I just got my Oslo installed, and have had 4 fires now. It came with a Condar Chimguard, (Made in USA) Magnetic thermometer, and today I went out and got a Rutland, (Made in China), thermometer. With both of them in the front corners, they are tending to read about 100F different. I know they are close in accuracy, because if I put them in the same spot, they both read to less than 50 deg apart. In addition, the stove temp fluctuates from side to side. Is all this normal?
Oslo Temp Fluctuations
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Hanko
Minister of Fire
HouseCrusher
New Member
Mine seems to read more hot on the front left than it does front right. Maybe you built the fire closer to the one side? Who knows. Oslo is awesome though.
OhioBurner©
Minister of Fire
I've easily seen 100* difference across the top of my Rockland, especially during startup. I just got a IR temp gun and you can move it around and get instant readings were ever you want - I like it. The wood is never going to burn perfectly even and depending where the wood is burning hotter or the way the air is flowing in it can surely create a temperture differential.
logger
Minister of Fire
Just a heads up.. Jotul suggests the thermometer in the top back corners of the stove for more accurate readings, not the front.
firefighterjake
Minister of Fire
Answer . . . yes . . . there can be a bit of a difference in temp in the four corners (incidentally the Jotul Oslo manual suggests you place the thermometer on any one of the four corners -- not just the back corners).
I have found that in my own case the highest temp that I register consistently is typically in the rear right corner . . . although this sometime changes . . . I have spent a few minutes in the past musing on this fact and believe it may be due to the fact that the way I load the wood tends to push more ash into this corner . . . which means when I load the stove the fuel is closer to the top of the firebox at this point . . . but this is just a guess on my part.
Best advice . . . experiment a little and see which corner seems to be the hottest on a consistent basis and put the thermometer there . . . and realize that stove top thermometers are infamous for not being spot on accurate with the figures so take the numerical value with proverbial grain of salt.
I have found that in my own case the highest temp that I register consistently is typically in the rear right corner . . . although this sometime changes . . . I have spent a few minutes in the past musing on this fact and believe it may be due to the fact that the way I load the wood tends to push more ash into this corner . . . which means when I load the stove the fuel is closer to the top of the firebox at this point . . . but this is just a guess on my part.
Best advice . . . experiment a little and see which corner seems to be the hottest on a consistent basis and put the thermometer there . . . and realize that stove top thermometers are infamous for not being spot on accurate with the figures so take the numerical value with proverbial grain of salt.
To Hanko; C'mon dude, nothing, not helpful.....YOU didn't pay $1200 for the stove & 2K+ for the install. Since I have never had a stove before, how am I to know?
To everyone else; thanks for the replies, I will stop worrying about it so much, and go light a fire to enjoy.
The reason I was asking is because Sunday night I had a fire, (not the 1st for me, and it's a used stove), and the next day I noticed it was rocking on the hearth. It didn't rock after the install, I checked. I shimmed the leg, it took about .150" under it. I wanted to know if the 2 were related. I suppose I should have put that in the 1st post, huh?
To everyone else; thanks for the replies, I will stop worrying about it so much, and go light a fire to enjoy.
The reason I was asking is because Sunday night I had a fire, (not the 1st for me, and it's a used stove), and the next day I noticed it was rocking on the hearth. It didn't rock after the install, I checked. I shimmed the leg, it took about .150" under it. I wanted to know if the 2 were related. I suppose I should have put that in the 1st post, huh?
semipro
Minister of Fire
clr8ter said:
You wouldn't/shouldn't know. It was a completely reasonable question. As Hanko demonstrates, common sense is not all that common... and apparently neither is common courtesy.
OhioBurner©
Minister of Fire
Not to speak for him but I dont think Hanko meant anything bad, just that it is common (he is correct) and to not worry about it and enjoy your stove. If your new to burning wood its normal to be a bit too concerned about such things. I think your fine, sounds normal to me, and enjoy the new Oslo. ;-)
logger
Minister of Fire
Not that it matters that much but I posted my info because my manual only states the "rear corners".. must be two diff manuals out there.firefighterjake said:
Odd, my manual, which is original to the stove, even has a picture of the thermometer placements, all 4 corners. Maybe older VS newer models.......
firefighterjake
Minister of Fire
logger said:
Interesting . . . my manual . . . and the one posted on line has a diagram in the back showing placement in one of any of the four corners . . . but I agree . . . I don't think it matters much.
Stove is running right now. I took the following temp measurements with an IR thermometer. Center oval plate is at 600 and the hottest of the four corners is 350. Is my stove temp 350, 600, or an average of the two at 475?
I do know that it doesn't take much or long at all to get that center plate extremely hot >650. I guess I tend to think that stove temp should really be measured at the corners and not worry about the center plate. Beats me as this is my first stove.
Chris
I do know that it doesn't take much or long at all to get that center plate extremely hot >650. I guess I tend to think that stove temp should really be measured at the corners and not worry about the center plate. Beats me as this is my first stove.
Chris
Backwoods Savage
Minister of Fire
clr8ter said:
Welcome to the forum clr8ter.
To clr8ter and to Hanko: Perhaps this might be a better way to phrase it? "Good news clr8ter. What you are hearing is very normal because the heat and cool can cause metal to expand and contract. Therefore, you should be able to relax and enjoy a good fire and all that wonderful heat."
I'm sure that is what Hanko had in mind. We like to keep it peaceful on this forum and peace is also what you will have with all the heat from that new stove. Enjoy!
cycloxer
Minister of Fire
Any of the four corners will work and they will all read differently depending on how the fire is burning within the firebox. It is virtually impossible to build a perfectly symmetric fire. As the load burns down and shifts, the temperature will also vary between the corners. Burning a wood stove is not a perfect science. Jotul just wants you to try to stay within the 400-600°F window to achieve an optimal burn.
As long as you don't get the stove roaring significantly above 600°F you will be fine. If the temp spikes, but then comes back into range, you are fine. I run my stove up to 650°F everyday to get the firebox good and hot before I throttle back the air control to bring it back into range. This ensures that the full charge has ignited and the stove really throws out the BTU's. You just don't want to get any of the metal glowing or you risk warpage and/or a reduced lifespan of the stove.
As long as you don't get the stove roaring significantly above 600°F you will be fine. If the temp spikes, but then comes back into range, you are fine. I run my stove up to 650°F everyday to get the firebox good and hot before I throttle back the air control to bring it back into range. This ensures that the full charge has ignited and the stove really throws out the BTU's. You just don't want to get any of the metal glowing or you risk warpage and/or a reduced lifespan of the stove.
I agree cycloxer. I had just assumed that since the fire was within the stove, the heat would spread out evenly. Apparently not. The stovetop temps change a couple times an hour sometimes, and by as much as 150 Deg F. So be it. It's nice & warm, and so the Wife is happy. (And so am I...)
cycloxer
Minister of Fire
The F 500 Oslo is a great stove - one of Jotul's strongest offerings. It's also a tough stove. Enjoy.
I bought one of those Rutland thermometers and I suspected the readings were false so I double checked it with a digital oven thermometer and the Rutland is in fact not working.
I went out and bought a IR reader from Harbor Freight which was $20 off right now and started playing with that. I have found that temps vary wildly on the front, sides, top and etc. My stove burns hottest in the left rear corner. Front corners can be 100 degrees cooler.
I went out and bought a IR reader from Harbor Freight which was $20 off right now and started playing with that. I have found that temps vary wildly on the front, sides, top and etc. My stove burns hottest in the left rear corner. Front corners can be 100 degrees cooler.
firefighterjake
Minister of Fire
RSNovi said:
Your guess is right . . . measure the temp at any one of the four corners and you're fine per Jotul . . . the oval center plate has less mass than the rest of the stove top so it would make sense that more heat is being given off there . . . but don't worry about it . . . just keep the temps down to 600 degrees F as another member mentioned (as measured in any one of the four corners -- I tend to prefer using the corner that is the hottest on a consistent basis) and you should be fine.
semipro
Minister of Fire
Backwoods Savage said:
Well said. For a savage you sure are diplomatic
much more than me anyway.- Status
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