like my dealer) tell you that the stove top should be kept at about 350* (crazy!). No experience with the T6, but most folks see to really like it and it is a very attractive stove - good luck! Cheers!


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## rhader (Nov 23, 2011)

Madison,

thats an awesome setup you have there!
I would like to re-do our hearth area next year but for now it si there and it is big enough for a T6 so I would just take out the old and with the new... 

as for these temps that you guys are mentioning. Are you installing some temperature readers on the stove? or do they come with them?


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## madison (Nov 23, 2011)

The stove is very heavy, i think 600 + pounds, so moving it is a chore.  Once is enough, haha

There are magnetic thermometers which can be placed on the stove top.  Start perusing/searching the forums and you will see many pictures of just about anything, including temp probes etc...  The stove shop will have them when you go shopping.


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## begreen (Nov 23, 2011)

rhader said:
			
		

> With the T6 would the 'cast Iron' not help reduce the amount of 'spikes' that you would get in an all steel stove for instance? I would imagine that the cast Iron stove would be a much better heat source than the steel? perhaps not quite as a moderate temperature output as the soapstone stoves... but wouldnt it be in that direction?? never having used a soapstone stove I wouldnt know the difference in the heat output.



The T6 will radiate less heat from the sides and back than the Mansfield. Soft heat is the way I describe it because you can sidle up close to the sides of the stove and not get baked. The cast iron jacket acts as a buffer that absorbs the heat and then slowly releases it. The main heat is radiated from the front of the stove. The trivet top is super flexible and unique. It allows for cooking at various temps, warming things and drying out mittens.  For higher output and faster heating, the blower is a good suggestion. I would get that option.


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## certified106 (Nov 24, 2011)

The T6 is a great stove even though i might be biased lol. I have no problem getting 10 hour burns out of my stove and it is extremely easy to and mild mannered to run. The jacketed sides and back make it very pleasant to be around,  in fact i dont believe i have ever seen the sides get above 200 degrees. The blower is a great option on this stove to really help push the heat when you want to.


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## rhader (Nov 24, 2011)

So we took a look at the T5 that was burning in the store and after seeing that I agree we definitely would have to go with the T6. the T5 just wouldnt be enough. 

I did notice that the T5 didnt output as much direct heat it seemed as what we were used to when we push our steel stove to its limits.... mind you the steel stove will eat through the wood pretty quickly and doesnt retain any of its heat for very long but you can blast it out pretty good. so Im assuming the T6 would feel like its pushing out a little more heat?

or is this just the 'softer' feel that cast iron or stone might have?


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## begreen (Nov 24, 2011)

Correct. Neither stove is going to push out the heat from every side like a raw stove that has little between you and a 1000F fire but a sheet of steel. But the big boys will steadily heat the air and warm the house just fine. If you want a big cast iron _radiant_ heater you should be looking at the Jotul F600, Hearthstone Bennington or the Quadrafire Isle Royale.


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## BrowningBAR (Nov 24, 2011)

BeGreen said:
			
		

> Correct. Neither stove is going to push out the heat from every side like a raw stove with little between you and a 1000F fire but a thin piece of steel. But the big boys will steadily heat the air and warm the joint just fine. If you want a big cast iron radiant heater you should be looking at the Jotul F600, Hearthstone Bennington or the Quadrafire Isle Royale.




Or the Englander 30NC. which is a big steel stove.


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## ddddddden (Nov 24, 2011)

If you're interested in the new Woodstock, and it certainly is an interesting stove, I think it would be worth a phone call to get info. . .I'm sure they'd ship to Canada.  NAFTA, Baby, NAFTA!  Just get your ducks in a row with customs ahead of time, so the shipping co can't BS you about 'brokerage' fees.


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## snowleopard (Nov 24, 2011)

Sounds like you are moving towards some good stoves, and taking care of the insulation end of things as well.  

I'm up in Interior AK, heating a well-insulated 2000 sf two story house w/a Heritage.  The most severe temps I've seen since I started heating 24/7 has been about -40F, but we had a solid three weeks of -30F as well, so I felt like the stove definitely had its shoulders in the harness.  It did the job.  

One thing that I find with the soapstone is I have better luck holding temps here than I have with any of the other stoves I've lived with.  I have an amazingly even temp throughout the house, and can hold 70F downstairs and 68F upstairs for long periods of time.  The steel and cast iron stoves I lived with were not of the quality of the T's, so that might not be useful comparative data.   The fact that soapstone takes awhile to heat up is not much of an issue when I'm heating around the clock.   I wasn't expecting the evenness of the heat; I expected it to be more of the `space heater' quality of stoves I've lived with in the past.  

One thing that I have that I believe helps is that I built a high-mass (granite) hearth.  It holds and radiates a lot of heat along with the soapstone.  One of our members recently installed an Equinox, I believe, with a large, gorgeous one-piece hearth of black granite.  I did the budget version by building mine out of panels designed for countertops from a local Home Depot (building-supply `box store').  I cut the price further by finding panels that had small chips on the edges and got a discount for that (easily hidden by turning the chipped side under the stove).   If you're going to install it where you had a fireplace, you may already have that component in place.  If not, you may wish to consider it.  

Another consideration you might look at, since you are very thoroughly attacking the heating problem from several angles, is your siting.  If you're in a windy area, look at the lay of the land around you, and see how much it's doing to help.  It might be that some judicious plantings will be worth considering.  They take time to make a difference, but down the road you might be glad that you put a row of spruce trees in to the north or the east, for example.  

You're going to have so much fun with a big, good-quality stove in there.   I try to be objective about stove recommendations, since I know I'm partial towards my stove.  The advantage of thinking things over the way you're doing, and weighing and balancing all the factors involved is that you will most likely come up with the right answer for you.  Don't be surprised if that answer surprises you; I was leaning towards the Fireview and made a last-minute swerve towards the Hearthstone, and I'm glad I did; Savage (Dennis) and his wife did just the opposite.  The more stoves you look at, the more factors you chew over, the more likely you are to come up with the right answer.   Be prepared to drive yourself and everyone you know a little batty in the process--it can get intense.  But so worth it.


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## woodmiser (Nov 24, 2011)

Not sure why you would rule out the Equinox. I liked it, bought it, installed the 8" flue and will be loving it for years to come. I think the 8" flue is impressive looking along with the stove itself.


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## madison (Nov 24, 2011)

woodmiser said:
			
		

> Not sure why you would rule out the Equinox. I liked it, bought it, installed the 8" flue and will be loving it for years to come. I think the 8" flue is impressive looking along with the stove itself.



OP has a 6" chimney


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## rhader (Nov 24, 2011)

Yes the chimney is a 6". So rather than spend more money on changing out the chimney I think a 6" flue will have to work... otherwise I think the Equinox would be the stove to go with hands down. 

To BeGreen and Browning BAR - I took a look at the stoves which you listed and all are very nice stoves as well. However they dont seem to be rated for any more heat output?  the T6 is rated close to 100,000 BTU heat output using the correct wood of course. 

The Equinox is the only one I see that seems to be susbtantially greater....  for the size of the stove. I think that may be it.. hopefully it will do the job??

My wife seems to prefer the cast Iron look over the Woodstock hybrid look and according to the specs anyway the T6 will have a greater heat output as well??


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## BrowningBAR (Nov 24, 2011)

rhader said:
			
		

> To BeGreen and Browning BAR - I took a look at the stoves which you listed and all are very nice stoves as well. However they dont seem to be rated for any more heat output?  the T6 is rated close to 100,000 BTU heat output using the correct wood of course.
> 
> The Equinox is the only one I see that seems to be susbtantially greater....  for the size of the stove. I think that may be it.. hopefully it will do the job??
> 
> My wife seems to prefer the cast Iron look over the Woodstock hybrid look and according to the specs anyway the T6 will have a greater heat output as well??



Ignore BTU ratings. They are not a consistent measurement from one stove manufacturer to the other. Firebox dimensions are a better measurement of heat output. No one has a Progress Hybrid, yet. So, no one can tell you if it compares to another stove. The T6 has a larger firebox by a small margin. But the stoves should heat about the same. The Progress should give you longer burns, but that is undetermined as of yet.


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## rhader (Nov 24, 2011)

Also, due to the character of the house we could easily get away with doing a nice stone setup that displayed a 'Fireview' cook wood burner... 

http://www.elmirastoveworks.com/fireview.aspx

but - I didnt think it would supply enough heat output.... and we would have it running 24-7 essentially.

The GOAL in mind - is that we can leave for work and have the stove at the minimum still warm when we get back in the evening....  anything better is a plus. not to mention go to bed at night and have hot embers or a burning fire still in the morning.... And obviously the stove would essentially be a warm source of heat for a constant 3 - 4 months.. never getting cold unless we were away for a couple days at a time.... 

that said we are currently leaning towards the T6. As I think the higher heat output may be required.


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## rhader (Nov 24, 2011)

BrowningBAR said:
			
		

> rhader said:
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## Woody Stover (Nov 24, 2011)

BeGreen said:
			
		

> the big boys will *steadily heat the air* and warm the house just fine. If you want a big cast iron _radiant_ heater you should be looking at the Jotul F600, Hearthstone Bennington or the Quadrafire Isle Royale.


With the high ceilings and his floor plan (a sketch might give a clearer picture,) would you think he'd be better off with a more convective heater like the T6 w/blower?


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## BrowningBAR (Nov 24, 2011)

rhader said:
			
		

> I was wondering that myself... Is BTU ratings a good reating to measure the stoves overall? I mean the steel stove that we currently have doesnt have a high BTU rating probably 30 - 40,000 but im sure when we get it going that heat output being not much to shield you between the 1000F fire is pretty substantial heat...



No. BTU ratings is not a good item to use to indicate performance. Firebox is a better spec to use. BTU ratings is a nearly completely useless spec  due to the ridiculous spin many manufacturers us. For instance, the Encore I use was listed as a 40k BTU stove. Recently it was changed to 60k. Still the same sized firebox at 2.3 cu ft. Vogelzang lists their 2.1 cu ft stove as having 119,000 btu capacity. Which is just asinine since the Equinox, with twice the firebox size, is listed as 120,000 BTU capacity.

So, BTU ratings should be ignored. Focus on firebox size.


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## rhader (Nov 24, 2011)

here is a basic layout of he main floor. I have highlghted the walls with the yellow lines. everything else is open. and remember everywhere in the 'kitchen' area and the 'main entrance' area is a high 15' ceiling....


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## rhader (Nov 24, 2011)

Overall this is a pretty good list of decent stoves in no particular order (all 6" flue except for teh Equinox):

1) Alderlea (T6) - Pacific Energy - cast Iron - Steel fire box
2) Heritage - Hearthstone - soapstone
3) Progress Hybrid - Woodstck - Soapstone
4) Bennington - Hearthstone - Cast Iron
5) Mansfield - Hearthstone - Soapstone
6) Equinox - Hearthstone - Soapstone (8" flue)
7) Phoenix - Hearthstone - Hybrid
8) Jotul F 600 - Cast Iron
9) Englander NC - 30
10) Quadrafire Isle Royale - Cast Iron


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## BrowningBAR (Nov 24, 2011)

rhader said:
			
		

> Overall this is a pretty good list of decent stoves in no particular order (all 6" flue except for teh Equinox):
> 
> 1) Alderlea (T6) - Pacific Energy - cast Iron - Steel fire box
> 2) Heritage - Hearthstone - soapstone *Too small*
> ...




No. 2 and 7 are too small for your needs.


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## rhader (Nov 24, 2011)

agreed. I should have thrown those to the bottom of the list. 

However I just pulled the plug on a T6 - I was able to get for a decent deal and its close by. so thats the one. happened much faster than I thought!

pick it up tonight! no idea how I am going to get it in the house


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## rhader (Nov 24, 2011)

I read a couple of bad reviews - until now I havent been able to find any.... this guy doesnt seem to really know what he is talking about... but anyway...

https://www.hearth.com/ratesingles/rate2418.html

just wanted to make sure I boght the right stove!! Im hoping the T6 will pump out some serious warmth... I bought the blower as well as the screen so the door can be opened when needing some extra heat.


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## rhader (Nov 24, 2011)

For anyone else that is considering a new stove - these guys put together a pretty decent chart thath is comparing the Pacific Energy Stoves to Hearthstone. 

http://chimneysweeponline.com/wscompha.htm

hopefully the T6 will be all that it can be!!


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## Dairyman (Nov 24, 2011)

Congrats on the new stove!  Don't worry about any bad reviews u read after u buy, I know it gives u that sick feeling in your stomach. These guys would've been screaming at u not to get it if it was a bad one. I'd recommend a good dolly to move it, make sure if u use ramps that their heavy enough or properly supported it's real scary when one breaks! Enjoy!


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## rhader (Nov 24, 2011)

yep! you said it!! lol
I think the only other option would have been to go with a larger firebox - or the Mansfield Hearthstone possibly. I will be sure to post comments.


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## certified106 (Nov 24, 2011)

rhader said:
			
		

> I read a couple of bad reviews - until now I havent been able to find any.... this guy doesnt seem to really know what he is talking about... but anyway...
> 
> https://www.hearth.com/ratesingles/rate2418.html
> 
> just wanted to make sure I boght the right stove!! Im hoping the T6 will pump out some serious warmth... I* bought the blower as well as the screen so the door can be opened when needing some extra heat*.



Congrats on the stove purchase! The T6 will pump out some serious heat when you need it, however you will soon find out that the worst idea is opening the door when you need some extra heat. If you open the door it will slow the fire down and pull more heat out of your house and up the chimney than you realize.


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## begreen (Nov 24, 2011)

Sound like the rater must have been one of the first to buy a T6. I agree with the statement about the ash system, and we get similar burn times. But the rest sounds like lack of general knowledge. We went from a beautiful, porcelained Castine to the painted, cast iron T6 3 seasons ago. I was concerned about dust collection (true of all cast iron surfaces that aren't glazed), but have found the issue to be minimal. After 3 years the stove still looks great with just an occasional vacuuming and a wipe with a damp rag. The heat retention of the cast iron mass of this stove was immediately noticeable and continues to be appreciated. Mass rules for evening out heat. Personally having been close in operation and looking at the build details of the Summit v T6, I prefer the Alderlea for it's solid door hinges, nice ash lip, and versatility. It's a winner in our book. Hope you enjoy your's too for many years to come. Take pictures please.

PS: Guess it's time to get that ceiling fan working right.

PPS: Certified is right, the screen won't produce more heat. Most screen purchasers use them once or twice and then they become dust collectors. You will find that as you reduce the air (in stages) on a fresh reload in the stove it will get much hotter on the stove top.  I would return the screen for credit. A good stove top thermometer will get used a lot more.


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## rhader (Nov 28, 2011)

pics of the wood stove up running:












Definitely a huge difference - night and day from the little Drolet stove that was there I think with all the clothes that my wife was stripping off my sex life may actually go up!! another selling feature!!

A couple of things that I did notice and question:

1) the window had a fair amount of powder coat over spray on it that does not want to come off.... any ideas???
2) the ash tray does eem to rattle a bit if you have heavy footsteps while walking in front of the stove...  but its the ash tray Im fairly certain... (as oppose to the top fold out cast leafs) can be kind of annoying.
3) the bricks supplied with the stove dont appear to be of great quality... for such a high priced item you might think they would be a better stone. Im pretty sure that after a seasons use these light stones will be falling apart.... but time will tell. 

As for the weekends results. After some light burning and getting rid of any chemical residue that was left over. little smelly...  and it was a warm weekend so it didnt take much to get the house temperature up... But the stove easily climbed to a reeading of over 450C - 500C it actually baried the thermometer which topped out around 500C and that was reading with a thermometer on the top cast iron with the leafs folded out and the thermometer placed on the lower cast on the stove top.

Overall the stove looks great. We love the ook of the heavy cast Iron and the feel of the heat output is definitely different than the Steel Stove that we had in the house.  and you can feel the warmth move much better through teh house with the bigger heat source.


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## begreen (Nov 28, 2011)

Congratulations, it looks great. I'm disappointed and surprised to hear about any overspray on the glass, the stove should have been painted before the glass was installed. Ask your dealer about this. The glass may need to be replaced. 
Not sure about the ash pan rattle, make sure it is pushed back all the way home. Ours is quite solid. The bricks are actually made of pumice and are premium, not cheap bricks. They use pumice for it's higher insulation value to achieve a hotter, cleaner burn. They will last years as long as you take care of them. Don't slam in the wood and they will be fine. Ours are going on year 4 and still looking good, no cracks. 

The stove box itself is steel. It sounds like you are running it too hot. The normal top temperature should not be run above 400C for a long period of time. 500C is in overfire territory. For comparison we are running our stovetop between 300-350Â°C. Try cutting down the air earlier and not reloading on a full hot coal bed. Our thermometer is placed to the front and left of the flue collar, so that it is visible with the trivet top closed, through the slats in the trivet.


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## rhader (Nov 28, 2011)

I have contacted the vendor about the overspray on the glass. I wouldnt care too much if it was minimal but its a fair bit... so Iam going to see if they can replace it. Unfortunately on pickup it was all wrapped up and I didnt think to check anything like that.... 

I though the bricks being less dense would be a less insulated material? A friend of mine purchased a Pacific Energy Vista stove and received the same bricks on purchase and his fell apart. BUt it could be possible that he was running the stove to hot??

As for teh temps I saw - I was surprised to see those temps and was just a cause of not turning the stove down and was unintentional. 

As far as over fire territory goes... what exactly does that imply?


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## begreen (Nov 28, 2011)

The stove is built like a tank, but frequent overfiring will eventually stress out the joints and welds. Evidence of overfiring can void the warranty. For the longevity of any stove you want to avoid prolonged or repeated overfiring.

For reference, here's our thermometer location.


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## rhader (Nov 28, 2011)

I never actually thought you could get the temps high enough to stress the steel welds... I mean the melting temps of steel being close to 2600F and the internal fire burning temps at what 1000F? does it get much hotter than that? I guess it will in that case...  good point then.

As for the location of our stove thermometer I had it placed more centrally located but same general area - I notice that yours IS closer to the stove pipe..

A question on the stove pipe. I have heard that the height above the roofline can cause a certain amount of down pressure and affect the burning of the actual wood stove.... is there any truth to this? and is there a rule of thumb when setting up a wood stove?? reaosn being is the old stove will be the 'new' shop stove... and I want to make sure I get a decent burn from it.


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## begreen (Nov 28, 2011)

One can definitely get a stove too hot, be it cast iron, steel or soapstone. An occasional foray to the high side is usually fine. Frequent overheating will eventually fatigue or crack something. With a steel stove that fatigue often shows up at a weld or warping. In a cast iron or soapstone it is usually a crack. 

You'll want to follow the instructions in the manual for the shop stove chimney installation. It will read something like this:

The chimney must rise above the roof at least 3' (0.9 mm) from the uppermost point of
contact. See Figure 2.2.
â€¢ The chimney must exceed any part of the building or other obstruction within a 10' (3.04 m)
distance by a height of at least 2' (0.6 m). See Figure 2.2.
â€¢ The minimum overall height of the chimney system, measured from the stove top to the
exterior termination cap of the chimney should be at least 12' (3.66m). A chimney which is
too short may lack the â€œtunnel effectâ€ required to obtain a proper draft.
â€¢ Installation of an interior chimney is always preferable to an exterior chimney. Chimneys
constructed outside of the home on an exterior wall should be avoided if possible, especially
in colder climates. The gas which circulates into an interior chimney will cool more slowly,
thus reducing the build-up of creosote and the risk of flue fires.
â€¢ All else being equal, cooler chimneys will have less draft than hotter ones. This problem will
be amplified if the chimney is excessively long. A chimney which is excessively long may be
very hard to warm-up due to its higher volume. A cool chimney may even down draft
(reverse flow) due to the difficulty in heating it up to operating temperature while trying to
evacuate the stack gases.


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## rhader (Nov 29, 2011)

Im re-thinking what is rattling on the stove. And it might be some slight movement from the swing out top cast iron pieces. anyone have any luck with using some heat gasket material where they close to stop the metal on metal rattling??

Also - how difficult is it to change the glass out on the stove?? I have to take some pictures with a piece of paper to show the black overspray and they will send me a new glass piece.... but I will have to replace it.


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## begreen (Nov 29, 2011)

You can use almost any thin non-combustible to test this theory. Though I'm wondering if the rattling is a symptom of another issue. Is the stove dead level and sitting solidly on all 4 legs? Is the floor well supported in this location or is it fairly springy? 

I just went over to our stove and started bouncing on the floor and now I think I hear what you are hearing. It is definitely a rattle, but I don't think it is the trivet. Not sure yet, our floor are pretty solidly supported so I have to work a bit to get it to happen. I will try again when I can get a helper to stomp so that I can do a closer job of listening. It sounds more like it's toward the back of the stove but I am not certain. Sounds like something under the heat shield, but the stove is hot so I will leave it to you to discover.

The trivet should rest solidly in the little U shaped rest stop, groove when closed. If you find that a little shim there quiets the rattle it could be that the trivet top needs a very slight tweak in leveling. To do this swing out the trivets and look low, beneath the side of the trivet you will see a leveling bolt just behind the pivot hinge. Adjust in small increments, like just a 1/4 turn to lower the front of the trivet so that it seats more firmly in that U shaped rest stop.

The glass should be straight-forward to replace. It looks pretty simple.


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## rhader (Nov 29, 2011)

its an old house originally - though it was some what re-done the original hand carved timbers used underneath to support the house are pretty solid despite their age. the floor isntre ally too springy - there arent really any creaks in the floor for instance. but if you go running by the front of the stove it will make something rattle. For instance - if I take the swing out castors by hand and try to jostle them (when cool of course) you can simulate the rattling. For the most part when you are simply walking by there isnt much of a rattle. just when there is heavy traffic - i.e. several people etc... 

In regards to the glass - is there any concern of breaking a seal? or re-applying this same seal with the new glass?? I wouldnt want to render the stove useless just because of some overspray.... maybe its just something I shoudl leave alone? I am probably the only one that will ever notice. But I will always know...


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## begreen (Nov 29, 2011)

I haven't removed the glass on this stove, but it looks like a simple compression fit. From what I see, the clips have slider slots that allow one to push the clip against the glass and gasket, then tighten. It looks like a nice simple system. Just don't push too hard on the glass, all it should take is a firm contact.


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## madison (Nov 29, 2011)

I would try Rutland stove glass cleaner.  If that fails, a paint solvent or remover.  or email PE if they could suggest a solvent.


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## rhader (Nov 29, 2011)

I will try a solvent or something. wouldnt want to dull the glass in the process though...


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## madison (Nov 29, 2011)

Rutland is safe, I really like the stuff.

I would test in a small area in one of the corners inside, sorta covered by the stove front if there is an untoward affect.

Have you tried direct to PE customer support?  Or email/call tom at chimneysweeponline?


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## rhader (Nov 29, 2011)

No I havent emailed PE. or Tom. any specific email address?
you mean just to change out the glass? the vendor which I purchased from has suggested that if I send in some photos that they shoudl be able to have a new one sent in. Though I doubt the overspray will show up as much in photos... 

I will give it a shot. whish I had thought to inspect it when I picked it up. but I doubt it would have been noticed anyway.


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## snowtime (Nov 29, 2011)

Changing the glass is easy as pie. I had a leaky glass gasket when new and found changing it very straight forward. Get a spare glass gasket in case you find a problem with the current one. It will be a spare if you do not need it.


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## certified106 (Nov 30, 2011)

Nice photos of the stove! Hope you enjoy yours as much as I have been enjoying mine. Did you figure out where the rattle is coming from yet? I have never had my swing open top rattle before.


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## jwscarab (Nov 30, 2011)

I vote for T6, I have one - love it!  The surface of the stove does get dusty easily tho with the flat black finish!  Thats my only downfall to it I see.

OK, now that I read pages 3 and 4 - it seems I am WAY to late to vote.....lol.  Oh well, you picked a winner!!


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## Hogwildz (Nov 30, 2011)

BeGreen said:
			
		

> The stove is built like a tank, but frequent overfiring will eventually stress out the joints and welds. Evidence of overfiring can void the warranty. For the longevity of any stove you want to avoid prolonged or repeated overfiring.
> 
> For reference, here's our thermometer location.



My o my, looks like someone spilled something on the top, tisk tisk


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## rhader (Nov 30, 2011)

BeGreen said:
			
		

> The stove is built like a tank, but frequent overfiring will eventually stress out the joints and welds. Evidence of overfiring can void the warranty. For the longevity of any stove you want to avoid prolonged or repeated overfiring.
> 
> For reference, here's our thermometer location.



what is that - placed on the right side of the top of the stove? the brass looking contraption....?


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## begreen (Nov 30, 2011)

Top view of an EcoFan. It's actually spinning, but the flash stops the action.


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## begreen (Nov 30, 2011)

Hogwildz said:
			
		

> BeGreen said:
> 
> 
> 
> ...



lol We haven't had any spills that I know of. This seems to be the way the paint is aging. It's matte black in the middle and sort of satin black near the edges that reflects the flash differently. It's the same on the other side. We almost always have the trivets closed so I just ignore it.


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## rhader (Nov 30, 2011)

here are a couple pics of the overspray on the glass window. with the door open I am using the wood flooring as a background. this is with a crappy camera phone so you can see thath its pretty visible.


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## begreen (Nov 30, 2011)

Looks like someone did a sloppy touch up spray. Wonder if it was the dealer? The stove body is painted before the glass is installed at the factory.


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## Hogwildz (Nov 30, 2011)

BeGreen said:
			
		

> Looks like someone did a sloppy touch up spray. Wonder if it was the dealer? The stove body is painted before the glass is installed at the factory.



The doors aren't on the stove when they are painted.
Either the QC at the factory on the doors is as crappy as when my Summit was built. Or the dealer saw a blemish and tried to touch it up or repaint the door.


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## rhader (Nov 30, 2011)

No - it couldnt have been the dealer - I picked the stove up from the supplier before it was even shipped to the dealer - it was just easier that way as the supplier was closer to our house. 

And the spray is on the outside of the glass of course which is hard to get at to scrub without removing between the cast iron door pieces.... the picture is taken from the inside simply to show the specs of overspray with a contrast behind it.


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## rhader (Nov 30, 2011)

to be honest - this stove looks like it was painted fully assembled... the stove was assembled on a skid and skid bolted to the stove itself.. and the skid VERY evidently showed the signs of powder coating while on the skid. 

It is possible that the door wasnt on while doing this and it was the rest of the stove that was painted while on the skid. but it does appear that it was all painted together assembled.


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## Hogwildz (Nov 30, 2011)

rhader said:
			
		

> to be honest - this stove looks like it was painted fully assembled... the stove was assembled on a skid and skid bolted to the stove itself.. and the skid VERY evidently showed the signs of powder coating while on the skid.
> 
> It is possible that the door wasnt on while doing this and it was the rest of the stove that was painted while on the skid. but it does appear that it was all painted together assembled.



Yes the stoves are bolted to the pallet when painted. The doors however are made separate, and never go on the stove until you unpack it and install it on the stove.
PE really needs to step up their QC. You should have had aQC checklist inside the stove when you unpacked everything. And it will look like one person just quickly checked each box off.
They need to fire that stoner and get a competent QC guy doing this stuff.
If for whatever reason the balk on it. You can prolly get it off fairly easily with a brand new razor blade. Go gently and easily gliding across the surface. The polish up with Rutland or other ceramic surface cleaner.
I would try and make them do it first. Hell, maybe even a new door out of the deal.


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## rhader (Nov 30, 2011)

well the door was assembled and on the stove when I picked it up. and was crated like that..... I will see what I can do.


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## madison (Nov 30, 2011)

Hogwildz said:
			
		

> rhader said:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


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## rhader (Nov 30, 2011)

would have had to be pretty 'high' not to see the over spray.. or just not care...


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## begreen (Nov 30, 2011)

Lots of reasons why people make mistakes and oversights. Could be someone got overloaded with work or your door was already assembled but next to another that was getting painted. Could have been late Friday on a beer night, or maybe the fellow's dog died. It really doesn't matter, Hog has it right. This should have been spotted by a good QC person.


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## rhader (Nov 30, 2011)

yeah fair enough. not a huge deal - just my first big $ stove purchase... kind of a bummer on having a small blemish..


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## begreen (Nov 30, 2011)

Yes, you need to get to happy. 3 choices - a) remove the glass and try to remove the paint with acetone or lacquer thinner. b) get new glass from PE or dealer (and send them pictures so that they pay better attention to QC) c) Forget it. Have a scotch, light some candles and snuggle with the wife enjoying the warmth.


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## bpirger (Nov 30, 2011)

Get a new glass though, and hopefully keep the old one.  Might be nice to have spare someday....


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## Hogwildz (Dec 1, 2011)

Well unless they changed their methods, I know my Summit came with the door wrapped in foam & cardboard boxed. SO either the distributor had an oops and sprayed it, and putt the door on. Or it came from the factory like that. Either way, really unacceptable for a new stove and the money spent. I used to preach PE, but now, I love my Summit, but after all the stuff going on the last few years, not sure I would buy another.


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## patrolman467 (Nov 11, 2012)

I just got a brand new T6 on November 6. The glass had black paint overspray on the outside of the glass, mostly around the cast iron design. I took a razer blade with some glass plus spray and scraped it off. This is unacceptable for a stove at this price. I plan on calling dealer and Pacific Energy this week to complain. Is this a common occurance? I'm hoping nothing else was overlooked on my stove.


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