Pyroclassic mini woodburner

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Hyper

6 posts

Wannabe Geek

#274446 22-Aug-2020 17:15

Looking at biffing out the free standing gas fire and installing a Pyroclassic mini woodburner. Can’t find any reviews but it’s larger brother, the Pyroclassic,V, gets mixed reviews, owners seem to either hate it or love it.
Anyone here have one and what are your thoughts.

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611 posts

Ultimate Geek

#2547834 22-Aug-2020 21:25

I have a pyroclassic V and absolutely love it. Its not something dumps out huge huge amounts of heat like some of those gigantic fireplaces, but for me the benefit is its long lasting burning. Eg I can put some big pieces of wood in in the morning, come back 8 hours later and there a few embers left. Drag them to the front, put some more wood in, open the vent at the bottom which makes a huge draw like a furnace and you're away burning again. Over the depths of winter the fire was running 24 hours a day, just ticking over to keep the place warm and comfortable.

I forgot how hard other fires are to light after using this for years then visiting someone else with a different fire. Great being able to put nice long wood in it (about 400-450mm) and wetback, cooking surface (the jug is always hot).

Hyper

6 posts

Wannabe Geek

#2548394 23-Aug-2020 19:39

Thanks Delphinus, yes the long lasting burn is what I’m after, we live in Central Otago so 2 to 3 months in winter we would like something that we didn’t have to light every morning. The Pyro is the only one that advertises this.

Delphinus

611 posts

Ultimate Geek

#2548396 23-Aug-2020 19:44

Yeah it's amazing for that. Even though it looks like its out, you usually find a couple of black embers right at the back. Pull them forward, put a few pieces of kindling (doesn't have to be tiny) on, open the front vent and they glow red then you're away in minutes.

You might struggle with a full overnight burn in the mini? It looks like it's 200mm shorter, so thats 200mm of wood you can't get in it for overnight. Why are you wanting the mini?

Swept

36 posts

Geek

#2548450 24-Aug-2020 00:51

Chimney sweep here!

Hate them. They are a form over function logfire. Many owners love them, but when I meet someone who's owned one for 10+ years, they're sick of it.

1) long and narrow opening, so you can't stack large amounts in.

2) door handle is a piece of sh*t - got a really hot nice fire going? Yeah, have fun twisting the screw handle for 10-15 seconds to open it then repeat to close.

3) these logfires can ONLY be swept from the top (many chimney sweeps now sweep from the bottom due to H&S reasons). If you have it installed with an offset (bend/kink) in the flue, you are stuffed as you cannot easily get into the top baffle compartment to clean out the build-up.

4) want overnight burn? Try a Blaze King which are big, but can be shut down to burn overnight in Clean Air zones. Masport has a few new ones come out as well.

5) if/when something goes wrong, Lord help your wallet. They are expensive to get spare parts for.

I am biased, as I don't live with them, just service and repair them. Many people love them, but the customers who have had them for years, probably won't get another one. The marketing material does toot its own horn about how 'unique' they are compared to other logfires; they're not. They use the same basic principles (primary burn area with restricted draw air flow, followed by a secondary baffle area for burn) as every other logfire out there, but just dress it up.

Delphinus

611 posts

Ultimate Geek

#2548558 24-Aug-2020 10:49

Agree on most of your points, to a degree. I've owned mine for 12 years now and still love it.

I like the long firebox, I just cut my wood long (450mm) which means it burns from front to back resulting in a long burn time. Don't find the opening an issue.
Agreed, its a weird design, but have come used to it. I just timed myself and it takes me 3 seconds to open or close it.
Alas I have an offset in my flue, which I didn't realise would be a problem until after it was done. I suspect it restricts the draw a bit (the flue diameter is pretty small) and makes cleaning difficult. You can lift out the top plate to get into the top baffle compartment, and I believe the newer ones allow you to remove half the cooking surface to easily clean in there.
1. I've been thinking of replacing this kink with a smoother swept bend. Would this help both cleaning and draw @Swept?
Do they also relight as easy from coals as the Pyroclassic? I've never come across anything that relights as well as the Pyro.
Can't comment on prices compared to other models. In 12 years I've only had to replace the wooden handle, $25 and easy DIY. Parts pricing here: https://pyroclassic.co.nz/shop/

Based on my experience of other fires at other peoples places, I would get another one of these. It does pretty much all our hot water over winter (with solar helping preheat the water) and keeps the house comfortably warm all day and night.

Psilan

856 posts

Ultimate Geek

#2548576 24-Aug-2020 11:12

Swept:

Chimney sweep here!

/Hijack thread/

Sorry, can I ask your opinion of the Masport Mystique / Akaroa models?

We are currently reinstalling ours in a new location after a renovation.

Voyager referral - https://refer.voyager.nz/68QKJ8XKK

Swept

36 posts

Geek

#2549100 24-Aug-2020 21:38

@Psilan

So, the Akaroa & Mystique are very different logfires.

The Akaroa is just a fancy standard low-emission logfire and like all other Masport low-emissions; they good! The Mystique is a double-chamber Ultra Low-Emission Burner (ULEB). They no longer manufacturer the Mystique due to the various issues they had with them - it's rubbish.

However, Masport is my personal favourite as they are like Toyota's: simple, work, and do the job (except the Mystique). They are a quality build and if there is an issue, they don't muck around with warranty - they just get you sorted right away.

Psilan

856 posts

Ultimate Geek

#2549102 24-Aug-2020 21:41

Thanks @Swept. :)

Yeah I have the Mystique. I love it, but did have 3 blower fans fail, bricks failed early, top door handle broke, and bottom door handle replaced due to safety issue. All sorted very quickly under warranty. I think I was one of the first customers to get it. They took it off the market pretty quickly!

Edit: Sorry I meant the 'Cromwell' not Akaroa. Cromwell was the simplified Mystique I guess.

Voyager referral - https://refer.voyager.nz/68QKJ8XKK

Swept

36 posts

Geek

#2549106 24-Aug-2020 21:52

@Psilan

Aww no I'm sorry! Yeah, the electrics in them fail (no fix for the LED going out), and that bloody bottom filter block - GRRR! I have to remove them to complete the clean and just looking at them they break!

Just last week I had to do the dampener on one - now I've got another one on a Cromwell on Friday (4 hours labour). The Cromwell is more or less the exact same as the Mystique with a few fixes; primarily the made a removal baffle plate so us chimney sweeps could sweep them from the bottom (how many of us do it these days).

Psilan

856 posts

Ultimate Geek

#2549110 24-Aug-2020 22:08

Hah yeah that bottom ceremic block is a bit irritating. So much ash gets behind it. I have a couple of them. $35ea I think?

I also replaced the ash glass with a piece of black steel. The little nibs that held the ash glass in slowly chipped away at it during heating and cooling. The steel is great though. Don't have to be careful anymore throwing logs in :). Probably need a new downdraft injector at some point too. It's all warped and messed up.

I love how they edited the manual after I bought it. When I bought it, I don't think anything was considered a consumable.

Following items are considered as consumables.
Boards & Bricks
- Set for Top Combustion Chamber
- Set for Bottom Combustion Chamber
- Ceramic Block
Seals
- Top Door Seal
- Bottom Door Seal
- Damper Seal
Glass
- Top Combustion Door Glass
- Bottom Combustion Door Glass
Downdraft Injector
- Top Downdraft Injector
- Injector Coupler

Voyager referral - https://refer.voyager.nz/68QKJ8XKK

Shindig

1585 posts

Uber Geek

Trusted

#2549252 25-Aug-2020 10:17

What a top thread this is.

Great to see, not just technical folk coming here! We have a resident chimney sweep. Such brilliant knowledge and thanks for sharing @swept.

The little things make the biggest difference.

Hyper

6 posts

Wannabe Geek

#2549287 25-Aug-2020 11:04

Well Swept, you’ve really made me think. I was thinking a Pyroclassic mini as we have only a small area (around 35 sq/m to heat) and the fact that I believe they do ‘overnight bank’.

May I ask what you would recommend for a smaller area? Wife likes the taller models that seem to be around now!

batdan

79 posts

Master Geek

ID Verified

#2549674 25-Aug-2020 21:43

We have had both the full size Pyroclassic and also the Mini. The Mini is perfect for a smaller area. Currently have it in a 105 square meter house and works a treat.

The full size is 10 years old with only a single handle replacement, and also replacing the rope seal on the door.

The secret is to have well seasoned wood. I buy in the summer and burn in the winter in the following year, i.e. 18 months to season.

Have not had much success with chimney sweepers. Last one levered up the top plate to sweep out the soot, and left it not sealing properly and it wouldn't burn hot. The Pyroclassic website shows how they should be swept by removing the flue. Previous to this they just swept and left in top chamber.

mattwnz

20147 posts

Uber Geek

#2549682 25-Aug-2020 22:14

We have an Akaroa and it is good. The only issue is we get small black flakes dropping down from the Flue hole in the ceiling on a regular basis that accumulate on top of the fire Not sure what it is and never come across that issue before.

Swept

36 posts

Geek

#2549824 26-Aug-2020 09:37

mattwnz: We have an Akaroa and it is good. The only issue is we get small black flakes dropping down from the Flue hole in the ceiling on a regular basis that accumulate on top of the fire Not sure what it is and never come across that issue before.

There is an issue occurring at the top of your chimney - something with the cowl. This should not be happening. I suspect the cowl (top cap) is not fully connected to the flue. The should be a 25mm gap between the outer line and the start of the cowl cap to allow hot air out but it is near impossible for soot to go down then back up into this opening.

Remove the whole top cowl so you look at the two pipes and see what is going on.

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