Jotul F500 Break-in and Observations

This is the first chance I’ve had to post on my F500 Oslo break in and initial usage. Before starting my stove, I searched a few other previous posts each asking questions about the new stove break in fires and operation, so I’ll try and summarize from my recent experience.

I saw several previous questions asking if all three required fires could be done the same day. I will say no, unless you are going do it in straight 24 hour cycle. This is a big cast iron stove and it took a while to slowly get it up to temperature, easily 35-45 minutes, and have it burn for an hour. You do not want to bring the first fire up very fast, or the second, and get a roaring blaze going. You can do that later. Remember, the stove does not just shut off after the recommended hour at temp, it takes it a while burn out and cool back to room temperature. So you have to work that into the time factor.I did the first (200 degree) burn one evening, but I did do the next two break-in fires the same day. I started the second (300 degree) fire early one Saturday morning, let the stove cool to room temperature as required, then started the third (400 degree) fire later that evening after dinner.

Smoke and smell? Well, it helps if you could open a few windows when you do this. The little bit of smoke along with the smell coming off the new stove as it heats is not too pleasant. I had a few smoke/fire detectors go off with the first fire, a few more with the second and five out of six with the last. Please remember if you disconnect any of them while you are doing this, hook them back up when it clears. I did follow my third break in with another fire the next day, letting it burn a longer between 400-450. I still had a smoke/fire detector go off, and some smell, but after this neither has been an issue. So just expect to have both for a short while.

One recommendation is get a good stove thermometer, don’t know what that is, but that’s another subject. The first new one I used seemed a bit slow at the low range. I put another one on the stove, it reacted a little better. Put a third one on and you guessed it, the Goldie Locks and the three bears story, high, low and in-between. They all eventually were within the burn range I was looking for so if you are OK looking for a range of operational temperatures, but not necessarily knowing the exact stove temperature this should be fine.

For me this stove replaced a 20+ year old Jotul F3, so although they are a little similar there are differences. This is a huge fire box, I almost felt I could build a bonfire in there, it’s nice. The stove does take a little longer than the old F3 to get up to temperature but when there is a nice coal bed established, and it’s loaded up, it puts out some serious heat. I have the stove in the lower level of a split level ranch and was able to keep all the other interior room door wide open. Last weekend with it being @36 degrees outside, my upstairs living room was 78, I was burning the stove mostly in the 400-450 range, 500 max. It will be so nice when the weather does get colder.

I have been burning stoves for over 30 years, this is my 3rd, and still have to learn this stoves’ characteristics. Look at the new stove break in fires as a “get to know your new stove†opportunity. I’m sure I will have a few operational questions as I use this more. I just wanted to post this and hope it helps someone searching for some info.

Nice write-up. Great stove you got. Pics - ???

Bill

Welcome to the Oslo club. There is a bunch of us. I went from a 3 CF fire box to the F500, so I thought it was a little cramped compared to what I was used to. But I'm on my 3rd season now and like the size. I don't burn as much wood and it meets my needs just fine.

Let's see the pictures!

That was a nice post, this is my second season with my Oslo, and yes it's a serious heater. Like you I burned for many years and this stove was a great upgrade, we burn 7/24s.


Good Luck and Enjoy

welcome and good post. If your stove continues to "burn in" like mine did, you may notice an odd smell for the next month or so as the stove heats up. Not the break in smell, but a smell that is hard to describe (Almost like wet oak but not as strong). I thought I was going have to live with it forever, but it finally went away. Have fun.

The Oslo is a beast. You will get that smell whenever you hit a new high temp with the stove. I still get it a little with the first fire of each year (season 3 now). Enjoy and get some pics up!

Alright about the pictures I give in. Here is one (I hope) nothing special really, just a plain birck hearth......with the new F500 Oslo on it.

Nice thanks for picture, there is nothing plain with an OSLO on it :zip:

+1 Nice install!

Interesting brickwork and great stove!
Congrats!

Ray

There's nothing plain Jane about a hearth . . . when an Oslo is sitting on it. Personally I liked the brickwork.

That's a great looking install. I especially like the horizontal flue exit into the chimney. I did this with my Keystone and IMHO, it lessens the intrusion of the stove pipe (vertical) on the room and makes for a nice install.

You got a great stove!

Bill

Hello folks!

I'm an Oslo newb with a few questions - re. post break in smoke!

I completed my 3 break in fires rather uneventfully, with one minor (I hope) exception. First fire went off without a hitch, maintaining 200 degrees for approx 1 hour. Second fire got away on me slightly as we nudged 350 and the temps held for a couple hours. Similar situation for the 3rd fire as we over shot to 450 and held there for longer than expected. No significant fumes for the first 2 fires, but a definite burning-in smell for the 3rd fire. My initial impressions were that this was a relatively uneventful process.

Now, onto my concerns. Tonight I'm on my first non-breakin fire and we're noticing a distinct smoke smell. Not like the break-in fumes noticed in Fire #3, but wood smoke. The smoke is not visible and I suspect it is a slow and small leak but I don't know where it's coming from. When I carefully put my head above the stove I can clearly smell it. The smell started almost immediately and continued for the duration of this 3 hour burn. This is why I'm concerned. Shortly after start up the stove was creating a terrific vacuum. I mean, while I was observing the smoke smell, I opened and closed the doors a few times, and each time the fire went ablaze and I could hear air whistling into the firebox vigourously. Am I wrong to assume that the smoke should not be leaking from the door seals under this strong vacuum? If so, where should I start trouble shooting the source of the leak?

Lastly, is it possible that I caused some warpage to my stove during the break-in process?
What is considered and over-fire temperature for the Oslo, one which you could be boardering on damaging the stove? I'm not looking to push my limits but it's nice to know where the red line is.

Sorry for all the questions, and thanks in advance for your advice!

...oh, and thanks to the OP for posting this. I hope you don't mind me piggy-backing your thread. I hope my question are relevant.

Glad you brought up the ash pan door! Reminded me of another question....
Again, not trying to push my luck, but why is leaving a door open a crack ok for lighting, but opening the ash pan door a big no-no?

No worries on damaging the stove . . . these things are pretty darned tough . . . about the only damage I've heard involving an Oslo has been when a) someone has used the ash pan door to get the fire going and left it open too long (better to use the side door), b) someone has damaged the baffle board by wedging in too much wood or c) someone has smashed the "glass" by wedging in wood and then slamming the door shut . . . actually nix that last part . . . I don't think that was with any Oslos . . . but it's still something to keep in mind.

I suspect the smell you had was either more of the paint and oils cooking off . . . or it could be that you were opening the stove door too quickly. Generally before opening the stove door I will open up the air control all the way and/or open the door a crack for a bit and then open it all the way. Personally I suspect the issue is the continuing cooking off of the paint and oils . . . as noted you will get this for a while . . . each time you reach a higher temp.

I folks!
Enjoying my Oslo more and more each day..but struggling still to identify the source of the smell.
I think I've identified the location of the smell to be coming from the back of the stove. At least when I hover my head over the stove I can smell it from the rear. It seems to be drafting up from between the stove and the rear heat sheild. I did confirm the 2 bolts holding the collar are tight.

Oddly the smell is like a rancid smoke. I believe someone in this thread refered to it as oaky - odd because I haven't been burning oak, but once.
I did run my fingers along the bottom of the stove where it transitions to the rear plate and intake manifold - I was looking for gaps or cracks.
Didn't find any gaps or cracks, but I did discover some tar like brown, oily, substance had weeped through the seam sourounding the air intake. It has the same rancid oaky smoke smell.

I'm also questioning the transition from the collar to the stove pipe. My installer simply put 2 screws to hold the peices together. I wonder if a gasket should be installed???

Any suggestions or tips would be greatly appreciated.

Not to say that you don't have a problem I'm guessing that the stove is still breaking in,give it a week.And that is defiantly a sweet install.

I agree that with reasonable draft, you should have way more air leaking in than smoke leaking out, if you indeed have a leak.

My first suspicion is that you have a small amount of wood splinters or other very small wood fragments that have fallen somewhere on the exterior of the stove. It's very common to get little bits on the ash lip when you're loading, and it doesn't take much to make a smoky smell. Another possibility is that you somehow dropped some little fragments on the top of the stove, maybe off your glove or something, and they dropped into the groove around the oval in the lid.

Worth a look with a bright flashlight.

Maybe its just me, but that glass looks awefully black from the bottom up. You may wanna correct that. Its a nice looking install though.

I have been running an Oslo since September. I had a rancid sour smell for a good 6-8 weeks coming from the stove. It was a smell I have never smelled before. I burn oak and that was not it. It will go away. Enjoy. 2 degrees F here tonight. I am sure enjoying the fire.

"tar like brown oily substance"

There have been threads on here before about this tar like substance, and my oslo weeped out a bit of it when new. I think we concluded it was a flux of some sort, or something coming out from the joints, maybe from the furnace cement used at factory.

Anyway, it cleared up real soon and I never saw it again.

If your glass is that brown when burning then you ain't burning hot enough for sure.

Thanks everyone. I'll be a little more patient and let the stove settle in for a few more weeks. It's one heck of an investment so it's my nature to be nervous if something is wrong.

Really enjoying the forum and looking forward to spending more time here.

Cheers!