# Jotul combifire #1



## saggys (Feb 21, 2012)

Just purchased a good condition Jotul combifire #1 for our cabin. First question is I need the stove pipe adapter, I think it is 175mm to 6", does that sound correct? The outlet O.D. is about 6-3/4". When I convert the metric measurement I get 6.88".
Second question is the flue outlet is out the back, I would like to make it go out the top. Is it a good practice to try to remove 30 year old stove bolts or am I asking for broken bolts? I have not tried removing them yet but have concern do to all the thermal cycles they have been through.
Third question is does anyone know the installation clearances for this stove? I have tried to search this with no luck.
Thanks for any help provided.


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## saggys (Feb 22, 2012)

Any help on the installation clearances would be great. I know I could install it as a non UL approved stove but it is supposedly UL listed according to woodsmanparts.


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## webbie (Feb 22, 2012)

Well, here is your first little helper - squint your eyes and you can probably make it out......


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## saggys (Feb 22, 2012)

Thank you so much! 
If I am reading the diagram correctly, it looks like it needs to be 30" from the wall to the back of the stove.... and 36" from side to wall if it is corner mounted?
I would try to use the flue out of the top install.


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## saggys (Feb 22, 2012)

If my above post is correct, I am hoping I can reduce my clearances even more. I will be installing the stove centrally in the cabin with the back along a common wall with 3 of the 4 sides open. With proper wall insulation I am hoping to get down to 20" with allowable reductions.
I have 20 acres with alot of oak just waiting........
Now to buy a descent chainsaw, but that is a whole other topic.


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## begreen (Feb 22, 2012)

I thought it was 36" sides and back. But with an NFPA wall shield, it could be cut down to 12" if I understand the specs. 

https://www.hearth.com/econtent/index.php/wiki/NFPA_Wall_Clearance_Reductions/


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## saggys (Feb 23, 2012)

I could swear the top column says 30" but I can't decipher the diagrams meaning as far as the X and A go. If anyone knows that would be great.


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## saggys (Feb 25, 2012)

Anyone understand that drawing provided?


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## webby3650 (Feb 27, 2012)

I wouldn't worry too much either way, 30" or 36", it's still a long way from the wall! Go ahead and build a wall shield with a 1" air gap, then move the stove back to a comfortable clearance, but no closer than 12". Does your stove have a UL tag on the back?


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## saggys (Feb 28, 2012)

Hi,

Thanks for the reply. Unfortunately our stove does not have the UL Listing Label. I am getting an estimate from a Jotul dealer to have it installed and he reccommended the 1" air gap also. If I can get 15" from the wall that would be great. We are probably going to have the flue installed to keep the insurance agent happy, plus we have loads of other work to get done. Thanks everyone for the help, I will post how things work out.


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## begreen (Feb 28, 2012)

saggys said:
			
		

> Thank you so much!
> If I am reading the diagram correctly, it looks like it needs to be 30" from the wall to the back of the stove.... and 36" from side to wall if it is corner mounted?
> I would try to use the flue out of the top install.



Based on the Combifire 4 diagram that was just posted A is the side clearance and X is the stove back to the wall, so I think you are correct. If you look closely at the combi 4 diag. it looks to me like the stove is not rotated, so this is not really a corner install, but just a simple way to show side vs rear clearances.

https://www.hearth.com/econtent/index.php/forums/viewthread/29274/#1125007


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## saggys (Feb 29, 2012)

Much Thanks.


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## jruttle3 (Mar 9, 2012)

The Combi #1 is a terrific stove â€” I think you will be very happy with it. I bought one 18 months ago ( fall 2011) and moved the flue vent from the back to the top. I hit the bolts with WD-40 a day before I took them out â€” be sure to use the right size METRIC socket wrench for this; one with a ratchet is a big help. If one breaks, no huge deal to remove, re-tap, and replace. 

I cleaned  the surface of mine with a wire brush, wiped it down with rubbing alcohol, moved it outdoors and gave it a new coat of Stove Bright charcoal spray paint.  Looks brand new.  To make it easier to move this stove (with  its tripod feet ) with a dolly I  cut a piece of 1" plywood and fastened the stove to it with large lag screws, fit into the notches in the feet.

I also had to replace the door handle which had been installed upside down and was  fried to a crisp. I got a new Bakelite handle from Woodmans â€” then wrapped it with multilayers of aluminum foil to keep it from breaking down again.  The Bakelite handles are non-UL. The UL handles are wooden and no longer available.

It sounds like your stove is pre-UL; so is mine. But as near as I can figure there are very few differences  between UL and non-UL in this model. The UL's have  wooden handle, not Bakelite, and they have a second cast iron floor that sits about 3/4 inch above the main floor, with rockwool insulation between the two. And to accommodate this, the ash fence is a little higher. That's it. On the Woodman's website you can see an exploded diagram of a UL model.  

So UL or not, I don't think it has any bearing  on clearances of your installation. Be conservative ... and don't forget the space above .... this stove can get really hot fast.

Those notches in the feet? I suspect they were meant for people who might want to fasten it to the floor. You sometimes need to exert some force in closing the door.

I have a terrific draft on mine ( 30 feet of double walled, insulated pipe in a masonry chimney). I start with a very small top-down  fire, nothing bigger than 2". Then when I've got some coals I lay on 4" splits 12" long, running front to back. It gets up to running temp in just a few minutes ( with thoroughly dry wood). I strongly recommend a thermometer with a probe inside the stack. I have yet to need ( or want) to load it more than half full which is why I now cut  nearly all my wood to 12"


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## saggys (Mar 9, 2012)

Mine does sound pre UL as it has the bakelite handle. I bought it from the orignal family as it was the older gentlemens mothers stove. He had it painted and it shows minimal wear insde the fire box area and all works as it should. (door, fire screen ) Thanks for easing my mind on the swap of the flue as I am going to try this weekend. I will be installing a heatshield and using double wall pipe to keep the clearances down. The install may take a month of Sundays as I have limited time and the cabin is 2+ hrs from home. Did yours have the factory flue adapter to 6"?


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## jruttle3 (Mar 9, 2012)

I got the flue adapter through  a local stove installer, who also put in the insulated double walled flue to this stove in my masonry chimney.

I forgot to mention that the biggest diff between UL and non UL  in this stove is the greatly changed airflow plate on the inside of the door, behind the air intake. This has much more impact on the operaiton of the stove than the double floor or the ash fence or the wooden handle.  You can see this in the exploded diagram of the stove on the Woodmanspartsplus website.

Make sure that you have 12" wood, that it is stored under-cover & dry, and that you install an in- flue thermometer. It is an excellent stove.  Feel free to ask if you have more questions â€” I got a lot of help with my installation.


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## jruttle3 (Mar 9, 2012)

P.S.  You may need to reeposition the baffle plate as you change the flue exit from back to top.  My memory is a little foggy on that point.  What is the condition of the baffle plate? Is it solid or getting chewed up from over-firing?


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## saggys (Mar 10, 2012)

Thanks for the woodsman parts link tip, I ordered the adapter for the flue today and will use its parts list to help with the flue relocation. The baffle looks great, no pits or warping and it moves freely. I will also see what is different on the intake air parts, did you change yours out to the UL type?


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## jruttle3 (Mar 10, 2012)

No I didn't replace the air flow plate. The one on your and my model is labled #18 on Woodmans diagram. Right next to that they show #18A â€” the UL model. They don't have 18A for sale, and mine works fine as is.

I replaced only the baffle (mine was really fried and warped) and the ash fence which was missing. And the bakelite handle. I toyed with the idea of adding the 2nd floor, but I think it's overkill â€” a thick bed of ashes left in the bottom will do the trick. The ridges in the bottom mean that even after you clean out the stove,  a .5 inch bed will always be left to insulate the floor from intense heat.

Does yours have all the firebricks?  Is the plastic handle OK? How about the spark screen that fits over the front when you push the door under, to view the fire?  We had to grease the workings of the wheels and track for sliding the door under a bit . And that was pretty much it.

How big is the cabin you will be heating?  It can raise the temp in  the 15 by 30 room I'm heating up 10 degrees in a couple of hours. The walls are all thick stone, no insulation. OTOH it's Penna â€” not so cold here.


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## jruttle3 (Mar 10, 2012)

I looked at an installed stove today â€” the baffle stays the same whether flue is out back or top. ie, baffle is low in back, high in front.  I also talked to my stove installer. He says make the chimney 12' , from top of stove to top of pipe. Higher is better but don't go lower.  Also be sure to install a cap on top of the flue pipe to keep out  rain, snow ( and birds, etc).  

He laughs at the idea of protective UL plates that create a second bottom â€” but that is another story. It's nice that you have many months to get this install right.  And to get some wood under cover for next fall.


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## saggys (Mar 11, 2012)

Thanks for the update on the baffle plate position Hickoryman. The plastic knob on the fire screen and door are in perfect shape, as is the fire screen. The only flaws I can find is the refractory on one fire brick has risen up a little and 1 bick has a small crack in it.
No chance to work on the stove today as I got stuck 5 times trying to plow our 1/2 mile driveway to the cabin and finally had to walk a few miles to get a neighbors help to get out. A Bobcat 863 can do wonders. I will be walking in next weekend because it will probably be mud instead of snow as we are getting some unseasonally warm weather. Good thing I do not need to hurry on the install. I really appreciate all the help on this topic. By the way the space we will be heating is 576 square feet with one open room and two small bedrooms.


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## jruttle3 (Mar 11, 2012)

Glad to help. Sounds like prior owner really took care of that stove, a nice find for you.  Bad luck with the snow and early mud season, but at least you have many months to get the stove rigged up right.

Very warm winter here â€” spring flowers out a month early. Only snow we had was 12" Oct 29. No need to plow that one because weather then so warm and we left the house 4 hours into the storm when the trees started coming down. Stayed away 8 days â€” no power. Only two light dustings after that all winter; good news cuz it was possible to cut and split the downed wood all winter. I now have several cords of oak hickory and ash.


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## TCT1971 (Oct 28, 2015)

Hey! We're finally about to install the Jotul Combifire #1 that we've had in storage, and I'm wondering about the pipe adaptor question. Did the 175mm turn out to be the right one? I see it here at Woodsman's:
http://www.woodmanspartsplus.com/169581/products/Jotul-Stove-Pipe-Adapter.html

But I also see this one:
http://www.woodmanspartsplus.com/169595/products/Jotul-Pipe-Adapter.html

Trying to get it all in before the snow comes, so I want to make sure I order the correct one the first time! 
Thanks!
T


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