# BOSCA PELLET STOVE  OPINIONS, REVIEWS



## sscomo (Nov 15, 2010)

does anyone have experience or knowledge of the bosca brand pellet stoves? 
cant find any reviews or any parts for them.


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## Lousyweather (Nov 15, 2010)

sscomo said:
			
		

> does anyone have experience or knowledge of the bosca brand pellet stoves?
> cant find any reviews or any parts for them.



dont they make some kind of chocolate drink too?


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## sscomo (Nov 15, 2010)

bosco


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## gfreek (Nov 15, 2010)

I was looking at them,  I liked the design and look. I was told not to bother, dealer wouldn't go into  details.


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## sscomo (Nov 15, 2010)

i wonder what the reasons were.......found a good deal on a new one$850, and comes with the 2 year electronic warranty and 7 year body warranty.....its the spirit 500.......i emailed bosca directy and have recieved quick responses to my questions, so customer service seems good so far......would like to hear from someone that owns one.........whatd you end up buying?   i'm also looking at a used harman accentra 2  which sounds like a top of the line stove.....


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## trobb (Nov 16, 2010)

I am looking at one as well.
I called the US head quarters out in Cali and they directed me to their
midwest dist. We spoke for several minutes and according to the guy I spoke with they
are the best pellet stove on the market....(that's his job to say that)
He quit handling Harmen stoves to sell these.(we all know Harmen is a good brand)
Said they are durable and are easy to get parts for and repair if needed.

...the post where the guy said "don't bother" concerns me.

Anybody out there own one?


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## tomg@bloomerplastics.com (Nov 16, 2010)

I have a Bosca Classic 500; bought it three years ago.  Have had good luck with it so far.  Went through 2 low limit switches, which they covered fully.  The one complaint I do have (as many others do as well) is the soot buildup on the glass.  Just can't keep the glass clean long enough, I have tried playing with the air intake but to no avail.  Three or four hours into a burn it starts sticking to the glass.  Overall a good stove.


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## sscomo (Nov 16, 2010)

Thanks for the info........do you use your stove often? Also do you find that only two fan settings high/low is sufficient?


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## tomg@bloomerplastics.com (Nov 16, 2010)

I use it everyday from about 5PM to 7AM in the morning.  Need the gas furnace to kick back in during daytime hours to heat the basement.  There are actually three fan settings.  One for the low feed rate, one for step two and one for the other two feed rates.


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## summit (Nov 17, 2010)

sold them for a couple yrs... very dependable, other than a snap switch here or there (common component, happens to many brands) no mechanical problems to report. Smaller hopper than most stoves, but easy to access and clean/work on. pretty tolerant to many ellet brands. good stove.


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## gfreek (Nov 17, 2010)

A Bosca 500 owner just posted.  The dealers I went to, 7 total I think, usually had 1 Bosca, either a wood burner or pellet.  Didn't mean to sway your purchase. I was looking at purchasing one on line ( Ebay) before I went shopping.  Changed my mind & prob getting a Harmon P38, even though there is a post of a new owner having major problems. .


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## Buckeyenut (Nov 17, 2010)

I have a Soul 700 insert.  my first pellet stove.  i like it alot.  throws out major heat, easy to maintainand looks good to boot.  installed it myself.  the only issue i had was the control panel started to delaminate, still worked fine just looked like crap.  the dealer supplied me with an advance replacement so i would not have to go without a stove last winter.


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## sscomo (Nov 19, 2010)

Arent the Bosca's supposed to have an air wash for the glass?  Do you have problems with the soul 700 and your glass getting dirty? 
I hear harmans are among the best..have a chance to buy an accentra for 750..but its 5 years old.....not sure if its reached its lifespan on some components.  supposedly its working excellent still though.
I'm still checking out my options.


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## Rooscooter (Nov 30, 2010)

I have two Bosca Spirit 500 Pellet Stoves and love them.  They are very easy to clean, are very efficient (85%+) and are reasonably priced.  No problems in just about 2 years of use.  

The importer for Bosca is a Spokane based company and I did a lot of research before buying.  There are 3 local dealer for Bosca and the only negative I've heard is that there aren't well known yet and thus cannot demand margins on sales (higher prices) that other "quality" brands do.  Stove shops are businesses after all and as such want to sell high margin products as much as possible. 

For those that don't know; the stoves are built in Chile with components made in the US.  The construction of my stoves is top notch with heavy plate construction, continuous welds and very good fit and finish.  The internal components are very common in the US and easily found.  The stove measures 2' x 2' x 3' and is about 340 lbs without pellets.  The Spirit model has unique hinged sides that allow for the stove to be opened up from top to bottom on both sides making it very easy to thoroughly clean and/or service.  The only gripe would be that the heat exchanger cleaner is not real effective.  

As for the glass issue described above....I do get some dirty glass (edges only) after about 20+ continuous hours of burning.  I had some issues initially until I learned where to set the damper for each heat level.


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## tomg@bloomerplastics.com (Nov 30, 2010)

Rooscooter, I have a classic 500.  Am having issues keeping glass clean.  What kind of venting do you use?  Where is your damper set at for setting #2.


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## Rooscooter (Dec 1, 2010)

BadgerState said:
			
		

> Rooscooter, I have a classic 500.  Am having issues keeping glass clean.  What kind of venting do you use?  Where is your damper set at for setting #2.



I'm not sure about the Classic 500....however I have the damper about 1/3 closed (or 2/3 open) for the 2 "middle" settings.  

Both of my stoves are directly vented horizontally through the wall with one 45 and about 6' of pipe total.  Both are vented exactly the same. 

I was noticing that the glass on one of my stoves was getting dirty a lot more than the other toward the end of last season.  When I opened them up to clean and took off the combustion fan I noticed that it was pretty "gunked-up" compared to the other stove.  This year I now only get dirty glass on the edges after about 20 hours of continuous burning or so.  

On my stoves the "air wash" is nothing more than a couple of holes in the front of the burn pot to allow a couple of "streams" of air to escape the pot and blow against the glass.  The cleaner the pot and liner the more air that will get though.  I clean out my burn pots and liners at least once a day.  

I hope that helps.


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## tomg@bloomerplastics.com (Dec 1, 2010)

Interesting; the classic 500 has traditional airwash with a gap on top of the glass; I don't see holes in the burnpot.


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## RiddleMasterMorgon (Dec 5, 2010)

We just got our new Soul 700 insert 5 days ago, so still learning to fly it properly.

First impressions so far:

VERY nice optics and design (that was the initial reason to go for a Bosca)
very sturdy, freakish heavy with 'tons' of welded steel - I like that and the style fits perfect
Fairly simple handling (minimal button operation) - no frills, and I like that, too
The price for this thing was great given the BTU output its supposed to have.

As for the burn, we currently run at setting 3/5 all day (aside from once daily cleaning), at ca. 25 F outside that gives us 69 F plus minus 3 in the house (upstairs, beedrooms, the usual heat gradient)

It heats the whole house - oil is the backup now ! I am assuming we will be able to improve on some stuff in the next time before I will list the downsides. We still have to install the upgrade kit that came with the stove (some improvements for smell, handling, breakdown stuff ect. - nothing real crucial). I experimentally took out a flame shield from the heat exchangers that looked more like shipping srews to me , increased the heat output already quite a bit with no visible downside. The current feed rate to hopper capacity is unfavorable - we rarely get through the night with one fill. We go through 2 bags of InstantHeat a day (I know I am not the pellet aficionado, thanks).

I am happy so far and think the heat output can be further improved (we have two more feed settings to go if need be, but I like my sauna outside the house). I would recommend the stove.


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## imacman (Dec 5, 2010)

Riddle Master Morgon said:
			
		

> .....The current feed rate to hopper capacity is unfavorable - we rarely get through the night with one fill. We go through 2 bags of InstantHeat a day (I know I am not the pellet aficionado, thanks).



IMO, those Instant heat pellets aren't helping any.....2 bags a day right now is a LOT, IMO.  

Take a look at this test by forum member Jay Takeman.....the IH pellets rank fairly low for heat output.   Pellets with higher BTU output will allow you to turn down the feed rate some.

Just a thought.

www.hearth.com/econtent/index.php/forums/viewthread/42511/


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## RiddleMasterMorgon (Dec 5, 2010)

Thanks imacman,

I will have a look. I think its fair to say I am still learning how to fly this stove. So no current finding should be taken as criticism of the stove (yet). The air intake setting for example is kind of a mystery to me right now, shows almost no visible effect whatssoever ? But the weekend is long...Pellet testing will start next weekend after I got my four different brands from Agway - I am curious how softwood pellets will do, dealer said this thing is designed to burn softwood pellets...will see.


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## imacman (Dec 5, 2010)

Riddle Master Morgon said:
			
		

> ....I am curious how softwood pellets will do, dealer said this thing is designed to burn softwood pellets...will see.



Hmmmmmm.  Interesting that the dealer said that....do they sell both types?  The stove manufacturer owners manual makes no mention of that.  Who would I believe?

Gets right back to the testing you'll be doing....every stove & install burns differently.


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## Critchley (Dec 18, 2010)

Just fired up a Spirit 500 that I purchased that was very lightly used last season..  Found Bosca customer service great..You can call them and speak to a knowledgeable tech or they call you right back..spoke to them twice..  Find stove to be very well made and professional installer I had thought so as well.  seems to work fine, is reasonably quiet.  Very pleased so far , my opinion would be more meaningful if I had a few years experience though.  Using Everex hardwood pellets, direct venting thru the ledger board outside without chimney.  No problem with that arrangement..exhaust fairly cool.


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## ineclipse (Dec 21, 2010)

So glad to see all the positive reviews of Bosca stoves. 

Here's mine...
Got myself a Soul 700 (freestanding) back in the madness of '08 and couldn't find _anyone_ on here that had one at the time. Mine didn't come cheap and I felt like I was flying blind a bit and taking a chance. But I absolutely loved the look of it ...has some sleek lines, but also looks like a furnace straight out of the depths of Mordor! (ok, at least I think so...) So I found one at dealer in my area and when I got my eyes _and hands_ on it, I knew the thing was every bit the beast and solid as it looked. (I was given the decorative brick insert with purchase but have not installed it. No decoration required on this animal.)
It's also 370 lbs! Almost as heavy as our piano.

I have had not a single problem with the unit since purchase. Had to replace one gasket because the bonehead from my stove place trashed it - do my own cleaning and annual maintenance now, thank you... and think I've just come upon the ol' low-limit switch issue this week (which is why I popped on the forum after too long away!). So if this is all I've had to deal with in 3 winters, I consider that 'problem free'.

As for performance...
We've got 2400sf to heat, which is toward the outside of its 48000btu range, but the stove handles it nicely. I never run the thing on full bore. 3 on most days, 2 overnight. Run it on 4 when highs don't get out of the teens or low 20s outside. One upstairs bedroom requires a space heater boost on the coldest days, though maybe if I put the thing on 5 it would take care of it. (Rest of the house would be unbearable though!) I have never even tried the 5 setting.

I resolved the front glass soot build-up issue by changing the damper position (moved it just shy of all the way in, where I used to keep it pulled much further out). That move also resolved a clinker issue with mediocre pellets nicely. Now I can go through the entire 80lb hopper on any brand pellet with only marginal soot on the glass and ash build-up in the pot. I leave the damper in that position pretty much full time now. (Soot build up on the side glass panes remains heavier than the front pane, but I think that's because the air-wash system isn't as effective on those side panes. That air-wash feature is actually pretty cool, and definitely works well on the front pane.)

What else... has dual-speed blower fan, though with our space arrangement, I just leave the fan set on high. 
The ash tray is huge - empty it once a ton.

Bottom line... this is my third winter in upstate NY not burning a drop of dead dino for heat and I couldn't be happier!
This stove is one of the best moves as a homeowner I've made.

Can definitely recommend a Bosca.
J


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## ineclipse (Dec 21, 2010)

> The air intake setting for example is kind of a mystery to me right now, shows almost no visible effect whatssoever ?



In my experience, you will see only the most marginal visible affect on the flame from moving the damper in and out. 
I was also initially skeptical that the damper had any real effect, and played around with it extensively at first. Now I hardly ever touch the thing. I settled on leaving it about 2/3 out (open?), and was that way for the better part of a winter and a half. I then decided to move it to less than 1/3 in (closed?), and I have seen the difference. Much less soot. Less ash. Concluded that I just played around with it too much at first to see a difference. Leaving it for an extended period in one position, then changing to another... big difference.



> I experimentally took out a flame shield from the heat exchangers that looked more like shipping srews to me



VERY interesting! To me it looks more like a plate than just screws, but never thought to remove it! (Wonder if I'm looking at the same part you were.) I took its purpose to be to reduce ash/creosote build up on the exchanger tubes... would love to know if you end up finding a problem with that, or any downside at all.

Good luck and enjoy this very excellent stove.
And keep us posted on your experience.
J


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## sscomo (Dec 27, 2010)

pics of bosca spirit install

3" selkirk pipe all the way up the chimney

2" outside air intake. 

stove works well....heat output seems ok...thought it would put out more heat on the lower settings, currently running on "2"  

damper has to be almost all the way out(closed) or it seems to smolder down.

it is 10 degrees out, and is keeping it around 64degrees inside.


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## sscomo (Dec 27, 2010)

Still burning on the "2" setting........has a healthy appetite for pellets.......
anyone else have the same stove? I noticed some cooler air blowing from the heat exchanger cleaner pull. Also  you can see some glowing red from the firebox around the heat tubes...indicating that its not completely sealed.,  Havent noticed any ash blowing out around them as the gap is minimal, but still....it'd be nice if they were sealed with a gasket or rtv, better yet welded.


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## Rooscooter (Dec 27, 2010)

sscomo said:
			
		

> Still burning on the "2" setting........has a healthy appetite for pellets.......
> anyone else have the same stove? I noticed some cooler air blowing from the heat exchanger cleaner pull. Also  you can see some glowing red from the firebox around the heat tubes...indicating that its not completely sealed.,  Havent noticed any ash blowing out around them as the gap is minimal, but still....it'd be nice if they were sealed with a gasket or rtv, better yet welded.



I have 2 Spirit 500's.  

First, the burn chamber is in negative pressure in relation to the room as the combustion fan "pulls" air through the stove.  If there are any gaps or holes air will be entering the stove not escaping.  The actuating rod for the heat exchanger cleaner does go through a hole directly into the burn chamber.  I don't have any gaps in my stoves around the heat exchangers.  

Second, the 2 setting should be have a burn rate of about 1.75lb/hr or so.  A bag of pellets at that setting should be lasting you over 20 hours.  

I use my stove on setting 2 and 3 for the majority of the time and get very good heat from it.  I have tested several pellet brands with my stoves and usually get between 230Â° and 265Â° air coming out of it on the #3 setting. I can keep the lower level in my house (1300SF, 10' ceilings) at or above 72Â° on setting #2.  I move to setting 3 when the temps outside get below 20Â°.


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## sscomo (Dec 30, 2010)

what do you keep your damper set at on the 2 setting?


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## Rooscooter (Dec 30, 2010)

sscomo said:
			
		

> what do you keep your damper set at on the 2 setting?



My damper is usually about 1/3 closed (pushed 2/3 in) for both my 2 and 3 settings.  I use primarily Premium Douglas Fir or Fir blend pellets and my definition they burn hot and clean which is a bit plus in keeping the stove clean and working properly.


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## Rooscooter (Dec 31, 2010)

I finally got around to getting a couple of photos of one of my stoves.  This is the one on the lower level.  It set at a 45 and is setting on a tile floor at the foot of the stair way to the second level.


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## jtakeman (Dec 31, 2010)

Stove look nice there rooscooter. Blends in rather well. Bet it makes a good boot warmer too!


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## Rooscooter (Dec 31, 2010)

j-takeman said:
			
		

> Stove look nice there rooscooter. Blends in rather well. Bet it makes a good boot warmer too!



My lower level is around 1800SF and it stays around 74Â° with the stove set at either 2 or 3.....weather dependent of course.  My upstairs stove (not pictured) keeps the main floor and 1/2 3rd level at 72Â°.  That stove is on a thermostat and it rarely runs above the 2 setting.  Although this evening they both are churning away as it's 4Â° right now.


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## mokamm (Jan 3, 2011)

New Bosca Freestanding Soul 700 owner here.  Up and running about 3 weeks so we are still tweaking the settings but so far so good.  Easy, easy, easy to use.  Once we got it up and going it's pretty much a no brainer and we are new to the pellet stove heating so that is good.  We bought this unit at a super price with all the necessities (piping and stove mat).  We are burning less than 2 bags a day when cold at setting 3.  We have a small (1300 - 1400 square foot) farm house that a wood burner didn't keep warm and oil was killing our budget.  Lower level, main room is staying mid 70's, upper rooms (bedrooms) are 71, 72.  Kitchen off a long hallway is 69 to 70.  Keeping the house more comfortable than we are used to.  We are burning pellets purchase at TSC in the black and red bags.  We have tried two brands, one from Meijer and one from TSC.  Prefer the TSC so far.  My hubby shuts the stove down 2x per day (although I don't think he would have to), cleans everything up in about 2 minutes, and stokes it back up.  We are really pleased with this unit as first time pellet stove buyers.  It was difficult to find information about this brand but we decided to take a chance because we like the design, the price was right, and they looked well built......turned out to be a beneficial gamble so far!!


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## RiddleMasterMorgon (Jan 3, 2011)

As promised some time earlier, here my pellet review in a BOSCA Soul 700 insert (Temperature read at setting 4/5):

Barefoot (225), Nature's Heat (220), Lignetics (210), DryCreek (190), Instant Haet (175), StoveChow (170), New England Wood Pellet (160)

Maintenance was pretty much the same for all of them, some more clinkers with the cheaper stuff as expected. Amount of dust I dont care. The only other observtion I had was that with Barefoots my Auger would scream every here and then (I assume its becasue these are really hard wood pellets). The biggest positive surprise was the Natures Heat from Walmart with really excellent heat output for cheap, whereas the NEWP were the negative surprise with lots of money for no heat output. Everything else is pretty much in line, you get what you pay for..

I tested with a 4 USD oven thermometer at the air output, so plus minus 5 deg is perfectly possible - I just wanted to get a feel of how the pellets differ and if they really do (oh yes). The results are pretty much what others have done as well and found out. For the laugh and giggles, I have put 3 tons of Instant Heat in the garage before I made my own test. The money saved compared to Natures Heat is zero and compared to Barefoot about 150 USD - next year I would happily spend more to get good heat in the house rather than have to use the oil as backup when it goes below zero.

Hope this helps some BOSCA fans, dont read too much into the absolute values compared to other stoves. Bosca usually has more heat tubes (I believe) and its all a question of air flow through the heat exchanger.

Happy new year.


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## RiddleMasterMorgon (Jan 3, 2011)

And here my overall review of my 'new' BOSCA Soul 700 insert:

We had some initial problems and Hearth and Home had to come out again to install an upgrade kit (which was in the delivery, but they declined to install it in the first place). With some support from BOSCA over the phone they installed the majority of the parts, our stove was from 2008, so needed rubber seals on the exchange tubes, some sealant around the auger and quite some more - took a good half day and H+H wants their money back from BOSCA, but that I dont have to care about. Since then the stove works fine and has burned about 1 ton now.

I very much like the design and robust made (freakish heavy and welded steel everything), fits very nice in the house. Brick set is black and looks nice, maintenance so far is simple and cleaning done in 15 min. My wife likes it too, she also likes the look of the fire - which I think is so so...As for heat output, see above pellet tests with significant difference, also the air supply has some major impact (I have an outside air installed), My setting is about 1/3 in (sticking a good 2/3 out, which looks odd and is not the initial install setting), that made a difference of about 20 % heat output. I had way too much air in the beginning and hence too much draft sucking the hot air into the chimney (or rather blowing it, and triggering my high heat fuse every here and then). Unfortunately its hard to see what is too much air and the idea to burn it cleaner actually backfired big time, too much air caused tons of ash and half burned flakes. Another plus (for me) is the fact that the outside of the stove does not get scalding hot, nice when you have a kid and dont need a gate - air is still hot coming out.

Cleaning of the burn pot needs to be done daily, vacuum about every 3 days (6 bags). There is some wood burning smell at start up (I believe there are still some openings to the burn chamber despite the upgrade kit) - but its not unpleasant. The hopper holds almost two bags, which is prety cool. What is not so cool is the fact that the auger does feed less pellets when it goes about 1/3 full, meaning it gets colder long before the stove turns off since the auger design is not optimal and the pellets do not slide down easy.

It does heat the house to some 70 plus minus 4 as long as the temperatures outside dont dip below zero and its not too windy (I still have some fixing to do at the house, its rather drafty right now), however I believe BOSCA atvertisement that this stove can heat 2500 sqf is not really measured in the Northeast. I have a bit below 2000 and it does not feel as if the stove has reserves when it goes to zero outside. In all fairness, the BTU rating is 45 to 47k (depending who you ask, which is weird) - so if you look up recommendations for the Northeast you will find that a 2000 sqf house should have 65-70k BTU heating source. Thats exactly what the stove feels like, working most times but likely not in the dead of winter.

I think BOSCA should change their advertise to 1500 sqf and should install the upgrade kit prior to delivery. Other than that I am happy with the stove, especially given the price it was a good deal to get and Uncle Sam helps me with 1500 USD - so no complain.

A more philosophical question is does the pellet stove make finacial sense ? That answer would be no right now. I am burning through about 2 bags a day or 1 ton a month. Thats 250 USD of the good pellets (including delivery), wheras I burn about 75 gallons of oil a month without stove, thats 240 USD at 3.2 USD/gallon. No doubt oil prices will increase, but as long as they dont go above 4 USD/gallon this does not work out from an investment only point of view. In fact, if you use both systems you pay extra for the maintenance of both systems. Given that thought my next insert will be a normal wood stove (I have another insert to work on) and then the comparison is on.

Curious to see what you guys think.


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## Rooscooter (Jan 3, 2011)

Riddle Master Morgon said:
			
		

> And here my overall review of my 'new' BOSCA Soul 700 insert:
> 
> We had some initial problems and Hearth and Home had to come out again to install an upgrade kit (which was in the delivery, but they declined to install it in the first place). With some support from BOSCA over the phone they installed the majority of the parts, our stove was from 2008, so needed rubber seals on the exchange tubes, some sealant around the auger and quite some more - took a good half day and H+H wants their money back from BOSCA, but that I dont have to care about. Since then the stove works fine and has burned about 1 ton now.
> 
> ...



Greetings,
I am from Spokane, WA.....the location of the importer for BOSCA USA.  I know the owner and his family and will pass along your experience regarding the SOUL 700 and the "upgrade kit".  To me this sounds like a distributor trying to pawn off a defective unit.  My Bosca's were built in 2008 as well and I can tell you that there were no manufacturing "defects" that would necessitate rubber seals on the heat exchanger or sealing the auger motor.  I do find it interesting that the parts were included in the delivery though. 

My Stoves are very well built and I've had no issue with them in over 2 years (about 5 tons in each stove).  The only issue I had was a installation issue that had to do more with my house design than anything else.  My home is around 4800SF and is very open both on each floor and from floor to floor.  The home has a strong "chimney effect" and was drawing the exhaust from the lower level stove in to the house between the foundation and the sill plate of the wall.  I corrected this with some foam backer rod and sealant.  After that it's been smooth sailing.  

One question: was the stove sold to you as "new" or used or a demo unit?


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## RiddleMasterMorgon (Jan 4, 2011)

Was sold as new but manufactured in 08 as per plate on the stove. Yes upgrade kit was included, so clearly some things were found after initial release that they intended to fix - which is totally OK for me. The smell issue and the rubber seals on the heat exchanger is a known issue for BOSCA Soul, and some on the net reported that before (also the glass inserts needed correction since small gap that allows ash and fumes to get out.

I agree, the stoves itself is rock solid and does the trick. For about half the price of comparable stoves....not too bad at all.


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## sscomo (Jan 4, 2011)

I had noted that on my bosca spirit 500 i noticed a thin gap around each heat exchanger.....can see the glow from the firebox...
Has anyone with a spirit 500 installed an "upgrade kit" ?   What does the soul upgrade kit contain...rubber o rings?


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## Rooscooter (Jan 4, 2011)

sscomo said:
			
		

> I had noted that on my bosca spirit 500 i noticed a thin gap around each heat exchanger.....can see the glow from the firebox...
> Has anyone with a spirit 500 installed an "upgrade kit" ?   What does the soul upgrade kit contain...rubber o rings?



No gaps on either of my two stoves.  I haven't heard of any issues with "design quality" on the Bosca stoves in general, however as they were ramping up production for their new pellet stoves in 2007 and 08 there were some initial "manufacturing quality" issues that I was told about.  When I took delivery of my stoves I un-created them and went through them with a "fine tooth comb" looking for any issues.    

For those that don't know, Bosca has been building wood stoves since the early 1980's.  They are considered the benchmark for stove makers in South America.  They also have been selling stoves in New Zealand, Spain, France and Germany for over 25 years as well.  They decided to enter the North American market in 2004 and also decided to design/build their first pellet stove in 2006.  The Spirit, Classic and Soul Stoves were designed in North America (by Quadrafire I believe but I'm not sure) and built in Chile with largely American components (blowers, electronics etc).  They are imported by Bosca USA located in Spokane, WA and distributed in several states.  The Spirit and Classic are the same stove in terms of guts and operation.  The Soul has an additional fifth heat setting (up to 6lb/hr), larger blowers and more glass and is rated at 60,000 btu's while the Spirit and Classic are 42,000 btu's. 

I know of at least 5 other installs myself (2 classics, one Spirit and 2 Souls) that have been trouble free for at least 3 years.  That combined with the price and obvious quality led me to decide to buy the Bosca's over similar Enviro stoves.  In the end I believe that the Enviro Omegas would have produced a little more efficiency and heat, however that was offset by being just over twice as expensive per unit.  If you negotiate you can get a very good pellet stove for under $1,800.00 backed by a 3 year warranty.....not too shabby!


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## sscomo (Jan 4, 2011)

Thanks for the info.....I  emailed bosca yesterday as well...and they were quick to respond. They said the spirit was designed that way and didnt not need an upgrade kit...... Ili guess the soul has a different heat exchanger design....
Glad to hear the bosca brand pellet stoves have been trouble free..........I like their woodstoves alot but ended up getting a Spirit Pellet brand new from the dealer for $700...not counting the tax credit.


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## RiddleMasterMorgon (Jan 5, 2011)

Rooscooter, could you please give a source for your BTU ratings you mentioned for the Soul 700 ? My manual sais its 47k BTU output at maximum. Also, the 5/5 setting is not to be used for extended periods of time (again as per manual). Also these sources rate it at quite some lower values than you mentioned:

http://www.pelletstovefires.com/bosca-soul.html

http://www.azocleantech.com/details.asp?newsID=10705

Not trying to badmouth BOSCA here, but this means that 24/7 operation will give you even less than 47k BTU and thats just not enough to heat 2000 sqf as per heat recommendation for the northeast- BOSCA should change that 2000-2500 sqf claim.


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## sscomo (Jan 5, 2011)

General maintenance question:

What type of oil do you use on the motors?


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## Rooscooter (Jan 5, 2011)

Riddle Master Morgon said:
			
		

> Rooscooter, could you please give a source for your BTU ratings you mentioned for the Soul 700 ? My manual sais its 47k BTU output at maximum. Also, the 5/5 setting is not to be used for extended periods of time (again as per manual). Also these sources rate it at quite some lower values than you mentioned:
> 
> http://www.pelletstovefires.com/bosca-soul.html
> 
> ...



I have the manual and literature that came with my stove.  It is "universal" for all Bosca Pellet Stoves.  It states as you do that the 5th setting on the Soul is intended for short periods of time and that it is indeed 60,000 BTUs.  The 4th setting is listed at 46500 BTU's.  The web site must be referencing the highest setting recommended for everyday use.  

My hard copy manuals differ from the downloadable ones on their site quite a bit.  The ones online much easier to read and less technical than the ones that came with my stoves.  I do have a complete listing of parts and manufacturer's for the blowers, boards etc. which is nice though.  The online version of the Spirit manual lists my stove at 40,000 BTU and my manual lists it as 42,000.  Maybe they have had them re-certified since 2008 and these are the new (or real) numbers.  

As for BTU's for a 2000 to 2500sf home.  I do know a little about this as I am both a licensed Engineer and Architect.  When you see numbers of BTU's required to heat a home or amount of SF those are based on a number of assumptions.  8' flat ceilings, single pane windows, R24 Roof and R11 walls for example.  This is done to account for the average of older to newer homes/buildings.  If you have a drafty home or one with vaulted ceilings the numbers would be higher. If you have a well insulated, air-tight home they would be lower.  Also the type of heating plays into this.  45000 BTU's of forced air is much different in "feel" than 45,000 BTU's of radiant heat for example.  Efficiency of the transfer of heat energy is NOT calculated in those numbers or in the ratings on stoves. 

Like most things that apply to all....they really don't apply at all.  : )  

Thanks for pointing out the discrepancy in the info.  

Did you Soul come with a hard copy manual?


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## Rooscooter (Jan 5, 2011)

sscomo said:
			
		

> General maintenance question:
> 
> What type of oil do you use on the motors?



A synthetic oil made for high temp bearing applications such as......

http://www.stove-parts-unlimited.com/Anderol_465_Synthetic_Bearing_Oil_p/94652.htm


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## VictorSinclair (Aug 28, 2011)

New to the forums, so hi all. First of all, let me thank all of you for the great info in this thread. I know the thread is from last year, but I'm hoping some of the writers are still around to answer a couple questions.



			
				sscomo said:
			
		

> found a good deal on a new one$850, and comes with the 2 year electronic warranty and 7 year body warranty.....its the spirit 500..



Not sure if it was $850 or $700, but either one is a great price for a Spirit 500



			
				sscomo said:
			
		

> I like their woodstoves alot but ended up getting a Spirit Pellet brand new from the dealer for $700...not counting the tax credit.



1. SSCOMO could you share your source. That's an excellent price and good warranty. Would love to find the stove at that price and with a good warranty to boot. Currently the best pricing I found is on eBay, but that is taking a risk with having service needs after the sale. Would any of you buy a bosca on eBay?

2. I keep seeing what looks like two different versions of the spirit 500? One has what looks like a longer ash tray that goes down to the ground and the other seems to be half as look. Are these different models or just an option difference?

Thanks


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## imacman (Aug 28, 2011)

It looks like the company changed the design....the one on their website has the "larger" ash pan.  others i saw seemed to have the smaller pan, or maybe the side "legs" used to be taller??

IMO, dealer service is the issue with these, if you have a problem.  Contact the company and find the nearest dealer.


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## karl0525 (Aug 28, 2011)

I just bought me a spirit 500 of eBay for 1025 to the door this is also my first year with the bosca I can comment on build quality is great don't have it installed yet but will give other opinions when up and running also following thread so any other info on units would be great thanks as for the different models I have the smaller ash pan with long legs the ash pan is still about 8 inches high to 12 inches deep for plenty of ash storage


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## VictorSinclair (Aug 28, 2011)

karl0525 said:
			
		

> I just bought me a spirit 500 of eBay for 1025 to the door



Thanks for posting. That price seems suspiciously like the same seller that I was considering. The fact that you have received yours puts me at ease to also buy from him. Do you share my concerns about service after the sale or are you satisfied that if service is needed the manufacturer will provided it?

Sorry for what might seem like thread jacking. As soon as I settle on from whom to get one from, I'll offer a review too.


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## imacman (Aug 28, 2011)

VictorSinclair said:
			
		

> ....are you satisfied that if service is needed the manufacturer will provided it?.....



The manufacturer will not be providing any direct service, as they are located in S. America.  You need to contact them, or their USA based importer, and find out who your nearest dealer is.  THEY will be the ones doing any service work, IF they're close enough to you.


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## karl0525 (Aug 28, 2011)

Looking at the stove and how easy it is to replace any of the parts if they do go bad and getting the parts shipped to me I don't think the break down issue is something that concerns me the seller on eBay shipped out of Portland orgeon I forget his user name the stove mfg date was 2008 model but still new in crate


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## VictorSinclair (Aug 28, 2011)

On the Bosca website, they say 40 lbs hopper for the Spirit 500, but the online manual says 66 lbs? Anyone know which is true. Thanks for all your responses, you're really helping me with feeling confident in this choice.


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## RiddleMasterMorgon (Aug 28, 2011)

Hi,

you are on the eastcoast, so chances that you get even close to westcoast prices are slim to none - other than you can somehow ship it over yourself (friend doing trucking or such thing). There is an incredible markup on getting the stuff trucked over to the eastcoast.

Buying from ebay: I think thats quite risky, especially with the BOSCA stoves, since you would not simply get parts you might need. If you are new to stoves in general I would recommend going the installer route. yes thats an extra 1000 USD for a day of work (or similar), but for me it was all worth it since I could dump a lot of responsability to them to get the stove working according to specs (see above thread) - just my 2 cents.

Looking forward to this season, I now have the best pellets I can get in my area (Barefoots) and I would hope my stove heats the whole house after some anti-draft work in summer. I finally modified my oil forced air to only heat the basement and keep it from freezing and will shift to pellet 24/7 for the first time. I hope the savings will be significant (and my 3.5 tons are actually enough..)

Cheers


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## karl0525 (Aug 29, 2011)

The spirit is 40 the bosca classic (square body) 66 pounds


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## Rooscooter (Aug 29, 2011)

I have a couple of Spirit 500's and I can tell you that you can get at least a bag and half in the hopper.   On the 3rd of 4 settings I can get 20 to 24 hrs from a hopper


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## VictorSinclair (Aug 29, 2011)

thanks guys for the quick reply (karl0525) and the real world results (Rooscooter). I can't imagine why Rosca would have 2 different # out there, maybe lost in translation. Well from what you said Rooscooter, it does seem that 66 is closer to being accurate if you get a bag and a half in there.


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## Rooscooter (Aug 29, 2011)

Bosca's Literature differs from the Web to their Brochures to their Manuals that come with the units.  BTU's for example range from 40K to 48K depending on where you read it.  The manuals that came with my Bosca's indicate 48K btu's on max setting.    

All in all I've been very happy with the Bosca's.   No problems in 4 burning seasons, very easy to clean, not real picky about pellets and great heat..... much more than the Quadrafire's they replaced that were rated at 42K BTU's.


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## Rooscooter (Jan 11, 2012)

imacman said:
			
		

> It looks like the company changed the design....the one on their website has the "larger" ash pan.  others i saw seemed to have the smaller pan, or maybe the side "legs" used to be taller??



For some reason the Bosca promotional department gets the photos of their "Spirit 550" wood stove and "Spirit 500" pellet stove mixed up.   They look exactly alike with the exception of the Ash pan on the pellet stove.   The one with the "legs" is the wood stove and the gap below the fire box is for storing wood......   

The Spirit design hasn't changed since I bought mine in late 2009.


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## VictorSinclair (Feb 10, 2012)

Its been 3 months since I installed my Spirit, and I'm loving it. It's been one of the best purchases I've made for the house, so much so that I want to get a second one for the basement. The only problem is the eBay seller I got mine in the fall for about a $1000 shipped has soldout. Is there any retailers, wholesalers, or distributors that anybody knows about that's selling spirits for around $1000? 

If posting prices here violates forum rules, then pls pm me if you have a lead for me. Much appreciated.


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## Rooscooter (Feb 10, 2012)

^^Glad to hear that you like yours.   I just had an ignitor go out in one of mine.....  when I went in to the dealer to order the part I was told that it would be covered because my serial number matched a batch of suspect ignitors and Bosca was stepping up and replacing them.   

This is my 4th burning season and I couldn't be happier with the purchase.  Great heat, very easy to clean and by far the most inexpensive stove that doesn't look like a 1910 "trash burner"....   Apologies to those out there that prefer that look.......   I like contemporary fixtures as my home is a very contemporary design......


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## petemal (Feb 11, 2012)

i looked into myself  the spirit new model has a larger hopper the older one is only 40 lbs   a local dealer had the floor model for 1800    but i say the 1000 ebay ones   and for the price  if you are handy its worth a shot,  again its new


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## Rooscooter (Feb 11, 2012)

petemal said:
			
		

> i looked into myself  the spirit new model has a larger hopper the older one is only 40 lbs   a local dealer had the floor model for 1800    but i say the 1000 ebay ones   and for the price  if you are handy its worth a shot,  again its new



I've owned one since they were introduced and it has always said 40lbs in the literature that comes with the stove while always holding 60+ pounds.....   

This is also the "original" design for the Spirit.  It has not been redesigned since it was introduced in 2007


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## VictorSinclair (Feb 11, 2012)

petemal said:
			
		

> a local dealer had the floor model for 1800    but i say the 1000 ebay ones   and for the price  if you are handy its worth a shot,  again its new


Not 100% on what you were saying, but thanks for the response. Where is local for you?

Btw: I do not get a whole 40 lbs bag into mine.


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## Rooscooter (Feb 11, 2012)

VictorSinclair said:
			
		

> Btw: I do not get a whole 40 lbs bag into mine.



Really?...  I get 1.5 bags easily in both of mine.     Interesting........   What is the date of fabrication?


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## VictorSinclair (Feb 11, 2012)

Rooscooter said:
			
		

> VictorSinclair said:
> 
> 
> 
> ...



I wish I got that much in mine, but mine is built in 2007 and only gets about 80~85% of a 40lbs bag in at a time. Still love it though and still want another. No response on this thread or pm yet to my request for a low price source. I'll probably start a separate thread.


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## jtakeman (Feb 11, 2012)

Rooscooter said:
			
		

> VictorSinclair said:
> 
> 
> 
> ...



Depends on the pellets bulk density. The higher the density the more you squeeze in. The fat bags(low density) might fill the hopper with one bag where the skinny(high density) has room for more!


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## Lousyweather (Feb 11, 2012)

sscomo said:
			
		

> does anyone have experience or knowledge of the bosca brand pellet stoves?
> cant find any reviews or any parts for them.



I dunno about sotves, but isnt Bosca a drink of some sorts?


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## karl0525 (Feb 11, 2012)

I can say also I can't get a whole 40 pounds in about 30 pounds is all, this is the one and only negative thing I have to say about it


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## chopper820 (Feb 11, 2012)

I love my Bosca Spirit 500. I bought it on Ebay and had it shipped to my door step from the seller in Portland Oregon. The stove was manufactured in 06/2009 and holds about a bag and a half. It's easy to clean and the blowers and other parts are easily accessible. I paid $1275 for it this summer, which included shipping and a wireless thermostat. I have since upgraded the thermostat though, since the one it came with had very limited options. I highly recommend. 

Chopper


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## bdoakey (Feb 12, 2012)

From what I can tell from my test burn in the garage, I am stoked to get her installed into the house. Stove was given to me by a friend who was moving. Came with some spare parts as he was a Bosca dealer here in Idaho. He ran it almost 24/7 during the cold months here for the last 2 years and was very pleased with the performance. We will be using it as supplemental heat for the front of our house. Natural gas here is so cheap that it does not make sense to use it to heat the whole house. I have some questions on venting but will save that for another thread as well as photos of the install.


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