New woodstove recommendations maybe and/or opinions on chimney issues

[pittpens24]

If you do decide on a new stove, BK Ashford with a 30.2 firebox. The wife will like the Ashford. Large firebox can still burn smaller loads.
6'' liner. Up to 24-30hr burn times with good well seasoned wood. Costly stove but do the insulated liner too.

I am definitely doing the stainless liner after burn season. After looking at a ton of stoves with the wifey last night, she BK is out - she doesn't like how "fake" it looks. Also out is the Jotul. We are down to the PE Alderlea t5 or the VC Encore. Defintiely going down a size from the Defiant so I can utilize a 6" flue from the stove into the thimble without downsizing fr 8-6

My only concern is going from a cat stove to a non cat stove. I am afraid it will burn much hotter and the burn time will be diminished. I can easily go 12 hours with the Defiant before adding which is how long I am gone at work. Would suck to have to start a fire everynight.

 

[Wisco Shepherd]

I am definitely doing the stainless liner after burn season. After looking at a ton of stoves with the wifey last night, she BK is out - she doesn't like how "fake" it looks. Also out is the Jotul. We are down to the PE Alderlea t5 or the VC Encore. Defintiely going down a size from the Defiant so I can utilize a 6" flue from the stove into the thimble without downsizing fr 8-6

I vote PE wholeheartedly. If you told me I couldn't have my Kuma I'd have a PE. Simple robust stoves.

 

[Bill S]

As an old Vermonter who loved Vermont Castings product (owned a Defiant and a Vigilant) I empathize with the creosote problem. My Defiant was a great stove but I found that I could only use the secondary damper when the stove was in full, hot mode. Never overnight as it cooled to maximum creosote-making temperature. That said, without the secondary damper down it was a nice hot, pretty efficient stove. IF you really want to change (and you should do something different given your creosote problem - like have the fire department on speed dial) you might consider a nice Hearthstone (one that takes a 6" flue to accommodate that choking thimble). I burn about 3 1/2 - 4 cord of dry wood (mostly maple, but some birch, ash - this year locust) and I get about a quart of dry ash, out of my 3 story stainless steel but not insulate (my mistake) chimney. Soapstone takes a bit to heat up but stays warm (and keeps my chimney warm) even in the wee hours of the morning while the fire wanes.

Thanks for listening, Bill

 

[pittpens24]

As an old Vermonter who loved Vermont Castings product (owned a Defiant and a Vigilant) I empathize with the creosote problem. My Defiant was a great stove but I found that I could only use the secondary damper when the stove was in full, hot mode. Never overnight as it cooled to maximum creosote-making temperature. That said, without the secondary damper down it was a nice hot, pretty efficient stove. IF you really want to change (and you should do something different given your creosote problem - like have the fire department on speed dial) you might consider a nice Hearthstone (one that takes a 6" flue to accommodate that choking thimble). I burn about 3 1/2 - 4 cord of dry wood (mostly maple, but some birch, ash - this year locust) and I get about a quart of dry ash, out of my 3 story stainless steel but not insulate (my mistake) chimney. Soapstone takes a bit to heat up but stays warm (and keeps my chimney warm) even in the wee hours of the morning while the fire wanes.

Thanks for listening, Bill

I appreciate the info. Just learned something interesting today as I visited a Woodstove store. The new Defiant comes std with a pipe that goes from an oval to a 6" round. Infact, every woodstove in the store(VC, Hearthstone and Lopi) only had a 6" flue option. The wife really liked the Hearthstone Manchester they had there and took me back by even liking the Green Mountain 60.

 

[pittpens24]

Good idea!
Do put a few splits inside for 24 hrs so they get up to room temp. *then* split them in half so you can measure (in the middle, along the grain) on the freshly exposed surface to get the inside moisture content rather than that of the dried-out outside.

So Here are my results - not sure if it is good or bad so please advise. Ash came in at 22.4% and Maple came in at 26.6%. Checked a couple times and there were the highest readings I got.

 

[Megunticook]

I believe VC's official recommendation on firewood moisture content is below 20%. That ash is close, and burns better than many woods when green, the maple could use more drying time. Is it drying in a spot where the breeze and/or sun can reach it but not the rain?

 

[pittpens24]

I believe VC's official recommendation on firewood moisture content is below 20%. That ash is close, and burns better than many woods when green, the maple could use more drying time. Is it drying in a spot where the breeze and/or sun can reach it but not the rain?

Yes - it is all stacked on my front porch

 

[Megunticook]

Seems odd that it wouldn't have dried more if under cover with good airflow for a full year.

How is it stacked?

As you probably know, everything becomes a lot more forgiving and issues resolve themselves when your firewood is fully seasoned. That might be half your battle here.

 

[Bill S]

I appreciate the info. Just learned something interesting today as I visited a Woodstove store. The new Defiant comes std with a pipe that goes from an oval to a 6" round. Infact, every woodstove in the store(VC, Hearthstone and Lopi) only had a 6" flue option. The wife really liked the Hearthstone Manchester they had there and took me back by even liking the Green Mountain 60.

Ahhh - and, with a 30% tax credit, the safety and warmth and wicked efficiency you will find is even just a little bit more affordable. We needed a stove that would fit below a fireplace mantle and our house is only 1,700 sq ft, well insulated. We traded in a 1982 Hearthstone II (that I bought used and rebuilt) for a Hearthstone Castleton II. I love that you can burn it wide open, damp it with just the primary air control (that sends air to the secondary tubes above the firebox) or using the catalytic (and again, wide open or with the primary air reduced). Tru hybrid they call it and it is. I have friends with Mansfield stoves - the beauty of external soapstone and loooong burn. I would have a hard time going back to a non-soapstone stove. Oh, and the air wash window works soooo well (see attached video). If I never left home for a couple days, I'd end up with one fire all winter long - nice coals in the morning, warm soapstone and easy start up for the day's fire. Keep us posted (and wait till you clean a clean chimney!). Bill in VT

 

[pittpens24]

Wasn't always stacked there - spent the last year plus stacked on pallets with a tarp over the top and down the back but pulled out so air could get around. stacked 2 x 2 on the corners for support and rows in between with a space in the middle for airflow and a place for squirrels to make a nest lol. Then just before burn season, I stack it on my front porch

 

[Bill S]

Sounds like a very good system - plenty of air. I stack my wood in 10" rows about a foot or so apart, top covered with tin roofing - open air otherwise. I'd also watch out for too much birch - the "sap" in the bark can really gum things up if not burned off well (but I bet you know this!) Bill in VT

 

[Woodsplitter67]

I’ll never buy another VC. Have the Encore. Poor design. Don’t use the cat. Run it super hot and can’t get fire to stay hot when shutting the damper down.

because you dont have a catalyst in it to keep the stove pipe temperature up

 

[pittpens24]

Ahhh - and, with a 30% tax credit, the safety and warmth and wicked efficiency you will find is even just a little bit more affordable. We needed a stove that would fit below a fireplace mantle and our house is only 1,700 sq ft, well insulated. We traded in a 1982 Hearthstone II (that I bought used and rebuilt) for a Hearthstone Castleton II. I love that you can burn it wide open, damp it with just the primary air control (that sends air to the secondary tubes above the firebox) or using the catalytic (and again, wide open or with the primary air reduced). Tru hybrid they call it and it is. I have friends with Mansfield stoves - the beauty of external soapstone and loooong burn. I would have a hard time going back to a non-soapstone stove. Oh, and the air wash window works soooo well (see attached video). If I never left home for a couple days, I'd end up with one fire all winter long - nice coals in the morning, warm soapstone and easy start up for the day's fire. Keep us posted (and wait till you clean a clean chimney!). Bill in VT

Thanks Bill, very excited to clean a clean chimney lol

 

[Woodsplitter67]

I appreciate the info. Just learned something interesting today as I visited a Woodstove store. The new Defiant comes std with a pipe that goes from an oval to a 6" round. Infact, every woodstove in the store(VC, Hearthstone and Lopi) only had a 6" flue option. The wife really liked the Hearthstone Manchester they had there and took me back by even liking the Green Mountain 60.

With the larger stoves like the encore and defiant. The customer had the option of using it like a fireplace or wood stove. To use it as as a fireplace you had to have the 8 inch flue.

I have the 8 inch installed because Im on the shorter end of the minimum recommend height. I wanted to make sure I had plenty of draft as this is how the stove runs best

The option for you to go back down to a 6 inch should be available for your stove.

Your wood is on the wet side so no matter what stove your running your still going to make creosote

For reference lets say my wood is at 18% and your burning wood thats 26% moisture. That is only a different of 8%. So for every 100 lbs of wood you burn you will put roughly 1 gallon of actual water vaper up your stovepipe more then me. Over the course of 1 cord thats thats an additional 30 gallons roughly.. per cord. If you burn 3 cords you looking at 90 gallons of additional water, bro.. thats a ton of moisture..

Use wood like that, and pretty much any stove installed will make alot of creosote

Wood doesn't season in log length or in rounds. If your processing your own wood, you should split and stack it right away. Woodsheds are great split, stack it in there and no babysitting no tarps. The wood dries quick rain never touches it once its in there.

Me personally Id get my wood situation together, put in a 6 Inch pipe and service the stove and put in a new catalyst. Im saying this should be your first course of action because no matter what, your wood supply needs to get better,. You will need to reduce to a 6inch stovepipe if you make the switch to another stove, so really all your out is some basic service on your existing stove, if this doesn't work out.

By doing the above you may not need to spend good money on a new stove and keep the 12 hour burn times that you currently have.

 

[pittpens24]

With the larger stoves like the encore and defiant. The customer had the option of using it like a fireplace or wood stove. To use it as as a fireplace you had to have the 8 inch flue.

I have the 8 inch installed because Im on the shorter end of the minimum recommend height. I wanted to make sure I had plenty of draft as this is how the stove runs best

The option for you to go back down to a 6 inch should be available for your stove.

Your wood is on the wet side so no matter what stove your running your still going to make creosote

For reference lets say my wood is at 18% and your burning wood thats 26% moisture. That is only a different of 8%. So for every 100 lbs of wood you burn you will put roughly 1 gallon of actual water vaper up your stovepipe more then me. Over the course of 1 cord thats thats an additional 30 gallons roughly.. per cord. If you burn 3 cords you looking at 90 gallons of additional water, bro.. thats a ton of moisture..

Use wood like that, and pretty much any stove installed will make alot of creosote

Wood doesn't season in log length or in rounds. If your processing your own wood, you should split and stack it right away. Woodsheds are great split, stack it in there and no babysitting no tarps. The wood dries quick rain never touches it once its in there.

Me personally Id get my wood situation together, put in a 6 Inch pipe and service the stove and put in a new catalyst. Im saying this should be your first course of action because no matter what, your wood supply needs to get better,. You will need to reduce to a 6inch stovepipe if you make the switch to another stove, so really all your out is some basic service on your existing stove, if this doesn't work out.

By doing the above you may not need to spend good money on a new to a stove and keep the 12 hour burn times that you currently have.

Thats a big 10-4 on the wood. Never too old to learn. I have a 4x32 spot already that I can easily reduce and build a nice size shed. It has been a rough year - I only have about a half a cord split and stacked at the moment. Already planned o
n just buying split wood for next year

Stupid question - My stove is currently oval to 8" out of the stove to a short straight, a 90, a short straight then to a 8-6 reducer to an 18"L 6" that slides into my thimble. Would it have any bearing to change to an oval to 6" right out of the gate to create a smoother flow or without the extra "turbulence" or is that too minimal to make any difference?

Just got done replacing the cat - bought a new one yesterday

 

[Woodsplitter67]

So yes, Me personally In go 6 inch oval right out the stove

You have a decent amount of pipe going up, but the 90s will reduce the draft for every one you have. Exactly how much Im not sure but @bholler is on here and he definitely can answer that question better then me.

So here is some reality for you. Purchasing firewood isn't the best option as non ofthat wood is actually seasoned.. most likely its worse then whatyou have now.

Heres the good news. look in my signature and I have 2 links on how to build some easy solar kilns that will take that wet wood and dry it down to less then 15% moisture in less then 1 summer, no matter the species so oak included

So here is the road map for getting your wood supply together.

1.. purchas your wood for next year over the winter or now, purchase green wood because its cheaper if you can get that. read the thread on the kilns and stack the wood in your yard top cover. Then July 1st buld the kiln, your in NJ like me so by October all that wood will be 10%MC or less..

This winter build your shed and in late spring have it filled like early may

fall of 2025 have more wood delivered or split your own, and build another kiln for the burning season of 2026. Then your ahead no more kilns and just use the wood from the sheds, as it will be dry. I have a 4.5x30 I use split in 10ft sections Picture attached I have 3 other sheds but this one is similar to what you want. I sit on roughly 14 cords cut, split and stacked ann under roof

 

[Woodsplitter67]

You should go in the 2024 VC performance thread

I just posted one of my overnight burns and temperatures of catalyst and stove top temperature

 

[pittpens24]

Thank you soooo very much - will go check it all out

 

[Woodsplitter67]

Thank you soooo very much - will go check it all out

No problem.. were all friends here.. or at least most of us are anyway..

 

[Bill S]

Thanks Bill, very excited to clean a clean chimney lol

I had a second thought after attaching the little video of my hearthstone blazing away. What would have been better is a video showing it with the cat and/or primary reduced which makes the flames slow down and catch the secondary air, igniting the gas over the top of the logs. It's a glorious sight!