Comparing stoves for a new install.
- Thread starter EvertonPete
- Start date
-
Active since 1995, Hearth.com is THE place on the internet for free information and advice about wood stoves, pellet stoves and other energy saving equipment.
We strive to provide opinions, articles, discussions and history related to Hearth Products and in a more general sense, energy issues.
We promote the EFFICIENT, RESPONSIBLE, CLEAN and SAFE use of all fuels, whether renewable or fossil. -
Super Cedar firestarters 30% discount Use code Hearth2024 Click here
EbS-P
Minister of Fire
I hear where you coming from. I will toss out this Drolet 3000 only for its 100K + BTUs as a possible budget friendly option. Won’t qualify for the tax credit but would still cost less. That said it’s a different type of stove than the BK.
(broken link removed to https://www.drolet.ca/en/products/stoves/ht3000-wood-stove/)
(broken link removed to https://www.drolet.ca/en/products/stoves/ht3000-wood-stove/)
Jan Pijpelink
Minister of Fire
I would still consider the Regency F5200 a contender. Firebox size, burning time, hybrid, etc.
I actually asked for pricing on both the F5200 and 3500. Still waiting on quotes.
If funds will allow, I would shoot for the king personally but not having the money says what to get! You can vent a 6” stove in a 8”, yes I said that, but shouldn’t vent an 8” stove in a 6” chimney. The king will handle that load by itself. Good luck on what you choose and congrats on the wife’s business.
Never run the BK; I've had a T6 and currently a Summit. If you have access to good wood, any 3+ cubic ft stove will do a good job when loaded; 100K btus is noticeable. However, I would advise you against the smaller stove (Princess) given your situation. You mention needing to do the windows and other projects as time and funding allow. Depending on that, you may be in the house with leaky insulation/windows for a while so why not make yourself as comfortable as possible? I know I'd be frustrated, as would my wife, if we dropped a lot of $ and effort on a stove only to feel like we're not getting a result we want. With a cathedral ceiling and poor insulation you may end up struggling to really feel the warmth you shelled out the money for. Go bigger and build smaller fires, or use the geo less, once you upgrade the house.
I am sorry but you may be able to vent a 6" stove into an 8" chimney. Many do it. Some have no problems others fight it constantly. And saying the king will handle it is absurd. It may but that is very doubtful. It may handle the square footage if it is well insulated and 8' ceilings. But this house is not. The btu rating of the king isn't very much higher than the princess and a princess barely keeps up with my 2000 sqft 70s ranch.
BKVP
Minister of Fire
My KE40 amply heats my 2850 sq. ft, home built in 1895. Yes I have tightened it up over the years and the OP plans on doing so as well. Your home and my home are very different but mine is not new or as tight as homes built in the past 50 years. But it does the job and in fact, my wife overheats the house all the time. House floor plan, fuels and fuel management, maintenance, annual sweeps etc are all part of getting the most from any stove. Up until this week, we had a cold snap of 20's and I fueled it once a day and kept the house in the 70's. Was the basement colder, yes, but all that is down there is a freezer full of 500lbs of halibut steaks!
As for stack diameter, no one should consider reducing the King down in size and expect desired performance. There would be concerns, not the least of which is smoke spillage into a home is terrible and creates an unhealthy environment. And in comparing a King to a Princess, @bholler is correct, the main difference is the size of the fuel tank.
I also woke up to 8 degrees with a wind chill of -4 this morning. A king may heat the house in question after things are tightened up. But allot of that depends on the quality of the log construction. I have been in log houses that were very air tight and others that even after tons of work were drafty ad hell. I wasn't bashing bk at all just commenting that 3600 sq ft of drafty house and windows with the stove in a great room is allot to heat with any stove.
What I’m taking away from this conversation is that the main advantage of king over Princess is longer burn time, not necessarily higher btu output?
Nealm66
Minister of Fire
Well no matter what stove you end up with, it will definitely help to offset heating bills. As far as worrying about feeding them, it will happen. After you realize the savings and how good wood heat feels, something kicks in and you find your inner wood scrounge. When it’s all stacked and getting ready for the next season you’ll be feeling pretty dang good. It doesn’t take up as much time as you’re thinking either. Lots of good tips on this site for firewood gathering and it’s many tools. Don’t forget to post some pics no matter what you end up with!
Nealm66
Minister of Fire
I’m not so sure. I went with the princess because I was told I would have to run the king model on a ow setting to often. It’s a bigger stove with bigger surface area. You can crank the king stoves up and they will burn through the wood just like any other stove which in my mind is basically pumping out the same heat as any other with the same wood. It’s kind of a waste doing it since it takes away the free energy the cat will produce. If you can afford the king model, that’s what I would do. If you buy the princess, it can definitely pump out a lot of heat or it can be set as a helper and pump out a good consistent heat for 12-24 hours
Kentucky winter weather is worth giving some thought as well. Not exactly frigid from what google says
What is a cold stretch
@EvertonPete ?
What is a cold stretch@EvertonPete ?
Kentucky winter weather is worth giving some thought as well. Not exactly frigid from what google says
@EvertonPete ?
We're all over the place. It was 15 degrees this morning on my drive to work, and will be mid 50's next week. Very much a roller coaster temp wise. This week was 2.5" of rain followed by 4" of snow. I can see the stove running 24/7 for 2 weeks, then sit cold for a week after.
You must have a very drafty house! I said the king for the amount of wood it will take. He might have to fill it 3-4 times a day, I don’t know, you don’t know!
Typical 70s ranch that was house wrapped 15 years ago. So not horribly drafty. The regency 3100 heated the house easily on 8 hour loading cycles untill single digits with high wind. The princess can't maintain temp well at 8 hours much under 20. It is entirely possible it doesn't matter how many times he loads it there may not be enough btus to heat the house untill it gets sealed up. Have you looked at the btu ratings? They are not all that high.
BKVP
Minister of Fire
I'm sorry, but I was certain I provided this clarity to Btu's in the past. Some wood stoves are tested with crib fuel. Those units Btu's are derived from Btu input and divided by length of burn to get back to zero on the scale.
Other stoves are tested using cordwood, which is a temporary (ATM) alternative test method) until EPA completes the FRM federal reference method. In this method, you divide the amount of Btu input by duration....but the clock stops when you get to 80% of original load.
So in essence, the very long tail on the burn time of some models, hurts the Btu rating.
So our current literature provides the cordwood Btu's on high as well as the EPA crib fuel results. On the KE40, it was an additional 10,000+ Btu's using the same ATM. Are there stoves that burn faster burn rates, yes. That is why BTU production is very high. You just have to realize, as have regulators, few people run their stoves on high...very often. Then, there is the issue of efficiency, but that is a different matter.
Other stoves are tested using cordwood, which is a temporary (ATM) alternative test method) until EPA completes the FRM federal reference method. In this method, you divide the amount of Btu input by duration....but the clock stops when you get to 80% of original load.
So in essence, the very long tail on the burn time of some models, hurts the Btu rating.
So our current literature provides the cordwood Btu's on high as well as the EPA crib fuel results. On the KE40, it was an additional 10,000+ Btu's using the same ATM. Are there stoves that burn faster burn rates, yes. That is why BTU production is very high. You just have to realize, as have regulators, few people run their stoves on high...very often. Then, there is the issue of efficiency, but that is a different matter.
I think it depends on the installation. Many people in New England live in older homes. I would not be surprised at all if most are running their stoves for high heat output in the current cold snap.
I almost always run on 8 hour burn cycles if I am home I may open it up more and load more often. But if it can't heat my house for 8 hours it can't serve as my only heat
Not sure how you reconcile or calculate stove sizing based on a need to manage an 8-hr burn cycle? I guess one way would be to calculate the needed BTUs based on interior volume, heat loss (exterior temp, window area, drafts, etc.), and average out what you need for BTUs. Then look at wood supply (type and moisture), (as measured by weight?) but it still seems like it would be hard to compare among stoves given the differences BKVP identified?
All of that to say to the OP, consensus appears to be that you are less likely to have too much stove than too little given your house condition and volume, so weighing the risk seems to favor getting a big stove.
All of that to say to the OP, consensus appears to be that you are less likely to have too much stove than too little given your house condition and volume, so weighing the risk seems to favor getting a big stove.
I was leant a princess to try. I will probably use something else next year. I typically change every 5 years or so. Or when I find a good deal on something I want to try. I still have the regency that might go back in. There is a quad I could stick in unless I find it a different home before then. We just got a pe dealer that I have a good relationship with so I may come across a good deal on one of them. I don't know.
The regency is the only other one I have used in this house on this chimney though so it is the only direct comparison I have.
Hey fair enough! My wife thinks I’m nuts using too many different stoves lol! Told her I am just trying to narrow down to the perfect one
Similar threads
