Need handfired stove w hopper & Bi metal thermostat

I am thinking about replacing my Mark II. I would like to keep a hand fired stove but would like one with a hopper and a bi-metal thermostat. My problem is that I need it to fit with in certain dimensions. I have my stove sitting on my fireplace hearth and vented into the fireplace opening and up the chimney. My hearth is 20" deep and raised off the floor about 12". The height of the fireplace opening is 27.5" tall. So any stove I get will need to sit on the 20" ledge and the height to the top of the rear flue must be 27.5" or less. My Mark II I got to fit by making new shorter legs for it. Does anyone know of a stove the would meet my requirements?

So far I have come up with 2 possible options. The Alaska Kodiak (3" too deep but may still sit on ledge with front lip overhang? Also flue is 1.25" too tall.) Are the legs removable on these stoves? The second option is the Keystoker HF Hopper stove. (this is 1" too deep but I think would still work, also 1" too high on flue) Are these legs removable?

You could always call Amos at DS Machines and see if they've got anything with the dimensions you are looking for. They were able to modify the DS -1600 to fit within my dimensions.

Hitzer 503?? made for the hearth?? with fans, surround etc.. Hopper fed.. oh. well maybe you need the other hitzer products with the bimetal thermostat, the 354, 30-95 and 50-9? what 's up with hitzer's numbering system.. totally random, I can't figure it out.

Go to Hitzer.com and see what the dimensions are.. the hitzer stove has a great following on the forum,, just use the search box in the upper right corner of the page and type in 'Hitzer' and hang on to your hat !!

Greg L.

Hitzer 50-93 won't work. 31" to top of outlet in rear

As suggested a Hitzer insert...
The 'rents have a 503...
But it lacks the bimetalic...
Amos is worth a call...
They make a great stove...
Love my Basement #4...

not looking to get an insert. My chimney has a lot of draft so I need to be able to use my baro damper. A Hitzer may work if the legs unbolt and can be removed.

I am heating 2,200 sq ft. My 72k btu Mark II is usually burning around 250 - 350 deg. The 2 coldest days this year I had to crank it up to around 550 deg to keep the house warm. So I think 70k btu and up would be fine.

I have come across a few 60k btu units that would fit (Franco Belge, Surdiac, Saey Hanover I), However I feel I may need to push these stoves too hard if we would get a cold winter.

I would think if you call Hitzer and talk to Dean they could shorten the legs on a 50-93 for you. If on the coldest days you need to run your 70K at almost the 600* mark a 50-93 would be your best bet @ 100,000K and be able to run at a more moderate temp to keep the house toasty. For that matter you could get a used one and shorten the legs yourself, no they do not bolt on they are welded.

Just thinking here. Are you going to have enough room to get to the back of the stove to adjust the bi-metal thermostat?

Read my thread about adding a bimetal thermostat to my Harman Mark I.

Retrofit Hitzer Thermostat to Harman

Can't help you with the hopper, though ....

Ask Amos if he can move the intake...
My DS has the intake on the front left side...

My Hitzer 503 has draft control .... why would you want both a stoker with a hopper ... odd but the 503 can run bit but you have to close up the hopper to run it that way so I guess it could be a stoker-stove

Hitzer 503 has no thermostat though ... top surface is 235°F now ...

LsFarm wrote:Hitzer 503?? made for the hearth?? with fans, surround etc.. Hopper fed.. oh. well maybe you need the other hitzer products with the bimetal thermostat, the 354, 30-95 and 50-9? what 's up with hitzer's numbering system.. totally random, I can't figure it out.

Go to Hitzer.com and see what the dimensions are.. the hitzer stove has a great following on the forum,, just use the search box in the upper right corner of the page and type in 'Hitzer' and hang on to your hat !!

Greg L.

Hi Greg, When I first bought my 50-93, seams to me it ment the hopper held 50 pounds of coal, and was rated at 93,000 BTU(under rated). Seams the literature said 95,000 BTU. The following year I bought the 30-95. I believe the 30 stood for hopper capacity. But the "(95") ???????? Then again, they both go through the same amount of coal. If not, it's very very close. I noticed dumping the same size pail of coal in each one at tending time. So, they must be creating the same amount of BTU's. The 50-93, with it's bigger heat exchanger, will blast you with a wall of heat. Where as the 30-95, with it's smaller heat exchanger, lets more heat up the chimney. That's why I've mentioned in the past that a 30-95 may be a good choice for poor drawing chimneys. The 30-95 is capable of throwing lots of heat. The 50-93 is capable of taking your breath away. Now I see 50-93 is rated in the 100,000BTU range. Other HITZER stoves ??????????????????? Can only give you my experience. Oliver

Hi Oliver, well you made some sense of the numbers !! Thank you. At least you explaination makes sense.. but I sure don't see any logic to the 93 and 95.. Maybe one of us should call Dean??

I think a 50-95 with shorter legs would do the job, has all the other requirements: hopper and bi-metalic thermostat.

Greg L

Alright you two goofy old guys. I'm going to call Dean and get this straightened out ASAP.

freetown fred wrote:Alright you two goofy old guys. I'm going to call Dean and get this straightened out ASAP.

Yes! You do that Fred, Because We Want To Know..........