Olso F500 - cemented in vermiculite baffle plate

[Green Energy]

When I got my new Olso, the dealer and I looked at the baffle plate which was floating loose. It appeared that it had been cemented to the top of the back wall of the stove as some of the vermericulite was stuck to the back wall and the edge of the baffle plate looked uneven from some of edge of the vermiculite breaking/crumbling off. They offered to replace the baffle plate before I took delivery of the stove. So not knowing what it was suppose to look like or how it was suppose to be installed, I figured that this was the best way to handle it.

When I took delivery of the stove, they had a baffle plate from an another Oslo that they said that they can trade out, but they said that there was not any thing wrong with the baffle plate and that it just had to be cemented to the back wall where it is seated so as to make sure that the gases are directed back to the front of the stove and do not short cut into the flue. So they said that they could cement it in before I took delivery or they could show me where to cement it in and I could do it when I got home. Figuring that the stove is being moved as I transported it home and moved up on to the hearth might cause the baffle to get out of proper position, I elected to install the cement and baffle plate after I moved the stove up on to the hearth. (They showed me how to take the top off to access the baffle.) So I installed the baffle plate by running a bead of furnace cement that the dealer gave me along the back, where the baffle plate sits. So the baffle plate is now fixed firmly to the back wall with a bead of furnace cement.

When my code inspector came by, he found the English section of the manual, after the Norsk section, as opposed to the USA/CANADA section. Did not realize that the instructions in the English section were not the same as the USA section. Anyhow, in the English section, it has a section on baffle plate replacement, p 37, which indicates that the baffle is just to be loose, but "fitted closely against the back wall."

After I read this section and now that the baffle plate is cemented in, I called my dealer and explained what the manual said. They checked with Jotul and said that it is not a problem, won't be an issue with the warranty, and will not affect the operations of the stove or the life of the baffle plate. I figure it is too late to try to fool with it now and if I have to take it out later to replace the board or the tubes, that I would have to break it out at that time.

Anyhow, I thought I would check with the experts and see what you think. Is your baffle plate floating free or cemented? Any problems that you foresee with the baffle plate being cemented in?

PS. Now legal as I passed permit inspection and I had my first break in fire. I will get some pics up shortly.

 

[WOODBUTCHER]

Mine is cemented in, I have not tried to see if it moves.......I've left it alone since getting my Oslo in 2004.

WoodButcher

 

[Green Energy]

Here is a picture of the Oslo with the top off:

 

[SHH_150]

mine is floating - no issues.

 

[MountainStoveGuy]

When i was a Jotul dealer, they told me they cemented there baffles in (also hearthstone) to prevent them from shifting and breaking during shipping. The cement would more often then not break up and fall out over time, and the new baffle should just sit in place.
HTH,
-Ryan

 

[ansehnlich1]

I've come to find out that many stove dealers just plain don't know what the heckfire they are talking about. Now, I'm not saying this is the case for your dealer, but lets look at the facts here.

From what I understand the original baffle plates were cast iron. They would warp. And they weren't cemented at the rear of the stove to my knowledge. This caused warranty problems and too many replacements, hence, the vermiculite baffle solution.

My vermiculite baffle cracked down the middle, why you ask? Who knows. I do know the bead of cement at the rear where you mention, that's supposed to hold the baffle secure, flaked off about half way across the back of the stove, and that is where the thing cracked.

Anyway, I got a new vermiculite baffle and laid it in there loose, no cement, no problem.

My bet is the reason yours was broken was that a technician or stovie of some sort was goofin' with it and broke it loose on the showroom floor. I actually saw a guy do this at a Jotul dealer when I went to order my new baffle. The "pro" was convinced the thing should just pop right out of there, somehow be able to get it out the front door...I warned him but he went ahead through the stove pipe opening, grabbed, and busted it right off

So, my conclusion is, that when it gets cold, fire the thing up and enjoy!

 

[semipro]

Mine is cemented in place but I don't doubt that it doesn't need to be. I think as long as it is directing the flow forward as someone mentioned things should work okay.

 

[firefighterjake]

When I bought the Oslo last year I never noticed if it was cemented or not . . . but over the course of the winter I would notice bits of cement once in awhile in the ashes . . . not enough to worry about since everything worked hunky dory . . . this Fall I ended up taking some cement and slathering it on to the the back of the baffle . . . didn't know if it would make a difference or not . . . but figured it couldn't really hurt things either and the cement was cheap enough.