We're finally getting around to breaking in the stove. Over the weekend we burned at 200, then 300. But we can't seem to get the temp past 300. What are we doing wrong? The box is full of wood and flames - burning brightly, just not hot enough.
400 - how???
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Stove is a Jotul Nordic F100, the thermometer is a Taylor and the thermometer is located in the back corner, per Jotul's specs.
We're burning doug fir - not sure if that makes a difference.
We're burning doug fir - not sure if that makes a difference.
Fir was standing dead, cut and split in the spring, split further in August.
Would the fire be bright and prolific if the wood is too wet?
Would the fire be bright and prolific if the wood is too wet?
Are you able to reduce the air supply once the wood gets burning thoroughly and see good secondary combustion? If yes, I suspect the thermometer.
Gotta know more about this guy. I didn't know Taylor made a stove thermometer.
Gotta know more about this guy. I didn't know Taylor made a stove thermometer.
The fire can still look good with wet wood, it just wont put out the heat, due to all the energy going into boiling water out of the wood.
Does the glass seem to get really black?
Does the wood sizzle at all when you put ma new split in?
Does water boil out of the ends of the logs?
I had a Quad 3100 stove I tested out a month ago or so, Loaded the thing up. Had the stove top at 600+ in like 15 minutes from a cold start. This was with damned dry wood, and hardwood.
Are you fiddling with the stove a lot? Get a hot bed of coals and load the sucker up. Close the door and leave it alone. All you should need to do is adjust the air from that point. Don't open the door to poke it or add more logs, until it has burned way down again.
Does the glass seem to get really black?
Does the wood sizzle at all when you put ma new split in?
Does water boil out of the ends of the logs?
I had a Quad 3100 stove I tested out a month ago or so, Loaded the thing up. Had the stove top at 600+ in like 15 minutes from a cold start. This was with damned dry wood, and hardwood.
Are you fiddling with the stove a lot? Get a hot bed of coals and load the sucker up. Close the door and leave it alone. All you should need to do is adjust the air from that point. Don't open the door to poke it or add more logs, until it has burned way down again.
Put the thermometer on the side panel of the stove and see what it reads. That lattice work top on the F100 makes it impossible to get accurate readings with a surface thermometer because cooler air circulates under it. An infrared thermometer will consistently show that the top of the stove is much hotter than a surface thermo.
Suggested problems.
Thermometer isn't reading accurately . . . solution = try another thermometer and/or placement location.
Not enough wood in the firebox and/or wood isn't completely seasoned . . . solution = load up more wood into the firebox or try using some pallets or other very dry wood.
Air control hasn't been dialed back . . . solution = once the temp has maxed out, try dialing back the air control a bit, wait and see if the temp doesn't increase.
Thermometer isn't reading accurately . . . solution = try another thermometer and/or placement location.
Not enough wood in the firebox and/or wood isn't completely seasoned . . . solution = load up more wood into the firebox or try using some pallets or other very dry wood.
Air control hasn't been dialed back . . . solution = once the temp has maxed out, try dialing back the air control a bit, wait and see if the temp doesn't increase.
get a good bed of hot coals.. pack the stove to the baffle with dry wood.. start with full air.. after 5-10 mins turn air back to 60-75%. If the flame dies down or turns blue you have turned back the air too far, nudge it back forward. Too much air and you are cooling the stove. watch temps rise and turn down air before temps exceed overfire limit.
Need a flat surface to get a true temp reading. The side of the stove suggestion would be the first thing to try
Thanks for the suggestions. Got a new thermometer today, its on the flat part of the surface, not the lattice (per Jotul's guide), we'll try the side though.
It seems like when it's not super cold out, sometimes I have trouble with a great draft and my stove just wants to hum along at a lower temperature.
- Feb 10, 2006
- 286
I was playing with my new stove in the spring time and I couldn't get a good fire going. It was about 50 degrees out and I just couldn't get enough draft. It worried me as the chimney was also new and untested. Once it got down to the 20s it drafted strong and it worked super all winter.
We were trying to get the initial burns done while we could open the windows. I think it was too warm out (50-60) to get a good burn, thanks for the suggestion Kenny & Michael. Its now in the low 30's and no problems getting hot.
When I'm frustrated with getting my stove to do what I want it to do, I go and get my special thermometer. It's a stovepipe magnetic that I snipped the spring in, so I can set it and forget it. Perfect burns every time. :coolsmile: Rick
I've got an F100 and you can get it to 500+.. It does take the right conditions, though... Draft is very important with this stove, as is seasoned wood. If you've got a good draft and good wood (isnt that always the case), you should be able to back down the air reasonably and heat it up.. The stove can be tempermental - you can't back off the air too much, though.. (I don't go below 40% open)
My thermometer sits on the top of the stove, directly on the decorative lattice pattern.
I've actually owned two F100's (I needed something small to fit in my firebox).. The first one I bought about 4 or 5 years ago. I have a marginal chimney (16') and the landscape around the house does not help with draft. That, along with wood that could have been a bit more seasoned led to a very frustrating experience. I fought with the stove just trying to get a fire going. In the few fires that I had that year, I'll bet that I didnt top 300F. I attributed most of my issue to my chimney height. I wound up selling the stove and most of my wood.
The following summer, I was killing time on Ebay and I found a Field Controls chimney top draft inducer.. Basically a well made stainless steel chimney cap with a heavy duty fan in it.. It was a steal, so I bought it, installed it, and then picked up another F100. That did the trick - no issues since. I use the draft inducer to get my fires started (no more worries about trying to start a fire with a cold chimney).. Once the fire is going for about :15-30 minutes, I turn off the draft inducer and adjust the air control. Works like a charm.
Another thing to check - Make sure that the baffle at the top of the stove is installed properly. Sometimes it can get "bumped" when you're loading (read: trying to cram into the small firebox) wood, and it will fall out of it's designed position.
My thermometer sits on the top of the stove, directly on the decorative lattice pattern.
I've actually owned two F100's (I needed something small to fit in my firebox).. The first one I bought about 4 or 5 years ago. I have a marginal chimney (16') and the landscape around the house does not help with draft. That, along with wood that could have been a bit more seasoned led to a very frustrating experience. I fought with the stove just trying to get a fire going. In the few fires that I had that year, I'll bet that I didnt top 300F. I attributed most of my issue to my chimney height. I wound up selling the stove and most of my wood.
The following summer, I was killing time on Ebay and I found a Field Controls chimney top draft inducer.. Basically a well made stainless steel chimney cap with a heavy duty fan in it.. It was a steal, so I bought it, installed it, and then picked up another F100. That did the trick - no issues since. I use the draft inducer to get my fires started (no more worries about trying to start a fire with a cold chimney).. Once the fire is going for about :15-30 minutes, I turn off the draft inducer and adjust the air control. Works like a charm.
Another thing to check - Make sure that the baffle at the top of the stove is installed properly. Sometimes it can get "bumped" when you're loading (read: trying to cram into the small firebox) wood, and it will fall out of it's designed position.
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