Seeking new stove like current.

[Mugsy]

Greetings!

I inherited a dutchwest woodstove from my grandparents (via my parents). I have a terrible picture of the plate on the back and no other documentation. It's now on its last legs and I need to replace it with one of similar or larger size, but the deal breaker is the feed door on the left hand side.

I understand that a new dutchwest is not going to happen, they appear to be out of business?

So far the only reasonably priced similar stove is made by a company named Hi Flame (chinese i think), specifically the Hi Flame Stallion HF737U. Is anyone familiar with this company and/or model?

Any info or suggestions would be excellent and highly appreciated.
Sorry for the terrible picture quality, it's difficult getting a picture behind it and I'm afraid to move it.

 

[Ctwoodtick]

Many on this site say a good economy stove is the summers heat brand.

 

[Woody Stover]

Is that a cat stove or non-cat? Have you given thought to which you want to replace it with? A "value" non-cat will be the cheapest way to go.

 

[begreen]

That is a very old Dutchwest stove. I would pass. How large an area will the stove be heating? What is the budget? There are some good prices on Century and Englander stoves now as big box stores clear out inventory.

 

[jetsam]

The HiFlame product looks like a pretty generic tube stove from the specs.

Given that there is very little real world info on it and it is more expensive than the well-reviewed and well-liked Englanders, I don't think I'd suggest it.

 

[Mugsy]

I think it's non-catalytic, but don't know. It was built in 82-83ish. Finding stoves with a left side door is proving difficult. I've seen quite a few right doors, but few left.

 

[begreen]

The label appears to say it's either an FA224CCL or FA264CCL. Both of those models were catalytic under Consolidated Dutchwest. If the stove was rarely used it could be ok. If it was used a lot it's probably due for some refurbishing and repair.

The Jotul Oslo has a left side door. Why is this important vs a front loading door?

 

[jetsam]

The label appears to say it's either an FA224CCL or FA264CCL. Both of those models were catalytic under Consolidated Dutchwest. If the stove was rarely used it could be ok. If it was used a lot it's probably due for some refurbishing and repair.

The Jotul Oslo has a left side door. Why is this important vs a front loading door?

OP already has the dutchwest and wants to retire it, he is not looking at purchasing it.

 

[begreen]

OP already has the dutchwest and wants to retire it, he is not looking at purchasing it.

Yes, but I am wondering if "last legs" is just a failed cat.

 

[jetsam]

Yes, but I am wondering if "last legs" is just a failed cat.

I am not familiar with the stove, but my assumption would be, given the age of the stove, that the cat may not have contributed that much to heat output in the first place? Not sure though- it is possibly too old to be one of those unfortunate designs with the flueside Compliance Cat, so maybe the cat is on the firebox side of the airflow.

Give us pictures!

 

[Mugsy]

On no, it's done. I pulled a fist sized chunk of iron that's from the middle of the inner rear wall out a few days ago. I let it get cold, put a headlamp on and stuck my head in for a looksie. It's shot, well and truly.

 

[webby3650]

I am not familiar with the stove, but my assumption would be, given the age of the stove, that the cat may not have contributed that much to heat output in the first place? Not sure though- it is possibly too old to be one of those unfortunate designs with the flueside Compliance Cat, so maybe the cat is on the firebox side of the airflow.

Give us pictures!

The cat sits in the top of the firebox behind a flame shield, although they call it a baffle. It was a respectable,well built heater. Good enough in fact that VC bought them and changed almost nothing in the design for a decade or 2. I never liked the looks, but I’d choose a Dutch west over other VC’s if I had the choice. Unless I was planning to flip it

 

[bholler]

I am not familiar with the stove, but my assumption would be, given the age of the stove, that the cat may not have contributed that much to heat output in the first place? Not sure though- it is possibly too old to be one of those unfortunate designs with the flueside Compliance Cat, so maybe the cat is on the firebox side of the airflow.

Give us pictures!

They were actually pretty good cat stoves for their day. Then vc aquired them and continued to make them for a while then it went down hill

 

[begreen]

On no, it's done. I pulled a fist sized chunk of iron that's from the middle of the inner rear wall out a few days ago. I let it get cold, put a headlamp on and stuck my head in for a looksie. It's shot, well and truly.

Are you sure??


Sounds ready to be sold for scrap.