Help! Jotul Oslo running hard and fast but damper is all the way down

Hi Forum.

I am very new to my Jotul Oslo. We purchased it used and it was rebuilt last week due to a cracked bottom plate. I did our break in fires and ran the damper in the mid and open position.

Tonight is my first "real" fire. We are running a Jotul Oslo with a straight chimney inside the home for 17' to the box, then 14' exterior chimney. It was professionally rebuilt, installed and WETT certified.

tonight's weather is winter storm (-25C) and windy with strong gusts. We are burning very dry manitoba maple.

the stove is running on the damper lever all the way to the left, so closed? but it looks like it is running open. the flames are crazy! I can hear wind in the box too.

Could the exterior winds be causing the more wild fire and wind noise? It drafts exceedingly well btw. Or is it probable one of the gaskets isn't fully sealing so the air is being pulled in from the living room due to good draft?

I won't add more wood tonight because I don't want a true run away fire, but I'd like to be able to put a slow burn fire on overnight moving forward.

Thanks!

Portal to hell might be a good way of describing it....It was intense to watch, and scary even! I am not familiar with secondary burns and while the flames were super intense up top, they were also intense a the bottom.

I am going out tomorrow to buy thermometer as I don't know what temps i was getting...hot I'd say though!

firefighterjake said:

What temps are you getting on the stove top and/or flue?

Are you familiar with the secondary action of secondary burners like the Oslo . . . once up to temp, ratcheting back the air control will often result in what looks like a portal to hell in your woodstove with very intense flames . . . typically in the top third of the firebox.

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Straight up is what the proffessional installer recommended and wanted. To clarify, we are 17' to the box in the living room, then a further 8' of exterior chimney through the attic and about 6' outside.

This is the Oslo 500 and about 15 years old I'd say. The draft is definitely in the closed position then

PLAYS WITH FIRE said:

Folks will chime but I think 31' straight up can be the problem. You may have super sucker draft and it's sucking air even though the draft lever is closed. I found the manual and I'm not familiar with jotul but if the same as the Oslo 500 the lever should be closed if all the way to the left and open if to the right.

http://heatnsweep.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/12/500-Oslo-Woodstove-Manual.pdf

Page 9

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What is a key damper? and is it something the professionals should install or something you do yourself?

begreen said:

You need a key damper on the flue pipe to reduce draft. Close the damper once the fire is going strong and you will find that the stove is much better behaved.

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begreen said:

Here's an example: http://woodheatstoves.com/castiron-stovepipe-damper-p-9426.html?cPath=71_72_284

If you are not comfortable working with dirty stove pipe and metal tools then have a pro do it. It is about a 15 minute job. If the stove is connected with interior double-wall pipe then you need one made for the double-wall pipe by the stove pipe mfg..

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probably a job for the pro's. I'd be afraid to mess it up!

Sprinter said:

Regarding the thermometers, I'd suggest a stove top thermometer and a flue thermometer from here: http://www.condar.com/woodstove.html

The type of flue thermometer depends on if you have single wall or double wall pipe. The magnetic mount is for single wall and a probe type is for double wall.

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we are a double wall.

Sprinter said:

Regarding the thermometers, I'd suggest a stove top thermometer and a flue thermometer from here: http://www.condar.com/woodstove.html

The type of flue thermometer depends on if you have single wall or double wall pipe. The magnetic mount is for single wall and a probe type is for double wall.

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I'm such a novice. How do you insert the probe thermometer? Is it a drilled hole? If so doesn't smoke escape through it? thanks

I will fire it up tomorrow and if it does the same I will video it and post here for comments and input as to what i am seeing.

So as mentioned I had this stove professionally rebuilt, including the gasketing. This morning as the stove was cooled down I thought I would do the $5 test for the seal...well low and be hold the side door has almost no seal! The gaskets aren't tight at all, and the $5 bill with minimal pull slide gracefully between closed door and side of stove. So I am thinking that may well be my problem with the air fuelling the fire last night, and why I heard so much wind in the box. The draft is extremely good so that would cause the pull I would think.

Why would the new gasketing be so bad for the side door?

Elle said:

I have the same stove OP. A thermometer is a must...I have one on the stove top and an IR gun that goes up to 1100 degrees. Those that go to only 700 are not good enough, imo. I've noticed sometimes the flames can be raging but the stove temps are only in the 400s or so...so flame action does seem to be indicative of an overfire or anything. Really need to know the temps to say that. On the flip side...there are times when it looks like nothing going on and the temps are high. I'm getting to know the stove though so I am getting better at knowing what the flames are doing and how the stove is going be act.

Also, don't let the smell of the stove scare you. I still get smell once in a while...

Welcome to the forum...this is a great place. I felt really prepared when I got my stove. Don't ever be afraid to ask anything here!!

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Thanks!