Franco Belge Owners: BTU Rating on FB 10-75-174?

MarkV · Post by **MarkV** » Sat. Dec. 22, 2012 3:13 pm

Hoping a F-B owner might know the answer to this, or have a spec sheet or owner's manual to check.

I have an older F-B model 10-75-174 parlor stove like this one:

I'm trying to confirm the BTU rating on this or similar F-B parlor stoves. A dealer in my area told me he thought 48,000 BTU normal, 55,000 max.

Thanks!

Post by **franco b** » Sat. Dec. 22, 2012 4:40 pm

The BTU rating on models with similar fire box is 6400 K calories which is 25,396 BTU. This is by the maker, not by the importer who inflates the value.

That figure is using pea size coal. Using a larger coal like nut the output becomes 7200 or 28,571 BTU. Forty pounds a day is about the high end of what it comfortably burns.

MarkV · Post by **MarkV** » Sat. Dec. 22, 2012 8:20 pm

Thanks, Franco. I suspect all the stove makers inflate their BTUs a bit. My FB just died and I'm trying to make sure whatever I replace it with has the same or better heat output.

Post by **franco b** » Sun. Dec. 23, 2012 9:27 am

Whatever you replace it with make sure it has hopper and thermostat for easy tending.

joeq · Post by **joeq** » Sun. Dec. 23, 2012 9:42 am

Hey Mark, just out of curiosity, what happened to your stove? Did it not perform to your expectations, or did it have a catastrophic failure? In my opinion, It has a certain appealing look to me. Is it not worth fixing?

nortcan · Post by **nortcan** » Sun. Dec. 23, 2012 10:58 am

I second that, it's a very nice stove

MarkV · Post by **MarkV** » Sun. Dec. 23, 2012 12:11 pm

joeq wrote:Hey Mark, just out of curiosity, what happened to your stove? Did it not perform to your expectations, or did it have a catastrophic failure? In my opinion, It has a certain appealing look to me. Is it not worth fixing?

nortcan wrote:I second that, it's a very nice stove

Nort and Joe,

My FB doesn't have the gold trim like the one pictured (got that off the web) but otherwise it's identical. I've had two FB stoves like this for a total of 28 years. Got the first when we built our home back in 1984, an older model with a coppertone sheet metal shell, but essentially the same stove. Bought the second one used about 9-10 years ago with about 5 years use on it. The FBs have done exactly what I wanted...heat the basement, plus supplement my heat pump so it runs minimally and only rarely kicks on the electric heating coils, even on the coldest days.

This past spring, everything looked ok when I did my cleanout and inspection--no cracks or seal failures. I planned to light one evening this week, and did one more check around the back. This time I found two vertical cracks opening up in the cast iron backplate of the firebox and hopper. Both were in the flange area that overlaps the side of the stove--if they went all the way through, they wouldn't have been into the firebox. The cracks were stable enough that I could put a small screwdriver in and wiggle it a bit, and couldn't make either side of the crack move. If that was all, I'd have probably filled them with furnace cement, lit up, and kept a watch on things.

More serious was the exhaust ports that run around the sides and back of the stove to the flue outlet. The ports are rectangular and have a back and front casting that are bolted together on either end. There are tabs cast into the parts on top and bottom, with a hole in the center so the bolts can be put through. On one side of the port, one of the tabs broke completely off, so the bolt wouldn't hold the two parts together. The gap was spreading open and the cement seal was cracking.

Neither problem is really "catastrophic failure." I'm sure many of the "old hands" on this board could have fixed it, or suggested a fix. Probably it woulda been fine if I patched it up with furnace tape, or resealed with cement and banded it with metal strapping. I could also likely find another used FB to buy and scavenge the parts, but I don't have a pickup or trailer to get one home if I did find it. Plus, I'm at work 10 hours a day while my wife is here at home, and I wouldn't want to patch the FB and then have something fail during the day that would set the CO detectors off.

I do know, with the price of FB parts these days, that replacing these parts with new would be pricey, and I don't want to put that kind of money in a 15-year-old stove.

So, I think I'm ready to get a new one. But before I scrap the FB I plan to remove all the uasable parts I can, and in case any FB burners on here are interested in them.

joeq · Post by **joeq** » Sun. Dec. 23, 2012 12:58 pm

Sounds like you got your moneys worth out of that one. and agree it's time to put it to rest. Nice to be able to offer parts to the community. Hope you find a comparable stove to your likings.

2001Sierra · Post by **2001Sierra** » Sun. Dec. 23, 2012 7:31 pm

Franco Belge, Surdiac, or Buderus we all slept in that bed. The European stoves do not like red ash coal, and their heat ouptut is not what us Americans like to see. My Buderus was rated at 60,000 BTUS but I now question that with my new Keystoker 90. The shaker grates are not friendly to dump clinkes but you have to admit these stoves are effecient

Do not over fire one, just use it at its capacity and it will perform fine.

Artemii90 · Post by **Artemii90** » Mon. Jan. 07, 2013 1:55 pm

Hello FB owners,
I'm a new here and it's my first year heating by coal. As a result of my anti-experience I've made my back plate burned through. I'm not sure what I've done wrong but a new piece needed. Does anybody know where parts could be found?
I'll appreciate any advice
Artem

Post by **franco b** » Wed. Jan. 09, 2013 6:04 pm

Click the PM button just under my name and we can discuss what you need.

Post by **franco b** » Thu. Jan. 10, 2013 10:28 am

Click on New Messages at top of page.