Log burners, questions etc

[openspaceman]

I've got the Bonnie from Champion Stove Company in my office at work and it's a cracking little stove:

 

Champion Stove Company

 

It's good value for money if it's clean, similar to the original Jotul, which was copied by Quebb in the early 70s. I still use a 35 year old Jotul 602 but doubt it would get DEFRA approval as is. Does it have a horizontal baffle front to back? The Jotul design was meant to burn like a cigar with all the combustion products being forced to come forward and meet incoming air befor exhausting, which is different from a fire with a grate where the primary and secondary air are more distinctly separated.

 

I like this type of design as it takes a 16" log.

 

Has anyone tried ChilliPenguin? The bloke that started the company did the design for the pressure vessel and refractories for an experimental burner my colleague designed. His background was chemical industry design so they should be well thought out.

[mendiplogs]

I've got this Hunter, can anyone shed any light on the model and output etc? Keeps the living room very warm after a few hours and the chimney radiates plenty of heat around the rooms and hallway upstairs, but there is no air control other than how tight you shut the door.

 

[ATTACH]146960[/ATTACH]

[ATTACH]146961[/ATTACH]

 

 

 

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HI BILLY it looks about 8kw going by pics re air control the door seals may have gone we had one like that years ago now we run a EURO HEAT thanks jon

[Alycidon]

As far as installation goes:

 

You are perfectly okay to install a stove yourself - don't believe any fitter or stove shop who tells you that legally they have to be installed by a HETAS registered fitter. The important things are that 1) the installation complies with Part J of the Building regs - you can download this off the net for free, and 2) if you are installing it yourself - it has to be signed off by the building control department at the local council - there will be a fee charged for this - but you'll be covered in the event of any problems or insurance issues down the line. A HETAS fitter is qualified to sign off his own work - and should be up to speed with the regs - not all of them are it has to be said!

 

A stove will always be more responsive when fitted to a liner. The use of a liner also rules out a number of potential problems later on, such as tar creeping through walls - usually in upstairs rooms. If you're installing into an open chimney - you'll need to make sure you have access plates in the register plate above the stove. If you need to remove the stove to sweep the chimney - you won't meet building regs.

 

Machine Mart stoves are garbage. End of. I have it on good authority that these stoves cost the importer about £40 a chuck. They don't seal right, they're pretty much impossible to control properly, the glass mucks up, and they generally use way more fuel than a decent stove - so cancelling out the saving you made buying one. A poor quality stove isn't a pleasant thing to live with. It's pretty accurate to say that with stoves - you get what you pay for. If you're on a tight budget, then you'd probably be better getting a decent stove second hand than a crap one new.

 

Most of the makes mentioned in this thread are pretty good. A lot of the Hunters are pretty dated designs, as are Yeoman and Villager. Clearview are almost universally well thought of, as are Morso, Dunsley, Woodwarm and Burley. There are very good stoves available in steel and cast iron - one isn't better than the other. Of the Chinese imports - Firefox are one of the better ones - and spares for these are no problem - unlike many of the others which end up being sold under multiple brand names.

 

Stoves are way more efficient than open fires - some modern ones are approaching 90% efficiency. I have tons of customers who say that having a stove in is one of the best things they've ever done - twice the heat from half the fuel sort of thing.

 

That is good, sound and accurate advice.

 

You do need as others have said to decide if you want a boiler stove or not, the downside of this is that extra plumbing work may be needed especially if you have a condensing boiler and no cold water tank. Consult a qualified plumber.

 

Second thing is how much heat output is needed, a, for the room and B, for the water if going boiler stove.

 

Brands,

 

As a stove supplier I will only supply brands that I know will not give me any issues once sold. Currently my most popular brands are Morso, Aarow, Villager and Esse. Of those Morso are 10 years ahead of almost all other stove builders, their new DB15 boiler stove is a top draw bit of kit.

 

Arada do some nice stoves well priced in their Aarow, Villager and Stratford (boiler stove) ranges. Esse also make nice stoves, not that technically advanced compared to Morso but they do what they say and are not at Morso price levels.

 

Others have mentioned Burley, I have no reason to doubt what they say, I have seen a couple and will be taking an agency for them shortly. I have this winter also sold a few Boru 20kw boiler stoves, Irish but well made from UK steel. CE approved as legally now required.

 

If you want a decent bargin I have a Broseley Hercules 20 boiler stove to clear, it takes a 7 inch liner, took it to site and could not get a 7 inch liner down the chimney. PM if interested.

 

A

[Big J]

It's good value for money if it's clean, similar to the original Jotul, which was copied by Quebb in the early 70s. I still use a 35 year old Jotul 602 but doubt it would get DEFRA approval as is. Does it have a horizontal baffle front to back? The Jotul design was meant to burn like a cigar with all the combustion products being forced to come forward and meet incoming air befor exhausting, which is different from a fire with a grate where the primary and secondary air are more distinctly separated.

 

I like this type of design as it takes a 16" log.

 

 

Front to back horizontal baffle, yes.

 

I'm sat in my office right now with it tidking over. 22c with the door ajar and it doesn't use much wood at all.

 

Jonathan

[muldonach]

I've got this Hunter, can anyone shed any light on the model and output etc? Keeps the living room very warm after a few hours and the chimney radiates plenty of heat around the rooms and hallway upstairs, but there is no air control other than how tight you shut the door.

 

[ATTACH]146960[/ATTACH]

[ATTACH]146961[/ATTACH]

 

 

 

WM Tree Services

 

Best Kent Tree Surgeons for Professional Tree Surgery Work in Maidstone

 

I am sitting looking at a Hunter 20 which covers 4 bricks wide in the chimney recess - very similar to the stove shown except we do have an air control and a chimney baffle - I would think your stove rating is at least 14 and probably 20Kw

 

Cheers

mac