Help the newbie with jotul F500

[Liana]

We have a Jotul F500 since 4 days. The guys that installed it made a nice fire that heated up the place very quickly. Since then, we tried to do the same thing, but we didn't manage, so we are doing something wrong.

The wood we are using has less than 20% humidity marked on it. The length is 11 inches.

Since reading the forum I understood that the thermometer must be placed on the stovetop right corner and then closer the air flux by increments when the top reaches a certain temperature. What I do not know is how to arrange the wood.

Yesterday we put paper on ashes and some small very dry wood pieces special for starting the fire, we waited for this wood to burn nicely, then we put the first large wood. Some time later, since no heat was coming from the jotul, we put the second one.

But still, we could stand in front of it, at the distance of just 11 inches, without feeling any heat radiating. I read that people write "load up", but load up how much? What does that really mean?

thank you all for your help.

 

[Lake Girl]

Welcome to the forum! While waiting for one of the wood burners to show up, try using the search feature top right to see if you can find the information you need.

Good luck!

 

[Liana]

Welcome to the forum! While waiting for one of the wood burners to show up, try using the search feature top right to see if you can find the information you need.

Good luck!

Thanks, I have trouble finding. I have read putting 2 wood pieces in parallel, covering with paper and then burning, but also waiting for nice fire before putting big wood. So i am a bit lost

 

[begreen]

The sound is poor but here are some videos that show one way to run the Jotul Oslo. Most people use the side door to reload, but this method of burning is also be ok. The wood must be dry for a good fire.

 

[firefighterjake]

We have a Jotul F500 since 4 days. The guys that installed it made a nice fire that heated up the place very quickly. Since then, we tried to do the same thing, but we didn't manage, so we are doing something wrong.

First off, bonjour . . . welcome to hearth.com. Folks here are quite friendly and we'll hopefully be able to help you out.

The wood we are using has less than 20% humidity marked on it. The length is 11 inches.

Tres bien . . . the wood humidity level is good. You actually can have much longer wood . . . the Oslo can hold something like 20 or 24 inch wood . . . although I prefer to keep it around 18-20 inches. More wood generally = more fuel to heat and provide longer burns.

Since reading the forum I understood that the thermometer must be placed on the stovetop right corner and then closer the air flux by increments when the top reaches a certain temperature. What I do not know is how to arrange the wood.

Actually, you may want to experiment with the location of the thermometer. In my case, I found the hottest corner was in fact the rear, right corner . . . but other folks may find the hottest location to be at another corner. You are correct though -- you want to bring the stove up to temp and then start closing the air control to achieve the secondary burn. Secondary burns = more heat, cleaner burns and longer burns. While I use my stove top thermometer, I tend to use my flue thermometer more often as a guide to when to close my side door, when to start dialing back the air, etc.

Yesterday we put paper on ashes and some small very dry wood pieces special for starting the fire, we waited for this wood to burn nicely, then we put the first large wood. Some time later, since no heat was coming from the jotul, we put the second one.

Ah, it may be a case that you need to add more wood at the get go. Burning kindling . . . or just a split or two at a time, will not result in much heat or a very long burn. In my case, if there are hot coals, I put some paper or kindling on to the hot coals, followed by a small split or two and then a few medium to larger sized splits on top. If starting a fire with no coals I put the larger splits on the bottom, followed by smaller splits and then kindling -- a top down fire.

But still, we could stand in front of it, at the distance of just 11 inches, without feeling any heat radiating. I read that people write "load up", but load up how much? What does that really mean?

How much I load the stove depends largely on how much heat I need. A need for more heat = larger loads. In general I try not to load much above the fire brick in the back . . . and definitely don't pack the stove with small splits and light it -- it's very easy to get a fire that is too hot in this manner.

thank you all for your help.

 

[Game warden]

We have a Jotul F500 since 4 days. The guys that installed it made a nice fire that heated up the place very quickly. Since then, we tried to do the same thing, but we didn't manage, so we are doing something wrong.

The wood we are using has less than 20% humidity marked on it. The length is 11 inches.

Since reading the forum I understood that the thermometer must be placed on the stovetop right corner and then closer the air flux by increments when the top reaches a certain temperature. What I do not know is how to arrange the wood.

Yesterday we put paper on ashes and some small very dry wood pieces special for starting the fire, we waited for this wood to burn nicely, then we put the first large wood. Some time later, since no heat was coming from the jotul, we put the second one.

But still, we could stand in front of it, at the distance of just 11 inches, without feeling any heat radiating. I read that people write "load up", but load up how much? What does that really mean?

thank you all for your help.

I agree with Firefighter Jake. I've burned for much of my life with quite a few different models. I like the Jotul the best. My first experience with Jotul was when I purchased my current home. It came with a Jotul 3 from year 1987. Loved it. Older stove for sure. No doubt, you have to learn each stove....in my experiences, anyway. I can't say for sure what you're doing wrong with kindling/etc...but it sounds like electyou aren't putting enough kindling in the stove at start. I can only guess at that though. I use hardwood kindling...I know most people don't have this option, but I purchased a small electric 5 ton log splitter and keep it in my basement. I split my straight grained firewood down to 1 inch pieces or smaller. I store them in a copper wash tub standing up a couple feet from my new Oslo. after my first day of burning, the closest side of the wash tub is where I take kindling from to start the next fire. I must say, I probably use about 16 pieces of hard wood kindling to get my fire going....yes you have to be careful...it can take off if you don't control the air intake a bit...but the coals are fantastic from a piece of hardwood. From there I can take an average to smaller piece of firewood (4 or 5 inches across) and it gets going pretty good. Three or four of these pieces on the coals from the kindling and it's off to the races.

 

[Liana]

Do you put the wood at the right and left side of the stove, like on the video ? because we ordered 18 inch pieces and they will be too big for that.

As for the fire, we are starting to get depressed :D Tonight we burnt 4 large pieces of wood, and it is still cold in the room. The temperature didn't change in the room! After 1 hour of burning the temperature rose to 400, we closed the air a bit, it started to go down after that.

We put two wood pieces parralel to the window. With lots of little pieces of wood, the kindling, between the two, some paper. It was burning really nicely, but the temperature did not go up. After some time we added the third wood, which made the temperature rise to 400 (this was one hour after we started the fire). We closed the air and that is when the temperature went down.

Should we start with with 4 medium wood? Do you put as much as on the video?

 

[begreen]

400ºF is cool for this stove. With a full load of good dry wood (this is important) the stove top temperature should be around 600ºF. If the draft is weak or the wood not fully dry inside, then there will be poorer heating performance.

 

[2fireplacesinSC]

Is your wood moisture level from the middle of a freshly split piece? ( you mentioned having to buy wood)

Sounds like certainly could be your wood. Try some (1 or 2) ecobricks.

 

[Game warden]

Do you put the wood at the right and left side of the stove, like on the video ? because we ordered 18 inch pieces and they will be too big for that.

As for the fire, we are starting to get depressed :D Tonight we burnt 4 large pieces of wood, and it is still cold in the room. The temperature didn't change in the room! After 1 hour of burning the temperature rose to 400, we closed the air a bit, it started to go down after that.

We put two wood pieces parralel to the window. With lots of little pieces of wood, the kindling, between the two, some paper. It was burning really nicely, but the temperature did not go up. After some time we added the third wood, which made the temperature rise to 400 (this was one hour after we started the fire). We closed the air and that is when the temperature went down.

Should we start with with 4 medium wood? Do you put as much as on the video?

I simply load in newspaper and a crumpled grocery bag...then load in 18 inch long pieces of very dry kindling....(criss cross it..make so the air can get to it), mostly hardwood kindling...but softwood burns quicker...must be very dry...put enough in to create a good bed of coals (Yes as much as the video...I do not use large pieces to start like the video shows). Let it burn down into coals...then load medium fire wood on top...load several pieces so air can weave into them...make sure the air control is open all the way and be ready in a few minutes to shut it down a bit...quarter at a time. Once a nice bed of coals forms, you can use the larger pieces. Dry firewood is a must...two seasons on the hardwood. I keep my wood stored in a wood shed...4 cords it will hold. 4 more on stand by under a tarp...then I shift that into the wood shed in the spring when there's room.

Stainless chimney liner...6 inch diameter the whole way up- 28 feet to top of chimney. Insulated with thermal mix.