Cat stove reloading questions, etc.

[John Ackerly]

In Maryland lately its been in the 50s in the day and the 30s at night. With my old non-cat, i could easily heat the house up a bit and then let stove cool quickly, but with this Fireview, its easy to overheat the house. I can barely make a small fire in the morning with firebox only half full, and another small one at night. I'm not complaining - I love this stove, but just getting used to how much warmer it keeps the house in shoulder season - which happens to still be in late December. I think I will try another slab of soapstone on top. My Dad is also putting in a Fireview now, after living with a VC that was too small for his NH house for too long. Will be interesting to see if a 87-year-old can learn how to operate a cat stove well. Does anyone make a stove top thermometer with extra big numbers? He could definitely use that.

 

[Woody Stover]

This is more like October than December, but I think winter will be visiting us before too long and you'll be able to let the stove run. I think the extra stone for the top is mainly for cooking, where you need a lower temp sometimes. Like ddddddden says, extra stone will slow heat release through the top of the stove, and you'll send more heat up the flue. In a slow burn, much of the heat is coming off the top of the stove above the cat, so I would keep it unobstructed as much as possible, maybe just put the stone on to cook food. I never messed with that though, didn't want to chance spilling anything.
If Dad's gonna run a stove, you'd be hard-pressed to pick an easier one than the Fireview. Totally controllable, you can always shut the Fv down by just cutting the air, unless you left the bypass and air open way too long and the entire load was gassing. The main thing is to stick close until you've cut the air and the stove is settled in for the long burn. If he was running a VC, I'd think the Fv will be a piece of cake. I like the Condar Inferno stove top thermometers, numbers are clear, if not big. White on black. These Condars seem to be pretty accurate, and the one that Woodstock supplies with their stoves is just a re-badged Condar. I guess you could put a couple dabs of white nail polish for visibility at critical temps, like 230 or so for closing the bypass, and 600 for a 'getting hot' marker. Or maybe a magnifying glass? He'll probably memorize what pointer position equates to what temp pretty quickly anyway...

 

[Tenn Dave]

Since I put the Princess (cat stove) In our home, I have become to biased to contribute to the "which stove should I get" posts.

There are many non cats I would love to try, PE's come to mind. But not at the expense of taking what I have off the hearth.

When you have a good stove it's tough not wanting to share with the forum. I am also guilty of this.

 

[begreen]

Everyone's stove is the best stove on the market.

 

[turbojoe]

Everyone's stove is the best stove on the market.

 

[tarzan]

Everyone's stove is the best stove on the market.

Nope, just mine

 

[Huntindog1]

My stove isnt the best stove but the best stove for the money . I am in it for the money.
But I do love to burn wood and feel the heat.

As a reference I got my stove on sale for $689. The way I justified getting a new stove late last winter was last winter was so cold for so long I saved an additional $689 last winter.

Ok maybe I am nuts

 

[Woody Stover]

Everyone's stove is the best stove on the market.

That certainly makes the choice a lot easier.