E/W = logs parallel to the glass and back of the stove. N/S = logs parallel to the sides.
I also have an f400 and have found no safe way of filling the stove. Things shift and logs will roll. I have found this stove not to be that effective for overnight burns, this being one of the reasons. To 'fill' the stove I build up a really good coal bed and then stack three large splits on top. I make sure they are as far back as they go against the back, two on the bottom, and one on the top, in between the bottom two.
Yes. The manufacturer makes it clear that you are not to let anything contact the glass. I don't want to find out, but my assumption is that under high heat, the impact of a heavy piece of burning wood contacting the glass can cause a crack or break.
I'm sure its possible for the glass to break, as many have done it. My local stove top told me that its not heat that will do it, but usually a stress fracture. He said a majority of the glass panels he has replaced are from people who put a split into their stove that's too long when reloading and then trying to close the door and use the glass to force the split in. Even then, he says ceramic glass doesn't shatter, it just cracks and spider webs. Therefore, even if your glass did crack, I don't think you would have to worry about sparks and flames spewing out the front of your stove.
Yeah, what I've found with that stove is that it works best when not stuffed full anyway. I like to get coals going and do the three split stack. Two on the bottom and then the top one, placed diagonal across those. This leaves room for some air and fire to move up in between the splits. This configuration gives me a good fire and heat for many hours. When I try to stuff it full, coals and embers last longer but the heat thrown is less.
Looks like you aren't really concerned about the wood settling and touching the glass. Do you not worry about that?Well here is mine ...
View attachment 171268
The E/W load doesn't look as impressive as a N/S, but I actually have 12 medium sized 18" long splits of fir in my 3 cu ft firebox! Best I could do N/S would be about 8 or 9. Stovetop should be cruising at 600 in no time
Nope - not worried. I've had splits roll against the glass many times. As others have said, the glass is quite tough and if it were fragile we would all be buying stoves without windows.
Thanks for that. I've always been so paranoid with this new Jotul and it's good to see that most folks aren't really worried about some glass contact.
Now I am just trying to use up all these shorties.
It's funny how I started off really loving that F400 but am now over it for the same reason most of us are. It handles awkwardly long splits one way and that's it. Oh well, it still performs great and heats my home well but I do see a more versatile stove in my future.My Jotul 550's firebox was also shallow... at first I tried loading E/W and to utilize the wide firebox was cutting 22-24" but it was very awkward and ended up wasting firebox space unless your long splits were perfectly straight (never). I could fit a lot more in with short splits N/S. Unfortunately that meant ~13" long. But I did some experimenting cutting that length, especially with large or gnarly pieces - made it easier to split (all by hand). Hard to stack 13" pieces in very tall of a stack though, but it was so much easier to load and fill. My last big wood cutting I ended up cutting almost half of it (2 or 3 cords) 13". Then before burning any of it I replaced the awkward Jotul with a new stove that could take 18" N/S doh!
