Last Night, I'd had it: Goodbye Defiant; Hello Mansfield!

[Gooserider]

The Mansfield has an 18" side clearance to combustibles. It's hard to tell from the pictures, but it does look like only about 8-10 inches to the closest wood in the hoop.

Did you mean NFPA clearance to combustibles for unrated stoves is 36 inches?

As I recollect, there are two clearances - one is the clearance to fixed stuff like walls, which is the 18" you mention, the other is the clearance to "anything else" that might be combustible, such as furniture, drapes, firewood, small children, pets, etc.. That is 36" regardless of the stove, listed or not... I think the theory is that such things are likely to be easier to ignite and more flammable than a wall because of their materials and potentially better air circulation around them - also that they would be more easily moved further away from the stove...

For things that will be kept around for an extended period I tend to agree with the 36" number, but I'm less worried about my firewood pyrolizing - pyrolysis is a relatively slow process, my firewood will be going in the stove long before it has much chance to be affected by pyrolysis - however I'd still want to keep it at least the minimum wall clearance away.

Gooserider

 

[begreen]

Yes, that was my thought also. I've noticed close firewood to the stove at a couple friends house's that are burning in soapstone stoves. Not the most comfortable feeling. But nothing can go wrong, right? (not)

 

[swestall]

FIRST-sorry that I've not posted for a bit, I've been at business meetings most of my time. It is definately time I have to get back to business and since my wood burning crisis is over I can do that and try to help others occasionally.

Thanks for posting the pictures Corie! I walked by your VC-NC the other night and it is just sitting there moaning the blues.

OH, so many questions. First the wood hoops, they are about 18 inches away (more or less), and I got that number off the Hearthstone specs. Those racks have been there like that for 20 years now.

I am getting great heat and very good wood useage from the Mansfield. It is using those two wood racks every 7 days, that is about 2/3 or less than any other stoves I've had in that installation. (Defiant and Encore CAT's -we won't talk about the NC as it is really not a stove)

Heatwise, I am getting remarkable heat. This past week it was in the single digits and we kept the house 72 or so and it only floated down to 68 overnight. As with all wood heaters, once you get the house warm, it is easier to maintain. I do notice the difference in how the house feels with the Soapstone vs Cast Iron. The cast was a bit spotty, the soapstone is just warm.

The stove collar does have predrilled holes. And, the reason I went to double wall pipe is twofold: first, I wanted to send a bit of the heat up the flue to keep it hot and therefore clean; secondly, the double wall is SS and has a lifetime warrantee. Given the heat the Mansfield is throwing I didn't need the extra heat that might come off the pipe. (its only about 37 inches long)

I'm running it at about 400-450 stovetop most of the time, at times I've brought it up to 500-550 and let me tell you I really don't need that much heat in this BIG house-which says a lot for the Mansfield.

I had wondered if I was going to regret not getting the Blue/Black enamel: I don't. The cast black is nice looking as you can see in the pictures and it is much easier to refinish it over time. I have been using stove black polish on cast forever and it always works great; once or twice a season max.

I have lit two fires; one for breakin and one yesterday as I let it burn down and came home very late. I was out at a business function from 6AM to 11PM (that would be 17 hours) When I got home (you'll love this) I quickly raked the coal over and took out some ash as it had burned down quite a bit. Then I centered the remaining coals and threw in a couple of med splits, some bark and a Super-Cedar. BEFORE the Super-Cedar had ignited the coals lit up and ignited the bark and the splits caught, then the Super-Cedar took off and that was it. We went to bed at 12 with 5 good sized slits on the fire and the secondary burning well, 400 stovetop and shut all the way down: no smoke either. WHAT can I say, this is the best performing stove that I have ever owned!

Hey Corie, We bought one of the 30's at HD for my brother and installed it this weekend. It is performing very well and putting out as much heat as he got with a CLASSIC, Mama Bear, Fisher. He used to load the Fisher every 2-3 hours, so far he is loading the Englander only twice daily and keeping the same house toasty warm. It has been between 10 and 37 here this week.

Good wishes to all and let me go sit by the fire: my crisis has ended!!

 

[swestall]

Another Soapstone (Mansfield) observation I've had the past few days. This stove is actually burning its hottest and best when I get it up to temp and shut the air all the way down. It burns hottest (500-550) that way, uses the least wood and produces the warmest house. If I set it at 1/3 or 1/4 draft, then it runs between 400-450 and still heats well, but the all closed position is actually the best one.
They don't print that in the manuals....

 

[Highbeam]

I missed it, did you screw the pipe to the collar?