Looked at new stoves

[logfarmer]

Not sure how big logfarmer’s home or how well insulated, the layout, etc., but judging by the btu’s he thinks he needs a Princess may fit his home perfect. However, the engine of the entire system, the chimney he has, is likely totally wrong.
He currently has high flue temps now after the CAT, if I recall correctly, and everything is clean in the chimney and so is the CAT. That is all good so long as no other issues.

The lower flue temps of the BK will likely give him fits without rebuilding his chimney...which again, if I recall correctly is tall, clay lined, and rectangle in shape, not to mention an outside the home chimney and that alone with a BK (and their low flue temps) spells, constant fussing and cussing.

Going from memory from pm’s, so I may have gotten some of this info wrong.

1800 sq ft 2 story outside masonry chimney which is rectangle and 18ft from stove top to chimney top. Decently insulated new windows Ect!

 

[logfarmer]

The chimney and lower heat needs were bkvp’s concern with me getting a king . I was pretty bummed but hard to complain with the outcome

That is why I have not “pulled the pin” to buy a BK princess, which is the stove I’d go with. But my coal stove pulled a pretty low chimney temp which I would say will be lower than any wood burner could do to keep a draft.

 

[logfarmer]

Begreen,
How inflated, if at all, do you think WS’s burn times are in their stoves? Their stoves seem to have quite the turn down capability given what I’ve read from comments.

I am tempted to suggest Osborn stoves because according to their brochure and listed sq ft ranges they to seem to have quite the turn down capability as well as the capacity to throw some serious heat from relatively small stoves and small fire boxes. He could also step up to a larger stove with quite the turn down capability, yet burn times are still limited. However, their maximum burn times of 8 to 10 hrs may not meet logfarmers wants/needs. For that reason I am hesitant on suggesting a “tube only “ stove. Might be important if watching a fire is important. Sure are well made stoves though with impeccable customer service and reviews.

A WS, Hearthstone, BK, VC (great burn times not real good reviews these last few years), or another CAT stove. Lots of good options I suppose. Super long burn times are nice if watching a fire isn’t important.

Honestly when we purchased the keystone back in 2008, I think, they advertised it as a 8-10 burn and it did that and then some. I averaged 12-14 burn cycles for several of the yrs we had it and that stove never once fought me with poor wood moisture or nothing. Great stove and company to deal with. I do like trying out different stoves lol. Now the only “tube burner” I’ve had is the NC30 and using that one season, I will not buy another tube stove! I know they are the low price stoves but there was no control for the output and dirtied up the chimney bad with well seasoned wood and it was not caused by low burns, I never could get it to burn below 600* stt!

 

[logfarmer]

Yes...sounds like you need softer heat and something with thump if and when you need it. You’ve had a good variety of sized/btu stoves and know how you ran them. We’re in that perfect time of year to test for this.
Start by keeping a log/journal. Start right now recording daily highs/lows of OAT’s and IAT’s you deem comfortable. Record fire box size and btu’s of every stove you’ve had as well as physical size and the daily stove top temps you average during coldest days of the year, then as it warms up.

It almost sounds like you could be served well by a bigger soapstone stove that the one you had, but not too big. You can burn loads and re-loads hot at first to get stove back to running temps and hold it there with a mid to low burn. A soapstone stove with a thermostat would also serve you well if they make one.

Not a bad idea to take notes, I do have a good memory on things like this,( even though I don’t remember what I did yesterday lol). If they made the fireview with a top vent I would have it right now, but I don’t know how well it would draft since I have a thimble on the wall which would make 3 90’s before it goes straight up!

 

[Hoytman]

Understand about the Fireview. Super nice stove. Absolutely love it’s styling.

Keep this in mind about burning coal. You will always get lower flue temps with coal. If your chimney drafts with coal it will also draft with wood...but drafting and not adding major amounts of creosote to the chimney at such a low burn rate are two entirely different things. I know you are aware of this but other ms reading might not be aware of it.

I do believe there are some tube stoves with a good turn down rate, but I don’t recall which brands offer them. When I mentioned that a post back I had just looked at a brand new brochure from Osburn. Looking at the information listed in charts these may turn down quite a bit, maybe not.

I’m sure Begreen or BHoller could talk more in detail about turn down rate of tube stoves.

I need a room for each stove I want. LOL!! Would be a big house with a lot of rooms.

EDIT:
A key piece of info you need to know is what are the stove top temps during low burn of each stove your looking at. I just about bet you each manufacturer can tell you this. Compare that with what you have now with your current stove and somewhere in there you’ll find your perfect stove.

 

[logfarmer]

Understand about the Fireview. Super nice stove. Absolutely love it’s styling.

Keep this in mind about burning coal. You will always get lower flue temps with coal. If your chimney drafts with coal it will also draft with wood...but drafting and not adding major amounts of creosote to the chimney at such a low burn rate are two entirely different things. I know you are aware of this but other ms reading might not be aware of it.

I do believe there are some tube stoves with a good turn down rate, but I don’t recall which brands offer them. When I mentioned that a post back I had just looked at a brand new brochure from Osburn. Looking at the information listed in charts these may turn down quite a bit, maybe not.

I’m sure Begreen or BHoller could talk more in detail about turn down rate of tube stoves.

I need a room for each stove I want. LOL!! Would be a big house with a lot of rooms.

EDIT:
A key piece of info you need to know is what are the stove top temps during low burn of each stove your looking at. I just about bet you each manufacturer can tell you this. Compare that with what you have now with your current stove and somewhere in there you’ll find your perfect stove.

That is the question, what do they call a “low burn”!! I have not looked into the Osborn but I will check it out, and thx for the suggestion about it too.

 

[Nealm66]

I’m trying to picture a scenario with 3 90’s ? I’m wondering if the price of a new stove might be close to a different chimney? Sorry for my ignorance. Dang what a pickle

 

[logfarmer]

I’m trying to picture a scenario with 3 90’s ? I’m wondering if the price of a new stove might be close to a different chimney? Sorry for my ignorance. Dang what a pickle

Lol I WS fireview vents out the back, my thimble going through the wall is about 5+ft off the hearth so 90 looking up off back of stove go up we’ll say 2ft, 90 turned to the thimble travel 2ft horizontal, then of course you are now into the chimney which goes straight up and out

 

[logfarmer]

Visual if you need to understand better lol. I should of showed a picture first to help get a better idea.

 

[Nealm66]

That’s cool looking. So inside the brick it goes up a bit and 90’s 2 more times? That’s crazy. Definitely looks good though. Love the thimble against the brick. Wish you were closer, I’d see if my nephew and his dad could do something . Both really good union brick layers with a good bit of chimney knowledge.

 

[moresnow]

@logfarmer
With your happy Woodstock past it may be worth exploring the newer models. Absolute Steel perhaps?
The BK Princess is a great stove and you simply won't hear of many complaints.
Have you considered installing a insulated stainless flex liner in the masonry chimney to accommodate the low exhaust temps that come with a cat equipped model, and also the draft reduction with a through wall installation? Definitely spend some due diligence researching that topic. Even if you had good luck before.
How high off the floor is the thimble? The Princess manual suggests a minimum of 3 feet of vertical run from the collar before making the first bend. A few random thoughts.

Lots of advice being offered. Take some time with your research.

 

[Hoytman]

Low burn is what the manufacturer says the low burn stove top temps are. That’s what you need to know...anyone really if they have an existing.

 

[logfarmer]

That’s cool looking. So inside the brick it goes up a bit and 90’s 2 more times? That’s crazy. Definitely looks good though. Love the thimble against the brick. Wish you were closer, I’d see if my nephew and his dad could do something . Both really good union brick layers with a good bit of chimney knowledge.

Once it goes into the brick that is the “chimney” which exhaust the gases up. If I had the fireview I would have the 3 90’s, but the current stove just had the one in the photo and then the “one” inside the chimney. I’ll draw a picture lol

 

[logfarmer]

@logfarmer
With your happy Woodstock past it may be worth exploring the newer models. Absolute Steel perhaps?
The BK Princess is a great stove and you simply won't hear of many complaints.
Have you considered installing a insulated stainless flex liner in the masonry chimney to accommodate the low exhaust temps that come with a cat equipped model, and also the draft reduction with a through wall installation? Definitely spend some due diligence researching that topic. Even if you had good luck before.
How high off the floor is the thimble? The Princess manual suggests a minimum of 3 feet of vertical run from the collar before making the first bend. A few random thoughts.

Lots of advice being offered. Take some time with your research.

I have been looking at their other stoves at WS, they make some nice ones! Yes I am aware of the 3ft min before first elbow and I won’t hit that unfortunately I fall I think 6 or so inches from that. I’ve measured before just can’t remember right now what it was. I have been really wanting a BK for yrs and have done tons of research. I would have to ovalize my liner or knock out the clay liner

 

[Nealm66]

Once it goes into the brick that is the “chimney” which exhaust the gases up. If I had the fireview I would have the 3 90’s, but the current stove just had the one in the photo and then the “one” inside the chimney. I’ll draw a picture lol

Oh, I see. Sorry. I get it now. No pic needed. Didn’t realize that wasn’t current stove

 

[Nealm66]

I have been looking at their other stoves at WS, they make some nice ones! Yes I am aware of the 3ft min before first elbow and I won’t hit that unfortunately I fall I think 6 or so inches from that. I’ve measured before just can’t remember right now what it was. I have been really wanting a BK for yrs and have done tons of research. I would have to ovalize my liner or knock out the clay liner

You should get a bid for the brick work and a liner just for kicks. Looks like they could raise and look the same? Shouldn’t cost that much for brick work. Not sure on clearances.

 

[logfarmer]

I’m not an artist lol

 

[logfarmer]

I have thought about raising the thimble, but I just did a mantle last winter and it would be in the way now lol.

 

[Nealm66]

I have thought about raising the thimble, but I just did a mantle last winter and it would be in the way now lol.

Yup, have them do a nice brick mantle while they’re at it. They make that stuff look so easy. Definitely go with union journey men though so it’s done correctly. They make about 47-50 hour here but probably not much time but might be 2 visits. Maybe check a union hall and see. I can ask my nephew what’s a good bid by the pic if you want

 

[Hoytman]

A lot of guys use a “T” on the back of their stoves for clean out purposes.

 

[logfarmer]

A lot of guys use a “T” on the back of their stoves for clean out purposes.

Yes I would do that myself if I go that route!

 

[begreen]

That is the question, what do they call a “low burn”!! I have not looked into the Osborn but I will check it out, and thx for the suggestion about it too.

A low burn in our stove would be keeping the stovetop around 400-450º. This would be with a partial load of fuel that I would need to feed about once every 4-6 hrs with 2-3 fresh splits. Our house is old and has too much glass so when it gets down to 40º I am burning full loads. The stovetop gets up to 600-650º, but the cast iron buffers the heat well, much like a soapstone stove, so the room temperature does not get wild swings.

Is that an 8" stove pipe? What is the current stove hooked up there?

 

[logfarmer]

What stove do you have Begreen? Yes that is 8” pipe, hooked to a 1991 englander 24icd! Sorry for the crappy looking elbow, that has been in the barn for 12 yrs from the original VC vigilant stove that was with the house.

 

[begreen]

Well in that case a Blaze King stove would work fine, as would an Ideal Steel or Progress Hybrid by Woodstock. Visually they will be an improvement over the old Englander, though that is not a bad stove.

We have been heating with a PE Alderlea T6 for the past 11 yrs.

 

[logfarmer]

This stove has been a good one so far, had a little hiccup last wk with it but got it figured out. This is the first winter I’ve used it, it’s in near mint condition too.