typical service life for a Jotul Firelight CB?

[Dexter]

Does anyone have experience regarding the typical service life of a Firelight CB?

I've had it 7 1/2 years now. We burn it to heat our house exclusively, using well seasoned lodge pole pine. On cold days we keep it fired to about 450 to 575 degrees, F. (2 1/2 cords on light winters, and 3 1/2 cords on cold winters.) Every couple of years I replace flat gaskets, and I clean the pipe, chimney and stove yearly. Any guesses?

 

[webbie]

I have not burned that model, but I think the following applies....

In general, the cast iron exterior parts should last almost forever - say 20-30 years or more.

In a non-cat stove, the part(s) subject to most wear are those which hit the highest temperature- those being the baffles, air injection tubes and other parts in the upper firebox. An inspection of these parts for wear and warping will give you some indication of possible life.

A non-cat stove should be designed and built to allow relatively easy replacement of these particular parts. Even spending a couple hundred dollars every 7-10 years for part replacement would end up being a relative bargain.....if you can get 20+ years.

 

[backpack09]

Now how does this compare to a plate stove?

 

[Dexter]

Plate stove? I assume that is a thick plated, sectioned, non-cemented cast iron stove?. My family has an old cookstove from around 1920 in a vacation cabin, and we still use it -- but it is seriously time for rejuvenation.

My jotul gets serious (fairly) high temp, continous operation during the cold months, and frankly, the baffle over the fire-tubes had only a two to three year useable life. It made me wonder about the rest of the stove, which I must say does an admirable job of heating. And inducing fire-Zen. While one stares into the pretty flames...while clutching an adult-beverage. (Oh, when will colder weather come?) Sorry -- I digress...

Regards,

Dexter

 

[webbie]

By plate, I think he means steel - here is the kicker with steel -

It very much depends on the design of the particular model......

Of course, it does with cast also.

To be clear, there are many heavy steel stoves from the late 70's that have survived until today in good condition...then again, they may have not been used constantly, so it is not a scientific judgment.

But my opinion is that steel stoves must also have means to easily replace the "hot" parts. If they do not, chances are that they will not have a long life. This is because stoves of today burn much hotter because of the "clean" burning of the combustible gases. This causes temperatures which are beyond the normal range of regular steel. Manufacturers have responded by designing stainless air injection tubes....or at least easily replaceable ones. The baffles are often made of firebrick in a heavy angle frame - also replaceable.

I would be wary of a steel stove with all tightly welded-in baffles, air tubes, bypasses (catalytics), etc.......because there is no "give and take" allowing for expansion, etc.

Even if things were to go bad, steel stoves can usually be refurbed by a welder - which is not really expensive if a person knows the right people.

Here is an interesting tidbit - it is not unusual to find antique stoves 100 years or more old with parts of the body made from thin sheet steel.....proof that it can last. As always, engineering and design is the key (as well as how the stove is fired!).

 

[Dexter]

'Makes sense, Web:

At our old house we had a Lopi Answer, a small but powerful steel stove. I believe it had "drop in" fire bricks for a baffle, nested in angle iron brackets. I think you could actually change most of them out by reaching through the loading door and turning the bricks on edge. (A little simpler than getting at the baffle in the Jotul!) 'Funny, though... . In the Jotul, two sets of those top-baffles have warped and cracked to the point of needing replacement, yet the fire-tubes seem fine. Even the fire-blanket is original. Over all, it's been a great stove.

Regards,

Dexter

 

[webbie]

I think the baffles are warping because of the blanket on top - it holds the heat in and makes the temp higher.

Not that I am an engineer, but it might help if Jotul poured special iron for this part - I think they can add chromium and other stuff to raise the temp rating - but that still may not be enough. It may just be that it need replaced every couple years.....

Of the common materials, only stainless steel can really stand up to that kind of temp on a constant basis....and even that can warp.

It's a typical engineering problems - they have done such a good job burning all the gases.....now they made the stove burn TOO good. Next up - titanium baffles.

 

[Dexter]

Yeah, I figured as much. I finally gave up on the factory baffle and cut some split firebrick to fit snugly over the fire-tubes. 'Hold the bricks off the tubes with 3/16 cold-rolled steel dowls (so air can pass over AND under the fire tubes.) We still use the blanket over the top. 'Did this last autumn, and it works GREAT. Similar Burn characteristics. No iron deterioration evident.

Regards,

Dexter