Need help with Jotul Kennebec surround

I've been burning my Jotul Kennebec now for two seasons and have been very satisfied with the unit. Today, I removed the surround and disconnected the connector pipe and cleaned the insert and liner. While doing so I noticed that the insert had an adjustable sleeve that would allow it to be brought 4" further out onto the hearth. I liked the idea because I thougth I could get a bit more radiant heat out of the unit instead of using the blower all the time. So I adjusted the sleeve and pulled the insert into position on the hearth. With the exception of having to buy a 4" longer piece of stove pipe to reach the liner, everything else worked fine. That was until I tried to reinstall the surround.

When the adjustment sleeve is set all the way back, as it was originally installed, the surround fits fine. However, when it's set to it's deepest setting, allowing the insert to come forward onto the hearth further, it can't be reinstalled. After looking for the cause I was quickly able to find the problem. And quite frankly, it didn't make sense to me as the stove allowed for this adjustment and it was pictured in the manual.

On each side of the insert, at the bottom, is a piece of "U" shaped angle iron. When the sleeve is set all the way forward (putting the insert at it's deepest position) the angle iron isn't visible and the surround can drop into position. However when the sleeve is set all the way back (allowing 4" more of the insert onto the hearth) the angle iron protrudes a few inches and interferes with the surround dropping into place. This totally baffles me! How Jotul could have such a design flaw is beyond me. Yes, I could simply take a grinder and cutout the protruding section, but I shouldn't have too. So, for now, it looks like I'm going to have to reinstall it back to its original position.

If anyone is familiar with this insert and knows how to make the surround fit properly, please let me know! If need be, you can view page 9 of the Jotul Kennebec Manual online and see adjustable sleeve I'm talking about. Sorry for rambling, but this has been a frustrating day!

Mike Wilson said:

Completely wierd. Something is wrong with either the way it is set up on your stove, or the way you set it up. I tried this with my Kennebec 2 seasons ago, for a week. All I did was slide the stove 4" from the shell its in. The surround brackets stayed on the shell, which didn't move. I didn't even notice the angle iron part you are referring to. Nothing was in the way, and the surround dropped into place as it usually does. I'd call Jotul up in Maine and ask them, they're usually great on the phone.

Let me know what happens...

-- Mike

Click to expand...

I'll try and post some pics later if I get a chance. On my stove the only movable (adjustable) part is the sleeve that holds the surround in place. If you slide it all the way forward then the stove is at it's most recessed position, and the surround fits fine. If you slide it backward (after you remove the half-moon knockout plate on top) then the angle iron is exposed along the bottom of each side and interferes with the surround.

Here's a pic of the "U" channel I'm talking about. It's the piece on the bottom that runs along the entire stove, and is visible in front of the surround sleeve. Right now the sleeve is set so the stove is in its most extended position. Although it looks like the bottom of the sleeve and angle iron line up with each other on their out edges, they don't. The angle iron, between both sides, is about a 1/2" wider overall.