F55 Owners, Step Inside

[ToltingColtAcres]

That's with the air about 1/4 open and the stove top around 350F. If I go any lower with the main air, then I start getting incomplete combustion (visible smoke out the chimney). Just curious how my burning experience compared to others. I have never been able to close the air all the way to minimum, but I suspect that few people can unless they have unusually strong draft.

Not only can I close all the way, but depending on how much I load the stove, I can easily exceed 1000 degrees in my flue if I'm not careful, even with the secondary air all the way closed. In those cases, I have a key damper I close to slow the burn rate and reduce the flue temps.

 

[iluvjazznjava]

Not only can I close all the way, but depending on how much I load the stove, I can easily exceed 1000 degrees in my flue if I'm not careful, even with the secondary air all the way closed. In those cases, I have a key damper I close to slow the burn rate and reduce the flue temps.

That's interesting - how tall is your chimney? What wood do you burn? Do you have an outside air kit like me? I burn mostly fir, but my experience has been similar with maple, birch and larch.

 

[ToltingColtAcres]

My chimney is about 20' feet tall. I don't have a precise measurement. I have about 3' of DSP which 90's into a Selkirk wall thimble, which then goes straight up (with one small offset as the Selkirk runs behind my regular masonry chimney which has a slant.). My house is a 2 story cape so I'm guessing maybe 20' total? I did add a 3' section of pipe to the stack earlier this season to improve draft. I burn mostly red and white oak, but also have some mixed hardwoods in there as well.

 

[7acres]

My chimney is about 20' feet tall. I don't have a precise measurement. I have about 3' of DSP which 90's into a Selkirk wall thimble, which then goes straight up (with one small offset as the Selkirk runs behind my regular masonry chimney which has a slant.). My house is a 2 story cape so I'm guessing maybe 20' total? I did add a 3' section of pipe to the stack earlier this season to improve draft. I burn mostly red and white oak, but also have some mixed hardwoods in there as well.

I have a 19' straight chimney. All but the last 4' are inside. I can run full open and get a crazy hot top griddle. I don't find fully closed to be of much use other than to effectively kill the flame show and preserve fuel for when I want effective heat output again. We run the stove overnight at about 30% open. That gives off good heat for a long time on a full load.

 

[Creekheat]

I normally run mine at about 1/4. That's after taking it down in increments. I've got a strong draft and she pulls air good. If I'm home I'll babysit it and squeeze it for all its worth.

 

[iluvjazznjava]

My chimney is about 20' feet tall. I don't have a precise measurement. I have about 3' of DSP which 90's into a Selkirk wall thimble, which then goes straight up (with one small offset as the Selkirk runs behind my regular masonry chimney which has a slant.). My house is a 2 story cape so I'm guessing maybe 20' total? I did add a 3' section of pipe to the stack earlier this season to improve draft. I burn mostly red and white oak, but also have some mixed hardwoods in there as well.

Ok, well you are one of the lucky ones that has a good supply of oak, so that's a difference. With the air fully closed, my stove is pretty useless. It's intriguing how people can have such dissimilar experience with the same stove, but there are s lot of other variables.

 

[Holzstapel]

Twice over this past weekend I was able to get my stove into the sweet spot where the air is down all the way and the secondaries are flying. I was burning large splits of maple and oak in a N/S arrangement. Masonry chimney is about 25' tall, SS lined, mostly interior save for the last 4 feet or so.

 

[clark77]

On almost every burn I'm able to get the air down all the way and the secondaries going like mad. Especially when I fill the fire box more than half way full.
It's all about the wood. If you've got higher moisture content wood, then the heat is being used to burn off the moisture instead of putting heat in the house.

 

[clark77]

I just put in 4 logs in about 30 minutes ago, the stove is at 400 degrees (slowly climbing) , air all the way down and secondaries going.
I'm running east/west at the moment too. I love this stove.



Here's a better pic 10 minutes after the first one

 

[7acres]

I just put in 4 logs in about 30 minutes ago, the stove is at 400 degrees (slowly climbing) , air all the way down and secondaries going.
I'm running east/west at the moment too. I love this stove.

View attachment 171684

Here's a better pic 10 minutes after the first one

View attachment 171686

Last evening I started a full load from live coals. By the time I started cutting back the primary air the top griddle was reading close to 750F on the IR gun. I threw in another split and started backing down the primary air. Last year I was burning properly seasoned hickory. This year I'm burning 1yr seasoned oak. Not ideal. Relights from a cold stove are more challenging. But once it's ripping I can't tell a difference in heat output or burn time from last year. I'm so glad I don't have to fret about fouling up a catalytic combustor from not burning primo dry wood. No regrets with this stove.

I'm a few years ahead on wood in the stacks now and next year and beyond we will have 2/3yr+ seasoned wood to burn. A neighbor dropped a big lightning struck oak that was a threat to some of his buildings. I brought down all the big limbs to the ground and got it all bucked up on Friday. He has 2 wood splitters he has encouraged me to employ to split it all on site before hauling it back to my property. Free firewood and fun with the chainsaws! Who needs a gym membership

At this point as long as I'm harvesting faster than I'm burning I should be set. And when the boys get older I can pass the mantle

 

[trusseld]

I normally run mine at about 1/4. That's after taking it down in increments. I've got a strong draft and she pulls air good. If I'm home I'll babysit it and squeeze it for all its worth.

Creekheat,

I am trying to accomplish a similar alcove to what you have for your f55. Any way you could email me advice and/or pictures? My email is [email protected]

 

[countrychick]

Wow this is a great thread! I enjoyed reading all the comments! Thank you all from this newby!

We are deciding (plan to purchase in the next week) between the F55 and the PE Alderlea T6. It is a tough one for me. I don't have alot of experience with wood stoves. So going to have a sharp learning curve.

We have a 2700 sq ft home, ranch home, built in 2008 with four french doors two of which are in the great room where the wood stove will be. We have 10 ft ceilings throughout the house. We are in Oregon which isn't really freezing cold in the winters. We can get down into the 20's but that is usually our bitter cold. Our house has a large great room with bedrooms off each side of the great room. I think it will be pretty easy to heat this house with wood stove. But my thoughts were that the F55 might have trouble heating it. Then I read that someone had a 2800 sq ft house they were heating. So maybe it will work.

Any thoughts?

 

[Knots]

Any thoughts?

That's a tough call. I have a 1400 sq ft ranch in Maine, but the stove is in the basement so I'm heating some of that too. I have 2x8 walls and a lot of insulation in the attic. I have no french doors and only have a 36" door and some small windows on the north side of the house. My biggest loss is probably the bay window in the front. 8 ft ceilings.

In the depths of the Maine winter (-20) the F55 will heat my house to 72 and keep the garage bays under and the attached upper garage above freezing just with what bleeds through the walls. That said, if the house is cold it will take a while to get it up to temp (~ 3-4 hours), but I find that acceptable.

I'll say this - I wouldn't want a stove the slightest bit smaller.

 

[countrychick]

Wow you have cold winters! YIKES! We don't like our house to be hot. So normally have it 60's at night and around 70-71 daytime. Our temps are much less frigid here so I would think the F55 will work. Just curious what people thought.....

Going to put in a rock fireplace like this.
http://www.houzz.com/photos/1745819/Wine-country-kitchen-family-room-eclectic-family-room-portland

Same rock minus the shelves. And thought the F55 might look really nice in front of it.

Thank you for letting me know your thoughts on this. No I don't want to go smaller than the F55 for sure.

 

[Knots]

No I don't want to go smaller than the F55 for sure.

You can always have a small fire in a big stove. Its overcast and in the 50s here today. I'm limping the stove along with just a few small pieces at a time.

 

[countrychick]

Wow....so you are having spring temps too! Incredible winter we are having so far. I know technically it isn't 'winter' but I get to Nov-Dec and it seems like winter to me. lol. Yes that is good to know about small fires....

 

[7acres]

I thought I'd mention one thing I did to my F55. The screw on wooden & metal latch handle was always loosening up and falling off. The boys can't resist messing with it year round. And I'm the guy with the Morso glass hearth plate. So yeah, I almost had a heart attack one too many times. I finally decided to JB Weld the threads to lock the handle in place. That has worked like a charm.

 

[countrychick]

Can I ask a favor of those here who have a F55??

Can you post a photo or photos of the fresh air intake? I want to see what it looks like hooked up to the stove.

Thank you so much to anyone who could do that for me!!

 

[Knots]

Sorry - no fresh air (OAK) for me yet. I meant to do it this summer, but, well….you know...

 

[countrychick]

Knots thanks for letting me know. Bummer. We would have to put it in for the tax credit in Oregon.

Surely out of all the owners someone has put one in!

Help. Anyone????

 

[countrychick]

So nobody has a fresh air kit hooked up to their Jotul F55? Really?
They must not need them right? Is that why ya all didn't hook one up?

 

[countrychick]

We are getting the rock and tile done this next week! I can't wait to see how it turns out! Looks pretty funny right now. Then to get the stove ordered and put in before Christmas! Lots to do!

I am still deciding if we buy the F55 or the Woodstock Progress Hybrid. Lots of pros and some cons to both. Love both stoves.....lol

 

[countrychick]

Could someone show me a pix of the inside of their jotul F55? Wondering what the lined area looks like without a ashpan.

 

[Knots]

If you search on "OAK" or "outside air kit" you might see some general discussion on OAKs. I have the Jotul kit for mine, but haven't installed it yet.

My house is very tight, but I still pull some air from outside without the OAK. Before plugging those gaps up, I'm going to put the OAK in.

Here's the best I can do for pics of the inside. First light-up.

 

[countrychick]

Hi Knots! Wow thank you! These photos were great! We chose today between the Woodstock Progress Hybrid and the Jotul F55 Carabassett. We chose to purchase the F55. There were a few reasons we didn't choose the progress. It is a great stove with many pros to it. But we both loved the F55! And reading what everyone says about the F55 certainly gave us confidence that we will love it. Hoping we do.

We figure we can always buy a different stove down the road if we for some reason want to switch to a different stove.....so many beautiful stoves out there! I have certainly learned alot since looking at them and reading what people are saying here about stoves. I know that if I ever get a different stove in the future with a ashpan I'd want a grate ash system. But I am happy for now to have no ashpan. I'm happy to scoop it out....no different than cleaning the barn! lol.

Thanks again! I love this stove....can't wait to have it here! We also purchased the firescreen because we can't wait to have occasional fires with the door open.......=) I know not the most efficient fire......but love the snap crackle of a open fire outside so I figure inside would be nice too.

We are getting the hearth put in this week! Can't wait to get the stove installed before Christmas!