Cast Wraps - Jotul vs. Pacific Energy

[Light in the Dark]

We have a slightly smaller version of the F55 (the F50).... and we love it. My only complaint are those corner bricks, like you mentioned. I need to consider getting a chimney damper too... when I shut the stove down all the way at night the afterburners kick on like crazy (no rolling dancing flames here). Would be nice to slow them down a bit to keep the burn times a bit longer.

 

[Creekheat]

We looked at the jotul yesterday. Damn nice contraption.

 

[webby3650]

I have ran the Lopi Leyden and Lopi Cape Cod. I had lots of trouble with Leyden as others have reported. I would run from that idea, they have been discontinued anyway.
I wouldn't trade my Blaze King Ashford for a truckload of Cape Cods! Nor would I limit my search to iron claded steel stoves. It does not make a noticeable enough difference to limit yourself to only a few stoves, in my opinion. Anything in the jotul lineup would do well for you. But I would look hard at the BK Ashford! It has a decent fireview and the glass stays very clean.

 

[ThinAir]

I have ran the Lopi Leyden and Lopi Cape Cod. I had lots of trouble with Leyden as others have reported. I would run from that idea, they have been discontinued anyway.
I wouldn't trade my Blaze King Ashford for a truckload of Cape Cods! Nor would I limit my search to iron claded steel stoves. It does not make a noticeable enough difference to limit yourself to only a few stoves, in my opinion. Anything in the jotul lineup would do well for you. But I would look hard at the BK Ashford! It has a decent fireview and the glass stays very clean.

I'm at this very moment reading all I can find on the Ashford. I'd love to see a pic of the flame, the best flame it can consistently put out.. Even if I had to run it less efficient at times to satisfy that desire, I'd do it. Other times it would be a better heater with less show.. Really liked the Jotul F55.

 

[Creekheat]

Now i have to research BK's. lol yikes another stove!

 

[webby3650]

I will reload before I go to bed and I will get you a pic with a fresh load.
Here it is on med-low. This was loaded at 8 am with a partial load of cherry. It's in the low 20's here. The other pic is on high less than 5 minutes after the low picture.
The glass hasn't been cleaned for about 2 months. It has the cleanest glass on average, of any stove Ive ran to date. It runs on medium to medium low most of the time and I'm Heating 2200 square feet.

 

[Creekheat]

I will reload before I go to bed and I will get you a pic with a fresh load.
Here it is on med-low. This was loaded at 8 am with a partial load of cherry. It's in the low 20's here. The other pic is on high less than 5 minutes after the low picture.
The glass hasn't been cleaned for about 2 months. It has the cleanest glass on average, of any stove Ive ran to date. It runs on medium to medium low most of the time and I'm Heating 2200 square feet.

Im heating about the same area. Only two floors, ceiling in great room goes all the way up, 18ft. On low it burns about 13K btu. Not a problem heating that space on low?

 

[webby3650]

I rarely run on low, usually medium getting 12-16 hour burns. I'm in a ranch style house, stove is centrally located. I have an Oslo out in the great room, it runs when it's real cold but is mainly just for that outlying room.

 

[Creekheat]

Ahhh gotcha.

 

[ThinAir]

I rarely run on low, usually medium getting 12-16 hour burns. I'm in a ranch style house, stove is centrally located. I have an Oslo out in the great room, it runs when it's real cold but is mainly just for that outlying room.

Two stoves for 2,200 sq. ft.?

 

[webby3650]

Two stoves for 2,200 sq. ft.?

I don't like cold feet!
With my floor plan heat does not migrate to the great room very well. It's around the corner, sunken, concrete floor and exposed on 3 sides. Not much going for it! Ohh, and I'm a stove junky! I'd add a 3rd stove if I could find room!

 

[ThinAir]

I don't like cold feet!
With my floor plan heat does not migrate to the great room very well. It's around the corner, sunken, concrete floor and exposed on 3 sides. Not much going for it! Ohh, and I'm a stove junky! I'd add a 3rd stove if I could find room!

So, webby if you were looking for an attractive stove like your Oslo or Ashford, but wanted adequate burn time, and a nice flame show, given 2,000 sq. ft. at 4,600 ft. elevation where winters can get cold overnight temps like here in Bozeman, what stoves would you consider. I'd like to see the show between 6:00 and 9:00 from dinner till near bed time. Reload, last the night, reload in the a.m., and top off for the show around late afternoon early evening....

 

[Burner]

Another thing to mention is that with tube stoves, the flames last only for a portion of the burn. The coaling stage lasts for an equal if not longer time. I was sort of disappointed with this when I bought my Oslo for the viewing experience.

 

[webby3650]

Most larger stoves will do that. In my opinion, the Oslo is one of the highest quality iron stoves you will find. With the Ashford, I do turn it up and let it run hard, then I turn it down for the night without reloading. That's the big difference! It'll run slow most of the time, when I want some big heat or a show, I just turn it up. The rest of the time it just sips the wood!

 

[ThinAir]

We have a T6 in a 2000 sq ft home in a much milder climate. It has never baked us out. That is up to the operator not the stove.

Say I was wondering when your stove is loaded, how long after the load up does the flame show occur in the secondaries, and how long does it usually last for before the show is over and you go to coaling mode? Trying to get a handle on this. Thanks

 

[begreen]

It depends on the wood and the size of the load. A good show would be for a few hours. Fir flames throughout the burn more than locust.

 

[Just coog]

It depends on the wood and the size of the load. A good show would be for a few hours. Fir flames throughout the burn more than locust.

I'm also curious about this. I would like to hear from Jotul f600 owners about the "length of show" they get from their secondaries. I burn Hedge, Hackberry, Elm primarily, and I wouldn't say that I get a very long show. The stove keeps the house warm, so no complaints, but it is fun to see the light show.

 

[begreen]

I tend to burn for the long burn nowadays and not the light show.

 

[ThinAir]

I tend to burn for the long burn nowadays and not the light show.

In my only other post my opening dialogue was kinda inquiring about just this response of yours. And it's important. My concern is that I spend money wisely, a stove is a rather expensive endeavor and I'd prefer to make an informed choice right out of the gate. How to do that??? Perhaps it's the wood burners evolutionary process that most come to the experiential point of burning to heat vs. burning for the show. Yet I'd bet that most new stove owners are not unlike me in that they equate the desire to have a stove closely to the idea of sitting down with their loved ones next to the wood stove with a glass of merlot and slices of cheese and apples watching the dancing flames of their fabulous stove.

But over the course of time the flame becomes either less of an interest vs. economical and prolonged heat with less energy spent reloading and/or the desire to get the most out of the money and time invested in the woodshed. I'm wondering if and when this perceived reality may smack me in the forehead. Calculating that ahead of time could save me some time and money.

Does one go for a tube type stove and gush over the flames, buy it a bit big for longer burn times, and live with reloads every 8 to 10 hours (maybe less), or miss out on all the romance of the flame (and excitement of buying another stove) and just bypass straight on to a cat stove with a long burn time.

Sacrifices? I really do want both, in a good looking stove.... with fast heat up time, and on and on and on. Oh, $3,000 or less.

I realize that beauty is in the eye of the beholder, but I'm sure most on this forum could relate to the differences.

Maybe the new steel Woodstock being released?

 

[ThinAir]

I will reload before I go to bed and I will get you a pic with a fresh load.
Here it is on med-low. This was loaded at 8 am with a partial load of cherry. It's in the low 20's here. The other pic is on high less than 5 minutes after the low picture.
The glass hasn't been cleaned for about 2 months. It has the cleanest glass on average, of any stove Ive ran to date. It runs on medium to medium low most of the time and I'm Heating 2200 square feet.

Anxiously awaiting the fresh reload pic

 

[xman23]

ThinAir, was just out your way for the first time. Skied 3 days at Big Ski. Great place. I think my Oslo can take a 26+ inch long split. That's been handy, I cut to 18 but don't care when the run long. Shorts get shoved in north / south. I've run mine 13 seasons now without an issue. Take a look at the enamel finishes. They keep the new look forever, just dust it off. IMO, well worth the money. The issue with the front door and the ash.is. There is a 1/4 gap between the glass and the top of the ramped up floor in the front. That gap goes down to the gasket, allowing about 3/4 inch of ash to get in there. When you open the door it falls out. You never open the front. The side loading door works well. It's been my only stove heating 1800 sq ft. Can't say a bad thing about it.

 

[webby3650]

Anxiously awaiting the fresh reload pic

Here's one.

 

[jotul8e2]

So it comes down to depth of the box and width:

Jotul F55 17.5"w x 19"d
Jotul Oslo 24"w x 12"d
PE T5 15.5"w x 18"d
Greenville 16"w x 17.5d

Jotul rates (or used to, anyway) the width of their firebox at 22" While it is true that in the center you can place 24" wide splits if you are careful, as a practical matter the air tubes in each corner make it impossible to exceed 22" in the very front or the very back of the firebox.

 

[ThinAir]

ThinAir, was just out your way for the first time. Skied 3 days at Big Ski. Great place. I think my Oslo can take a 26+ inch long split. That's been handy, I cut to 18 but don't care when the run long. Shorts get shoved in north / south. I've run mine 13 seasons now without an issue. Take a look at the enamel finishes. They keep the new look forever, just dust it off. IMO, well worth the money. The issue with the front door and the ash.is. There is a 1/4 gap between the glass and the top of the ramped up floor in the front. That gap goes down to the gasket, allowing about 3/4 inch of ash to get in there. When you open the door it falls out. You never open the front. The side loading door works well. It's been my only stove heating 1800 sq ft. Can't say a bad thing about it.

Next time you come out here for a ski vacation make sure to ski Bridger Bowl here in Bozeman, they just added two new lifts and offer up some great new terrain along with them. If you can catch Bridger during the week and within a couple of days of new snow, the place is amazing, and the culture is well worth experiencing vs. the big resorts. Yes, the finish on the Jotul's is superb! Thanks for the info on the Oslo, have only heard positive things about that stove.

 

[ThinAir]

Jotul rates (or used to, anyway) the width of their firebox at 22" While it is true that in the center you can place 24" wide splits if you are careful, as a practical matter the air tubes in each corner make it impossible to exceed 22" in the very front or the very back of the firebox.

Good point, my biggest negative about the new F55 Carrabassett is the rear fire brick's sick out from all the others, just a poor design in my mind.