Jotul c550 Rockland tips thread
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Most have suggested to put it actually in the air slot, it is not as easy to read, but gives the best reading. Go to the link below that we were posting on a bit back, Leakypuppy put a picture up of it.
https://www.hearth.com/econtent/index.php/forums/viewthread/25049/
Once The stove gets up to 500 or so I usually turn it all the way down before bed. Sometimes I will leave it just a smidge open. I guess it is a catch. The more open the hotter it will burn, but the faster it will use up the wood. Rarely does it go through the night. I can usually only find hot coals under the ashes and stove down to below 200 after 8 hours. Still keeps the lower area where our stove is warm, but does not get the heat upstairs once it cools down that low. I can get good heat for around 5 hours if I pack it full.
https://www.hearth.com/econtent/index.php/forums/viewthread/25049/
Once The stove gets up to 500 or so I usually turn it all the way down before bed. Sometimes I will leave it just a smidge open. I guess it is a catch. The more open the hotter it will burn, but the faster it will use up the wood. Rarely does it go through the night. I can usually only find hot coals under the ashes and stove down to below 200 after 8 hours. Still keeps the lower area where our stove is warm, but does not get the heat upstairs once it cools down that low. I can get good heat for around 5 hours if I pack it full.
Bizango1
Member
gibson
New Member
Hi all, I have a few questions. Sorry, I'm a noob.
Is it normal for the box to get smokey after adding logs to a lite fire? Could it be a draft problem?
When starting a fire, how many small pieces of wood do start off with before adding bigger logs?
I read the manual for the burn in period, but the window has soot on it already. The wood is seasoned and I make sure the wood is behind the andirons.
Thanks
Is it normal for the box to get smokey after adding logs to a lite fire? Could it be a draft problem?
When starting a fire, how many small pieces of wood do start off with before adding bigger logs?
I read the manual for the burn in period, but the window has soot on it already. The wood is seasoned and I make sure the wood is behind the andirons.
Thanks
mkek said:
First question - have you done your curing fires? The small ones - 2 or 3 - to burn off the manufacturing odors etc?
If you haven't - don't try to build a big fire yet. Start out with a small one with just kindling. Get it going and let it completely burn out and insert cool down.
Repeat process once cool but with a bit more wood...object being that each fire is hotter than the last and the heat will burn off the chemicals. Be sure to open windows and use fans. It doesn't smell good at all... IT took about 3 fires before the odor went away for me.
Chances are smoke in fire box is due to closing the door too soon. Leave the door open a bit until wood really ignites then try closing it a bit more. YOu may have to do this in stages.
I generally do 2 or 3 small splits and one piece of hardwood on top of that to get things going. ONce that is on it's way I will add a couple more hardwood pieces and slowly close the door again depending on how the firebox looks.
Key is a good bed of hot coals to keep things going so you want to get that going below before adding to the top.
Rudyjr
Feeling the Heat
After you have done your first two or three break in fires use this method or something similar to what Brent posted a while back. Make sure you have a substantial base fire and coals before you throw the big stuff in.(This is a c450-c550 is larger) Here is the link to Brent's thread:
https://www.hearth.com/econtent/index.php/forums/viewthread/31393/
https://www.hearth.com/econtent/index.php/forums/viewthread/31393/
Bizango1 said:
That won't give you an accurate read. THe cast iron it is attached to isn't in contact with the firebox. There is a layer of air in there. Temp. will read a lot lower than it actually is.
I ended up with an IR thermometer. Easier for me to shoot it in the slot and get a read.
My insert usually burns around 600*-700* and glass stays clean at those temps. Maybe a bit of build up at the bottom of the door as someone already stated.
On cleaning glass with ash. I read about that here and it works great. Far better than a razor blade. Many on this forum have been at this for years and I haven't seen anyone of them posting warnings about it. On the other hand - man in shop gets to sell you his glass cleaner....I just prefer to keep it simple and use what is handy.
mkek said:
Just looked at that thread. It is similar to how I get things going. Small and dry on the bottom. I also use fire starters to keep things going at a high temp. (Check out threads on SuperCedar fire starters. You can order your first batch at no charge.
)Add larger splits as wood ignites. Manual tells how to do this too. Only thing it says that doesn't work for me is how quickly they get the door shut.
Some on forum recommend the top down method of building a fire. It didn't work at all for me. Lots of smoke and ages for wood to take off. Different things work in different stoves. Nice to have a variety of choices.
Once you get temps. up you will be amazed at the heat the 550 produces. Just be careful not to over fill it! Mine shoots up to 650* pretty quickly with just 3 medium pieces of hardwood. I have yet to try adding more...maybe someday. But even on our coldest days - below 0 - this insert has kept our living area in the mid 70's.
Be patient.. It is a learning curve and you will catch on the more you burn. Just takes time and learning what works and what doesn't.
mkek said:
Maybe a half an hour. I don't really time it. Start things going then begin morning routine with dogs etc. and check on it as I progress through my 'chores'. If I had to wager a guess it would be 1/2 hour to 45 minutes.
Remember too that first load of wood is about heating the insert up - flue etc. - warming up the machine so to speak. Once it is good and warm then the heat begins to radiate out into the room. Within an hour I would say our temp. is climbing nicely nearing the 70* mark from the low 60's we wake up to. (I do not burn overnight.)
Do you have a ceiling fan? This, on low, also helps distribute the heat more evenly throughout the room. You know, heat loves to rise.
perplexed said:
There is a ceiling fan in the foyer near the entrance. Our home is a split level with a brick wall that separates the kitchen from the dining and living room. I would like to push the warm air to the bed rooms. We will be installing a ceiling fan in the living room where the insert is located.
gibson
New Member
mkek said:
Make sure you have a good bed of coals before throwing any decent size splits on there. Get a stove thermometer and put it in the blower vent. Mine cruises right up to 750* then slides back. I am still learning as well but I am learning that this stove likes to run pretty hot. It has been easy to control the temp thus far. I have had to clean the glass twice in two months. Try burning hotter fires...
Regarding the blower on auto or manual -- does anyone else find it difficult to remove the grate in front of the fans to change the blower setting and/or adjust the fan speed with the grate on? I think the blower speed switch was installed a little bit off because it rubs against the grates when I try to adjust the speed. Also, if I try to lift the grate up and out with the insert door closed it is difficult because the top of the grate hits against the door and I have to really push to do it. Not really critical problems -- more slight annoyances -- but, I might as well make adjustments if I can.
gibson
New Member
Bizango1
Member
As for the glass, I agree with carl. I had horrible problems with the glass and the bottom line I was not burning hot enough. I was squelching off the air way to early. Now I just run it wide open all day and close it down at night. I've had much better luck with the glass now that i'm running hotter.
Bizango1 said:
Just out of curiosity - burning with air wide open what temps. are you getting and how quickly do you burn through a load of wood?
If I don't shut the air down on mine the wood is gone in no time flat. I generally shut it 60% which helps keep the heat from all going up the flue and makes the wood last longer. Also makes it burn hotter.
carl spackler said:
Ditto that. You might try positioning the controls so they are accessible through the grate. Easy for them to get knocked out of kilter.
If the adjustment knob for the blowers gets pushed on too tightly by somebody operating the insert it is hard to turn. Just has to be pulled out a bit and is easy after that.
I only remove the grate with the insert door open. Much easier to handle it that way.
Bizango1
Member
I'm burning wide open right now and its at 550. I do go through the wood much faster. I'm still learning and do not burn 24x7 because of work. I'll probably start cutting it down a bit but I wanted to see if I could solve my dirty glass problem and burning wide open keeps the glass fairly clean.
Bizango1 said:
You will find the temps. rise as you cut air back. Go slowly and in 25% increments once secondaries have kicked in - usually around 500*. I give the fire time to settle between adjustments -5 to 10 minutes. Mine doesn't like to go below 60% - I loose the flames and the chimney begins to smoke unless it is really cold out. Your glass will stay clean and your wood will definitely last longer. Temps. will more than likely be in the mid 600's as others have stated. This insert likes to burn hot and handles it well.
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