bbc557ci said:
Make a decision yet ? Looks like you got very good prices on both. Seems like a real good price on the Mansfield.
It's a tough one. I'm trying to figure out how to calculate how the Mansfield would do, compared with the Heritage. My wife would really like to make the soapstone work, though I am leaning toward the T6. If the Mansfield will work, I think we'll go with that. But, based on all the good info from Gunner, Tom the Chimney sweep, and Swestall, I'm thinking I might regret passing up the T6...the inner struggle continues. Make the wife happy "luxury car" - as Tom says (I like the Mansfield, too), or go with the "sports car"? I hate that I have to analyze everything to death until I want to jump off of a bridge.
Looking at the Mansfield (for my wife):
OK, so if I can fairly easily maintain a 60* F temperature differential with the Heritage at outside temp of 15* F, how about this, assuming I want to "design" for 15* F outside temp:
Q = U·A·(Ti - Ta)
*
Q Total hourly rate of heat loss (Btu/hr) Calculated from equation
U Heat transfer coefficient (Btu/hr-ft2-°F)
A Net area for heat transfer (ft2)
Ti Inside design temperature (°F) Always use 65°F
Ta Outside design temperature (°F) Look up for location
*
So at 15*, based on the Heritage claims of heat output, I'm losing 55,000 Btu/hr.
So, if I'm doing this correctly, U*A will calculate to be 1100 Btu/hr/*F
Now, the Mansfield is rated at something like 85,000 Btu (assuming the same methods as on the Heritage)...
That would allow for a Ti of 65* F, meaning I could maintain 65*F at the given heat output rate of 85,000 Btu when it's 15* F outside.
But...
I know that T6 will let me fire it much higher than the Mansfield for short periods, maybe resulting in a heat output of 100,000 Btu/hr.
Too bad I can't buy both and alternate between them every other year...