LTD or ECO Model? - What's the difference?
National Environmental Standards (NES) came into effect throughout New Zealand on the 1st September 2005, placing stringent emission & efficiency requirements on all wood fires installed on properties with a land area of less than two hectares. As a consequence Metro make two different types, ECO and LTD Metro’s.
LTD Models
LTD Metro’s comply with AS/NZS4013:1999 and although this is still the current Australian & New Zealand emission standard, the National Environmental Standards (NES) takes precedence if installations are on properties with a land area of less than two hectares. LTD Metro’s can therefore only be installed on a property with a land area of two hectares or greater.
A major feature of the LTD Metro’s is their responsive total control of burn rate with overnight burning capabilities. Independent testing recorded burn times and output which were set at a very low burn rate on a single fuel load of pine blocks. The results were quite remarkable, with 35kWs of energy being released over 22 hours, an average output of 1.6kW’s per hour.
ECO/ECO DV Models
ECO models have a design specification which differs to their LTD counterparts, with the emphasis on burning hot and clean. Metro’s ECO fireboxes utilise a secondary burn chamber and secondary air supply combination unique to Metro, which eliminates the ongoing and costly replacement of secondary air tubes used by most other brands. Not only have all ECO models achieved Metro’s self imposed 1gm/kg in particulate emissions (NES allows 50% higher emissions of 1.5gm/kg), but most ECO models have also achieved compliance with the national standard tested with a wetback fitted.
Metro have released selected ECO Metro’s with DV (Direct Vent) options. This is the latest in combustion technology enabling all of the combustion air to be pre-heated to very high temperatures before it even enters the firebox. This provides greater combustion temperatures, lower emissions and higher efficiencies. These Metro ECO DV models also allow you the option of connecting the combustion air supply to outside the home, further improving the heating efficiency within your home.