Century Heating FW2900 Wood Stove (CB00026)

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The Century Heating FW2900 wood stove (model CB00026) is a mid-to-large, non-catalytic stove built by SBI in Quebec, Canada, the company that also builds Drolet and Englander stoves. It heats 500 to 2,100 sq ft with a maximum heat output of 75,000 BTU/h, takes logs up to 20" and is rated for burn times up to 8 hours. It is EPA 2020 certified at 2.3 g/h, with an average overall efficiency of 72% (HHV) and an optimum overall efficiency of 79%. It comes on a pedestal with an ash lip, air intake damper and rear air deflector, and is certified for mobile home and alcove installation.

Who the FW2900 is for

The FW2900 is a practical, no-frills heater for people who want one stove to do the heavy lifting. It fits:

• Homes and cabins of about 500 to 2,100 sq ft, from a heated main floor to a modest whole house.
• Basements, garages and shops where you want a large firebox without stepping up to a 3.5 cu ft stove.
• Buyers who need heat this season: compare the ship date shown above with other stoves of the same size.

Century's heating area is the space the stove can keep at a minimum comfortable temperature in a power outage. Insulation, layout and climate all move it, so treat 2,100 sq ft as the upper end for an open, reasonably tight house.

Firebox and loading

The firebox has an overall volume of 2.4 cu ft (1.95 cu ft EPA loading volume) and measures about 21" wide, 11 3/4" high and 16 1/2" deep inside. Logs load east-west, side to side across the firebox, up to 20" long; Century recommends 16" splits. The door opening is 17 1/2" x 9", behind a single door with a cast iron frame and ceramic glass (15 3/4" x 10 1/8"), and a single air control under the ash shelf runs the burn rate from high to low. The top is 5/16" steel over a 3/16" steel body, with refractory brick lining and a vermiculite baffle.

Burn time and heat output

Century rates the FW2900 at up to 75,000 BTU/h with a dense load of dry cordwood, and at 14,200 to 44,500 BTU/h overall heat output from low to high burn under EPA test conditions. The low end matters: a stove that idles cleanly at about 14,000 BTU/h is far easier to live with in spring and fall than one that only runs hot.

The maximum burn time is up to 8 hours. That is a best case with a full firebox of dry hardwood (15% to 20% moisture) and the air control turned down. Wet wood, partial loads or a weak chimney draft will shorten it.

FW2900 vs. Drolet Escape 1800 vs. Englander Blue Ridge 300P

SBI builds three stoves around this same size of firebox, and their manuals list the same performance figures. The differences are styling, warranty and lead time.

↔ Swipe the table to see more →

If the longer warranty matters most to you, the Drolet and Englander are the picks. If you want the same heat for this size of home and want it sooner, the FW2900 is a solid choice; check the ship date on each product page. Our Century Heating vs. Drolet guide covers the brands in more detail.

Blower option

A blower isn't required; the FW2900 heats by radiation and natural convection. To move more warm air into adjoining rooms, add the 100 CFM variable-speed blower (AC02050) listed in the FW2900 parts list, plus the Quick Connect Thermodisc (AC02055) so it switches on and off with the stove's temperature. The optional Ash Drawer Kit (AC01099) makes ash removal cleaner.

Venting and installation

The FW2900 has a 6" flue outlet and uses 6" connector pipe to a UL 103 HT (2,100°F) factory-built chimney or a lined masonry chimney, at least 12 ft tall. See our wood stove chimney and stovepipe guide and 6" stove pipe kits. In the USA, double-wall connector pipe lets the stove sit 6" from the rear wall instead of 11" with single-wall pipe, and the AC02762 wall heat shield brings it down to 3" rear, 4" side and 3" corner with double-wall pipe; see the clearance table below. For a mobile home, the manual requires double-wall pipe, a fresh air intake kit (rear-mounted on this stove) and the pedestal screwed to the floor.

Floor protection

Unless the stove sits on a non-combustible floor such as concrete, it needs a continuous non-combustible ember pad; no R-value is required. In the USA, the pad extends 16" in front of the door opening and 8" to each side of it. Shop our hearth pads; the 46 3/4" x 54" black steel hearth pad covers the footprint plus the required extensions.

Why buy the Century FW2900 from StoveSource

• No Sales Tax in any state.
• Free shipping on orders over $250 to the lower 48.
• Authorized dealer, with the full Century Heating manufacturer's warranty.
• Price match guarantee.
• Real help with sizing, clearances and venting: call 1-888-914-0022.