POV-57 – cast iron stove and features of its use

To properly heat a small enclosed room with a volume of no more than 40 cubic meters, it is enough to install in it a military cast-iron stove of the “potbelly stove” type, which is marked POV-57.
Such a unit will be excellent for heating a construction shed, a railway carriage, a country greenhouse, a garage, as well as other buildings that cannot be connected to the central heating main. The cast iron army stove stove POV-57 consumes a small amount of fuel, its consumption is quite economical. With one load of the firebox, the room will be provided with heat for 6–9 hours.

Design of an army cast iron “potbelly stove”

Since the times when the POV-57 stove was used only by military spacecraft (Red Army), its characteristics and design have not changed in the carriages and warehouses of the Ministry of Railways of the USSR.
It is still made of gray cast iron - an alloy of iron, carbon, graphite. For potbelly stoves, the following grades of cast iron are used: SCh 10, 15, 25, 30, 35. The higher the number in the name of the material grade, the more durable, heat-resistant, and corrosion-resistant the device will be. Collapse Contents:

• Characteristics and dimensions
• Advantages and disadvantages
• Installation Requirements
• How to use?
• Prices
• Where can I buy?
• How to distinguish a fake from the original?
• Conclusion

The main elements are made from cast iron in the POV-57 furnace; here is the structure of the furnace:

1. Furnace body.
2. Potbelly stove lid (removable).
3. Grate (removable).
4. Oven bottom (removable).
5. Fire door.
6. Blower door.

The body of the potbelly stove has the shape of a barrel, less often the base is made rectangular. The stove is placed on 4 legs. If there are no legs included, then before installing the POV-57 you will have to take care of constructing a fireproof base.

On the front part of the body of a military stove-stove there are two doors. One is needed for laying fuel material. Combustion products (ash, soot) are removed through the second door. At the top of the stove there is a steamer. A chimney is mounted to it, removing carbon monoxide.

When purchasing a potbelly stove, it is important to ensure that there is a metal plate with slots between the firebox and the firebox. It guarantees air circulation inside the furnace body and increases the efficiency of the device.

If you want to speed up the heating of the room and reduce fuel consumption, it is recommended to install side screens (there are none in the design of a standard stove): metal sheets are attached to the stove with long screws so that there are gaps of 5-6 cm in length between them and the walls of the potbelly stove.

A real army stove

Potbelly stove in various painting options

Popular factory models

If you need an inexpensive stove for your dacha, check out our detailed review of the most outstanding and interesting models of cast iron potbelly stoves. We will consider both foreign samples and Russian-made stoves.

Potbelly stove POV-57

Before us is one of the simplest and most affordable cast iron stoves. It will allow you to give your dacha warmth, and in sufficient quantities. The stove is designed to heat small rooms with a volume of up to 40 cubic meters. In some ways it looks like a barrel, but in fact it is cast iron, as evidenced by its impressive weight - approximately 45-47 kg. Its design is collapsible, so it can be quickly cleaned of dirt. The cast iron stove-stove POV-57 can operate on a variety of types of solid fuel - traditional firewood, fuel briquettes, European firewood and much more. The efficiency of the device is 80%, which is quite a large figure. Its cast iron body accumulates and retains heat, providing a soft return. You can cook food on the top of the stove. In addition, it can easily be called a long-burning stove - on one load it burns for up to 5-6 hours.

Please note that this cast iron stove was created for the military - this is another plus in the treasury of its undoubted advantages

Termofor Fire-battery 5B

Quite an interesting cast iron stove for a summer house and any country house, pleasing with its affordability and pleasant design. It can warm up a room with a volume of 100 cubic meters. Thermal power is 6 kW, firebox volume is 35 liters. On top we see a small hob. At the bottom there is a box for collecting ash. On the front panel we see a large loading door with a handle that remains cold at all times. The door itself is equipped with a small viewing window. The cast iron stove Termofor Fire-battery 5B is equipped with a slot convector, which further increases its efficiency. The potbelly stove drives air through itself, thereby heating it throughout its entire volume. For normal operation of the stove, you will need a chimney with a height of at least 5 meters. Another interesting feature of the unit is the presence of a small heat exchanger in it, which serves to prepare hot water - for this purpose an external tank is connected to it. The most striking drawback is the limited length of the firewood, which is 29 cm.

META Gnome 2

Before us is a somewhat clumsy cast-iron stove for heating the dacha. Here we see a simple cast-iron body, covered with metal sheets, forming a kind of convector. There are two doors at the front - one of them closes the ash pan, the second closes the combustion chamber. In the upper part there is a hob, next to which the chimney is visible. The power of the potbelly stove is 5 kW, thanks to which it can heat a room with a volume of up to 80 cubic meters. The META Gnome 2 cast iron stove got its name due to its miniature size. The model turned out to be good, but rather scary - there can be no talk of any design here. The potbelly stove is well suited for use in the country house and garage. The only thing that confuses you is the small volume of the firebox - you will have to add more and more firewood to it quite often.

Blist ZAR

The Blist ZAR cast iron stove combines excellent technical characteristics and an attractive design with a ceramic finish. With a power of 8 kW, the potbelly stove easily heats volumes of up to 130 cubic meters. The stove is equipped with a wide door with a loading window and a large ash pan. There is also a small compartment for storing firewood. The body of the potbelly stove is somewhat rounded, with decorative inserts visible on the sides. A special feature of this cast iron stove is that it is lined with fireclay. Among the shortcomings is the lack of a hob, which would definitely come in handy here. But this potbelly stove is presented in several color finishes, thanks to which it can easily fit into any interior.

Characteristics and dimensions

The stove is designed to heat the air of a room with a perimeter of 42-45 meters. The duration of normal heat transfer is 7-9 hours. Firewood, coal, and garbage (suitable for thermal recycling) are used as fuel materials.

The parameters of a standard collapsible military stove will be as follows:

• Width – 37 centimeters.
• The depth of the oven is 37 centimeters.
• Height – 57 centimeters.
• The weight of the potbelly stove is 60 kilograms.
• The efficiency of the stove is 80-85%.

POV-57 can be used to heat rooms that allow for a smoke exhaust system and create conditions that meet fire safety. More often, an army potbelly stove is installed in garages, country houses, sheds, multi-person camping tents, construction sheds, dugouts, and carriages. If necessary, remove the top cover of the cylinder and attach the hob and cauldron. This will allow you to cook on the stove; the structure can be installed in a summer kitchen.

Small but effective stove

A real army stove-stove POV-57 (USSR) made of cast iron, new!

REAL ARMY CAST IRON OVEN POV-57

SPECIFICATIONS:

• Stove dimensions: height 53 cm, diameter 30 cm.
• Chimney outer diameter: 11 cm
• Wall thickness: 8 mm
• Weight: 45 kg.
• Years of production: 1954-1957
• Material: cast iron SCh10-SCh15
• Type of fuel: any solid fuel (wood, coal, pressed briquettes, etc.)
• Firebox volume: 20 liters
• Heated room area: up to 20 sq.m.
• Condition: new, outside covered with black heat-resistant enamel, inside coated with graphite powder.
• At the bottom of the stove there are three ears with holes for attaching to the floor.

PURPOSE:

What can be heated? Almost any closure of premises up to 20 sq.m. with the possibility of installing a chimney and complying with fire regulations:

• garages;
• dachas;
• greenhouses;
• utility rooms (sheds, chicken coops);
• dugouts;
• soldier's multi-person tents;
• construction and shift trailers

The top cover is removed and the oven fits perfectly under the cauldron.

EQUIPMENT:

• stove body;
• removable cover;
• removable grate;
• removable bottom.

PAYMENT:

We work only on 100% prepayment, this is due to the fact that transport companies do not accept orders for shipment by cash on delivery. You can pay for your order using one of the following methods:

• To a Sberbank card (we will send you payment details after placing your order);
• By bank receipt (we will send you a receipt by email after placing your order, or you can download the receipt for payment after placing your order);
• If you are a legal entity, we will issue you an invoice for payment, or you can download it after placing your order;
• You only pay us the cost of the stove itself - 3,100 rubles; you pay the cost of delivery yourself upon receipt of the stove.

DELIVERY:

You can independently calculate the cost of delivery of the stove by going to the transport company’s website.

For calculation use the following parameters:

Height: 0.53 m.

Width: 0.30 m.

Length: 0.30 m.

Weight: 45 kg.

Still have questions? Call us at 8-800-600-13-00, the call is free!

Advantages and disadvantages

POV-57 stoves have the following advantages:

• Compact dimensions, allowing you to equip a small room.
• Strong, durable oven material. The army cast iron stove POV-57 has been operating for over half a century (subject to the operating rules).
• Used for 2 purposes: warming up rooms, cooking food using the cooking method.
• Cools down slowly, retains heat longer after turning off the oven (4-5 hours).
• When installing dampers and screens, the efficiency of the furnace increases (+5-10%).

POV-57 has disadvantages that should be taken into account:

• Warming up a room larger than 40 sq. meters with a potbelly stove POV will not work.
• Lack of possibility of installing automation on the stove.
• Fire safety is low compared to other types of stoves; constant monitoring of the operation of the potbelly stove is required.
• The stove body gets very hot, you need to be careful not to get burned.

Important: the POV cast iron potbelly stove does not tolerate sudden temperature changes. Do not extinguish the fire by pouring cold water - this will lead to cracks in the stove body.

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Advantages and disadvantages

If we talk about the disadvantages of POV-57 stoves, then they mainly consist of an unsightly appearance, which, however, in the corresponding interior will be mistaken for a retro style or loft. Also a disadvantage will be the large weight of the structure and the general fragility of cast iron, which is afraid of sudden temperature changes. Maintainability is also not at a high level - the crack can be soldered, but this is ineffective. You should also handle the product carefully, as its surfaces become very hot, which can lead to serious burns.

And now about the advantages:

• The high heat capacity of cast iron allows the stove to accumulate heat and release it even after the firewood has completely died out for at least an hour;
• Fast heating and moderate wood consumption when used correctly;
• Possibility of transportation and use in field conditions, unlike stationary furnaces;
• Ease of installation and use, unpretentiousness regarding the types of fuel used - you can burn anything;
• Durability - high-quality Soviet cast iron is not afraid of corrosion, which determines the duration of operation.

Old potbelly stoves POV-57 are in high demand today along with their steel counterparts, and in some cases their installation is completely justified. Affordable price and ease of maintenance, complete autonomy, versatility and original appearance - all this speaks in favor of potbelly stoves.

This is interesting: Butakov furnaces: design review

Installation Requirements

The POV-57 stove is placed indoors on a fire-resistant surface (especially important if the potbelly stove does not have long legs). Experts recommend installing a cast iron system on tiles or sheet iron.

It is convenient to place the oven in the corner of a house, garage, or shed. It is better not to place it in the center of the room, so as not to accidentally touch the walls and get burned. There should be at least 1 meter from the wall to the body (if there are wooden walls around). It is strictly prohibited to keep flammable materials within 1.5 m of the device.

Installation example

This is the wrong way to install the oven! There are flammable materials around and the oven is not on a stand.

Types of potbelly stoves

Potbelly stoves are made of cast iron and stainless steel. The design of the stove is a bunker with a firebox door, in some models - an ash pan and a pipe for the chimney.

Varieties:

• oven with hob for cooking;
• stove with hob, oven and burners;
• heater furnace—having a casing around its body, the heater furnace is capable of effectively increasing heat transfer. Air is sucked into the space between the stove and its casing in the lower zone, rises, heats up against the walls of the stove and comes out in the upper zone from under the lid or through holes in it. The low temperature of the casing creates a surface that is safe for humans and will not burn you. The casing can be steel or ceramic.
• gas generator furnace - a steel structure, coated with heat-resistant paint, consisting of two combustion chambers: the lower one - a gasification chamber; the top one is the afterburning chamber.

How to use?

The potbelly stove POV 57 is easy to use. The algorithm for lighting the stove is as follows:

• Place crumpled newspaper at the bottom of the oven reserve.
• Place brushwood, wood chips, and a small amount of basic fuel material on top.
• Make sure that the POV oven vent is half open.
• Set the paper on fire. If it burns too intensely, gradually cover the vent until the flame reaches the optimal size.
• Add fuel and close the oven door.

Try to use dry firewood

If you are about to use a new stove for the first time, first check the draft: a lit match is brought to the chimney, the flame and smoke should be directed strictly towards the chimney. If the draft is impaired, using the POV-57 potbelly stove is strictly prohibited.

Does the stove stand idle for a long time (for example, when the owners leave the dacha, the warehouse is closed, the summer kitchen is not used in winter)? Experts advise preserving the product: covering the outer walls of the potbelly stove with a thick layer of chalk. This will protect the cast iron from corrosion.

Why modernize?

The potbelly stove is a very simple heating device, although today it is deeply modernized. Such a stove, which has become a favorite solution for heating small country houses, can have not only a single-chamber, but also a two-chamber design. A modernized potbelly stove can provide heat even to houses where residents live permanently.

The simplicity of design and manufacture makes it accessible to purchase and use. In addition, a significant advantage for the construction of such a structure is the absence of a foundation. But, despite so many positive properties, the potbelly stove also has significant disadvantages:

1. Its efficiency is quite small, the simplicity of the design carries with it an inherent drawback - a huge part of the heat from the potbelly stove “flies into the chimney”.
2. To work with such a stove, strict safety requirements must be observed, since falling combustion elements can damage nearby premises and even lead to a fire.
3. To heat a room with a potbelly stove, it is necessary to consume a significant amount of fuel elements, which is due to the fact that this type of heating is used only for short-term operation.

But this is not a reason to be discouraged; over the years, our “Kulibins” have found several simple but effective ways to increase the efficiency of a potbelly stove. In this article we will look at the modernization of the stove design itself.

Prices

A cast iron army stove-stove POV-57 from a domestic manufacturer (for example, TEMZ, Balezimsky LMZ, Rubtsovo LLC) costs 3800-4900 rubles. The indicated price is typical for a product of standard sizes and made of SCh 10-25 cast iron. If a high-strength alloy (SC 30-35) was used during creation, the price rises to 9,000-10,000 rubles.

For a built-in burner, which allows you to use the oven as a stove, you will have to pay 1200-1500 rubles on top of the base price. If the package includes a chimney pipe, the cost of the potbelly stove will increase by 2000-3000 rubles.

general information

A potbelly stove is a stove made of metal. The fuel for such a heating device is usually wood or coal. Its main purpose is to supply the room with heat and the ability to cook food.

Such devices were very popular during the Civil and Great Patriotic Wars. In this unstable and crisis time, potbelly stoves were the only salvation, because... they heated the room in a fairly short period of time, they could be used to cook food, and the installation of such devices did not require much effort.

Despite the fact that today there are a large number of different innovations on the heating equipment market, the potbelly stove has not lost its relevance and is still widely popular among users today.

Today, a potbelly stove is a heating device characterized by high efficiency indicators, which can heat a room with an area of ​​50-60 m².

Typically, the manufacturing material for potbelly stoves is steel or cast iron.

Where can I buy?

Today, hundreds of specialized stores offer POV-57 military stoves. You can order a stove online from another city - the goods will be delivered within a few days (depending on the remoteness of the client’s locality).

If you want to save money, you should buy a used army stove, not a new one. On advertising sites like Avito, potbelly stoves with different service life are sold. If the stove has been used for less than 5 years, the price is reduced by 20-30%. If the stove is more than 10 years old, it is sold at a discount of 60-70% of the cost of a new product.

Attention: the service life of a potbelly stove is half a century; it is not recommended to buy a stove older than 50 years.

Varieties

Today, there are several varieties of potbelly stoves, each of which has its own distinctive features.

Classic cast iron stove

This type includes a traditional cast iron stove, which is a bunker with a door for the firebox and a special pipe for the chimney. The main advantage of such a stove is the material from which it is made. Cast iron is characterized by high strength, good thermal conductivity and long service life.

More information about cast iron stoves can be found in this post

Cast iron stoves heat up very quickly, they are quite compact and can be installed anywhere. Such heating devices operate on any fuel.

The only negative is that the classic potbelly stove cools down quickly.

Cast iron potbelly stoves with hob

Potbelly stoves of this type are especially popular among summer residents. This is due to the fact that such a stove can be used not only as a heating source, but also as a stove on which you can cook food. This device can be used both in winter and summer.

Potbelly stove with hob

If you light a potbelly stove during the warm season, hot air masses will go up the chimney. This way the room will have a comfortable temperature.

Another advantage of such a stove is its mobility. In summer, you can even place the unit outside under a canopy.

On the market you can find potbelly stoves with a hob, which have an interesting design: potbelly stoves with glass doors, with a painted surface, with carved legs and various decorative details.

Stove-heater

This is a potbelly stove for long burning. This model does not require brick lining to retain heat, since it can function for 8 hours on one stack of firewood. Such long-lasting heating is a merit of the stove’s design.

Oven-heater Divo PK 50 Zenit

There is a casing around the body of such a stove. Consequently, cold air entering the space formed by the furnace and casing rises and heats up. Such a device can effectively supply heat to a room of up to 250 m².

Gas generator potbelly stove

This type of potbelly stove is considered one of the most efficient and productive. This stove is made of high-strength steel and coated with heat-resistant paint.

A gas-generating potbelly stove is equipped with two combustion chambers: the lower one (flue gases are formed in it), and the upper one (here the fuel is burned).

Such a design can operate in an economical mode, when the fuel only emits gas but does not burn. On one tab, such a device can work for 10-12 hours.

Army stove-stove

The army potbelly stove is a variation of the common potbelly stove. The greatest efficiency of such a furnace is observed in small enclosed spaces (up to 40 m³).

Army cast iron stove-stove

Such a heating device is especially popular in homes where there is no possibility of connecting to a central heating system. In addition to residential premises, an army potbelly stove can be installed in a garage, greenhouse, warehouse and workshop.

You cannot leave the room until the stove burns out completely and the metal has cooled down.

The main requirements for such potbelly stoves:

• high levels of strength and efficiency;
• the device is capable of operating on various types of fuel: firewood, peat, coal, etc.;
• an army potbelly stove is characterized by very high heat output;
• heat losses are insignificant;
• the body is made of durable, heat-intensive material that can withstand corrosion processes;
• the oven is compact in size;
• the potbelly stove is easy to install and convenient to use;
• With such a stove, the air in the room warms up in 15-20 minutes, and one load of fuel lasts for 9-10 hours.

How to distinguish a fake from the original?

Sometimes sellers, out of ignorance or in order to deceive the buyer, pass off other stoves as potbelly stoves. It is worth knowing that this is not a POV-57 potbelly stove if the description states:

• The stove is not made of gray cast iron.
• There are not two doors on the case, but one.
• The stove is too massive - it deviates significantly from the standard dimensions of 53x39x39.
• The stove is too small, weighing less than 30 kg (a product made of high-quality gray cast iron is never lightweight).
• The instructions indicate that it is heated with 1 type of fuel.

To avoid falling for scammers, it is better to buy stoves for houses or garages in trusted stores. First read the reviews of the seller, check the product certificates (a conscientious seller will always show product documents at the client’s request).

Criterias of choice

When choosing the power of the unit, consider the area of ​​the premises that you need to heat;
Decide on the type of fuel to light the stove; Select the appropriate material from which the combustion chamber will be made. Cast iron is more durable. While heating slowly, it also cools down slowly. Steel fireplaces are more inexpensive. Heating of such an installation is fast, as is cooling; The firebox can be additionally equipped with a hob or oven; Pay attention to the functionality and security level of the installation

It is important that the structure is reliably protected from strong heat, cools slowly and consumes fuel economically; In order for soot and ash to be removed quickly, it is recommended to give preference to a fireplace equipped with a retractable ash pan. Fireplaces made in Russia and Belarus are no less popular.

Since the winters in these countries are no less severe, the products actually work and can cope well with the problem of heating homes. The advantages of fireplaces produced in Russia and Belarus include affordable cost, high power, functionality and stylish design

Fireplaces made in Russia and Belarus are no less popular. Since the winters in these countries are no less severe, the products actually work and can cope well with the problem of heating homes. The advantages of fireplaces made in Russia and Belarus include affordable cost, high power, functionality and stylish design.

Conclusion

An army potbelly stove is an easy way to warm up a small room that is not connected to a central heating system. A simple design and easy-to-follow instructions simplify installation of the product (no complex manipulations required). You can learn the instructions on how to use the stove in a couple of minutes.

But it is important to remember: the product is not automated, gets very hot, has a low degree of fire safety - during operation of the POV-37 potbelly stove, monitor the operation, do not leave it unattended, keep children and pets away from the stove. If you follow the rules, the stove will last more than half a century without failures or the need for repairs.

Grid with stones

Modernizing a potbelly stove with a mesh with stones is quite one of the most common improvements. Almost everyone had a bath and steamed in the steam room. There you saw a set of stones that warm the air in the steam room.

The principle of this modernization method is similar. It is necessary to line the potbelly stove with stones, which continue to retain heat for a long time. It is worth remembering that you should not use galvanized material for manufacturing, since when heated, toxic fumes are released into the air.

Materials and tools

For this event we will need:

• a set of good stones (you can use high-quality clay bricks), preferably of medium size, similar to those you came across in the steam room.
• dense metal net, you can use a chain-link net.
• if you plan to do it like an adult, then you will need fittings and a welding machine.

Instructions

Making this improvement is simple:

1. It is necessary to make a frame of metal mesh (or reinforcement) near the stove, which will not block access to the technological openings of the potbelly stove.

Precautionary measures

It is strictly forbidden to use flammable materials and metals with low melting points to create this improvement. Also, this structure should ensure free maintenance of the potbelly stove, not block access to the firebox, to the ash pan, and not interfere with the removal and replacement of outlet pipes.

Potbelly stove in the interior

From the pictures in the text it is clear that a potbelly stove can be an interior decoration, a significant, and even a dominant element of its design. The potbelly fireplace is one of the most popular products in its sector. It can be made either in an antique style or in a modern stylish way (see fig.) In any case, it is based on a ready-made fireplace insert using biofuel. In essence, it is just a mobile mini-fireplace called a potbelly stove.

Potbelly stoves-fireplaces

But an old, restored wood-burning stove in an artistic design would perfectly play the role of a fireplace in a city apartment, if it had a separate chimney duct (Stalin, Khrushchev/Brezhnevka with titans or gas water heaters, modern open-plan apartments in monolithic houses). Its most important advantage in this capacity is that it can be done without the permission of firefighters (!). Why? And it is not a stationary heating device. Who and when required permission for a barbecue stored on a balcony or in a closet? Legally, a portable potbelly stove on legs is the same.

Its second advantage is the price. Up to 20 thousand for a new, good, beautiful one - this is a laughing stock in the fireplace business. Only the project of a stationary fireplace in the city, even without approval, will cost more. Of course, if a fire occurs due to the fault of the owner of a potbelly stove, he cannot avoid full responsibility. But imposing a fine for a potbelly stove-fireplace is legally so troublesome that it is easier for firefighters to turn a blind eye to it.

Note: the above does not apply to military stoves, incl. and to small rectangular ones. They all have feet with holes for bolts in the foundation, which means the device is stationary. In the same way - ready-made factory stoves with paws for bolts.

Bottom line

Despite modern high technologies, old cast iron stoves have not lost their relevance. Their niche is individual use for household needs in places where connecting to gas and electricity is economically unjustified or technically impossible. And if you have to choose, we highly recommend finding an old-style army potbelly stove that will faithfully serve not only you, but also your children.

Contents of the article:

At the moment, the most popular solutions are decorative steel and cast iron stoves. Their variability makes choice easier and pressure on the family budget. Thanks to the assortment from dozens of domestic and European manufacturers, you can easily choose a stove for your home, bathhouse, or garage!

Indeed, there is experience in using stoves that rusted and burned out, becoming a source of danger in a residential environment. Open fire through cracks, as well as carbon monoxide from poor-quality joints of the chimney system, is clearly not what the buyer expects!

Cast iron stoves, despite their long history of existence, are still in demand. They are often used for heating rooms and cooking. Modern models of such stoves are equipped with a hob and even an oven.