Jotul F500 Oslo Burn Time Issues
- Thread starter NewEnglander
- Start date
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jatoxico
Minister of Fire
Interesting. Surprised no one was able to determine why the door leaked. Was the 2nd door correct? Bad casting on the stove body?
Cats Love Heat
New Member
So, this is a very long thread, and I don't have the time time to read through everything that you and others have posted, but here is my 2 cents:
First of all I giggled when I saw your original post - not at you, but at "me"...you'll see why in a few sentences...
I didn't grow up on a farm burning a woodstove - when we moved into our home 14 years ago I just knew a heat pump was NOT going to cut it in my area...
Luckily we had a masonry fireplace and we had options.
Did my homework, talked with friends, etc...and decided on the Jotul 500 - would never have anything else.
This was my very first woodstove, and I have learned lots and let it teach me.
The folks that installed the stove recommended that I insulate the flue pipe even though it was inside a masonry chimney - "These newer stoves move much less air...etc" - and they were absolutely right.
The insulation and single piece stainless steel pipe cost almost what the stove did - and it was well worth it in hindsight.
The very first thing I did was pack the firebox with as much wood as I could...(firebox size and burn time were all I considered) - utter failure...
Long story made short - a wood stove is an engine which converts wood into heat - what I learned to focus on was getting the "engine" to run at max efficiency (not max temperature) and doing so in a way that was as easy for me as possible...
I am of the opinion that the stove "tells" me what it needs, and I act accordingly...I am used to that - we have cats
I criss-cross my wood at an angle - that works for me and keeps coals from piling up against the front door...
I have a stove top thermometer - the ideal burn temp seems to be about 450-500 degrees for the "engine" to work the best.
I "look" at how the fire is burning compared to the temp, and that is how I judge.
I have found that once the "engine" is burning right, all I have to do is keep it that way...
If you have ever witnessed the "blue-dancing-reburn" flames in the firebox you know what I mean
I find it easier to get up every 3 hours and put wood in (without having to wait for the wood to catch or adjust the damper) than to count on a "burn-time" promise.
Knowing my stove the way I do after 14 years is worth it's weight in gold to me...
1:00 am - toss 2 or 4 logs on, close the door, and go back to bed works for me - no damper adjustment needed.
I am all about keeping everything as simple and easy as possible...
Burning our stove as we do, I only have to clean the chimney every few years...if it's burning right and installed right, creosote should not be an issue...
Having your stove properly installed, burning it the way it "wants" to be burned...will save time, money, and energy.
I believe you when you say you are burning the right wood - dry, seasoned, hardwood.
Sorry this is such a long post - I truly wish you all success in heating your home.
If anything I had to say was of value to you even better !
Best wishes,
Phil
First of all I giggled when I saw your original post - not at you, but at "me"...you'll see why in a few sentences...
I didn't grow up on a farm burning a woodstove - when we moved into our home 14 years ago I just knew a heat pump was NOT going to cut it in my area...
Luckily we had a masonry fireplace and we had options.
Did my homework, talked with friends, etc...and decided on the Jotul 500 - would never have anything else.
This was my very first woodstove, and I have learned lots and let it teach me.
The folks that installed the stove recommended that I insulate the flue pipe even though it was inside a masonry chimney - "These newer stoves move much less air...etc" - and they were absolutely right.
The insulation and single piece stainless steel pipe cost almost what the stove did - and it was well worth it in hindsight.
The very first thing I did was pack the firebox with as much wood as I could...(firebox size and burn time were all I considered) - utter failure...
Long story made short - a wood stove is an engine which converts wood into heat - what I learned to focus on was getting the "engine" to run at max efficiency (not max temperature) and doing so in a way that was as easy for me as possible...
I am of the opinion that the stove "tells" me what it needs, and I act accordingly...I am used to that - we have cats
I criss-cross my wood at an angle - that works for me and keeps coals from piling up against the front door...
I have a stove top thermometer - the ideal burn temp seems to be about 450-500 degrees for the "engine" to work the best.
I "look" at how the fire is burning compared to the temp, and that is how I judge.
I have found that once the "engine" is burning right, all I have to do is keep it that way...
If you have ever witnessed the "blue-dancing-reburn" flames in the firebox you know what I mean
I find it easier to get up every 3 hours and put wood in (without having to wait for the wood to catch or adjust the damper) than to count on a "burn-time" promise.
Knowing my stove the way I do after 14 years is worth it's weight in gold to me...
1:00 am - toss 2 or 4 logs on, close the door, and go back to bed works for me - no damper adjustment needed.
I am all about keeping everything as simple and easy as possible...
Burning our stove as we do, I only have to clean the chimney every few years...if it's burning right and installed right, creosote should not be an issue...
Having your stove properly installed, burning it the way it "wants" to be burned...will save time, money, and energy.
I believe you when you say you are burning the right wood - dry, seasoned, hardwood.
Sorry this is such a long post - I truly wish you all success in heating your home.
If anything I had to say was of value to you even better !
Best wishes,
Phil
Welcome to hearth.com Phil.
Me, personally . . . I still would not want to add wood to the stove every 3 hours . . . I suspect I would have a huge build up of coals if I did . . . not to mention it would get old. I mean, maybe if I was awake and kicking around the house and it was wicked cold, but in normal operation I prefer to let the stove cycle.
By the way . . . this thread is a couple of years old. NewEnglander hasn't been seen here since February 2015 so hopefully you do not expect him to write back.
Me, personally . . . I still would not want to add wood to the stove every 3 hours . . . I suspect I would have a huge build up of coals if I did . . . not to mention it would get old. I mean, maybe if I was awake and kicking around the house and it was wicked cold, but in normal operation I prefer to let the stove cycle.
By the way . . . this thread is a couple of years old. NewEnglander hasn't been seen here since February 2015 so hopefully you do not expect him to write back.
