Wood stove "tech" and single-burn-rate: Stuv or MF Fire?

[user333]

So I am looking for ways to make wood stoves more "KISS" friendly + safe. Seems single-burn rate is the way to go. On the US market seems like MF Fire and Stuv are options - anyone try these?

What about tech options to watch temperatures, burn rates etc.? MF Stove seems to be coming out with something like this, for example, your app will notify you when the stove door is left ajar, or that your stove is over firing. Anyone try this or use something similar?

[Bob Rowlands]

Wood stoves are great in yurts. I got a used Sierra Cricket airtight woodstove for $50. Here's how I fire it. Open the doors, clean out ash, load wood, get it burning good, and close the doors. Adjust air and damper for more or less heat. .

[Jafo]

I prefer the Ideal Steel wood stove from Woodstock Soapstone Company.

[user333]

Originally Posted by Bob Rowlands

Wood stoves are great in yurts. I got a used Sierra Cricket airtight woodstove for $50. Here's how I fire it. Open the doors, clean out ash, load wood, get it burning good, and close the doors. Adjust air and damper for more or less heat. .

Let me ask it this way - if you picked a random adult off the street and asked them to stay at your yurt for a week in midwinter - would you trust them to operate that stove as-is? That's kind of what I am getting at.

[Bob Rowlands]

I gave a friend $50 for his 80s era - non cat -wood stove. I knew zip about wood stoves. I installed it, got the pipe in and secured, and fired it up. It warmed the yurt. I learned to manage the heat output by opening and closing the supply and exhaust dampers. That took a few burns to find out what did what.

The closest I can get to answering your question is, I had my young grandchildren in there the first few winters making somemores with me and grandma. I usually went out got a small fire started and/or when it was low embers had them come out to 'Papas yurt' and make treats. I'd let them add a log after somemores and they'd poke the fire with their marshmallow sticks. Those memories I will have till I pass. Whole lotta fun. Hopefully you'll get a chance to do that too.

[TSRalex]

Originally Posted by user333

Let me ask it this way - if you picked a random adult off the street and asked them to stay at your yurt for a week in midwinter - would you trust them to operate that stove as-is? That's kind of what I am getting at.

Too less Boy-Scouts in US?

Originally Posted by Bob Rowlands

I learned to manage the heat output by opening and closing the supply and exhaust dampers. That took a few burns to find out what did what.

With an short instruction (and additional with an good written manual) each adult should be able to operate it properly.

Originally Posted by Bob Rowlands

my young grandchildren

Although I was born and raised up in a city - without necessities to heat with fire - in the age of six I learned at the Boy-Scouts the handling with fires and oven and it was no problem for me or the other pack members....

[Bob Rowlands]

I was a scout for a couple years in the mid 1960s. I have fond memories of flaming pine cone grenades. To make pine cone grenades, cook a couple pounds of bacon, eat bacon with buddies, roll pine cones in the grease. Light 'em and have some good old fashioned fun. Now to all going 'omg!', this was in winter over snow so it was totally safe. lol

[Ivan]

We buy what ever stove that we can find on Craigs list, that meets are BTU requirement . Last one was a Dutch West ( Vermont Casting) 35,000 BTU with 15’ of SS insulated flu , include elbows and tee.. for $500.. As you can see I am still proud of this :-) Stoves are inherently dangerous, I would be leary of soft wear overseeing/managing this appliance, as it tend to make people lazy with an appliance that could burn your house down. Having said that, we do rent our Yurt out on Air BnB ( one weekend a month) , I go over operation verbally and written instructions, as well as interview over the phone. Most people are hikers and have stoves at home. My last comment usually gets their attention , when I say if you don’t manage the stove and it goes out at 2 am it will be -5 F soon after.. The other difference in the Yurt , is that it is a small open area, where everyone is around the wood stove all of the time.

[James]

I think the question was more on the line, if you get the average guy off the street, could he start a fire, is that your concern not the burning but acually starting the fire, that is easy , take a old sheet or towel or cloth stick in a alcohol bottle lite it and thro in it , I guartee something will catch lol