Advice needed on multi fuel integrated stove

Chrizfitz

Hi,

An area I am finding hard to get real feedback from is my choice of multi-fuel stove. I am currently working on my new build and I have come to the point where I need to make decisions on the fire in the main living area. Myself and the better half have made a (somewhat expensive) compromise on the type of fire.

I would not have an open fire due to all the heat in the room going up the chimney.
She could not bare the thought of having a standing stove and wanted the open fire look.
I needed something that would work somewhat with the heat recovery system.

After a bit of homework we have decided on something like this:
http://www.lamartine-fireplaces.com/lamartinefireplaces/Main/BG_Woodburners_Infire800Green.htm

Ticks all the boxes but I am at the place in the build where I need to decide if I am putting in an external air supply. The comments on the site says this stove needs a 150mm external air supply but when I got lamartines engineer out to do a survey he said it did not need it and would use the air in the room and pump out hot air which the HRS(Heat recovery system) would move around the house.

The reason I am worried about installing an external supply is that it doesn't give me any wiggle room to move the fire. In other words we must decide now exactly where the fire goes, and with no external supply we could move it left or right to where ever we think looks best.

Has anyone used this sort of stove?
What was the model you got?
Does it live up to your expectations?
Have you an external air supply?
If no, how have you found the system? Is the air very dry?
Does a lot of smoke escape from the unit when you open it if your house is passive?

As always any comments are appreciated.

Regards,
chris

sydthebeat

comments about this particular product must be by PM to the above poster ONLY!!!

general comments about ancillary issues are allowed.

cwboy

Hi,

We built three years ago and did not put in an external air feed to the fireplace. We closed up the hole in the wall for two years until we got the funds together to purchase one of those inset stoves.

We bought the Nestor Martin ITH33 and fitted it into the fireplace which we had built to fit it. Have been lighting it for the past few months with no problems and we love the open fire look. Dont notice any problems with our heat recovery system

Hope this helps

fclauson

WARNING : CO kills without odour, taste or being visable - consult and expert when it comes to fires

The advice I received was to read Part J section 3.5

You CANNOT rely on the MHRV to provide dir for the device - in the event the MHRV "depressurises" the house (extract working harder than intake) then yoou would "stuck" smoke and more importantly CO out of the fire into the room

Google BS493 and BS5440 Pt.2. for more details

newbie4

If you have a solid fuel you either have to have an independant air sourse or you need to have an air vent in the wall. There is no other way around this, its the regulations
If you put a vent in the wall it will mess your airtight house
Best practice is to use a stove with an independant air supply
Another way to look at it also is you are burning air you pad to heat
Independant air source will supply cold air to fire, cold air is bet for combustion it is more dence so better combustion
Hope this helps

Chrizfitz

Thank you guys it really has helped. I will be going for an external air supply. I am disappointed that the company I am working with were pushing no external air supply.

Anyone else able to give me their opinions on stoves like the one I have listed I would love to hear about your experiences with it.

DI Dwyer

Folks, What is the advantage of these stoves over an open fire. Why have they become so popular

BarneyMc

DI Dwyer wrote: »

Folks, What is the advantage of these stoves over an open fire. Why have they become so popular

Superior air tightness I'd say.

BryanF

DI Dwyer wrote: »

Folks, What is the advantage of these stoves over an open fire. Why have they become so popular

70+ % more efficient use of fuel

DI Dwyer

Is the source of heat to the sorounding area (room) by radiation from the stove housing.... if so, how hot does the housing become...very hot I would think...... danger to small kids... or drunk adults?

guinness queen

I have finally purchased my stove a nestor martin S23, its about 2 years old and was used as a shop model, I am really looking forward to having it installed. I am lining my chimney with a 904/904 grade s.s flex liner.
Has anyone any experience with this stove, if so would like to hear. thanks

Stove Fan

guinness queen wrote: »

I have finally purchased my stove a nestor martin S23, its about 2 years old and was used as a shop model, I am really looking forward to having it installed. I am lining my chimney with a 904/904 grade s.s flex liner.
Has anyone any experience with this stove, if so would like to hear. thanks

No direct experiance.

Is this the stove or very similar?

http://www.whatstove.co.uk/nestor-martin-stoves/harmony-23.html

Stove Fan:)

guinness queen

Hi stove fan, the model I purchased is the S23, woodbox technology, what ever that means. It is easy to control, and I believe is very easy on fuel. It also can be controlled by a remote, but that will have to wait till I get really feeble. and it cost over eu 200
I am having it installed next week I hope, large old chimney has to be lined flexi 904/904 grade stainless steel, as u advised me some time ago. Backfilled with vermiculite and a quick drying cement mix according to the builder. It will not be built in, and I have to make the heart wider by a couple of feet. As it is 7Kw output I do not have an airvent in room, as the walls are 5 feet thick, but maybe I can find a solution under the window. thanks again for all your help in the past and I shall let u know how I fare off. The vendors were very helpful and it arrived at my door 3 days after purchase.