Break in fire tips for a Newbie???

[Portlander]

hello,
I am new to this forum, and was wondering if anyone had any break-in fire tips. I just had a Jotul C450 kennebec installed yesterday into my masonry fireplace of my 1911 home. I did a 25min newspaper fire last night just untill the fan came on and then I let it cool overnight. Any tips on how many fires I should do? and also should I be worried about cleaning the glass? What should I use to clean it? Is there anywhere on the stove to put a thermometer?

Thanks Jon

 

[BrotherBart]

Since it is a steel firebox I would have a couple of nice little mood fires to insure that everything is connected right and then fire it up. It doesn't need the furnace cement curing of a cast iron firebox and a couple of small fires and then a nice hot one will cure the paint, stink up the house and then you are ready to enjoy.

As to where to put a thermo on an insert, there is not a good answer for that but maybe some Jotul insert burners will chime in with what they do.

 

[Portlander]

Thanks for the help. I lit my third small fire this evening and most of the new stove smell is gone now. I think my installer said that after the bad paint smells were gone that the stove should be ready for a full load.

 

[woodracerx]

hello,
I am new to this forum, and was wondering if anyone had any break-in fire tips. I just had a Jotul C450 kennebec installed yesterday into my masonry fireplace of my 1911 home. I did a 25min newspaper fire last night just untill the fan came on and then I let it cool overnight. Any tips on how many fires I should do? and also should I be worried about cleaning the glass? What should I use to clean it? Is there anywhere on the stove to put a thermometer?

Thanks Jon

Wet newspaper to clean the glass on the hard spots put a little ash on the wet newspaper works for me

 

[odonnell0917]

I thought the Jotul 450 was a cast iron firebox.

 

[MogollonMonster]

Odd that the Jotul 450 insert manual does not discuss a break-in period. The Jotul 550 does. You might want to follow that procedure which you can find online at the Jotul website.

So is the firebox steel and the front doors and surround cast iron?

 

[gzecc]

I would imagine the paint smell will come back the higher you bring up the temperature. If it were me I would do it on kind of a cool day, with no one home. It does stink!

 

[Portlander]

I am not sure if the firebox is steel or cast iron. From the outside the firebox is wrapped in steel, but when you look on the inside it looks and feels like cast iron. As far as the break in fires go I finally looked on the website and noticed there was a section on that. According to Jotul you need to set 3 small fires, the first to reach 200 deg, second 300 deg, and the third 400 deg. Hopefully I didn't hurt anything on my first fire as I did only a newspaper fire but let it get hot enough for the fan to kick on. I wish I had a thermometer so I could get a good heat reading. Better go get one today! Anyone know where I should put it on an insert?

 

[Cearbhaill]

I wish I had a thermometer so I could get a good heat reading. Better go get one today! Anyone know where I should put it on an insert?

Wherever there is room to stick it :lol:
I don't have your brand insert, but on mine I put the thermometer right above the door.
Get the thermometer, find a spot to mount it, then take a photo. Then the guys will help you figure out how to extrapolate the temp readings into something useful for your situation.

You first year will be a learning year- you'll be worried it isn't hot enough, worried that you'll set the house on fire, worried that your wood isn't optimum, worried to leave the house- just worried. Somehow "real" fire is more worrisome than a furnace when it is simpler so shouldn't be. But every year gets easier especially if you never stop stockpiling wood- that's the single most important consideration beyond installation IMO.
Enjoy!!

 

[Portlander]

Cool, thanks for the encouragement. I have about 2 cords of wood that I split last February. I'll have to keep my ear to the ground for free wood! Can you burn wood that has a nail or two in it? i have some extra pallets that I was considering tearing apart, but didn't want to pull every nail out of the wood.

 

[gzecc]

The nails don't mind.

 

[op_man1]

As I understand it, the box is steel, not cast.

As far as the thermometer goes, you can put a slim magnetic one on top of the firebox where the hot air comes out (if you have the double door design, place it on the box aligned where the doors open). You may need a small flashlight to actually see the temps since there isn't much space. Not a problem sticking my face there unless i'm over 700 degrees...

Another tip - place the thermometer so that the numbers you want to see (500-700) are closest to the front of the insert. It will be easier for you to see the numbers that way since it really is a tight fit. I don't have a picture available but if you need one (to help you with placement) let me know.

 

[andyrlee]

Welcome to the Forum.

Should be broken in after a few fires.

I use a magic eraser with some glass cleaner specifically for fireplace glass to get the tuff stuff off and finish with a paper towel.

You can keep reusing the magic eraser even though it looks dirty.

Andy

 

[Portlander]

Thanks for the thermometer tip op_man! I just got a thermometer a couple days ago and was wondering where I could place it. My installer told me that there wasn't anywhere to put a thermometer on this particular insert. He also told me that a lower block off plate was unnecessary. Well I am done taking advice from the local fire shop in portland. This site has been a real fire edjucation for me! I now need to find out how to clean this insert when the burn season is over, how to install a lower block off plate, and how to properly season wood. I though I had the wood thing down, but after watching my wood sweat water I now know that I am burning un seasoned wood. I think I just need to move my wood pile outside into the sunlight. I had it stored outside under a covered shed in my back yard, which was pretty shady.

Jon
(first yr burner)

 

[odonnell0917]

I am having trouble getting my Jotul 450 above 450 degrees. The wood I am burning is not perfect. Split last August. Can anyone tell me if this is the reason why? I installed this in November and am dissapointed with the amount of times my heater keeps kicking in. I have a 1600 sf house and this insert is not doing what I thought it would do. No matter what I do the heater is running mostly between 350 and 400.

 

[op_man1]

I am having trouble getting my Jotul 450 above 450 degrees. The wood I am burning is not perfect. Split last August. Can anyone tell me if this is the reason why? I installed this in November and am dissapointed with the amount of times my heater keeps kicking in. I have a 1600 sf house and this insert is not doing what I thought it would do. No matter what I do the heater is running mostly between 350 and 400.

Yup, split last august is no good, unless the wood is ash (still not ideal, but burnable). What kind of wood is it? My supply for next year was split in April - and I would not touch that this year. I am burning some ash that was split in late June but it was split very small and is not ideal. The C450 likes to cruise at over 600 so 350-450 is definitely not normal.

 

[odonnell0917]

Are you saying that the low temp is due to the wood not being seasoned.

 

[soupy1957]

After the Installer completed the installation, he said that it was part of his job to light the first fire, and so he did. The wife and I kept adding logs (one at a time) when the fire died down, for a few hours, and then let it burn itself out later in the evening.

I didn't notice any smell or anything, and there is now a nice 1/2" layer of ash on the bottom.

I can't wait to get home from work today, and light er up again!!

My temps seemed to stay between 425ºF - 525ºF during the late afternoon ........and I didn't see the "aferburners" kick in on my new EPA-rated Avalon Rainier, and wondered why. I guess I'd have to build one blazing fire to achieve that double-burn, right?

I also got a little more used to the damper settings, defaulting to "fully open" when adding a log (only crack the door a bit, to ease the backdraft, before adding a log) and half-closed. I tried closing it completely, a couple of times, but it seemed I was choking the fire too much, (no smoke, but certainly reduced flames), and so I tended to stay away from "fully closed."
It's a learning curve, I guess.

The Eco-Fan 802 should be here soon, and the moisture meter should be arriving soon too, so I don't get "taken" by anyone who says that the load of wood they have for me is "dry" (need 20% or less to burn cleanly).

-Soupy1957