# Stove Suggestions



## Fra1 (19 Jan 2012)

Looking to purchase a stove to heat 20 radiators + and hot water....does any one have any suggestions?  Was about to purchase a Hercules 30B Stove but was told that it takes alot of fuel to keep going and heat both water and radiators....what to do???!!!!


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## tester1 (19 Jan 2012)

I dont know if it heats 20plus rads but I have the Waterford Stanley Erin and it heats a good few rads for me.....


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## Sandals (19 Jan 2012)

Id look at putting in a range. Parents have the Erin and not powerful enough.


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## Fiskar (19 Jan 2012)

Listen, the most a large boiler stove would do is 12 to 14 rads. You really need to get a review done and perhaps consider a gasification boiler and not a stove. You would be forever feeding such a stove.


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## about2build (19 Jan 2012)

You'd need a stove that was on board the titanic for that many rads!! look into gassification boiler or wood pellets perhaps


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## john_cappa (20 Jan 2012)

Fiskar said:


> Listen, the most a large boiler stove would do is 12 to 14 rads. You really need to get a review done and perhaps consider a gasification boiler and not a stove. You would be forever feeding such a stove.



Just to clarify, by 12-14 rads you mean 12-14 single rads of an average size so 6-7 double rads?


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## Lanni (20 Jan 2012)

*Reduce Your Heating Requirement*

You are asking a lot of your stove. Whether it will provide enough heat is one thing, but it will definitely cost you.
If you are not interested in improving your home's energy efficiency, then you should look at an alternative heating system.
It does make sense to insulate and make your home more airtight. You can then invest in a smaller stove to heat your home.


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## Fiskar (20 Jan 2012)

john_cappa said:


> Just to clarify, by 12-14 rads you mean 12-14 single rads of an average size so 6-7 double rads?


 

Again that depends, on the btu output of each single and double radiator. An Erin stove has a rated output of 45,000 btu and says it supports 9 radiators. therefore the total output of all 9 cannot exceed 45,000 or the system will not provide teh required out through each radiator to heat each room.

You will need to get a survey done of the house and the heating need. Then equate that to btu and at least then you will know where to start.


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## Shane007 (20 Jan 2012)

Any large stove will require continuous feeding with considerable amounts of fuel to heat a large heating system.

Compared to oil or gas, you need to look at the type of fuel that you have access to and that you are happy to use, i.e. coal (heavy, dirty, storage, etc.) or timber or turf, etc.

To compare, you need to compare the calorific values of each fuel. This is the maximum amount of energy that can be obtained from a given quantity of that fuel, for example:

Each fuel calorific value is measured for comparison purposes in kWh/unit:

Home Heating Oil = 10.9kWh/Litre
Natural Gas = 10.8kWh/m³
Coal = 7.0kWh/Kg
Turf = 3.56kWh/Kg
Briquettes = 4.7kWh/Kg
Wood Pellets = 4.9kWh/Kg
Split Ash Logs (Fresh) = 2.6kWh/Kg
Split Ash Logs (Dried) = 4.0kWh/Kg

From the above you compare fuels to Natural Gas & Oil as their calorific values are virtually equal.

Therefore to obtain the same heat as from oil/gas you will require the following:

Coal = 1.56Kg
Turf = 3.06Kg
Briquettes = 2.31Kg
Wood Pellets = 2.23Kg
Split Ash Logs (Fresh) = 4.18Kg
Split Ash Logs (Dried) = 2.67Kg

You must also consider their moisture contents as this will have an effect on the energy you are extracting from the fuel, such as Turf with a MC of 35%, Fresh Ash 45%, Coal 10%, Pellets 8%, etc.

Finally, you must take into consideration the efficiency of the appliance compared to the efficiency of an oil or gas boiler, such as a high efficiency boiler with excess of 95% efficient at converting the energy of the fuel into useful energy and not lost to the atmosphere.

Stoves are generally at best 40% efficient with open fires at around 20%. Some manufacturers claim higher efficiencies but they need to produce certification & test results for this.

To summarise, if you have a heat demand of say 20kW for one hour, (seven double 1.0m x 0.5m high radiators) + hot water demand, you will require approx 2 litres of oil for one hour @ 95% efficiency.

For turf, you will need approx 15Kg of turf for one hour and this is not taking into the account the moisture content.

Similarly, you will need approx 8kg of coal for one hour for the same.


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## Shane007 (20 Jan 2012)

If forgot to mention the calorific value of LPG, propane being 25.87kWh/m³.


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## pache (21 Jan 2012)

Shane007 said:


> Any large stove will require continuous feeding with considerable amounts of fuel to heat a large heating system.
> 
> Compared to oil or gas, you need to look at the type of fuel that you have access to and that you are happy to use, i.e. coal (heavy, dirty, storage, etc.) or timber or turf, etc.
> 
> ...


 
wow!


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## brokeagain (26 Jan 2012)

Can anyone provide a ballpark figure for installing a stove that will heat the radiators in a house with closed oil central heating.

I know that a dual cyliner will have to be installed. Is there much plumbing involved in this.

I have an open fire at the moment.


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## villa 1 (26 Jan 2012)

Not sure about price but there will be some work involved in linking up to the oil fired system that will be have to be open vented instead of closed.
There will have to be a unrestricted 1inch copper gravity primary circuit fitted from the stove to the new dual coil cylinder.
Note: Make sure you employ the services of a time served Plumber who has experience in fitting solid fuel heating appliances. Do not buy the appliance until you receive professional advice on the installation. Too many handymen taking on work that they are not qualified to do.
Too many Faulty/dangerous installations out there!!


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## tosullivan (27 Jan 2012)

shane007 said:


> any large stove will require continuous feeding with considerable amounts of fuel to heat a large heating system.
> 
> Compared to oil or gas, you need to look at the type of fuel that you have access to and that you are happy to use, i.e. Coal (heavy, dirty, storage, etc.) or timber or turf, etc.
> 
> ...


 excellent post...well done...!!!


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## sarahmc92 (20 Feb 2012)

Wow Shane007 you sound like a man who knows what he's talking about!
I am moving soon into a house that has about 20 rads, an open fire in the sitting room and oil central heating. I plan on changing the room backing the sitting room into the kitchen and it is plumbed for a back boiler already. I am trying to decide whether to install a stove or a range and haven't a clue which is better. I like the idea of being able to cook on the range and I also think it will look better in the room, but I've read that stoves are much better at heating water. I want to do whatever will save us the most money in the long run. We have a cooker which has a gas hob and electic ovens so we can cook regardless. I think we would be looking at a 30kw stove so does anyone know what range is equivalent if that's what we should go for?


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## Shane007 (20 Feb 2012)

Thank you. That is a lot of radiators for solid fuel to cope with. If you take an average 1000 x 500 double radiator is 2kW and you have 20 rads, you could be talking of 40kw plus 3-4kw for hot water. Take a average stove as 40% efficient and you are prepared to stand over it continously feeding it with fuel, then you might get them to luke warm.

Why not try and split the system to heat hot water on a gravity circuit and then just downstairs radiators on a pumped circuit. This way you are getting better heat from the stove into the rads, you can downsize the stove and you don't have to feed it so much fuel. It will also not struggle to heat them.


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## Shane007 (20 Feb 2012)

For heat output into the system, I would definitely go for a stove over a range. Ranges look lovely for really only serve as room heaters & cookers.


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