Good laugh on me!

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neumsky

Minister of Fire
Dec 25, 2011
629
Oklahoma City
Ok Jotul Oslo/500 (or any owners)... this morning...started to turn my air control down to 1/2 at stove top temp of 350. Temp kept creeping up. Got to 400 and turned the air inlet down to 1/4th. Temp crept to 500. Turned air inlet control all the way down. Temp crept to 570 and settled. This was all in the matter of 30 minutes before the temp settled and sat there at that 570 for 30 minutes before it started coming down to 560 and continue down. The flame was going pretty good with secondaries putting on quite a show which usually starts at about 350. Did not use my flue damper but was ready too as thought it was going to continue to rise. Don't mind saying...my heart was pounding. Got the fan out of the attic and started running it...and was just about ready to use the flue damper (would it have done any good). The splits were of good size and had about 3 of them in there. I know some of you probably will get a good laugh as I am now... but thought I was going to have to open the front load door as some has suggested here. The flue temp never got above 550. It makes me nervous to stuff this thing as once it's going...I'm going to try and get some chimfex today haha. What did I do wrong or is there something I could or should do different as I would like to stuff this stove for the long overnight burn? Jeff
 
Live and learn!
When you stop learning ......

You start posting from "Motel 6"

That's funny...I already spend enough time on the road...don't want to anymore than that lol.
 
The stove is performing as designed. The only thing you did wrong was not trusting the stove. At 570 that stove is just starting to cruise. We regularly run at 650F and you'll see that temp too once it regularly gets in the teens outside and you want more heat.
 
I don't see that you did anything wrong. The only question I would ask is if the stack temp was surface or probe? A stove top at 570F doesn't even get a raised eyebrow with me.

A surface flue temp of 550 is getting to the high side, a probe flue temp of 550 is just starting to warm up.:p
 
Yeah...I talked to my installer/owner and he's a retired fire chief for one of the local dept's and says...you pu..y. haha But my thoughts are still... I think... limit on that stove is 700 degrees stove top temp. So when it starts getting up there it catches my attention. At Jags... the flue temp is a probe and really that 550 doesn't bother me...except I notice that the flue is usually a smidgen lower that the top temp is. I don't want to burn low enough that I'm creating creosote. You guys & gals are GREAT! I'm still a newbie. Kinda like saying...I'm not smarter than a 5th grader.
 
+2 stove was ok, of course keep an eye on it. I've had the stove climb to 800+ while not paying attn to it, and it happened quick. I have noticed however, that at times the secondaries are going soooo good that you should watch the temp.
 
You ain't hurtin' nothin'. Even if it got to 700, I wouldn't get all twitterpated. Just shut her down and keep an eye on it. Your stack temp sounds like it is right on the ball. I personally kick the stack up a bit higher than that (I like to see 800F, probe temp at least once a day), but that is just my personal pref.
 
Also...forgot to mention...the installer also said besides calling me a whoos lol...when the fire starts to get going....close the inlet off completely THAN bring back open 1/4th, instead of reducing inlet air by a 1/4th at a time. He said your not really shutting or controlling that air quick enough. Any thoughts?
 
This is why you install safely and honor (or exceed) all clearance and hearth requirements. The F400 or F500 can journey up to 800F and it will be fine. I had a few forays up there as well with no ill effects. They are well built stoves.
 
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You ain't hurtin' nothin'. Even if it got to 700, I wouldn't get all twitterpated. Just shut her down and keep an eye on it. Your stack temp sounds like it is right on the ball. I personally kick the stack up a bit higher than that (I like to see 800F, probe temp at least once a day), but that is just my personal pref.

How do you control the stack heat to come up? I thought that it was relative? It follows whatever the stove does?
 
If the air control is left too wide open the heat will head up the flue and its temp will read higher than the stove top. I'll see 7-800 briefly on a startup fire until I start winding down the air control. Once it's in full secondary burning the flue temp drops and the stovetop temp rises.
 
I'm looking for my manual right now and if I remember right it's a limit of 700. I'll find it...I know it's around here somewhere...lol.
 
I have the universal manual (all languages). Here's what it says for the USA section:

• Once the stove has reached a surface temperature range of
between 400° and 600°, adjust the primary air control lever
as necessary to generate the heat output and burn time
desired.
• Jøtul recommends the use of a magnetic stove top
thermometer to monitor the surface temperature of the
stove. The optimum surface temperature range for the most
efficient burn is between 400° to 600°. See figure 12, for the
optimum locations of a stove-top thermometer.

What's interesting is that for all the other languages (including UK) there is no mention of temperature or thermometer. The only warning is that if it's glowing red, you are overfiring the stove. ;lol That puts the temp north of 900F.
 
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How do you control the stack heat to come up? I thought that it was relative? It follows whatever the stove does?

Any thoughts?

On first light up or fresh load of wood, my stack temp will climb faster than the stove temp because I open the primary air wide open. It is pretty common that my stove top will be between 550-650 with a probe stack temp of about 800f. Then I shut it down and tune it for the desired stove top temp.
 
Ok...downloaded the manual and quickly glanced at it and do NOT see a stove top temp limit. It says...cant make your stove red lol and it will probably warp plates. Hmmm
 
On first light up or fresh load of wood, my stack temp will climb faster than the stove temp because I open the primary air wide open. It is pretty common that my stove top will be between 550-650 with a probe stack temp of about 800f. Then I shut it down and tune it for the desired stove top temp.

So your in agreement you have more control shutting inlet air completely than open for desired burn instead of the other way of reducing in increments? Part of me says...that doesn't compute...air is air is air?
 
So your in agreement you have more control shutting inlet air completely than open for desired burn instead of the other way of reducing in increments?

That can change from stove to stove and fuel to fuel. I crank a new load of wood down when I see 550-650 and it is outgassing pretty hard at that point. To use the staged method I would have to start the shut down procedure at a much lower temp (which will increase overall smoke output). That is why I choose the method that I use.
 
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That can change from stove to stove and fuel to fuel. I crank a new load of wood down when I see 550-650 and it is outgassing pretty hard at that point. To use the staged method I would have to start the shut down procedure at a much lower temp (which will increase overall smoke output). That is why I choose the method that I use.

Do you have a flue damper??? and do you ever use it?
 
Do you have a flue damper??? and do you ever use it?

No and no. I don't suggest flue dampers for EPA stoves unless there is a compelling reason to have one (like 35ft of stove pipe, or something like that).
 
Other people are correct when they state the max stove top temp in the manual is 700 degrees. I use the same method you do, and anticipate the additional rise in temps. You did just fine, and yes, when the cold air sets in, you will see higher temps.
 
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No and no. I don't suggest flue dampers for EPA stoves unless there is a compelling reason to have one (like 35ft of stove pipe, or something like that).

Interesting.... well I have one and it was because of high temps on my PE... now I can start to realize that I AM a woos. Should I take it out? Or will it maybe really help me if I do have a runaway? I guess what I'm asking is...when or what temp should I use it at? Meltdown...according to above starts at around 900 degrees?
 
Interesting.... well I have one and it was because of high temps on my PE... now I can start to realize that I AM a woos. Should I take it out? Or will it maybe really help me if I do have a runaway? I guess what I'm asking is...when or what temp should I use it at? Meltdown...according to above starts at around 900 degrees?

No need to yank it out, just keep it wide open. Ya never know when you might want to play a little.;)
 
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Ok...ya'll have made me feel a little bit more secure... can't thank ya'll enough!!! I'm still playing lol.
 
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