Jotul Firelight: 24+ hour burn time!

[Ashful]

Filled the Jotul Firelight 12 for a top-down fire with four big splits last night (stove approx. 2/3 full), some paper and kindling, and a few small splits on top. Got home tonight, and found I still have a nice coal bed and a warm stove, after 24 hours! Room temp was still 70*F. It makes me wonder what this stove could do on a full load, and if we hadn't left it burn at half throttle a little too long last evening.

This achieved, I have a new goal: red coals and a warm stove after 30+ hours. Watch out, Blaze King!

 

[BrowningBAR]

What was the stove temp at the end of the 24 hour burn.

 

[rideau]

Great news! Everything that makes our stoves more versatile is helpful. What species wood did you burn?

 

[Ashful]

Temperature after 24 hours on 2/3 of a full load was only 150'F. There was a remnant of one split (two baseball size chunks) still glowing in the bottom of the stove, and all else had been reduced to ash. When I opened the doors, one of the glowing chunks re-ignited.

 

[webby3650]

Thats good! But it's got nothing on the B-King. Mine would be 350+ after 24hrs with wood still to consume. My Webster is doing about the same as your Jotul it sounds like, But I've got my sights set on the next big thing!

 

[Ashful]

Yep... I know I'll never touch the BK on burn time, but I aim to have the next best thing, and in a package that isn't so offensive looking!

Sorry I forgot you rideau. The load was three splits of Walnut and one split of some old rotten pine left by the previous owner of this house. As I build more confidence, I'll work my way up to larger loads of higher BTU woods.

 

[webby3650]

Yep... I know I'll never touch the BK on burn time, but I aim to have the next best thing, and in a package that isn't so offensive looking!

You got that right! Thats the only rule my wife has for the next stove, it can't be ugly!

 

[wkpoor]

I think to get some apples to apples comparisons folks need to weigh their wood and note species. My guess is experienced users of various mfg stoves in same category (ie. secondary burn, cat or hybrid) will see similar results. My guess is one main reason BK stoves can burn a long time is simply a function of how much fuel can be loaded into it.

 

[BrotherBart]

I think to get some apples to apples comparisons folks need to weigh their wood and note species. My guess is experienced users of various mfg stoves in same category (ie. secondary burn, cat or hybrid) will see similar results. My guess is one main reason BK stoves can burn a long time is simply a function of how much fuel can be loaded into it.

Been wondering where you were. Hadn't heard from you since the GTG. Even on AS.. Not to side track the thread.

The BK burns till hell freezes over because of a huge belly full of wood and the cat cooking the smoke. Not rocket surgery. Woodstock cat stoves burn from can to can't with smaller loads.

Of course real wood burners don't burn stoves with car tailpipe stuff in their stoves.

.

 

[BrowningBAR]

Temperature after 24 hours on 2/3 of a full load was only 150'F. There was a remnant of one split (two baseball size chunks) still glowing in the bottom of the stove, and all else had been reduced to ash. When I opened the doors, one of the glowing chunks re-ignited.

That's pretty damn good. Better than what I can do with the Defiant at this point. 14-16 hours is max for me. We'll see if I can top that this winter. I'm also thinking about modifying the air controls to limit it more to prevent temp climbs.

 

[rdust]

Great burn Joful!

I think to get some apples to apples comparisons folks need to weigh their wood and note species. My guess is experienced users of various mfg stoves in same category (ie. secondary burn, cat or hybrid) will see similar results. My guess is one main reason BK stoves can burn a long time is simply a function of how much fuel can be loaded into it.

I don't buy it, the King is huge but the Princess and other stoves aren't monsters. I just have the baby and I'm at a stove top of 330 after 25 hours or so with a full load of elm. It's only a 2.8 cubic foot stove not a monster 4+cu' like the King. We haven't read about many stoves less than 3 cu' that can do this cat or not. Lows in the 30's last night, high of 40 today and 37 right now. One load of wood and 70+ on the main level right now, temps haven't moved more than a couple degrees one way or the other.

If more people burned a BK they would believe it's more than stories they read on the internet. It's silly really how easy I can get a 24hr useful burn. When I add on and need a King I'll have to send the Princess down to BB in VA and make a believer out of him.

 

[BrotherBart]

Don't have one, and won't. But I am a believer. Too many experienced wood burners here now have them and love them.

Now if I could find a Firelight 12 in good condition...

To get it back to the OP's post.

 

[BrowningBAR]

I'm at a stove top of 330 after 25 hours or so with a full load of elm.

And that right there is one of the shortcomings of the VC cat system. So far I can not consistently lock in a lower temp with the stove. This isn't a huge deal for me as I can still get 10-16 hours out of a stove I paid $400 for. But, it is a flaw.

If I could lock in temps it would offer longer burns. But, once it grabs hold the temps will rise to 650 degrees.

 

[Ashful]

Same with me, BAR, which is why I might never get more than 24 hours. Last night with a bigger load of hardwood, I had to get stove top to 475'F to get the cat to light off. After that, I worked my way back down to min air, but stovetop was in the 400's all evening and cat peaked into the 1700's twice. First time I had seen the cat that warm, since installing the probe.

I was thinking of following an old post of Bro Bart's, and partially closing off my air inlet holes to reduce secondary burn temp a bit. Any reason I shouldn't?

 

[corey21]

Congrats.

 

[begreen]

That's excellent. Do you attribute this improvement to having a proper insulated liner, the wood, the operator ?

If it were me I would not do a lot of tinkering with the air control. The stove is working well and you are still learning. Best to let it teach you rather than chasing BK stove's tail.

 

[Todd]

Nice burn Joful. Those old Jotul 12 Stoves sound like great heaters. I'd like to see jotul come out with a cat stove again some day.

 

[Ashful]

Do you attribute this improvement to having a proper insulated liner, the wood, the operator ?

Probably a little of each. Last year I was burning green wood thru a too-short, uninsulated, 8" masonry flue. As of last week, I am burning 9-months seasoned wood thru a 6" insulated liner, and I have learned an immense amount about setting up a controlled burn from you folks here. I can't wait until next year, when I'm finally burning more properly seasoned wood.

If it were me I would not do a lot of tinkering with the air control. The stove is working well and you are still learning. Best to let it teach you rather than chasing BK stove's tail.

Cool. Will do!

Nice burn Joful. Those old Jotul 12 Stoves sound like great heaters. I'd like to see jotul come out with a cat stove again some day.

Well, I wouldn't take my word for it, just yet. I have a lot to learn. I do wish Jotul would start making catalytic stoves again, though.

 

[BrowningBAR]

Same with me, BAR, which is why I might never get more than 24 hours. Last night with a bigger load of hardwood, I had to get stove top to 475'F to get the cat to light off. After that, I worked my way back down to min air, but stovetop was in the 400's all evening and cat peaked into the 1700's twice. First time I had seen the cat that warm, since installing the probe.

I was thinking of following an old post of Bro Bart's, and partially closing off my air inlet holes to reduce secondary burn temp a bit. Any reason I shouldn't?

Right now I am trying magnets with aluminum foil to block off the primary air to see what that does. My issue may be the VC T-stat. If the block off doesn't work I'm going to see what can be done with the T-stat.

If I could keep it at 400 degees stove top I could probably get 14-18 hours consistently. But, when it grabs hold, and goes up to 650+ degrees it hinders my burn times to around 10+ hours. Right now, after reloading at 11:30 the stove top is still at 400. But, it could have been better without the run-up in temps.

 

[jharkin]

Right now I am trying magnets with aluminum foil to block off the primary air to see what that does. My issue may be the VC T-stat. If the block off doesn't work I'm going to see what can be done with the T-stat.

If I could keep it at 400 degees stove top I could probably get 14-18 hours consistently. But, when it grabs hold, and goes up to 650+ degrees it hinders my burn times to around 10+ hours. Right now, after reloading at 11:30 the stove top is still at 400. But, it could have been better without the run-up in temps.

Hmmm. I wonder if there is something about hte design changes from your old 028 and Defiant to the newer 2550 Encore I have. I can load the beast to the gills and get it to hold 400F or lower at minimum air. Now the cat temp may still go to 1700 on a big load for the first hour or two but keeping the griddle temp down has never been a problem for me.

I filled her 2/3 full about an hour ago (5 med splits). Right now with the air control straight down.. about 20% open... its sitting at 300F griddle and 1150F cat probe. Room temp is 75 so I'm actually going to get up and shut it down all the way

Note these splits are all very dry heavy stuff - oak mostly leftover from last year. Easier to control than big loads of lighter fast burning wood.

 

[BrowningBAR]

Hmmm. I wonder if there is something about hte design changes from your old 028 and Defiant to the newer 2550 Encore I have. I can load the beast to the gills and get it to hold 400F or lower at minimum air. Now the cat temp may still go to 1700 on a big load for the first hour or two but keeping the griddle temp down has never been a problem for me.

I filled her 2/3 full about an hour ago (5 med splits). Right now with the air control straight down.. about 20% open... its sitting at 300F griddle and 1150F cat probe. Room temp is 75 so I'm actually going to get up and shut it down all the way

Note these splits are all very dry heavy stuff - oak mostly leftover from last year. Easier to control than big loads of lighter fast burning wood.

I could see that being the case with the 0028, but the Defiant is a 1945, which was produced at about the same time as the 2550 Encore.

I haven't run the Encore, yet, this year. But, last year the Encore did not run away much at all. And when it did, it was correctable.

 

[begreen]

You might try a trick I used on my old Resolute to achieve a more positive closure of the air flap. I got a tiny bar magnet pried out of a small refrigerator magnet, maybe 1/2" x 1/8". A small round one would work too. I put this just above the bottom edge of the air control flap. What this achieved was a solid positive closure of the flap when it was just about to close. You could hear the difference. It went from tap, tap, tap as it hovered near closure to a solid click in place.

 

[BrowningBAR]

You might try a trick I used on my old Resolute to achieve a more positive closure of the air flap. I got a tiny bar magnet pried out of a small refrigerator magnet, maybe 1/2" x 1/8". A small round one would work too. I put this just above the bottom edge of the air control flap. What this achieved was a solid positive closure of the flap when it was just about to close. You could hear the difference. It went from tap, tap, tap as it hovered near closure to a solid click in place.

I believe the Defiants and Encores have a different design. The air closure you are describing sounds identical to the Vigilant set up.

The Defiant and Encore air opening has a 'door' that opens inward when fully open. When closed it sits relatively flush with the opening but the door is just a bit shorter than the opening so air can not be completely closed off.

 

[begreen]

In that case I think I would try one of those 1/16 thick flexible magnets and cut it down so that when it contacts the iron casting it is shutting a greater percentage of air. This may take some experimentation. I think I would start with blocking 25% of the flap width.

 

[BrowningBAR]

In that case I think I would try one of those 1/16 thick flexible magnets and cut it down so that when it contacts the iron casting it is shutting a greater percentage of air. This may take some experimentation. I think I would start with blocking 25% of the flap width.

I'm leaning in that direction as well. Right now I am using small round magnets with aluminum foil to see if there is any difference.

We have a warm front coming in this week and I will remove the heat shield and t-stat cover and take a look at what's going on.