Jotul 3 Over Firing

[diyfarmerbill]

My Jotul 3 is about 8 years old and started over firing last spring. We replaced the main door gasket, the glass gasket and the ash pan door gasket. Still getting same result - hard to control heat when any substantial amount of wood added. Have used light and found no leaks.

Found the following with an incense smoke test when all the air input controls are closed completely:

1. A significant amount of smoke is still being pulled into the stove through the openings at the upper front of the stove where the primary air control is.

2. There is always a fairly strong pull of smoke behind the heat shields at the rear; I assume this smoke is headed towards the secondary air inlet.

I haven’t found anywhere else where smoke is being pulled into the stove under these conditions.

Are my observations what is to be expected (or more importantly what someone else has observed) with a correctly functioning Jotul 3?

Help sought and greatly appreciated!

 

[joecool85]

My Jotul 3 is about 8 years old and started over firing last spring. We replaced the main door gasket, the glass gasket and the ash pan door gasket. Still getting same result - hard to control heat when any substantial amount of wood added. Have used light and found no leaks.

Found the following with an incense smoke test when all the air input controls are closed completely:

1. A significant amount of smoke is still being pulled into the stove through the openings at the upper front of the stove where the primary air control is.

2. There is always a fairly strong pull of smoke behind the heat shields at the rear; I assume this smoke is headed towards the secondary air inlet.

I haven’t found anywhere else where smoke is being pulled into the stove under these conditions.

Are my observations what is to be expected (or more importantly what someone else has observed) with a correctly functioning Jotul 3?

Help sought and greatly appreciated!

Well, if it's operating differently than it has for the past 8 years, something has changed. It could be the stove, it could be the chimney (new liner?) or it could be your wood.

 

[Backwoods Savage]

Welcome to the forum Bill.

When you state smoke is being pulled into the stove, I will assume you mean air being pulled in. You no doubt know that the stoves draft can not be closed entirely because that is no longer allowed when building the stoves. One thing that comes to mind is to check to make sure you installed the correct size gasket material. Also, when you installed that gasket, hopefully you did not stretch it and just laid it into the groove. So, over fire should be either air or fuel. Any change in fuel? But that would be difficult unless you are burning really super dry wood or pallet material or slab wood or something similar. I don't worry much about dry wood as we regularly burn wood that we've split and stacked for 6 or 7 years and have no problems with it being too dry.

 

[joecool85]

Welcome to the forum Bill.

When you state smoke is being pulled into the stove, I will assume you mean air being pulled in. You no doubt know that the stoves draft can not be closed entirely because that is no longer allowed when building the stoves. One thing that comes to mind is to check to make sure you installed the correct size gasket material. Also, when you installed that gasket, hopefully you did not stretch it and just laid it into the groove. So, over fire should be either air or fuel. Any change in fuel? But that would be difficult unless you are burning really super dry wood or pallet material or slab wood or something similar. I don't worry much about dry wood as we regularly burn wood that we've split and stacked for 6 or 7 years and have no problems with it being too dry.

I've only had problems with overfiring due to wood the last couple days when I was loading in super dry 3 year old pine and trying to get the stove packed full for a long burn...it won't work. Maybe if they hadn't been splits but rounds, but even as large (5" plus) splits it was hitting 650F easy (which is my stoves overfire point).

 

[Backwoods Savage]

It just does not sound like a fuel problem. I'd be sure to check those gaskets again. And have you tried the dollar bill test on the firebox door?

 

[fishingpol]

Ash pan door can be a problem. If there is a build up of ash behind the pan, the pan may not settle in all the way to the back allowing the ash door to shut completely. Sure, the door may latch, but it does not pull tight to the gasket. Many F3 owners including myself have filled the ash pan and not emptied it. It prevents any leaks from the bottom and further prevents the ever-tempting opening ash door to boost the fire on start ups. I too just replaced the door and glass gaskets and it did make the primary air more controllable.

I also did the incense stick around the holes across the top front and even with the primary closed, some air does get pulled in.

Welcome to the forums.

 

[davegutz]

I recently had over-firing after I replaced the glass that had been very cracked (like being very pregnant?). I thought, "WOW, that makes a huge difference!". In fact, I had cleaned out the ashes at the same time and had a small pile of overflow on the ash pan holder in the back that was preventing the ash door from fully closing. I jiggled the ash pan (I know I should stick the shovel in there - but this was an experiment - besides it was HOT) and got a much more sure closing of the ash door and the over-firing stopped.

 

[joecool85]

I recently had over-firing after I replaced the glass that had been very cracked (like being very pregnant?). I thought, "WOW, that makes a huge difference!". In fact, I had cleaned out the ashes at the same time and had a small pile of overflow on the ash pan holder in the back that was preventing the ash door from fully closing. I jiggled the ash pan (I know I should stick the shovel in there - but this was an experiment - besides it was HOT) and got a much more sure closing of the ash door and the over-firing stopped.

The overfiring you speak of, was it legit overfiring? IE - over a certain temperature point or glowing or something, or was it just a lot warmer than you wanted it?

 

[davegutz]

The flames were really shooting up from the grate and the small grill that keeps logs from rolling out the front was cherry red. I'm sure the ash door was open.

 

[davegutz]

I don't have a thermometer yet: I'm aware how useful they are. I need to get a digital one since the right point is up past a bulkhead in the smoke box.