taking ownership of a Jotul Firelight Model 12
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Arrest me,,, I am sitting in front of my fire light ......bought it for 80 bucks back plate was burned out no cat ,damper was toast and frame was missing the bottom with one broken glass.....I bought a damper repaired the frame by welding steel to bottom
And said screw the catalyst. Stove works great love the look it looks so much better than a single door..I have no cat or chamber threw some cement on back holes....burning green wood but really need seasoned ...enjoy.
And said screw the catalyst. Stove works great love the look it looks so much better than a single door..I have no cat or chamber threw some cement on back holes....burning green wood but really need seasoned ...enjoy.
Ashful
Minister of Fire
Hmm... must be having some troubles, to be searching out and digging up such old threads on Firelight 12's!
Glad you don't live next door to me with all that pollution billowing out your chimney.. This sort of wood burning gives wood burners a black eye in my opinion..
Ashful
Minister of Fire
There has been a cloud of smoke hanging over my neighborhood a few days this week. No doubt, some neighboring weekend burner putting green wood thru their stove. Only trouble is, everyone around here knows I heat with wood, so there are probably many assuming it's me. Very frustrating, as my chimneys emit zero smoke, excepting ten minutes for reload three times per day.
Digging up old threads??? Sorry joful welcome to the Internet didn't notice age of post funny how we can search stuff eh?
Was burning green wood first few fires to make sure stove and install all went well. Once I got my seasoned wood noticed big difference in smoke, burning stove at top surface temp of 400. Only smokes on start up reloads and when I was choking too much otherwise it seems to burn very clean This is a well made stove and if not abused is it wrong to think it can last forty to fifty years??
Was burning green wood first few fires to make sure stove and install all went well. Once I got my seasoned wood noticed big difference in smoke, burning stove at top surface temp of 400. Only smokes on start up reloads and when I was choking too much otherwise it seems to burn very clean This is a well made stove and if not abused is it wrong to think it can last forty to fifty years??
Ashful
Minister of Fire
Hey George,
I've been battling seasoned wood issues myself, the last three years. It takes a good three years to get oak down to proper moisture content, and I seem to be getting a lot of oak to process every year. Every time I get on track to actually getting three years ahead, something like last winter happens, which sets me back a half year in my processing. I'm burning oak and ash that's split and stacked 18 months (2 summers + 1 winter) right now, and while the ash burns great, the oak is a little bit of a struggle.
I keep a thermometer on my stovetop, for the purpose of making sure I don't overheat the stove (eg. 700+), but have completely gotten away from using it to "drive" the stove. Here's my basic process for reloads (which is all I'm doing this time of year):
1. When prior load burns down to < 400F, open air. When stove can no longer maintain 400F with air full open, it's time to reload.
2. Open bypass damper and reload stove, and set timer for 8 - 15 minutes, depending on size of load, size of coal bed, species, etc.
3. When stovepipe thermometer (magnetic mounted to outside of single wall pipe about 18" above stove) hits 550F, close bypass damper. Set timer for 5 minutes.
4. When timer goes off, verify catalytic probe thermometer > 550F. Lower air to half, and set timer for another 5 minutes.
5. When timer goes off, verify catalytic probe thermometer > 800F. Lower air to quarter, and set timer for another 5 minutes.
6. When timer goes off, verify catalytic probe thermometer > 1000F. Close air, and set timer for 5 - 10 minutes.
7. When timer goes off, verify cat did not stall out. Catalytic probe temp usually cruises around 1400F.
If probe temp is low at any of those timer intervals, I just delay lowering air by another five minutes, while watching stovetop temp to ensure I do not overfire stove.
Hope this helps!
I've been battling seasoned wood issues myself, the last three years. It takes a good three years to get oak down to proper moisture content, and I seem to be getting a lot of oak to process every year. Every time I get on track to actually getting three years ahead, something like last winter happens, which sets me back a half year in my processing. I'm burning oak and ash that's split and stacked 18 months (2 summers + 1 winter) right now, and while the ash burns great, the oak is a little bit of a struggle.
I keep a thermometer on my stovetop, for the purpose of making sure I don't overheat the stove (eg. 700+), but have completely gotten away from using it to "drive" the stove. Here's my basic process for reloads (which is all I'm doing this time of year):
1. When prior load burns down to < 400F, open air. When stove can no longer maintain 400F with air full open, it's time to reload.
2. Open bypass damper and reload stove, and set timer for 8 - 15 minutes, depending on size of load, size of coal bed, species, etc.
3. When stovepipe thermometer (magnetic mounted to outside of single wall pipe about 18" above stove) hits 550F, close bypass damper. Set timer for 5 minutes.
4. When timer goes off, verify catalytic probe thermometer > 550F. Lower air to half, and set timer for another 5 minutes.
5. When timer goes off, verify catalytic probe thermometer > 800F. Lower air to quarter, and set timer for another 5 minutes.
6. When timer goes off, verify catalytic probe thermometer > 1000F. Close air, and set timer for 5 - 10 minutes.
7. When timer goes off, verify cat did not stall out. Catalytic probe temp usually cruises around 1400F.
If probe temp is low at any of those timer intervals, I just delay lowering air by another five minutes, while watching stovetop temp to ensure I do not overfire stove.
Hope this helps!
Yes of course it helps lol this s my first good wood stove. I'm used to the fireplace we had in my parents house ( bit of a difference )
I will get mine a bit hotter now. My old man loved to burn oak so that's what I've been seeking out had no idea could take three years to fully season, I have always split wood by hand, think I might get two cords now and let it sit. the stuff I split will be for2018 lol
The oak I'm burning now is white oak and a year and a half seasoned white seams to dry a but quicker then red as I split a piece of red today that was stacked just about a year and still smells wet..I also have a bit of a short chimney plan to add a section to try and increase draft.
I will get mine a bit hotter now. My old man loved to burn oak so that's what I've been seeking out had no idea could take three years to fully season, I have always split wood by hand, think I might get two cords now and let it sit. the stuff I split will be for2018 lol
The oak I'm burning now is white oak and a year and a half seasoned white seams to dry a but quicker then red as I split a piece of red today that was stacked just about a year and still smells wet..I also have a bit of a short chimney plan to add a section to try and increase draft.
Ashful
Minister of Fire
Get your hands on as much ash and maple as you can, for the first few years. It will dry 3x faster than oak of any variety.
Paulywalnut
Minister of Fire
I agree, oak is not the wood you want to gather if you're just starting out burning. Whatever oak you have stack it and forget it.
Back from vacation, going to have to learn wood a bit more. Can tell the easy ones,red oak white oak, don't touch pine,etc
Almost done with old wood, already moved my oak stash to one area only have about a cord with a bit more than that to split.
One of the guys selling wood local boosts how mixed and seasoned his wood is I know he has been selling for years and he's about 15
Bucks higher than others, going to get a cord from him. My better half won't touch the stove and we have it in our closed in porch
So I'm running it only four days a week and 12-14 hours each day. Not burning nearly as much as some of you guys.still heats the house. Part time. I can see a log splitter in my future, getting to old to keep slinging the sledge and wedges,lol will always split some that way.
Almost done with old wood, already moved my oak stash to one area only have about a cord with a bit more than that to split.
One of the guys selling wood local boosts how mixed and seasoned his wood is I know he has been selling for years and he's about 15
Bucks higher than others, going to get a cord from him. My better half won't touch the stove and we have it in our closed in porch
So I'm running it only four days a week and 12-14 hours each day. Not burning nearly as much as some of you guys.still heats the house. Part time. I can see a log splitter in my future, getting to old to keep slinging the sledge and wedges,lol will always split some that way.
Ashful
Minister of Fire
Hi George,
That "don't touch pine," thought is an oft-discussed topic here. Yes, pine is sappy, but truth is you can burn it completely safely in an EPA wood stove. The only catch is it must be dry, and thankfully, pine dries very fast after splitting and stacking.
You are correct, in the years of open fireplaces and old-skool wood stoves, burning pine was not recommended. However, your secondary burn system, if operating properly will incinerate all the pine pitch that used to cause folks running older wood stoves and open fireplaces so much trouble.
Most of our Pacific Northwest members are heating almost exclusively with conifers, and aren't reporting any special troubles with it.
That "don't touch pine," thought is an oft-discussed topic here. Yes, pine is sappy, but truth is you can burn it completely safely in an EPA wood stove. The only catch is it must be dry, and thankfully, pine dries very fast after splitting and stacking.
You are correct, in the years of open fireplaces and old-skool wood stoves, burning pine was not recommended. However, your secondary burn system, if operating properly will incinerate all the pine pitch that used to cause folks running older wood stoves and open fireplaces so much trouble.
Most of our Pacific Northwest members are heating almost exclusively with conifers, and aren't reporting any special troubles with it.
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