Tractors and wood! Show your pics

[atsah]

If you have a Hearthstone stove, you already have secondary burn. I have a Hearthstone Phoenix stove. It has a couple of tubes across the top that feed some air in at that point. When the stove is hot enough to ignite the gases coming off the wood, you can see the flames up there (it almost looks like the tubes are being fed with gas, but it's just the air mixing with the gases from the wood). This is a major part of how non-catalytic stoves meet the efficiency and cleanliness specs for EPA certification. The jump in efficiency is enough that they use noticeably less wood than the older woodstoves that did not use this technology.

I bought this because I did not want to mess with a catalytic stove. They've come a long way, and do tend to improve the efficiency and cleanliness of the stove (even above that of the non-cat EPA stoves). However, if you don't run them correctly, you foul up the catalyst. I didn't figure my wife and kids were going to pay enough attention to it to keep it running properly. I've got 16 years on this one, and the only maintenance I've done is replace the door seal gasket, and on rare occasions, wipe down the glass (usually after my wife loads the stove and forgets to open up the air for a bit to get it burning well).

I see what you mean, if that's what they call secondary burn then yes my Heritage has it.

 

[atsah]

You would have to have a secondary burn or CAT if your local codes required it and you wanted to be legal. With me it was not that I wanted an EPA stove, it was required by code when I installed it. The last thing I am going to do is install a stove in violation of code, have a fire and have insurance deny the claim.

Ya I suppose if there are codes where you live I would abide by them as well..

 

[plowhog]

You would have to have a secondary burn or CAT if your local codes required it and you wanted to be legal. With me it was not that I wanted an EPA stove, it was required by code when I installed it. The last thing I am going to do is install a stove in violation of code, have a fire and have insurance deny the claim.

For my new residence I am required to have an EPA rated fireplace. I chose and Xtrodinaire 44. I know nothing about an "EPA" fireplace versus a normal wood burning fireplace. How has yours worked for you, and what should I know about an EPA model?

 

[KennyG]

For my new residence I am required to have an EPA rated fireplace. I chose and Xtrodinaire 44. I know nothing about an "EPA" fireplace versus a normal wood burning fireplace. How has yours worked for you, and what should I know about an EPA model?

My recollection is that all that is required for EPA rating is to be tested to limit particulate discharge. It doesn't have to be a catalyst, but almost all EPA stoves have high efficiency and outside air combustion. My stove is EPA rated and it doesn't have a catalyst or anything exotic, just well designed.

 

[Oldpath05]

My recollection is that all that is required for EPA rating is to be tested to limit particulate discharge. It doesn't have to be a catalyst, but almost all EPA stoves have high efficiency and outside air combustion. My stove is EPA rated and it doesn't have a catalyst or anything exotic, just well designed.

What brand stove do you have so I can look it up?

 

[ericm979]

Lots of EPA stoves don't have outside air intakes, or they are optional. The outside air intake is mostly for new houses that are super well sealed or running hefty exhaust fans in the kitchen, so the stove isn't trying to pull in air from a slight vacuum. It's not required for EPA.

Most EPA stoves use secondary air burn. That's some tubes and baffles in the top of the fire box which mix air into the gases from the burning wood and generate a second combustion. This burns up wood gases that didn't get burnt by the flames at the wood surface. So you get more heat and less emissions at the same time. The tubes and baffles can wear out but it takes a while and they're generally pretty cheap. These stoves need to be run with the doors closed but that's a good idea anyhow.

The catalyst also burns the gases but without visible flame. I think the new catalyst types can get lower emissions than the secondary burn type. So when the limit goes from 4.5g/hr to 2.5 in 2020 we may see fewer secondary combustion stoves.

 

[4570Man]

Lots of EPA stoves don't have outside air intakes, or they are optional. The outside air intake is mostly for new houses that are super well sealed or running hefty exhaust fans in the kitchen, so the stove isn't trying to pull in air from a slight vacuum. It's not required for EPA.

Most EPA stoves use secondary air burn. That's some tubes and baffles in the top of the fire box which mix air into the gases from the burning wood and generate a second combustion. This burns up wood gases that didn't get burnt by the flames at the wood surface. So you get more heat and less emissions at the same time. The tubes and baffles can wear out but it takes a while and they're generally pretty cheap. These stoves need to be run with the doors closed but that's a good idea anyhow.

The catalyst also burns the gases but without visible flame. I think the new catalyst types can get lower emissions than the secondary burn type. So when the limit goes from 4.5g/hr to 2.5 in 2020 we may see fewer secondary combustion stoves.

I find that as long as you keep one door closed on my stove it will still draft. If you open both doors it will smoke up the house. I’ve also discovered you have to keep both doors closed while using the kitchen stove vent or it drafts down the chimney and fills the house with smoke.

 

[goeduck]

For my new residence I am required to have an EPA rated fireplace. I chose and Xtrodinaire 44. I know nothing about an "EPA" fireplace versus a normal wood burning fireplace. How has yours worked for you, and what should I know about an EPA model?

Since yours was built new with an EPA fireplace it is more involved from what I see on their website than my insert (retrofit). That said yours appears to have a CAT. They take a little learning on how to operate effectively and are more involved from a maintenance standpoint. My best recommendation —— make sure you use DRY wood, less than 18% moisture. Beyond that you will need to read your manual, I do not know how yours is constructed.

 

[ultrarunner]

I had to take the CAT out at the rental... nothing but problems as the concept was too difficult to convey.

 

[JasperFrank]