Is there a repair manual for Jotul F500 ?

[ABalliett]

My first post here.


I've read a lot of posts and I'm baffled about how much everyone knows about the inner workings of their stoves.

I'm not getting too smart with just a exploded parts diagram to study.

Is there an actual 'repair' manual out there for the Jotel stoves? Mine is a F500

The big problem I'm having is that the air tubes no longer seem long enough to reach from end piece to end piece. All of them seem about a quarter inch too short. (!)

 

[begreen]

Air tubes don't shrink. They usually float in between the two side manifolds. Are yours falling out?

 

[ABalliett]

They haven't fallen out. They seem firmly seated on the left side but about a quarter inch too short to fit in the right side. All of them. They are not sagging or anything. They are running parallel to the floor of the stove but only supported from one side.

 

[begreen]

That's an odd one. Were either of the secondary manifolds unbolted at some point? When the stove is cold check to see if they are loose.

 

[Grisu]

I don't know the inner workings of the F500 but since it is a gasketed stove, could the stove body maybe have come apart? Some pictures may help.

 

[FionaD]

Hi AB..

If you go to Jotul.com and select the United Kingdom site rather than the U.S. one, you'll see that the documentation available for download for each model of stove includes installation manuals as well as user manuals, you might get a little more info there.. For some reason they don't seem to be included on the U.S. site - can't imaagine why..

The bad news is, the F500 isn't a model that's sold over here! But maybe you'll find some info to help you in the installation manuals of a similar model? Just a thought....

Oh - and the installation manuals are in every European language! So you'll be able to brush up on your Finnish and Italian whilst you're looking!

Hope you find something there that helps.. In the meantime, speaking as someone who is having fun just now with her secondary burn plate in an F3, maybe someone here who has an F500 could supply a pic of what their burn plates look like? Here's a pic of the interior of the F3... Note the bolts that should hold the burn plate in place and stop,it from falling out of position... This may be irrelevant to your model, but should you have something similar?

 

[begreen]

IIRC there are a couple bolts on the firebox side per manifold that hold the manifold assembly together and one bolt at the back end that holds it in place.

If you remove the lid I think you may have good access to the back manifold bolts if you find that the manifolds are loose.

 

[ABalliett]

The manifolds aren't loose, as far as I can tell, the tubers are 'firmly' fixed on the left side. I can't get any more length from them. The stove does NOT seem to be coming apart.

If I take the top off, will I have to replace a gasket there before I put the lid back on?

What about bolts that hold down the top? Are they likely to break on me since they've never been removed?

Oh, I don't officially know which model of stove I have. I was just going by the pictures on the jotel page. Is there a plate on the front of the stove where I might find the model or serial number?

Here's a picture but it won't tell you much, I'm afraid. Thanks to everyone who is trying to help me!

 

[begreen]

There should be a complete UL label on the back of the stove that lists the model. And you could post a picture here of the stove. The top has a gasket just like the door. The bolts don't even need to be replaced.

 

[Valhalla]

The secondary air tubes are each held in by a single locating "point" on the upper, left side manifold half, for each tube, as viewed from the front of the stove. Each of the tubes have one special hole, on the left side for the "point". It can all be easily accessed by opening the front door. Look to the upper left side, as viewed from the open door. Use an Allen wrench, 7 mm if I remember correctly, to lower the bottom half of the left manifold by loosening the two vertical bolts. Open the side door to reach around if necessary.

Yes, also check that each of the upper manifolds and bolts are snug. Check the upper bolts of the left and right side upper manifolds, as it's security is important for the critical dimension. Make sure both of the upper manifold halfs are always properly seated. The heat resistant board and blanket can be easily removed by moving it to one side (left or right), and then downward. Careful not to tear or damage both of them! Reinstall them both the same way. Then position the board and blanket in the center and to the rear, as before they were removed. Hint: keep them together!

Don't over tighten any of the bolts, as it is in cast iron. Carefully hold the three tubes in place, the rear first, then the center, then the front, and finally fully secure the lower half of the left side manifold. This can be very tricky to do! Check the right side bolts, and don't over tighten them. There are no locating holes on the right side of the tubes, so they easily slide into the right side manifold. Hint: You never need to remove the right side, lower manifold half.

Easy to do, take your time to do it on your next cold stove cleaning. I do this every time I clean my flue from below with a "SootEater."

 

[ABalliett]

Here's a photo of my stove. Someone ask that I post it so the group can verify that it is a Jotel F500

 

[ABalliett]

If I remove the top of my stove, should I have fresh gasket material to replace what's in there now (and isn't leaking or anything) or since the top hasn't been off since it was assembled, will I be able to just use that gasket again?

Thanks, Valhalla, for the good description of what has to be done next.

I'm getting the chimney cleaned next week (earliest appointment I could get) Geesh, they are charging $249 nowadays. What's it like in your neighborhood?

I appreciate all the suggestions that have been offered for my situation!

 

[begreen]

Here's a photo of my stove. Someone ask that I post it so the group can verify that it is a Jotel F500

Yes. The left side door is unique to the F500. The top gasket should be almost virgin and in good shape. I doubt you'll have to touch it. Just keep it clean before putting the top back on.

 

[Valhalla]

If I remove the top of my stove, should I have fresh gasket material to replace what's in there now (and isn't leaking or anything) or since the top hasn't been off since it was assembled, will I be able to just use that gasket again?

Thanks, Valhalla, for the good description of what has to be done next.

I'm getting the chimney cleaned next week (earliest appointment I could get) Geesh, they are charging $249 nowadays. What's it like in your neighborhood?

I appreciate all the suggestions that have been offered for my situation!

Why take the top of the stove off at all? There is no reason to do that. All the easy work to correct the secondary tube mounting and attachment can be done from below and inside the stove. Consider this simpler solution.

 

[begreen]

This was to investigate the manifold holding bolts. Can the top side manifold bolts be checked from below?

Your post and good tips followed mine. I agree that the first thing to try is your suggestion to loosen the 2 left bottom manifold clamshell bolts to loosen the tubes. It could be that will be enough to get them slid over into the right manifold.

 

[Valhalla]

This was to investigate the manifold holding bolts. Can the top side manifold bolts be checked from below?

Your post and good tips followed mine. I agree that the first thing to try is your suggestion to loosen the 2 left bottom manifold clamshell bolts to loosen the tubes. It could be that will be enough to get them slid over into the right manifold.

Yes, it can all be done from below and without removing the top of the stove. The left side, upper manifold half has the three (3) locating "points" for each of the secondary air tubes. The three (3) tubes will not slide unless they are first released. It is very easy to remove left side lower manifold half, the 3 tubes and finally drop the board and blanket. Then the upper manifold bolts can be checked. All is then reinstalled.

 

[ABalliett]

Valhalla, what's a 'sooteater'?

 

[begreen]

(broken link removed to http://www.gardusinc.com/sooteater-products.html)

 

[ABalliett]

So, when I tried to remove the allen bolts holding the tubes in on the left side, the whole manifold fell down. The upper bolt (above the air hole in the rear) is loose, will turn by hand. Can you tighten that bolt to hold the manifold in place without removing the top? Is there just the rear end bolt? Or is there 'supposed to be' a bolt on each end of the upper manifold?

The insulation blanked is a little ragged. Some splits on the edges. I truly don't understand what it's function is. (It seemed to be full of ash, at least the top of it was)

Oh, this is how little I understand at this point: With the manifold out, can I still build a fire?

 

[ABalliett]

begreen Does that work pretty well for you?

 

[begreen]

I suspected a loose manifold bolt. At this point I'd personally pull the top for easy access, your call. The sooteater works well for many folks here. I've only used it once. It was surprisingly easy.

If it were me I'd just get it put together right and not run it without the secondary manifold. Once you get into the task it's probably a 30 minute job.

 

[Valhalla]

Put it back together correctly. Safety first.
Since your final assembly of the stove is all from the inside, my choice would be not to remove the top. If you remove the top, you have to reattach it anyway. My procedure would be as follows:

Assuming the heat resistant board, blanket, the 3 tubes and all 4 manifold parts are removed from the stove. It is all best done clean and empty.

1. Attach and seat both LEFT and RIGHT side upper manifold halfs. Tighten upper bolts fully and seat it carefully.
2. Place and position the board and blanket above the upper manifold halfs. Together they control draft to the flue.
3. Attach RIGHT side lower manifold half with the 2 bolts. Leave bolts loose by about one turn.
4. Insert the 3 tubes in the RIGHT side manifold. Note: The "small" air hole tube goes in the rear. Place all tubes with the special "point" locating hole on LEFT side. Examine each tube carefully before you place it.
5. Slowly insert and lift the left side, lower manifold half, first with the rear tube, then the middle tube, and finally the front tube. It is tricky, but makes sense. Start by the rear, middle and then front tube as you hold up the lower manifold half. Tighten two LEFT side bolts to hold the manifold together. Then finally tighten all four (4) of the the lower manifold bolts.
6. Perfect time to empty all ashes and clean your glass.

It all goes together quite simply. Since this is your first time, I'll estimate that 1 to 2 hours would be required. Take your time and be thorough with each step.

 

[begreen]

My understanding is that the top does not need to be reattached. In Europe I've read that they treat the top bolts as shipping bolts and leave them out to facilitate easier flue cleaning. It's gasketed to make a positive seal. Removing the top to me is a safer way to handle the baffle board and to get the blanket placed correctly.

 

[ABalliett]

OK. Thanks for the instruction. I'll get on this in the morning! (Do you think those manifold bolts with the allen heads are going to come out easily? )

 

[Valhalla]

My understanding is that the top does not need to be reattached. In Europe I've read that they treat the top bolts as shipping bolts and leave them out to facilitate easier flue cleaning. It's gasketed to make a positive seal. Removing the top to me is a safer way to handle the baffle board and to get the blanket placed correctly.

begreen, you are the professional, as I'm just a Jotul Oslo owner. I respect all of your advice on this.
From my experience and training, the Oslo can be safely and easily cleaned all from within.
I have used a SootEater about 12 times, each without removing the stove top and breaking the seal.
I also wire brush and vacuum out the inside of the stove twice a year. The board and blanket are easily handled.
My stove top is bolted on to stay and used to easily lift the stove, if ever needed to be moved in the future. I like to keep it firmly attached.
I am just a guest here, just offering my experience. Thanks for your excellent guidance and time.