Easy-breather wood stove?

[Chill E. Cowboy]

Hi all,
I need to purchase a new stove for my home in a mountain valley at 7,200 ft above sea level. The house is a 100-year old log home, 2 story, approximately 1800 sq. ft. Not particularly tight - there's no shortage of available draft, and I never encountered a negative-pressure situation.
I had great luck with a Regency R6 for 20+ years - it burned beautifully and was never a problem to start cold or to bank overnight - but I made the mistake of replacing it with a "downdraft" stove a few years ago, a medium DutchWest cast iron non-cat. Neither I nor the dealer knew better. It was a disaster and has been removed - it simply would not draw unless the ash door was left open. It was an all-or-nothing burner.
So now I am looking for a stove that is an "easy breather"!

My setup is a first floor installation, NW corner of house, 6" pipe, with 2' up from stove to a 90-degree elbow (which I could replace with two 45's), 2-1/2 ft to exterior log wall, 16' double-walled insulated pipe up the outside of the house. Cap with spark arrester is 6-1/2 ft clear of rooftop. It's been recommended on another site that I add 3-6' to my chimney. Which I suppose I might do. But my main trouble remains that stoves are an entirely different set of beasts than when I bought my R6 back in the early 90's, and much more sensitive to the conditions of specific applications.

I notice that the Jotuls and Morsos sell well in Colorado and Montana. Up here in the Wyoming hinterlands most stoves are still made out of old barrels so it's hard to get local recommendations. There's a Regency & Osburn dealer a couple hours away and I was thinking of an F2400 or one of the Osburn 2000-line. But now the more I learn the less certain I am about which way to go.

Thanks for reading. Any and all stove recommendations and advice are greatly appreciated!

 

[blades]

Just for grins Maybe an Englander NC30 ( course I am biased and don't care if is just Plain Jane) You could call them on Monday and ask questions in regards to your elevation. 3 cubic ft. fire box. heats my 2000 sq ft place- just a ranch though no second floor and its on the main floor fairly centered.

 

[Chill E. Cowboy]

Thanks, blades - the NC30 was on my shortlist but I hadn't heard from any owners. It's a big favorite over on the hearth site so I was surprised nobody suggested it there. I did read a couple negative reviews at wiseheat saying it was a beast to start and that gave me a scare. But there were about 100 glowing reviews too. And yeah - I'm not in it for the "pretty" factor, either! Thanks for the suggestion, I'll give them a call.

 

[UpOnTheHill]

I like my nc-30. It is very plain but its a work horse. I took off the pedastle and put the "legs" on mine, I think it looks better. I don't know how many years it will last, I would expect at least 10 or 15 years. I haven't had any problems with starting fires. I heat my 2000 sq ft home with it. On really cold nights, I do have to reload at least once, sometimes twice to keep the house up to temp. It does the job without complaining but doesn't have the bells n whistles of some others. Of course, it's half or a third the price of others stoves too. I paid somewhere around 1k with tax if I remember correctly.

 

[steve md]

I like my nc-30. It is very plain but its a work horse. I took off the pedastle and put the "legs" on mine, I think it looks better. I don't know how many years it will last, I would expect at least 10 or 15 years. I haven't had any problems with starting fires. I heat my 2000 sq ft home with it. On really cold nights, I do have to reload at least once, sometimes twice to keep the house up to temp. It does the job without complaining but doesn't have the bells n whistles of some others. Of course, it's half or a third the price of others stoves too. I paid somewhere around 1k with tax if I remember correctly.

I have a nc 30,I also have no problem starting mine.just look at the hearth protection requirements it needs more than most stoves

 

[Chill E. Cowboy]

Thanks steve and UpOnTheHill, I'll give these workhorses a closer look.
I got an email suggesting the PE Summit as a good high-elevation stove, a "soft-drafter." But then I'm looking at spending 2K+. I really want to get it right this time, but yikes - if I start looking over 2K another whole range of stoves come into play.
Thanks for the recommendations.

 

[blades]

Starting any stove from cold is dependent on the install more than anything else. 2nd thing is fuel. Then there are the basement installs - draft reversal is a way of life with those.

 

[lfnh]

Blaze King did good at 8500. Might be worth a call.

 

[Chill E. Cowboy]

Hi Ifnh. If money were no object, Blaze King tops the list. I'm still tempted by the Princess, considering if it's worth it to just shoot the works for as good as I can get, or maybe even spring for a slightly less expensive Jotul.
What model Blaze King are you talking about at 8500 ft.? Any details on the house/installation?
Thanks

 

[lfnh]

Barracks was 2 story, probly 1500sf. Wasn't heavy insulated. Burned mostly DF and lodgepole, some birch. It'd burn everything you could throw at it during the stretches of -0/-25-30. Full load might get 5 hrs sleep. Could also take the inside from 45 to 65 in short order (with a little dip of hamburg helper (slash starter) to get it lit. Never any blowback in high winds.

Don't make the Gibraltar wood/coal anymore, but heck of a heat maker. That'll keep 2500sf heavy insulated 75+ in extended -5/-20, loading about 75-80 lbs low ash anthracite a day. Handy for working or getting solid sleep. Think plate rating might have been 60-70000 btu, but the real number is closer to 100000. On wood a full load would hold 4/5 hrs in arctic cold, but half a day or better in warmer stretches. Run about 3 1/2 -4 ton coal + 2 cord for a bad winter or 6-8 cord. Thirty year old almost and only changed load and ash door rope couple of times. Nothing else. Bust a leg or arm, can still get by the winter on coal. Might have read something about Glacier stoves being like them. idr

 

[Bruce W Wolfe]

Hi all,
I need to purchase a new stove for my home in a mountain valley at 7,200 ft above sea level. The house is a 100-year old log home, 2 story, approximately 1800 sq. ft. Not particularly tight - there's no shortage of available draft, and I never encountered a negative-pressure situation.
I had great luck with a Regency R6 for 20+ years - it burned beautifully and was never a problem to start cold or to bank overnight - but I made the mistake of replacing it with a "downdraft" stove a few years ago, a medium DutchWest cast iron non-cat. Neither I nor the dealer knew better. It was a disaster and has been removed - it simply would not draw unless the ash door was left open. It was an all-or-nothing burner.
So now I am looking for a stove that is an "easy breather"!

My setup is a first floor installation, NW corner of house, 6" pipe, with 2' up from stove to a 90-degree elbow (which I could replace with two 45's), 2-1/2 ft to exterior log wall, 16' double-walled insulated pipe up the outside of the house. Cap with spark arrester is 6-1/2 ft clear of rooftop. It's been recommended on another site that I add 3-6' to my chimney. Which I suppose I might do. But my main trouble remains that stoves are an entirely different set of beasts than when I bought my R6 back in the early 90's, and much more sensitive to the conditions of specific applications.

I notice that the Jotuls and Morsos sell well in Colorado and Montana. Up here in the Wyoming hinterlands most stoves are still made out of old barrels so it's hard to get local recommendations. There's a Regency & Osburn dealer a couple hours away and I was thinking of an F2400 or one of the Osburn 2000-line. But now the more I learn the less certain I am about which way to go.

Thanks for reading. Any and all stove recommendations and advice are greatly appreciated!

Might check this stove out it works well with your altitude. www.sedoreusa.com

 

[zogger]

Might check this stove out it works well with your altitude. www.sedoreusa.com

Those look interesting. Spendy, but look like they should work well.

 

[Ronaldo]

Those look interesting. Spendy, but look like they should work well.

How spendy. I couldnt find a price?

 

[zogger]

How spendy. I couldnt find a price?

I googled that name and found another site that was a dealer, around 3500 clams.

 

[Bruce W Wolfe]

If you provide me an e-mail address I can send you some info to review? The price of the basic stove is $3,400 and there are options available, ie water coils, custom colors, and stainless steel cooking top. They are not cheap, but anything comparable, are more. I can be contacted at [email protected] or 218-760-9480.