Worth the trouble?/$?

[excessads]

Can't believe the century 2500 is 4 yrs old. I knew going into it the box is small and it was ok knowing I need to reload once every 2 hrs or so. Based on the fireplace dimension, there are a couple inches wiggle room to get a slightly bigger unit, maybe a 1.8 cu ft insert. Maybe I can fit one that's 3" wider, taller and deeper/sticks out a little more outside the cover then again, just by that estimate I m not gaining much volume/less reloads. What do you think?

 

[begreen]

The 2900 would have been a 20% increase in space, but it's still an E/W loader unless the wood is like 14" long. I am wondering if you can fit a larger more square firebox stove in there? N/S will provide more full loading. What are the actual fireplace dimensions? Front and back?

As for worth it, that is up to you. The 2500 should go more like 6 hrs between reloads except in the colder parts of winter. 2 hrs reloads does not sound like full reloads for a 2 cu ft stove.

 

[excessads]

34x 27 & ~25 x 27, 2ft deep, i think a 2.4 cu ft osborn may fit in there. I bought it as a kit, now I gotta find out diameter of the liner installed not gonna swap liner, would definitely be cheaper without doing that.

 

[begreen]

34x 27 & ~25 x 27, i think a 2.4 cu ft osborn may fit in there. I bought it as a kit, now I gotta find out diameter of the liner installed not gonna swap liner, would definitely be cheaper without doing that.

What is the depth, top and bottom? The 2.4 cu ft Osburn 2000 is the same firebox as the Century 2900 or Drolet Escape 1800, still an E/W loader. It has a 6" flue collar.

 

[excessads]

What is the depth, top and bottom? The 2.4 cu ft Osburn 2000 is the same firebox as the Century 2900 or Drolet Escape 1800, still an E/W loader. It has a 6" flue collar.

24", u r right, e/w loaders indeed

 

[begreen]

N/S loading means you can pack the firebox without worry of a log rolling against the glass so you get more wood capacity for the same sized firebox. A budget N/S loading stove is the True North TN20i. It's the tube version of the more sophisticated PE Super insert. These are 2 cu ft stoves with good burn times. Another option might be to seek out a lightly used Enviro Kodiak 1700 insert. That insert was a great performer. The Quadrafire Millenium 3100i also has a square firebox.

 

[EatenByLimestone]

My little century would do more than 2 hours on a reload and had a much smaller firebox. Are you closing down the primary air? Something isn't right here.

 

[Caw]

As someone who is forced to use E/W because of size issues I'd definitely try to get a N/S loader whenever possible. I dont get too worried about a log hitting the glass, that happens occasionally, but is largely preventable. What annoys me is it's just hard to really tetris the wood in there without being able to see, hitting the baffle, or having the load light off as you're reloading.

My stove takes 17.5" logs E/W but will handle 14" loaded N/S so when I get shorty rounds I save up a pile for a fun N/S load so I can pretend I'm one of the big boys . It's soooo much easier than E/W.

 

[EatenByLimestone]

One of the things I really like about the PE is the stainless baffle and burntube free design. So far I haven't been able to over idiot their idiot proof design.


The Century stove I had was very similar in that respect. It had a flat panel introducing the air and firebrick on the roof of the burn chamber. It was incredibly durable. It did have a number of gaps around the bricks that needed to be stuffed though.