Jotul F45 Greenville Experiences

[Todd]

-35 this morning! Its been a good test for the F45 for the last week or so with this brutal arctic blast. No more long 10-12 hour burns around here. I'm finding it better to burn half loads about every 4 hours at a med low burn rate for a more even heat in the cabin then stuff it full at bed time for an 8hr burn so i have plenty of coals for the morning. This is keeping the cabin in the mid 70's during the day. Also keeping the ash bed on the low side to keep the coaling down.

 

[Todd]

After our 2 week arctic blast I did notice an increase in draft and shortened burn times that are pretty typical for most stoves especially non cats. So I did a little tinkering with the primary air system. Looking under the stove there are two square primary air holes where the air control rod is attached to a slide. Just behind that are two 1/4" drilled holes that look to be an unregulated boost air which are kind of hard to see since they are somewhat hidden by the edge of the bottom heat shield. I folded up some tin foil and wedged it between the heat shield and holes to block them. This seemed to help with a little more control and slow down the quick off gassing on those high drafting days. I'll see how this mod goes the rest of the season and maybe make something more permanent.

 

[Jmorg]

-35 this morning! Its been a good test for the F45 for the last week or so with this brutal arctic blast. No more long 10-12 hour burns around here. I'm finding it better to burn half loads about every 4 hours at a med low burn rate for a more even heat in the cabin then stuff it full at bed time for an 8hr burn so i have plenty of coals for the morning. This is keeping the cabin in the mid 70's during the day. Also keeping the ash bed on the low side to keep the coaling down.

I'm thinking really hard about getting one of these and I appreciate your posts as I cant find many reviews for this stove. Few questions for you...Does it radiate the heat well or do you have the blower and use for more of a convection heat? I'm just concerned that it might not radiate well d/t being mostly steel. Also how big is the space that you're heating? I would be heating a space of about 1800 sq ft which is the advertised limit. I have a wood insert right now and we get the occasional ice storm that knocks out power so I really don't want to rely on a blower. Wouldn't mind having a eco fan though... I appreciate any info you can give me.

 

[Todd]

I'm thinking really hard about getting one of these and I appreciate your posts as I cant find many reviews for this stove. Few questions for you...Does it radiate the heat well or do you have the blower and use for more of a convection heat? I'm just concerned that it might not radiate well d/t being mostly steel. Also how big is the space that you're heating? I would be heating a space of about 1800 sq ft which is the advertised limit. I have a wood insert right now and we get the occasional ice storm that knocks out power so I really don't want to rely on a blower. Wouldn't mind having a eco fan though... I appreciate any info you can give me.

I'm heating a small 20x30 log cabin with a 200sq ft loft so I'd say it's heating more like 1000 sq ft with the upper level and high ceiling. No blower just a ceiling fan. The heat mostly radiates off the top and front and convection from the sides and back so it kind a does both. I have a chair about 8' away and usually have no problem sitting there comfortably feeling the radiant heat but it could get a little overpowering if I run it at a medium or higher setting, i mostly run it at the lowest burn rate. I dont think you would have any problem heating 1800sq ft in Virginia with this stove as long as you have decent insulation and somewhat open floor plan.

 

[Jmorg]

I'm heating a small 20x30 log cabin with a 200sq ft loft so I'd say it's heating more like 1000 sq ft with the upper level and high ceiling. No blower just a ceiling fan. The heat mostly radiates off the top and front and convection from the sides and back so it kind a does both. I have a chair about 8' away and usually have no problem sitting there comfortably feeling the radiant heat but it could get a little overpowering if I run it at a medium or higher setting, i mostly run it at the lowest burn rate. I dont think you would have any problem heating 1800sq ft in Virginia with this stove as long as you have decent insulation and somewhat open floor plan.

Awesome, thanks for the good info! Yeah, the floor plan is the only thing that really worries me. Our house is a quad level so heat from the stove has a tough time dispersing through the house. The stove is on the very bottom level in the den where we spend most of our time. I don’t want a bigger stove like the Oslo because it would heat us out of there, but I do want it warm enough to keep the oil furnace from running all the time. Anyways the f 45 sounds like it’s doing a great job for you...thanks again!

 

[Todd]

Awesome, thanks for the good info! Yeah, the floor plan is the only thing that really worries me. Our house is a quad level so heat from the stove has a tough time dispersing through the house. The stove is on the very bottom level in the den where we spend most of our time. I don’t want a bigger stove like the Oslo because it would heat us out of there, but I do want it warm enough to keep the oil furnace from running all the time. Anyways the f 45 sounds like it’s doing a great job for you...thanks again!

If you could rig a fan or two to push the cold air down into that lower level it would help push the warm air out to the rest of the house. Cold air is denser and easier to move.

 

[Todd]

Looks like I’m finally back to burning. Have only done a couple take the chill off fires this Fall but yesterday I decided to Load up the stove full with some Jack Pine I processed early last spring. I was very surprised how well it burned and was able to turn the stove all the way down and it cruised around 450 STT for a couple hours before slowly falling. I couldn’t believe 13 hours latter I had a 200 STT and enough coals for relighting! I have quite a bit of Jack Pine on my property, looks like I’ll have a use for it after all.

 

[Todd]

It’s been upper40’s to 50 lately so been going a 24 hr burn schedule with Pine and Aspen. Wait, not an actual 24 hr burn, this isn’t a Blaze King lol. In the evening I stuff the stove full of splits with a homemade fire starter in the middle and she’s good to go at the low setting in 20 min and burns all night. The cabin will hold temp til the next evening fire.

Next week suppose to cool off so will probably try 12 hr reloads and yes she will hold enough coals for a true 12 hour burn, no fire starter or kindling needed. With a low setting the stove top temp usually settles in around 500 for a few hours then slowly drops to about 200 after 12 hours. Flue temps range from 375-450 before dropping off.

 

[From Away]

This post has been helpful to me since I picked up a F45. Todd also has been very helpful in giving me his experiences with the stove. I thought it may be helpful to others that are looking for experiences with the F45 to compare my experiences as a newbie, new not only to the F45 but to wood burning altogether, and Todd's experiences as a seasoned wood burner and experienced F45 user. Maybe the help I receive from these posts on this thread will also help other newbies out!
- Todd and I have compared our stoves because he has the V2, whereas mine is the older version. So far, the only difference I have seen is that the V2 has the Turbulator baffle, whereas mine does not have the top fins on the baffle. Does that make a difference in the burn? I don't know. Possibly that is emissions related only.
- Our house is not very big, just under 1200 sq.ft. and 2 stories. It apparently is very well insulated and holds the heat very well. So far, I have not had to keep a fire going over a 24 hour period, but usually do one fire in the morning and that carries us through till the next morning with the room temp. being around 65 degrees in the morning. Right now, we are seeing lows in the mid 20's at night and mid to high 40's during the day. So again, I have not had to keep the stove fired up because it would be way too much heat.
- When I start a fire, I have been starting top down fires with 3 medium splits on the bottom, decreasing in size working my way up, stacking crossways on the previous layer, until I reach to top with kindling. The fire starts easily and within 30 minutes, I am seeing flue temps. around 200-250 SURFACE, so 400-500 internal (?). At his point, I start shutting it down in 1/4 increments. If the fire looks kind of weak, I will let the flue temp. go up to 300 SURFACE.
- With this startup load, I am not able to turn the stove air control below halfway. If I do, the flue temp. drops quickly and the secondaries stop working. It seems like I have to keep the flue temp. at least around 200 SURFACE. The stove air control stays at halfway through the entire burn and the flue temp. never goes above 300 SURFACE, or the stt over 450-500 this way. Sometimes it is difficult to keep the flue temp. above 200, and the stt at 400.
- One time, curiosity got the best of me, and I loaded 3 medium splits on top of the startup coals when the flue temp. dropped to around 150 SURFACE. It immediately took off and the flue temp. jumped quickly as well as the stt. When I did this, I was able to shut the stove air control down all the way and let her cruise. It held the stt temp. around 500-550, and a flue temp. around 250 SURFACE for approximately 3 hours before starting to drop off. After 10 hours there were still hot coals that I raked forward to the front, added 3 splits, and she took right off!
- I have yet to load the box full of splits, because it gets way too hot in the house right now. So at the most, so far I have loaded about 3 medium splits and 2 smaller splits on top of hot coals. That took the room temperature up to 79 degrees! I actually had to open the outside door.
- The wood I am using right now is 2 year seasoned Ash, with a mc of 15-18 percent.

As you all read this, I am sure there will be some pointers to help out. Shoot 'em out there so other new wood burners like myself can get some help from you experienced guys. Let me also know what works for your F45.

I still do not quite understand the small fire in the bigger stove idea though. When I try to build a small fire in the morning, (see my startup procedure above for what I mean by small fire), it is very difficult to keep the flue temp. up to keep the secondaries active and not get smoke out of the chimney. Which in my limited understanding is what causes the creosote. I think that is why I can never turn the stove air control below halfway on the small fires. And doing it that way to keep the temps. up gives it a much shorter burn time, 4-5 hours. I assume this is normal?
And sometimes with the small fires, that really start putting the heat out, the flue temp. drops too quickly if I try to throttle it back so as not to get the room to hot. The I get smoke out of the chimney and the secondaries stop working. If I open the stove air control all the way back open and get the flue temp. back up, the smoke out the chimney stops and the secondaries kick in. In my thinking, that means that it dropped off too soon, before the off-gassing stage was complete. I don't know. Am I doing this right?
The small fire thing for me is more challenging trying to keep from too much smoke going up the chimney. Seems like it is possible to have too small of a fire and thereby never getting the temps. high enough for the secondaries to work and stop the smoke.

I hope this post that Todd started can turn out to be a help to all the new guys like myself. and new users of the F45. So far, I love the stove. It is very controllable and responds quickly to adjustments. Perfect for a newbie!

 

[Todd]

This post has been helpful to me since I picked up a F45. Todd also has been very helpful in giving me his experiences with the stove. I thought it may be helpful to others that are looking for experiences with the F45 to compare my experiences as a newbie, new not only to the F45 but to wood burning altogether, and Todd's experiences as a seasoned wood burner and experienced F45 user. Maybe the help I receive from these posts on this thread will also help other newbies out!
- Todd and I have compared our stoves because he has the V2, whereas mine is the older version. So far, the only difference I have seen is that the V2 has the Turbulator baffle, whereas mine does not have the top fins on the baffle. Does that make a difference in the burn? I don't know. Possibly that is emissions related only.
- Our house is not very big, just under 1200 sq.ft. and 2 stories. It apparently is very well insulated and holds the heat very well. So far, I have not had to keep a fire going over a 24 hour period, but usually do one fire in the morning and that carries us through till the next morning with the room temp. being around 65 degrees in the morning. Right now, we are seeing lows in the mid 20's at night and mid to high 40's during the day. So again, I have not had to keep the stove fired up because it would be way too much heat.
- When I start a fire, I have been starting top down fires with 3 medium splits on the bottom, decreasing in size working my way up, stacking crossways on the previous layer, until I reach to top with kindling. The fire starts easily and within 30 minutes, I am seeing flue temps. around 200-250 SURFACE, so 400-500 internal (?). At his point, I start shutting it down in 1/4 increments. If the fire looks kind of weak, I will let the flue temp. go up to 300 SURFACE.
- With this startup load, I am not able to turn the stove air control below halfway. If I do, the flue temp. drops quickly and the secondaries stop working. It seems like I have to keep the flue temp. at least around 200 SURFACE. The stove air control stays at halfway through the entire burn and the flue temp. never goes above 300 SURFACE, or the stt over 450-500 this way. Sometimes it is difficult to keep the flue temp. above 200, and the stt at 400.
- One time, curiosity got the best of me, and I loaded 3 medium splits on top of the startup coals when the flue temp. dropped to around 150 SURFACE. It immediately took off and the flue temp. jumped quickly as well as the stt. When I did this, I was able to shut the stove air control down all the way and let her cruise. It held the stt temp. around 500-550, and a flue temp. around 250 SURFACE for approximately 3 hours before starting to drop off. After 10 hours there were still hot coals that I raked forward to the front, added 3 splits, and she took right off!
- I have yet to load the box full of splits, because it gets way too hot in the house right now. So at the most, so far I have loaded about 3 medium splits and 2 smaller splits on top of hot coals. That took the room temperature up to 79 degrees! I actually had to open the outside door.
- The wood I am using right now is 2 year seasoned Ash, with a mc of 15-18 percent.

As you all read this, I am sure there will be some pointers to help out. Shoot 'em out there so other new wood burners like myself can get some help from you experienced guys. Let me also know what works for your F45.

I still do not quite understand the small fire in the bigger stove idea though. When I try to build a small fire in the morning, (see my startup procedure above for what I mean by small fire), it is very difficult to keep the flue temp. up to keep the secondaries active and not get smoke out of the chimney. Which in my limited understanding is what causes the creosote. I think that is why I can never turn the stove air control below halfway on the small fires. And doing it that way to keep the temps. up gives it a much shorter burn time, 4-5 hours. I assume this is normal?
And sometimes with the small fires, that really start putting the heat out, the flue temp. drops too quickly if I try to throttle it back so as not to get the room to hot. The I get smoke out of the chimney and the secondaries stop working. If I open the stove air control all the way back open and get the flue temp. back up, the smoke out the chimney stops and the secondaries kick in. In my thinking, that means that it dropped off too soon, before the off-gassing stage was complete. I don't know. Am I doing this right?
The small fire thing for me is more challenging trying to keep from too much smoke going up the chimney. Seems like it is possible to have too small of a fire and thereby never getting the temps. high enough for the secondaries to work and stop the smoke.

I hope this post that Todd started can turn out to be a help to all the new guys like myself. and new users of the F45. So far, I love the stove. It is very controllable and responds quickly to adjustments. Perfect for a newbie!

Nice post, sounds like your doing pretty good for a newbie lol. It will take some trial and error to learn your stove. You may find as it gets colder your draft will increase and your stove will act differently. Just the nature of the beast of wood burning. split size, moisture, type and weather all play a part. If you just need a small fire try smaller splits crisscrossed with good spacing in between or some lesser btu woods.

 

[From Away]

This morning I started a load, as explained in my previous post. I adjusted the stove air control down to half way after the flue temp. hit 300 surface. It ran like this for a bit and then started dropping off pretty quick, I would say about 2-3 hours into the burn. I opened the stove air control all the way open again which brought the flue temp. back up to around 275 surface. I let it alone from that point and let it burn.
I started the fire at 6:45 a.m., and right now at 3:15 p.m., this is what the coals look like. I know I could easily start off of them but it is 74 degrees in the house! That is 8.5 hours after starting from a cold stove! And the stove top temp. is currently sitting at just a hair under 200 degrees!

 

[begreen]

Looks pretty good. How tall is the flue system connected to the stove? Is it straight up or out the side of the house and up?

 

[From Away]

22 feet total from the flue collar to the top of the chimney. So, 3 feet of stove pipe to one 90 directly into the chimney, then 19 feet of chimney from there.
The chimney is interior, almost center in the house. 5 feet of it is in the unheated attic space and approx. 3 feet is above the roof.

 

[Todd]

Had a small fire last night with about a half load of Aspen. Draft was a little sluggish probably because it was still 50 outside. Ended up leaving the air set at medium. 8hrs later still had warm stove with a few coals but no need to reload, looking at a high of 60 today so cabin should hold temp throughout the day.

 

[begreen]

22 feet total from the flue collar to the top of the chimney. So, 3 feet of stove pipe to one 90 directly into the chimney, then 19 feet of chimney from there.
The chimney is interior, almost center in the house. 5 feet of it is in the unheated attic space and approx. 3 feet is above the roof.

That should draft ok. It looks like you are doing well and will continue to improve.

 

[Todd]

Colder temps call for a 3 load per day schedule. I’ve been going with 1/2-2/3 loads on low gives me a good 7-9 hour burn with a nice flame show. Keeping the cabin around 75.

 

[Todd]

Looks like Winter has arrived. Had 7” of snow a few days ago followed by single digit below 0 lows the last couple days. I’ve been burning full loads at Just below the medium setting 3 times per day to keep the cabin 75ish. Stove top temps been peaking at 700 with internal flue temps running 500-600.

 

[Eric Minnis]

Well, a year later and we love the F45 even more. It resides in our finished basement and is an amazing stove. We have 900 sq ft downstairs and 1800 sq ft up. If I really wanted to I could probably heat the entire house with just the F45. We do like it cool when we sleep and our winters are rather mild here in NC. I keep wishing for some colder weather.
Upstairs- we finally received and installed our new insert (Osburn 2700 Matrix) and while it does do well, the F45 out performs it in most every regard. This is a new house and if I had it to do over again I would not have built a masonry fireplace that required an insert. The free standing stove is 100% the way to go. The Jotul F45 spoiled us. I wish I had 2.

 

[MR. GLO]

I was looking to buy a new F45 but the price jumped to $2,600.00 .. Is this a fair price with covid/shipping issues?

 

[begreen]

I was looking to buy a new F45 but the price jumped to $2,600.00 .. Is this a fair price with covid/shipping issues?

Prices are unusually high this year. Market demand, time of year, limited supply, higher shipping and material costs all have pushed prices higher.

 

[jotulf45v2]

Last night we got a coating of snow on the ground here in the NE.
This is from the past day of burning 24/7 with nights dropping <30. During the day I put about 2 splits but they're ~6inches across which lasts ~3 hours on high. At night I can put up to about 5 splits in due to their unusual size (all hand split). Burning mostly hickory and ash in this graph. House is mid to upper 70s, mornings is right at 70 when we wake up.

This is my 2nd season with the F45 and I love it. I thought the door gasket decompressed a bit from last season but after burning more it still seems air tight (no black streaks on the glass). Cleaned the glass once this season with newspaper + lye. Glass is crystal clear.

 

[Todd]

I was looking to buy a new F45 but the price jumped to $2,600.00 .. Is this a fair price with covid/shipping issues?

I think it’s fair, other similar style stoves are approaching 3k+. Last year when I bought mine it was listed at $2300 and they gave me a deal at $2000.

 

[jotulf45v2]

I think it’s fair, other similar style stoves are approaching 3k+. Last year when I bought mine it was listed at $2300 and they gave me a deal at $2000.

I paid similar, was ~$2100 including taxes - $300 tax credit = $1800. Also managed to sell my intrepid for $650 which helped, too.

 

[Crab]

I think it’s fair, other similar style stoves are approaching 3k+. Last year when I bought mine it was listed at $2300 and they gave me a deal at $2000.

Wait a minute. You paid $2K, JotulF45V2 paid $2100 and they want Mr. Glo to pay $2600 a year later. Begreen left out one reason prices are up ....Covid price gouging.

 

[jotulf45v2]

If that's what you want to call it. It's very clear covid has impacted the supply chain. When demand outpaces supply prices go up. If you don't want to pay then wait for prices to normalize (if they ever do). Some commodities have entered a new normal in terms of pricing as you can't ever make up the loss we experienced. I can see wood stoves dropping back down in price once supply meets demand. Or more regulations/utility costs can put them in higher demand.