Need Help With Sizing of Stove

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LIBurner
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Post by LIBurner » Sun. Oct. 23, 2011 10:04 am

Hello all. New to the forum, but have been following the forum for the last year or so. Have read some very enlightening information. I have seen similiar questions but was hoping for help with my specific situation. I have a 2 story Cape Cod style house on Long Island, NY approximately 1500 sqft, looking to only heat 1200 sqft. Currently own a Jotul Firelight wood burning stove rated at 50K BTU's. House is 2x4 construction with medium insulation and single pane windows( a little drafty). The wood burner maintains the house at 72-75 degrees except for extremely windy, cold days ( 0 to sub zero temps). Been looking to convert to coal (thanks to this forum) and I am looking into the DS Machine stoves (Energy Max 110 or smaller Energy max rated at 75K BTU-saw at Amos' shop, not in produciton yet or Basement 4) or the Alaska Kodiak stove (100K BTU). The stove will be going in the basement approx. 2-3ft away from the base of the stairs with no basement door for airflow. This has been working great for the last 15 years burning wood with no other venting necessary. The flue is a 6in. Duravent double lined stainless steel 30 foot tall south facing. Do you think the 75K DS is adequate enough to heat this area or should we go with a larger firebox and stove to be on the safe side. My wife prefers the way the smaller Energy Max looks but I want to make sure the stove is sized properly. Thank you for all your help in advance and in the past for steering me in the correct direction away from wood. :)

 
2DeXtreMe
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Post by 2DeXtreMe » Sun. Oct. 23, 2011 10:28 am

Welcome to the forum, LI Burner!

I am not familiar with the "machine stove" or the "energy max" that you're considering on purchasing. If the main reason why your wife favors the energy max stove because of it's looks vs. the kodiak, I say to search for other possible coal stoves that will have a higher BTU rating and will add elegance and style. There are many out there for sale (new and used). You didn't mentioned what the indoor temperature were when the outdoor temps reaches 0 and below.

So with that wood stove probably not satisfying you and your family during winter's extremes, go with the larger stove. You can never go wrong, if you follow this route. Although the machine & energy-max stoves will be a definite improvement in terms of warmth, there is a slight chance that you may not be satisfied completely. Go big!

 
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Post by franco b » Sun. Oct. 23, 2011 10:54 am

The heat output of a stove is dependent on the square feet of heating surface and how hot that surface is. If the Jotul was adequate and was run at a moderate temperature then a similar size coal stove will do the job. Insulating the basement walls will make a big difference.

A coal stove with hopper and thermostat is much easier to run and tend.

 
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no74falcon
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Post by no74falcon » Sun. Oct. 23, 2011 11:38 am

Go bigger! You can always open windows... ;) If you get a stove that isn't enough, you'll be kicking yourself about Feb. Then you will have to sell it for a little bit of a loss, then spending the money on the bigger stove anyway.


 
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I'm On Fire
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Post by I'm On Fire » Sun. Oct. 23, 2011 2:57 pm

I've got a DS Machines DS-1600 Circulator which I think was at one point in time the Basement #4. I bought it last season right after Christmas and installed it on January 8th. I have got to say that this thing is a monster At 130K BTU/Hr. it has kept me warm.

I have to agree with Franco B. Go over what you think you will need. I went from a 60k BTU/Hr Chubby Sr. that could not keep up with the demands from my home as the temps dropped into the 0 numbers last winter. I talked with Amos over at DS and he had suggested a stove that was a little smaller than this one but I eventually went with this one. I've got it idling around 220º right now and the house is 76º I've got two windows open and the MPD wide open. But, I know tonight I can close the windows and be very warm.

I looked at the Alaska Kodiak but felt while it may have been enough I didn't want to take the chance. My home was built in 1948 and while I've made many improvements, double pane insulated windows, insulation it's still very drafty.

 
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Coalfire
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Post by Coalfire » Sun. Oct. 23, 2011 3:09 pm

Why the energy max? that is more of a wood stove with shaker grates in it. sure it will burn coal, but the fire box is deep and not wide. Ideal for sticking in long logs but not so nice for throwing coal in all the way to the back. If you look at most box type coal stoves they are wide and not deep, this is done for a reason. If you are set on DS check out there circulator series with the hopper, or the alaska, or hitzer, they all have hoppers and are solid stoves.

Once you start burning coal not sure how long that stainless chimney will last, masonary may be a more long term solution.

welcome to the forum, Eric

 
LIBurner
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Post by LIBurner » Sun. Oct. 23, 2011 4:55 pm

First off, thank you all for your responses.
To 2DeXtreMe - Indoor temps get to high 60's (66-68) during the really cold spells. Not frigid but we do prefer it a little warmer.

To FrancoB- We forgot to say in the original post that the stove is in a finished basement with insulated walls. The Jotul would be run wide open on the weekends to maintain those temps.

To I'm on Fire- I followed your story on this forum since you had the Chubby and were looking into the DS. You are the reason I purchased a Chubby Sr. (for oramental reasons, going in a bedroom not hooked up). Larry just shipped me some new pieces for the stove, he is a very nice gentleman and a pleasure to deal with. I was also looking into the 1500 Circulator, but when I went to go visit Amos I found it is not a top vent system, but a rear vent and due to hearth restrictions I need a top vent stove. Both Energy Max stoves are top vents and #4 can be customized to a top vent stove. So that is my reasoning for going with those stoves.

To Coalfire - Still not leaving my woodburning heritage behind. I would like to burn wood in the early and late parts of the season when the temps are still warm.

 
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I'm On Fire
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Post by I'm On Fire » Sun. Oct. 23, 2011 5:25 pm

The guys at DS are very helpful. I'm sure they can make you a top vent circulator. They were able to customize my 1600 I have a very short hearth and from the floor to the throat is only 31" DS was able to make my 1600 the height needed while keeping the stove itself original. They custom made shorter legs. If you asked im sure they'd be able to put the vent on the top.


 
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SteveZee
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Post by SteveZee » Sun. Oct. 23, 2011 5:43 pm

Why not try your Chubby first and see how that works for you? Might do the trick or at least would give you a good idea if you need to buy a new stove and what. It is rated a bit (10k btu's) higher than your Jotul and you already own it. I know allot of people go with the bigger is better theory but I prefer to find out what I truely need for my situation, under the worst conditions and that's the range I look for. I guess it's just a wasting fuel thing but if the stoves lit, I'm never going to open the windows and heat the outside unless the CO detector goes off. ;) Prolly just a cheap skate :roll:

 
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I'm On Fire
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Post by I'm On Fire » Sun. Oct. 23, 2011 5:58 pm

Yeah, sorry I wasn't trying to talk you out of the Chubby. I owned one and it was a great stove; just too small for my house.

 
buck24
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Post by buck24 » Sun. Oct. 23, 2011 8:53 pm

I have to agree with SteveZee on this one. You already have the Chubby and I think it would be able to heat 1200 sq. ft. for you . There a nice stove and easy to maintain. I would give that Chubby a shot at heating that house before I looked into any other stoves. There are other members on this site that heat with the Chubby stove and seem to be very satisfied with its performance. Check out the various posts on the Chubby and see what others have to say about them. I would give the Chubby first crack at it. If you don't like the results you see then look into other stoves. Why go looking for something that you may already have in your possesion ;)

 
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fastcat
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Post by fastcat » Sun. Oct. 23, 2011 9:16 pm

Go bigger off the bat, coal stoves will idle down to very low heat output.Look at the Hitzer 30-95 or 50-93, you can dress it up with either gold or pewter for the wife, I needed to do the same thing. Right now I'm running the stove @ 200* which is keeping my 2500 sq ft @ 72 and durning the day I turn it down and you can hold your hand on the top there is almost no heat coming off it. Tending the stove only once every 24 hrs and using a little less than 15 lbs or right around a half a hood of coal. And I have to admit I like the dressed up stove to.

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