Jotul F500 break in fire

[goofa]

Where is the dog house? I have been looking for the primary air intake but can't find it.

Dry graphite spray? I have graphite in a plastic tube that I use for doorknob locks etc. Is that what you mean?

How often do you do this maintenance? My stove is 2 years old, seems to work fine.

The "dog house" is just inside the front door of the stove. Its right above the air control lever. There are 2 bolts that hold it on, I think 10mm. Remove those and the small rounded cover comes off. It has 3 holes in it the size of a pencil. Down inside where the cover comes off there is a metal plate with 2 square openings on it. When you move the lever from side to side +/- it slides that plate to open and close the primary air . Clean out that area really well from ashes and debris and spray with the graphite lube. I bought mine @ home Depot. It comes in a small aerosol can. It should be near the WD-40 or pb blaster stuff. Or near the master locks. We commonly used it to lube master locks on gates. It sprays out graphite and a wet propellant/lube of sorts but after it dries it leaves the graphite where you want it. Like for locks it won't freeze in the winter like other lubes. Good luck and I will do my best with any other questions! Hopefully that was helpful. I can also post pics later.

 

[Simonkenton]

OK thanks goofa I can find it with that good description.

 

[firefighterjake]

Would y'all tell me about this maintenance. Never heard of this. "Graphite in the dog house."

Really? You've been here since 2014 and never heard of folks mentioning the use of graphite on the air control slider under the dog house? I am a bit shocked . . . but maybe you haven't had any issues which would be a good thing.

I remove the dog house and liberally apply graphite powder (used for lubricating locking mechanisms) on the slider. Generally this helps keep things moving easily for most of the burning season.

 

[Supersurvey]

My burn times have been anywhere between 3-8/9 hours. It all depends on how the stove has been loaded. I am also still on the learning curve for sure. Not really in a solid rythm of when and how much to burn. Also my wood is not "optimum" but working on being 2 years ahead.

Every day is something new. As you get further ahead with your wood supply things will improve. Make sure to top cover your stacks. It makes quite a difference for me.

 

[goofa]

Every day is something new. As you get further ahead with your wood supply things will improve. Make sure to top cover your stacks. It makes quite a difference for me.

I have a 7*6*24 wood shed that I have my wood stacked in. "Open air" sides with a metal roof. So they are covered now. But for me to get 2-3 years ahead that's not enough room so I planned on seasoning in stacks then moving to the wood shed the year I will burn it. So should my seasoning stacks get top covered? And is that how it should be done? Season in open stacks then move and restack in the woodshed?

 

[Simonkenton]

This is the second winter I have had the Jotul. Air intake works fine.
How often do y'all do this maintenance on the air intake?

 

[firefighterjake]

I have a 7*6*24 wood shed that I have my wood stacked in. "Open air" sides with a metal roof. So they are covered now. But for me to get 2-3 years ahead that's not enough room so I planned on seasoning in stacks then moving to the wood shed the year I will burn it. So should my seasoning stacks get top covered? And is that how it should be done? Season in open stacks then move and restack in the woodshed?

Some folks always top cover . . .

Me, I do it pretty much as you described. Wood is stacked outside, uncovered for a year or two and then it gets moved into the woodshed where it sits for a minimum of another year (my woodshed is pretty large and can hold two winter's worth of wood.)

As a result the wood in the woodshed usually burns exceptionally well.

Right now I'm burning a 2012 vintage of cherry, white birch and a bit of oak that I harvested from a co-worker's property when he took down the trees to build a garage. Incidentally, I do not remember every split of wood that is in the woodshed . . . I just happen to remember this wood since he spray painted the wood where he found metal nails, screws, etc. as a way of keeping folks from dulling their chainsaw's chains.

 

[firefighterjake]

This is the second winter I have had the Jotul. Air intake works fine.
How often do y'all do this maintenance on the air intake?

You're probably good for now then . . . I find if I do it once or twice a season everything is good. I have however also found that by being diligent in keeping ash off the front lip, or at least sucked or swept up so that it doesn't work its way into the air control handle, that the air control lever remains less sticky for a longer period of time.

 

[goofa]

This is only my first year with the stove. But obviously the stove was used and I redid it so I tried to be as thorough as possible. That said taking the dog house off and "lubing" the slide is very simple. I will probably do it as a yearly routine unless otherwise need. Don't want that air control to stick! Very simple maintenance task to prevent a bigger headache.